THE WALL OF FACES

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. As long as you are remembered you will always be with us….

Dear Sp4 Louie Montoya, Thank you for your service as a Flight Qualified Aircraft Maintenance Apprentice. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart. Yesterday was Veterans’ Day. Time passes quickly. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage and faithfulness, especially now. Rest in peace with the angels.

On June 10, 1971, a U.S. Army helicopter UH-1C (tail number 66-00597) from the 192nd Assault Helicopter Company was participating in a low-level sniffer mission in Pleiku Province, RVN. Sniffer missions were airborne personnel detector operations in which equipment in the aircraft was used to detect scents unique to human beings in order to locate enemy soldiers in hidden positions. The mission required that the sniffer aircraft fly at tree-top level, making the helicopter vulnerable to enemy ground fire. Aircraft 597 was the wing ship in a flight of two gunships covering the sniffer ship. The helicopter (597) was flying straight and level when there was an explosion from the engine area. The aircraft pitched up and to the right. The lead ship’s aircraft commander said he noticed fire coming from the engine before the helicopter nosed down through the jungle canopy where it impacted with the ground and exploded. A mayday call was heard from the co-pilot before the aircraft went in. The second gunship made a pass of the crash area and the crew chief jumped into a tree top and started to climb down. He fell on his way down and broke his arm after he was blown from the tree by the rotor wash. He still managed to pull both pilots away from the burning wreck. He was unable to rescue the crew chief and gunner, and they perished in the post-crash fire. The two lost crewmen were SP5 Johnny Arthur and SP4 Louie G. Montoya. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and information provided by Steve A. Watson (July 1997) at vhpa.org]

Louie is buried at Oakdale Memorial Park, Glendora, Los Angeles County, CA.

Dear SP4 Louie Gooch Montoya, sir

As an American, I would like to thank you for your service and for your sacrifice made on behalf of our wonderful country. The youth of today could gain much by learning of heroes such as yourself, men and women whose courage and heart can never be questioned.

May God allow you to read this, and may He allow me to someday shake your hand when I get to Heaven to personally thank you. May he also allow my father to find you and shake your hand now to say thank you; for America, and for those who love you.

With respect, and the best salute a civilian can muster for you, Sir

Curt Carter