THE WALL OF FACES

DEAR WARRANT OFFICER ALGAARD,
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AS A FIXED WING PILOT - MULTI ENGINE.
REST IN PEACE.

Warrant Officer Harold Lowell Algaard, Served with the 138th Aviation Company ASA (Army Security Agency), 224th ASA Aviation Battalion, %09th ASA Group, Army Security Agency.

On March 4, 1971 CAPT Michael W. Marker, pilot of a JU21-A twin engine turbo prop (serial number 18065, call sign Vanguard 216) departed Phu Bai, Republic of Vietnam on an early morning combat support mission in the vicinity of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). His crew that morning consisted of co-pilot WO1 Harold L. Algaard, technical observer SP5 Rodney D. Osborne, and crewmen SP5 Richard J. Hentz and SP6 John T. Strawn. The pilot and crew were assigned to the 138th Aviation Company, 224th Aviation Battalion, 509th RR (Radio Research) Group, a cover designation for their real unit in USASA. "Radio Research" was actually a secret cover designation for certain units operating under the direction of the U.S. Army Security Agency Group, Vietnam. All missions of this agency were highly classified. The 224th Aviation Battalion was referred to as an aviation battalion in Vietnam for security reasons only. The JU21A aircrew's actual unit designation was 138th ASA Company, 224th ASA Battalion (Aviation), U.S. Army Security Agency Group, Vietnam. Two hours into the mission, at 0840 hours, radio and radar communication was lost. When the aircraft failed to return from the mission at the appointed time, search efforts were initiated and continued for 2 days over a 300 mile area, but proved negative. A reliable source indicated that an aerial detonation in the vicinity of the DMZ occurred on March 4, 1971 at the same flight altitude and pattern flown by Vanguard 216. Hostile threat in the area precluded any visits to the suspected area of the crash. No trace was ever found of the aircraft or the crew. While the missing crew members were initially listed as Missing in Action, a change in status to Killed In Action, Body Not Recovered (KIA/BNR) occurred within 90 days of the incident. Regarding the status change, the families were told that all information pertinent to the incident was classified and would remain classified for ten years. Since that date, the families have been told that the aircraft was involved in electronic surveillance, and their mission was top secret. The aircraft was hit by enemy artillery and was downed over North Vietnam. A "classified source" stated that the crew was killed. The rest is classified. Efforts through numerous inquiries, including a Congressional inquiry in 1982, to reveal what information was contained in the "classified source" have been fruitless. Through the Congressional inquiry, it was learned that information regarding the loss of Vanguard 216 would be classified until the year 2010 A.D. [Narrative taken from pownetwork.org; image from wikipedia.org]

Dear WO Harold Lowell Algaard, 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

Army Warrant Office Harold Lowell Algaard (Lowell) was the co-pilot of a U-21 plane that was shot down over North Vietnam on March 4, 1971. The plane and the bodies of the 5 crew members were never recovered.

Lowell was an extremely bright and personable young man and was an avid pilot. He started taking flying lessons at age 16 and loved flying anything from our small Cessna to large aircraft. He was licensed as a commercial pilot and his dream was to fly for a commercial airline after serving his country in the war.

As difficult as his death has been for us, and as lonely as the years have been without him, we find comfort in the fact that Lowell's passion was flying and that he died doing what he loved most.

Lowell's favorite poem was "High Flight" by John Gillespie McGee, Jr., and I quote in part : "Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth and danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings...put out my hand and touched the face of God."