THE WALL OF FACES

On January 30th, 1966, a United States Marine KC-130F Hercules aircraft #804, the "DASC" tanker, was returning to Da Nang airbase after a refueling mission over the Gulf of Tonkin for Marine and Navy F-4B Phantom jets enroute to bomb the Haiphong area was "scrubbed". The aircraft held over 70,000 gallons of aviation fuel in its "bladder" in the fuselage. The aircraft radioed a transmission that it "saw some unusual 'flashes' on 'Tigre Island' as it flew over it enroute south, and that it was going to make another pass to “take a look-see.” This was simply a routine effort by the aircraft commander to contribute perhaps some extra intelligence with the mission, since Tigre Island (North Vietnamese territory) was classified "unoccupied." That was the last transmission received, and shortly thereafter, the aircraft disappeared from the Da Nang radar scope. It was determined later that the NVA had secretly moved several radar-controlled anti-aircraft 37mm guns onto Tigre Island just for the purpose of trying to down American aircraft that regularly flew over or near the island. Apparently, #804 was hit and exploded in mid air when the aviation fuel was ignited, killing all aboard. Extensive searches of the sea, the island, and the near-by North Vietnamese Coastline yielded not one shred of neither the aircraft nor any of the six marine crewmembers on board: pilot 1LT Albert M. Prevost, crew chief SSGT Peter G. Vlahakos, navigator GSGT Galen F. Humphrey, and crew members MAJ Richard A. Alm, SSGT Donald L. Coates, and SSGT Russell B. Luker. All were declared Killed in Action, Bodies Not Recovered. [Narrative taken from pownetwork.org; image from wikipedia.org]

I bought a silver bracelet for Christmas. The ones with MIA armed forces members names on them and the date they went missing. They only make one bracelet per MIA Marine, and I got the bracelet of Richard A. Alm. He went missing February 1, 1966. And I just wanted to give my respect to him and his family and let him and his family know, Richard, you went missing/died a hero.

Dear Major Richard Andrew Alm, 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

I share your name and story to all who ask. I've never met you, but you will always be a brother at arms. God bless you and your family.

Semper Fi, Sir.