553rd Reconnaissance Wing - Fatal Personnel Injuries
                  Larry Westin - July 3, 1999
                       Rev - L - 05/27/13

During the period of time the 553rd Reconnaissance Wing existed,
I am aware of 25 fatal injuries to wing personnel.  Fatality
number one was due to a heart attack.  Second fatality occurred
due to a traffic accident.  Eighteen personnel, the entire crew,
were lost with the Batcat 21 crash on April 25, 1969.  Four
fatalities occurred with the Batcat 19 crash on Sept. 6, 1969.

First Batcat fatality was Lt. Col. John Pettersen, who died of a
heart attack on the evening of February 1, 1968.  Lt. Col.
Pettersen was the 554th Reconnaissance Squadron Operations
Officer.                                                    

Second Batcat fatality was A1C Douglas Chatlos. Doug was just
leaving base to go into town, walking near the base gate to Korat
city.  On March 8, 1968 he was accidentally hit by a motorcycle
driven by a NCO (not sure of his unit) who was returning to base. 
The Security Policeman at the gate immediately called for medical
assistance, then gave medical help to Chatlos.  Chatlos died on
the scene.  This was a vehicle accident.  He was a CIM with the
554th Sq., crew 38.  My thanks to Cliff Jensen, who knew Doug,
for this information, with additional updated information from
Jim Golden, CICO for Crew 38, his reporting officer.  Updated
05/27/13.

SSgt. Palmore was admitted to the 388th Dispensary on March 31,
1968.  When he didn't improve he was transferred to the Camp
Friendship hospital on April 7, 1968.  He continued to decline in
health, and was air evaced to Clark AB hospital, Philippine
Islands, on April 15, 1968.  While at the Clark AB hospital he
died on April 27, 1968.

The following 18 fatalities occurred with the April 25, 1969
crash of EC-121R U.S. Air Force serial number 67-21493, with the
call sign of Batcat 21.  Data following last name is the panel
(all on 26W) plus the line number on that panel of the Vietnam
Memorial where the name is inscribed.

TSgt.     James H. Belflower, 26W-42
TSgt.     Albert N. Booker, 26W-43
Major     Thomas M. Brandom Jr., 26W-43
A1C       Michael J. Cotterill, 26W-44
SSgt.     Jerald C. Davis, 26W-44
A1C       Ronald C. Deforrest, 26W-44
TSgt.     Warren C. DeLaney, 26W-44
SSgt.     Paul Faulk, 26W-45
TSgt.     Kenneth W. Fowler, 26W-48
Lt Col.   Emerson E. Heller, 26W-46
Capt.     George R. Kidd, 26W-47
Major     Paul R. Lunsford, 26W-45
1Lt.      John A. Marsh, 26W-48
LT Col.   William C. McCormick Jr., 26W-49
Sgt.      Mitchel Messing, 26W-48
SSgt.     James D. Moore, 26W-49
Sgt.      Mark M. Steeley, 26W-50
Sgt.      William D. Stepp, 26W-50

In earlier versions of this article I indicated that 26 members
of the 553rd had lost their life.  Recent information from Henry
W. Martin leads me to believe that the RMT described below was
not killed, but wounded.  James Geimer, who was the 553rd NCOIC
on site at the time of the attack, provided additional
information on 05/25/07 and 05/28/07.  

On June 16 1969, a radio maintenance technician from the 553rd
Electronics Maintenance Squadron, TSgt. John Linaburg, assigned
to temporary duty at a mountain top of an extinct volcano, Nui Ba
Den (Nui BaDen), South Vietnam, was wounded.  The mountain was
about six miles outside of the city of Tay Ninh.  There seems to
be different English translations for the name of the mountain:
Black Virgin, Black Lady and Black Widow.  My earlier versions of
this article incorrectly indicated Linaburg was killed.  He was
the 553rd Wing's first Purple Heart recipient.  SSgt David
Collins, a diesel mechanic from Bien Hoa, who was on the mountain
to service our power source was killed, as were two (perhaps 3)
Army enlisted troops who were manning the bunker line. This was a
sapper attack by Viet Cong troops who attempted to overrun the
site (my earlier version of this article incorrectly stated this
was a rocket attack).  Eventually the enemy was repelled, but it
was a long night.  My thanks to SMSgt. James Geimer, retired, for
correcting my errors and adding additional information,
corrections made 05/28/07.  James Geimer was the 553rd NCOIC on
site at the time of the attack.  My thanks to Ron Cox, Officer In
Charge of the 553rd EMS Communications shop for corrections made
10/18/09. 
     
The following 4 fatalities occurred with the September 6, 1969
crash of EC-121R U.S. Air Force serial number 67-21495, with the
call sign Batcat 19.  Data following last name is the panel (all
on 18W) plus the line number on that panel of the Vietnam
Memorial where the name is inscribed.

Sgt.      Julius C. Houlditch Jr., 18W-47
Sgt.      Arnold Noel Jaco, 18W-47
Major     Joyfull J. Jenkins, 18W-47
SSgt.     Gunther H. Rehling, 18W-50

If I have made any error to the above information please contact
me with corrections at westin@westin553.net

Thank you - Larry Westin