THE WALL OF FACES

Your sacrifice is not forgotten.

HOOAH

Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there. I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry;
I am not there. I did not die.

Chief Warrant Officer Willard Lee Clemons, Served with the 135th Assault Helicopter Company, 214th Aviation Battalion, 164th Aviation Group, 1st Aviation Brigade, United States Army Vietnam.

On March 28, 1970, a U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H (tail number 68-15244) from the 135 Assault Helicopter Company suffered a mechanical failure during a standardization flight in the vicinity of Bearcat Base in Bien Hoa Province, RVN. Two crewmen died as a result of the crash. The aircraft departed the refueling area at Bear Cat with 1200 lbs. of fuel on a 90-day standardization check flight. The instructor pilot was CW2 Willard L. Clemons and the pilot was WO1 Donald W. Cook. They proceeded to the FAC strip located at Bearcat, and CW2 Clemons proceeded to administer the standardization flight. The flight was normal until downwind at an altitude of 600 feet, Clemons attempted to give a practice hydraulics failure. Immediately after turning off the hydraulics switch, the right fuel boost pump light came on followed by the engine-driven fuel pump light. The engine then failed and WO1 Cook put the aircraft into autorotation with an airspeed of 60 knots. They were over relatively flat terrain with brush 10-12 feet tall. Cook attempted to land on a narrow dirt road running through the brush, but could not reach the road and touched down in the brush 5 feet short of the road. The aircraft bounced into the air and rolled to the left and landed inverted, bursting into flames upon impact. Clemons escaped from the burning aircraft with 2nd degree burns over 88% of his body and walked down the dirt road a distance of approximately 400-500 meters to the main road leading from Bearcat. He was spotted by a UH-1 helicopter and was immediately evacuated to the 93rd Evacuation Hospital at Long Binh. A post fire truck arrived at the scene of the crash 30 minutes after the accident after it had been alerted by a tower operator at Bearcat. The tower operator had heard two mayday calls over the radio, however, he did not see the aircraft in flight but could see the smoke and flames at the crash site. The body of Cook was removed from the wreckage at 1355 hours. Clemons later succumbed to his injuries on April 3, 1970. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and vhpa.org]

Dear CWO Willard Clemons,
Thank you for your service as a Helicopter Pilot. December is here, along with all the preparations. It is so 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 strength, courage and faithfulness. Rest in peace with the angels.