THE WALL OF FACES

Lt. Clarence Paul Lewis was an uncle that I never met. He was never far from my mom's thoughts, as her "little" brother gave the ultimate sacrifice. Thank you for your service Uncle Clarence.

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. We should be forever thankful for the sacrifices of you and so many others to ensure the freedoms we so often take for granted.

Dear Lt Clarence Lewis, Thank you for your service as a Tactical Aircraft Pilot. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart. Happy Spring! It is Holy Week, and Passover starts tonight. The time passes quickly. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage, guidance and faithfulness. Rest in peace with the angels.

Clarence was my first co-pilot in RVN. We both flew with the 21st TAS. Yesterday was the 46 anniversary of his death, God bless Duke.
Lt. Col. Brian T Sweeney USAF RET.

Kontum City is located about 19 miles north of Pleiku City, in the Central Highlands in Kontum Province, RVN. During the first three months of 1972, a large build-up of enemy forces was detected in the valley area southwest of Dak To and northwest of Kontum City. A battle raged for months in and around the city and military base of Kontum. On May 17, 1972, a USAF Lockheed C-130E Hercules (#63-7798) from the 21st Tactical Airlift Squadron, 374th Tactical Airlift Wing, 7th Air Force, was operating on a resupply mission to Kontum Airfield. As the aircraft departed the airfield, it was struck by an enemy 122 mm rocket while climbing away and crashed. Three crewmen were killed in the crash, pilot CAPT Richard H. Hagman, navigator CAPT John W. Adams, and flight engineer TSGT David L. Wagner. Co-pilot 1LT Clarence P. Lewis was rescued and evacuated to the U.S. Army Hospital at Camp Zama in Japan, where he succumbed to his injuries May 21, 1972. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org]