HONORED ON PANEL 38W, LINE 32 OF THE WALL
CLIFFORD KAY WELDING
WALL NAME
CLIFFORD K WELDING
PANEL / LINE
38W/32
DATE OF BIRTH
CASUALTY PROVINCE
DATE OF CASUALTY
HOME OF RECORD
COUNTY OF RECORD
STATE
BRANCH OF SERVICE
RANK
REMEMBRANCES
LEFT FOR CLIFFORD KAY WELDING
POSTED ON 7.17.2017
POSTED BY: [email protected]
Final Mission of 1LT Clifford K. Welding
On November 21, 1968, a U.S. Army helicopter OH-6A (tail number 67-16355) from B Troop, 7th Squadron, 17th Air Cavalry, was on a visual reconnaissance mission in Binh Thuan Province, RVN, when it was hit by a Viet Cong rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) and crashed and burned. Both crewmen, pilot 1LT Clifford K. Welding and observer SGT Stanley N. Green, were fatally injured in the incident. The following is a personal account of the shoot down by Joe Shepherd: Cliff Welding and SGT Green were flying my wing that day. We were covered by two (AH-1 attack helicopter) Cobras and were following a fresh trail from an overnight contact into the foothills. We caught a group of 8-10 Viet Cong on the trail. Cliff and I both engaged with mini-guns and fire from our observers. We dropped smoke and the Cobras rolled in as we moved off to the west. After making several passes, the Cobra lead called us back for a BDA (bomb-damage assessment). Cliff's mini-gun had stopped working so he led back into the area and I followed to cover him. As we neared the smoke from the Cobra's rockets, we received small arms fire. Then Cliff's aircraft was hit by an RPG. It went down immediately. I tried to land but could not because of small arms fire. I could see that Cliff was still in the burning aircraft and that SGT Green was out, but that he was burned very bad. I stayed on station until the Blues (infantry) arrived and confirmed that Cliff was KIA and SGT Green was medevacked. (Green died the same day.) [Taken from vhpa.org and info provided by Joe Shepherd at the same website]
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POSTED ON 10.31.2013
POSTED BY: Curt Carter [email protected]
Remembering An American Hero
Dear 1LT Clifford Kay Welding, 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
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
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POSTED ON 10.7.2012
POSTED BY: Jim and Tom Reece and Rosa KIng
Salute to a Fellow Veteran
POSTED ON 6.15.2010
POSTED BY: Robert Sage
We Remember
Cliff is buried at Lincoln Memorial Park, Lincoln, NE. DFC AM/5 OLC PH
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POSTED ON 11.21.2006
POSTED BY: Douglas C. Rice
A Loyal Friend
I was a close friend of Cliff's during OCS at Ft. Knox in 1966/67. Was in Vietnam with 82nd ABN in Nov 68 but only heard of his being shot down a month later. I remember him as a natural leader, open-minded and with a wicked sense of humor. I remember him every year on Nov 21st with at least 2 Rolling Rocks - at the time his favorite brew.
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