THE WALL OF FACES

Great sadness fills our hearts today
As pipes and drums, in slow march play.
A comrade’s fallen by the way,
And now we say goodbye.

This hero to the very end
Was more than just a casual friend,
Who would a stranger’s life defend,
And now we say goodbye

But we shall cherish, all our days,
The character this life portrayed
With sacrifice so freely made,
And now we say goodbye.

The hand salute, o’er Stars and Stripes,
And distant skirl of highland pipes,
Bid last farewell with hero’s rights,
And now we say goodbye.

While here on Earth, you gave your best.
Now in the Master’s arms you rest.
T’is by your memory we are blessed.
And now we say goodbye.

Dear A1C Robert Westfall, Thank you for your service with the 1st Air Commando Squadron. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart. It is Advent, and Christmas is soon. Time passes quickly. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage, guidance, and faithfulness, especially now. Rest in peace with the angels.

Never forgotten.

HOOAH

A1C Westfall,

A day doesn't go by that you are in my thoughts and prayers. I was assigned to MAAG-VN when 8 of you were KIA 2/11/62. The two army personnel, Lt. Walling and Sp4 Merrihew were some of my best friends. I stood on the tarmac at Bien Hoa Air Base with others at a memorial service paying our respects as 8 flag draped caskets were lined up. It haunts me to this day.

On Sunday, February 11, 1962, a Douglas SC-47A aircraft (# 15732) from 1st Air Commando Squadron, 314th Air Division, 13th Air Force was on a propaganda leaflet dropping flight over South Vietnam when it crashed in the mountains near Bao Loc, Lam Dong Province, South Vietnam. The aircraft’s proposed flight path was from Saigon to Da Nang to drop propaganda leaflets with a New Year's message from President Kennedy over the high plateau area of central Vietnam. As the aircraft swept low near the village of Blao, a concealed enemy force opened fire. The plane was struck by small arms fire and crashed in the mountains southwest of the village. A joint U.S./Vietnamese rescue team was sent to the crash site to recover the remains of the eight U.S. servicemen who were aboard the aircraft. They included six USAF personnel: CAPT Edward K. Kissam Jr., CAPT Joseph M. Fahey Jr., 1LT Jack D. Le Tourneau, 1LT Stanley G. Hartson, TSGT Floyd M. Frazier, and A1C Robert L. Westfall; two U.S. Army personnel: 2LT Lewis M. Walling Jr., and SP4 Glen F. Merrihew; and 2 unknown South Vietnamese Air Force personnel. [Taken from aviation-safety.net and togetherweserved.com]