THE WALL OF FACES

A butterfly lights beside us like a sunbeam
And for a brief moment its glory
and beauty belong to our world
But then it flies again
And though we wish it could have stayed...
We feel lucky to have seen it.

A2C Arnold G. Kravitz served with the 56th Civil Engineer Squadron, 56th Air Commando Wing, 7th Air Force. In the fall of 1967, Kravitz was at Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base in Thailand. The group supported the wing’s mission of employing a wide variety of aircraft to meet specialized missions. Those missions included interdiction, psychological warfare, close air support, search and rescue, forward air control, training Thai and Laotian air forces, and helicopter escort for clandestine insertion and extraction of personnel in Laos and North Vietnam. Kravitz’ unit was very busy as the base would double in size during 1967. On September 23, 1967, Kravitz was accidently electrocuted while attempting to unhook a sling from a cable on the boom of a crane. Reportedly, the crane operator was raising the boom to provide slack in the cable when it made contact with a power line carrying 4,160 volts. Kravitz was in contact with both the crane and the ground when the boom touched the high voltage line. He suffered cardiac arrest, and all efforts to revive him were unsuccessful. Kravitz’ name was not on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall when it opened in 1982; however, lobbying efforts to have it was added were successful, and it was placed on the wall in May 1986. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org]

Although the years may have passed, we can keep your memory alive. To stop by here and post a prayer means that you are not forgotten.

A2C Arnold Gary Kravitz is buried in the Shalom Section of the Greenwood Memorial Park in San Diego, CA.

Your sacrifice is not forgotten.

HOOAH

Today, 53 years ago, you gave up your life serving your country during the Vietnam War. May you rest in eternal peace.