THE WALL OF FACES

On March 4, 1967, Maj Ralph L. Carlock was the pilot of a U.S. Air Force F-105D Thunderchief fighter-bomber in a flight of four F-105D’s from the 357th Tactical Fighter Squadron on an armed reconnaissance mission over Laos. The weather in the operational area was reported to be hazy with a low cloud layer. While searching for targets along Highway 7 in Xiangkhoang Province, Carlock, an element leader, called out a truck and prepared to engage it from low level in the early morning haze. His low-angle approach slowed by bombs on still on the racks favored enemy gunner on the ground, and his Thunderchief was hit in the lower center of the fuselage and began to burn. The flight leader ordered him three times to bail out; however, the canopy never separated from the aircraft, and no bailout was observed. The bombs were still on the jet as it impacted the ground one kilometer (.62 mile) southeast of Nong Het. The number four element reported that the last thing Carlock transmitted was, “Oh, no.” Forty minutes after the crash, a weak electronic beacon signal was heard coming from the vicinity of the aircraft; however, it was considered to be the result of the post-crash fire and not from pilot activation. Search and rescue efforts were unsuccessful in making contact with Carlock and he was carried in a presumptive status of dead, body not recovered. In 2003, a joint U.S./Laotian recovery team located the area of the Thunderchief's crash site and recovered remains which were later identified as those of Carlock. [Sourced at coffeltdatabase.org, pownetwork.org, and “Thud Ridge” by Col Jack Broughton]

I am the Curator of the POW/MIA Bracelet Display in the Vietnam Hangar of the Palm Springs Air Museum in Palm Springs, California where we now have over two thousand bracelets and would be honored to include your bracelet in our Display should you have one. If you no longer have your bracelet or wish to keep yours or are an immediate family member (spouse, fiancé, sibling, child, grandchild, cousin, niece, nephew, or close friend) I can order one for the Display in your name with funds donated by our Museum visitors.
https://palmspringsairmuseum.org/vietnam-pow-bracelet-display/
Dr. Dave Thompson
Palm Springs Air Museum
POW/MIA Bracelet Display Curator
Lt. Commander U.S. Navy 1964-1970
10-103 Lakeview Dr. Rancho Mirage, Ca 92270
760-328-0859 760-464-6843 [email protected]

I have carried your name on my wrist since Air a force ROTC in college. I continue to carry your name 23 years later. I have learned so much but not enough about you and your sacrifice. You are never forgotten even by a stranger who will always remember you.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.

MAJ Ralph Laurence Carlock is buried in Sunrise Memorial Park in Hermantown, MN. (findagrave.com)

His body was repatriated on November 26, 2003, and identified on March 10, 2004.

Your sacrifice is not forgotten.

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