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Remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice

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Memorial Day brings back unique memories for each of us who served in the armed forces.

In my case, I was an Air Force pilot flying C-141 transports from 1967 through 1968. The majority of our missions were to Vietnam during that time period. It also was a period during which the United States suffered huge losses (see the last two bullets below). Since I was stationed at Dover AFB, Delaware, home of the military’s east coast mortuary, our crews were often tasked to return our deceased servicemen. Those are the missions that I remember most from my 26 years in the Air Force. At times we would have 50 or more caskets in our cargo bay. They were the men and women who gave ALL for their country. They are the ones I remember every Memorial Day.

Late in 1968 I was tasked to escort a fallen veteran to his home in Florida. I escorted the remains to a small Florida town and stayed with the veteran’s parents. They didn’t know me and I didn’t know them, but they treated me with respect and traditional southern hospitality because I wore the same blue uniform their son had worn. I was free to leave after presenting the flag at grave side but his family insisted that I stay awhile longer. Presenting that flag was perhaps the most difficult thing I had ever done in my life. It is a memory which has surfaced every Memorial Day since 1968.

Later, I served a year in Vietnam and returned home to my wife and daughters. I remember thinking how fortunate I was compared to those whose remains I had returned on all those C-141 missions.

When I first visited the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, I could not hold back the tears. Over 58,000 names were on that wall. Many of those servicemen were returned to the states on the C-141 missions I had flown. Below are a few facts about the 58,000 name which appear on the wall.

• The youngest Vietnam killed in action (KIA) is believed to be Dan Bullock, at 15 years old.

• The oldest person on the wall is Dwaine McGriff, at 63 years old.

• At least five men killed in Vietnam were 16 years old.

• At least 12 men killed in Vietnam were 17 years old.

• There are 120 persons who listed foreign countries as their home of record.

• At least 25,000 of those killed were 20 years old or younger.

• More than 17,000 of those killed were married.

• Veterans killed on their first day in Vietnam: 997 (unconfirmed).

• Veterans killed on their last day in Vietnam: 1,448 (unconfirmed).

• Number of chaplains on the Wall: 16 (two Medal of Honors).

• Number of women on the wall: eight (seven Army, one USAF. A total of 7,484 women served).

• There are 226 Native Americans on the memorial.

• There are 22 countries represented on the memorial.

• Most common name on the memorial: “Smith,” with 667 veterans.

• The most casualties for a single day was on January 31, 1968 - 245 casualties.

• The most casualties for a single month was May 1968,- 2,415 casualties were incurred

These are the individuals I remember most each Memorial Day. Let’s not ever forget what they gave.

Nesejt is a Rancho Bernardo resident and a retired Air Force colonel.

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