THE WALL OF FACES

Dear WO Arthur Papale, Thank you for your service as an Utility & Light Cargo Single Rotor Helicopter Pilot. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart. It is Lent, and it’s spring. Time passes quickly. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage and faithfulness, especially now. Rest in peace with the angels.

I was in his wedding and he was very happy that day.

My god-father , Arthur Papale, Rest in Peace.

Arthur you are my one cousin I never met. You are the oldest and I am the youngest of our generation. Our fathers were brothers. I was 5 years old when you flew your final mission. Thank you for your service to our nation. One day we may cross paths.
God bless you and all the men and woman that we lost to that war.

On February 16, 1969, a U.S. Army helicopter UH-1D (tail number 66-16091) from the 57th Assault Helicopter Company was attempting to insert a Long-Range Reconnaissance Patrol (LRRP) team in a landing zone one mile northeast of Polei Kleng in Kontum Province, RVN, when the aircraft received an unknown number and type of hits from enemy ground fire. The pilot, WO1 Normand P. Perron, radioed on climb out that the controls were erratic. The aircraft then began a slow spiral descent and crashed, bursting into flames upon impact. All four of the crewmembers were killed as were the four LRRP team members aboard. The lost crewmen included WO1 Perron, aircraft commander WO1 Arthur L. Papale, crew chief SP4 Rick A. Oliver, and gunner SP4 Larry M. Alcos. The four lost Rangers were SGT Ralph G. Dunn, SP4 Gerald Q. Hancock, PFC Hugh R. McKinney, and SP4 Jack L. Rightmyer. Hancock was posthumously promoted to Sergeant and McKinney to Corporal. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and vhpa.org]