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 SMsgt Bobby Seay, Thank you for your service with the 315 Consol. Maintenance Squadron. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart. Happy New Year. Time moves quickly. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage, guidance and faithfulness, especially now. Rest in peace with the angels.

I served with Sgt. Seay in Germany at Spangdahlem AFB. We were in the 49th TFW assigned to the electrical shop and much of our work was with the F4 Phantom. I didn't know him very well, but I knew him to be a dedicated airman. Sometimes a group of us would meet up after work at the Rod & Gun Club on base for a beer.

On November 29, 1970, a USAF C-123K Provider (#54-0649), Flight Bookie 540, from the 310th Tactical Airlift Squadron, was on a routine milk run (passenger) mission from Phan Rang to Cam Rahn Bay when it crashed into a mountain ridge 14 miles outside Cam Rahn Bay. The Provider crashed in poor weather, striking high ground at an altitude of 2700 feet in thick clouds. On board the aircraft were 44 people, consisting of 5 crewmen and 39 passengers. There were 32 U.S. military and 12 South Vietnamese. Two ARVN survivors were found five days later walking toward a road. The crash site was located after a week on December 5th by U.S. Army Rangers and South Vietnamese Rangers. They found two U.S. survivors, CAPT Vincent J. Fairbrother Jr. and SGT Gary Aldredge, who endured the week with no food or water. Thirty U.S. military plus ten ARVN troops were killed. The lost crew included pilot CAPT Cecil G. Moyer Jr., co-pilot 1LT James F. Saxby, and crewmen SSGT Grayson H. Newberry, SSGT Harry A. Watson, and CAPT Norbert A. Podhajsky. The U.S. passengers killed were SGT Jack R. Gibbs, TSGT Robert B. Johnson, SGT James E. Stubblefield, SMS Bobby D. Seay, SSGT James C. Starnes, 1LT Elmon C. Caudill III, 1LT Jon M. King, PVT Gary Anderson, A1C James B. Young, CWO Franklin D. Defenbaugh, SP4 Samuel A. Grayson III, SP4 Charles A. Johnson, SP4 Donald A. Slate, 1LT Charles L. Kollenberg, SGT Ronnie C. Teschendorf, SP4 George Beedy, SGT Billy J. Hogan Jr, SGT Raymond H. Gray, SGT Joseph C. Blackwell, PFC Joseph A. Jacques, PFC Arthur J. Menn, SP4 Ronald R. Greenhouse, SSGT Ralph S. Guck, CAPT William D. Kennedy III, and CAPT Robert J. Polniak. [Taken from c123sinsea.org, bswett.com]

Dear SMS Bobby Darel Seay, 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