THE WALL OF FACES

On the remembrance of your 72nd birthday, your sacrifice is not forgotten.

Non sibi sed patriae.

In June 1967, the USS Forrestal departed Norfolk, VA, for duty in waters off Vietnam. In the Gulf of Tonkin on July 29th, the Forrestal had been launching aircraft from her flight deck. For four days, the planes of Attack Carrier Air Wing 17 had flown about 150 missions against targets in North Vietnam from the ship. At about 10:50 AM (local time), during preparation for another strike, a Zuni rocket installed on an F-4 Phantom misfired, impacting an armed A-4 Skyhawk parked on the port side. The rocket's force dislodged and ruptured the Skyhawk's 400-gallon external fuel tank. Fuel from the leaking tank caught fire, creating a conflagration that burned for hours, killing 134, injuring 161, destroying 21 aircraft and costing the Navy US$72 million. The lost crew and carrier air wing personnel included PR2 Marvin J. Adkins, SN Everett A. Allen, ATR3 Gary J. Ardeneaux, ADJ1 Toney A. Barnett, LT Dennis M. Barton, AMH2 Robert L. Bennett, AQF2 Mark R. Bishop, SN James L. Blaskis, AA William V. Brindle, AE3 Bobby J. Brown, AMS1 Jerry D. Byars, AE3 Francis Campeau, AQF3 Jack M. Carlan, AN Daniel G. Cavazos, SN Ray A. Chatelain, AN Richard D. Clendenen, SN William D. Collins, AN Robert B. Cotton, AMH2 James L. Crenshaw, AME2 Mario C. Crugnola Jr., AN Robert J. Davies, AO2 Thomas J. Dawson Jr, AE3 Jerold V. Despard, ADJ3 Edward R. Dorsey, ADJ3 Joseph G. Dugas, ADJ3 Paul A. Dupere, SN John S. Duplaga, SN Kenneth Dyke, AE1 Walter T. Eads, AO2 James A. Earick, ATN2 John T. Edwards, ABHC Gerald W. Farrier, FN Kenneth L. Fasth, AME1 John J. Fiedler, AN Russell L. Fike, ADJ1 Harold Fontenot, AN Johnnie L. Frazier, AN Gerald G. Fredrickson, AMS1 Herbert A. Frye, AN Ramon Garza, LT Robert E. Geller, ADJ3 Richard H. Gibson, AN Lawrence J. Gilbert, AMS3 William T. Gilroy, AMS3 Larry E. Grace, AE3 Russell A. Grazier, ATR3 Charles C. Gregory, SN William C. Hartgen, AN Robert L. Hasz, AN Richard A. Hatcher, AN William K. Hinckley Jr, DS2 Stephen L. Hock, AMH3 Larry D. Holley, AE2 Calvin D. Howison, AA Philip L. Hudson, AO3 Julius B. Hughes, WO Donald N. Hugo, AN Ralph W. Jacobs, ATR3 Donald W. Jedlicka, AN William B. Justin, AN Thomas M. Kane, AN Charles D. Kieser, AN Joseph Kosik, AME3 Edward L. La Barr, SN Wade A. Lannom Jr., AN William Lee, EM2 Robert C. Leonberg, AN John T. Lilla, AQF3 Arnold E. H. Lohse, AN Charles E. Long, AZ2 William E. Lowe, AMH3 Kenneth W. Lozier, AQF3 James S. MacVickar Jr., AN Ralph E. Manning, AMH2 Earle E. Mc Auliffe, AN Brian D. Mc Conahay, ADJ1 George C. Mc Donald, AO2 Frank C. Mc Nelis Jr, AMH3 William V. Mc Quade, AN Alan R. Metz,AN George D. Miller, AN Edward A. Mindyas, PR3 Hubert H. Morgan Jr, AE3 Leroy Moser, AN James E. Neumeyer, AE3 Gary E. Newby, AA James E. Newkirk, FN Ronald R. Ogrinc, AN Thomas D. Ott II, AN Wayne H. Ott, AMHC Richard L. Owens, AMH3 Richard T. Pinta, AO2 Raymond N. Plesh, AN John C. Pody III, AMH2 Ernest E. Polston, AN Douglas A. Post, AE3 Robert M. Priviech, ATN3 John M. Pruner, ABH3 Robert A. Rhuda, AN Charles R. Rich, AMS3 Jerry P. Rodgers, AME2 Dale R. Ross, AN James M. Runnels, AN Harvey D. Scofield, AO2 Joseph C. Shartzer, AMH3 William J. Shields, ABH3 Richard M. Sietz, AN David W. Smith, SN Richard T. Smith, AMS2 John F. Snow, AQ1 John C. Spiess, SN Nelson Everett Spitler, AO3 Johnny W. Spivey, LCDR Gerry L. Stark, AN Walter E. Steele, ADJ2 Wendell W. Stewart, AA Robert Allen Stickler, AN Kenneth D. Strain, ABH2 Robert Hatcher Swain, AN Delton E. Terry, YN3 Norman A. Thomas, AMH1 William F. Thompson, AE3 Richard J. Vallone, AN Robert J. Velasquez, AN Juan A. Velez, AN George E. Wall, AN Harold D. Watkins, AA Gregory L. Webb, AME3 Gerald A. Wehde, AQF3 Judson A. Wells Jr, ADJ3 Richard L. Wescott, AA Edward J. Wessels, LCDR Fred D. White, AN Kerry D. Wisdom, and AN Robert L. Zwerlein. [Taken from various web sources]

Dear AA Brindle,
Thank you for your service as an Airman Apprentice from the U. S. S. FORRESTAL. This is Independence Day weekend, and it is important for us all to acknowledge the sacrifices of those like you who answered our nation's call. Please watch over America, it stills needs your courage and faithfulness. Rest in peace with the angels.

Dear AA William Victor Brindle, 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

William is buried at Falls Memorial Gardens, Wabash County,IN.