Ac47d Spooky 13 March 1966

Davis, Gene Edmond
Air Force Chief master sergeant

Gene Edmond Davis, age 45, from Evansville, Indiana, Vanderburgh county.

Parents: Basil Davis
Spouse: Martha Davis
Children: Don, last saw father at age 12

Service era: Vietnam
Schools: McCutchanville School, Reitz High
Military history: Jointed the Air Force in 1944

Date of death: Sunday, March 13, 1966
Death details: On March 13, 1966, an AC-47D Spooky (tail number 4349268) with seven crew members departed Da Nang Air Base for an armed reconnaissance mission over a portion of the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos. The aircraft made radio contact with a ground station shortly before entering Laotian airspace but was not seen or heard from again. Search and rescue efforts in the following days failed to locate the crash site or any crew members.

Staff Sergeant Gene Edmond Davis entered the U.S. Air Force from Indiana and served in the 4th Air Commando Squadron. He was the flight engineer aboard the AC-47D when it went missing on March 13, 1966, and his remains have not been located. While carried in the status of missing in action, the U.S. Air Force promoted SSgt Davis to the rank of Chief Master Sergeant (CMSgt). Today, Chief Master Sergeant Davis is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Cemetery: Memorialized at Sommerville, Gibson County

Source: National Archives, Evansville Courier & Press, “Legacy of War”, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, grave marker

Duvall, Dean Arnold
Air Force Chief master sergeant

Dean Arnold Duvall, age 20, from White County Monticello, Indiana .

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Sunday, March 13, 1966
Death details: On March 13, 1966, an AC-47D Spooky (tail number 4349268) with seven crew members departed Da Nang Air Base for an armed reconnaissance mission over a portion of the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos. The aircraft made radio contact with a ground station shortly before entering Laotian airspace but was not seen or heard from again. Search and rescue efforts in the following days failed to locate the crash site or any crew members. Airman First Class Dean Arnold Duvall entered the U.S. Air Force from Indiana and served in the 4th Air Commando Squadron. He was a gunner aboard the AC-47D when it went missing on March 13, 1966, and his remains have not been located. While carried in the status of missing in action (MIA), the U.S. Air Force promoted A1 Duvall to the rank of Chief Master Sergeant (CMSgt). Today, Chief Master Sergeant Duvall is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Henninger, Howard William
Air Force Colonel

Howard William Henninger, age 32, from Kings County Hanford, California .

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Sunday, March 13, 1966
Death details: On March 13, 1966, an AC-47D Spooky (tail number 4349268) with seven crew members departed Da Nang Air Base for an armed reconnaissance mission over a portion of the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos. The aircraft made radio contact with a ground station shortly before entering Laotian airspace but was not seen or heard from again. Search and rescue efforts in the following days failed to locate the crash site or any crew members. Captain Howard William Henninger entered the U.S. Air Force from California and served in the 4th Air Commando Squadron. He was the pilot of the AC-47D when it went missing on March 13, 1966, and his remains have not been located. While carried in the status of missing in action, the U.S. Air Force promoted Capt Henninger to the rank of Colonel (Col). Today, Colonel Henninger is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Associated Press (1966)

Morgan, Edwin Everton
Air Force cmsgt

Edwin Everton Morgan, age 38, from Rowan County Salisbury, North Carolina .

Parents: Dossey E. Morgan
Spouse: Ava E. Morgan
Children: Frances, 6

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Sunday, March 13, 1966
Death details: On March 4, 2015, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC, now DPAA) identified the remains of Chief Master Sergeant Edwin Everton Morgan, missing from the Vietnam War. Chief Master Sergeant Morgan entered the U.S. Air Force from North Carolina and was a member of the 4th Air Commando Squadron. On March 13, 1966, he was the loadmaster aboard an AC-47D Spooky (tail number 4349268) with six other crew members that departed Da Nang Air Base for an armed reconnaissance mission over a portion of the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos. The aircraft crashed during the mission and CMSgt Morgan was killed in the incident, but his remains could not be recovered at the time. In 1997, a joint U.S./Laotian investigation team discovered the missing AC-47D’s crash site and conducted excavations between 2010 and 2014 that recovered human remains. Modern forensic techniques eventually identified CMSgt Morgan among the remains recovered.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Charlotte Observer (1966)

Olson, Gerald Everett
Air Force Major

Gerald Everett Olson, age 29, from Polk County Winter Haven, Florida .

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Sunday, March 13, 1966
Death details: On March 13, 1966, an AC-47D Spooky (tail number 4349268) with seven crew members departed Da Nang Air Base for an armed reconnaissance mission over a portion of the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos. The aircraft made radio contact with a ground station shortly before entering Laotian airspace but was not seen or heard from again. Search and rescue efforts in the following days failed to locate the crash site or any crew members. Captain Gerald Everett Olson entered the U.S. Air Force from Florida and served in the 4th Air Commando Squadron. He was the navigator aboard the AC-47D when it went missing on March 13, 1966, and his remains have not been located. While carried in the status of missing in action (MIA), the U.S. Air Force promoted Capt Olson to the rank of Major (Maj). Today, Major Olson is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Pasekoff, Robert Edward
Air Force Lieutenant Colonel

Robert Edward Pasekoff, age 35, from Allegheny County Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania .

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Sunday, March 13, 1966
Death details: On March 13, 1966, an AC-47D Spooky (tail number 4349268) with seven crew members departed Da Nang Air Base for an armed reconnaissance mission over a portion of the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos. The aircraft made radio contact with a ground station shortly before entering Laotian airspace but was not seen or heard from again. Search and rescue efforts in the following days failed to locate the crash site or any crew members. Captain Robert Edward Pasekoff entered the U.S. Air Force from Pennsylvania and served in the 4th Air Commando Squadron. He was the copilot of the AC-47D when it went missing on March 13, 1966, and his remains have not been located. While carried in the status of missing in action (MIA), the U.S. Air Force promoted Capt Pasekoff to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col). Today, Lieutenant Colonel Pasekoff is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Pauley, Marshall Irvin
Air Force cmsergeant

Marshall Irvin Pauley, age 24, from Cabell County Milton, West Virginia .

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Sunday, March 13, 1966
Death details: On March 13, 1966, an AC-47D Spooky (tail number 4349268) with seven crew members departed Da Nang Air Base for an armed reconnaissance mission over a portion of the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos. The aircraft made radio contact with a ground station shortly before entering Laotian airspace but was not seen or heard from again. Search and rescue efforts in the following days failed to locate the crash site or any crew members. Airman First Class Marshall Irvin Pauley entered the U.S. Air Force from West Virginia and served in the 4th Air Commando Squadron. He was a gunner aboard the AC-47D when it went missing on March 13, 1966, and his remains have not been located. While carried in the status of missing in action (MIA), the U.S. Air Force promoted A1 Pauley to the rank of Chief Master Sergeant (CMSgt). Today, Chief Master Sergeant Pauley is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

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