THE WALL OF FACES

On October 15, 1967, a United States Air Force Lockheed C-130E Hercules (#64-0548) from the 776th Tactical Airlift Squadron crashed and burned during a ground-controlled approach for airdrop at Khe Sanh Combat Base in Quang Tri Province, RVN. Five USAF and one Army personnel died in the incident. There was only one survivor, the pilot. The aircraft was attempting to deliver a load of sandbags by flying low and slow over the runway and pushing them out the back. The sandbags were needed as part of a major reconstruction program at the base and had to be airdropped as the runway was being rebuilt. The weather was poor at the time with a low cloud base. The accident was believed to have been due to pilot error rather than enemy action. The lost crew included co-pilot CAPT Erle L. Bjorke, navigator 1LT James R. Hottenroth, flight engineer TSGT Edward Mosley, and loadmasters A2C John H. Snyder, SGT Charles L. Baney, and A1C Lawrence A. Berneski. Berneski survived the crash and was medically evacuated to the Naval hospital ship USS Repose (AH-16) off the coast of South Vietnam where he died the following day. Baney was from the U.S. Army’s 109th Quartermaster Company. He was on the flight to assist with the intended cargo drop. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org, aviation-safety.net, c-130.net, wikiwand.com, and baaa-acro.com]

DEAR AIRMAN 1ST CLASS BERNESKI.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE IN THE AIR FORCE. I DO NOT KNOW YOUR MOS. WITH EACH YEAR THAT PASSES, IT MAKES IT FAR TOO LONG FOR YOU TO HAVE BEEN GONE. WE APPRECIATE ALL YOU HAVE DONE, AND YOUR SACRIFICE. WATCH OVER THE U.S.A., IT STILL NEEDS YOUR COURAGE.. GOD BLESS YOU. MAY THE SAINTS AND ANGELS BE AT YOUR SIDE. REST IN PEACE.

To my uncle Larry:
I never had the chance to meet you or Gramma Josephine but I know you are both watching over all of us and until we meet please continue to watch over us.
I salute you, and love you.
Your niece,
Melissa Lane
[email protected]

Thank you for your skill and courage.

Dear A1C Lawrence Augusti Berneski, 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