It was 50 years ago today that I lost two flight school classmates in Vietnam. December 23, 1970.

[DemoTex]

Bain Wiseman was a very good friend of mine in Army fixed-wing flight training (WOFWAC Class 70-11). I also knew Michael William McAndrews. Word I got from a USAF senior officer in the 7th AF TAC Center, Saigon, was that they were accidentally shot down by a Korean 105mm artillery battery firing from a small island along the Vietnam coast. About 10 miles SE of Tuy Hoa Air Base, the DeHavilland U-1A Otter - callsign "Reliable 298" - was seen to break in two and fall into the South China Sea. SAR eventually found some pieces of aircraft and flight gear.

Twenty-two yr old WO1 McAndrews was a 101B Fixed Wing Pilot, Single Engine. Michael was born on 17 Aug 1948 in Kenosha WI. Fort Lauderdale FL is listed as his Home of Record. Michael and his wife had one son. He graduated with WOFWAC 70-11 and had begun his tour on 24 Jul 70. The Wall: Panel W5, Line 2.

Twenty-three yr old WO1 Wiseman was also a 101B. Bain was born on 8 Nov 1947. Truth Or Consequences NM is listed as his Home of Record. Bain completed basic training at Fort Ord CA. He married a few months before leaving for Vietnam. WO1 Wiseman had begun his tour on 28 Oct 70. The Wall: Panel W5, Line 4.

Twenty yr old SP4 Booth was a 67C20 U/A Aircraft Specialist. Gary was born on 11 Apr 1950. Olympia Wa is listed as his Home of Record. He had begun his tour on 15 Jun 70. The Wall: Panel W5, Line 1.

RIP McAndrews, Wiseman, and Booth.


Bain Wiseman (R) - Other unnamed crewmembers left and center


Michael William McAndrews


Gary Booth (L)

[grantcart]

2. Thoughtful remembrance

[dware]

3. RIP.

So sorry for the loss of your friends.

Like you, I too lost friends in Vietnam.

[empedocles]

4. My neighbor, very promising kid, graduated college in '68 . . .

. . . his RPB wiped out in '69 . . . [River Patrol Boat]

[I've traced his name, and a few others, on multiple trips to the DC Vietnam Veterans Memorial].

[panader0]

5. RIP Wiseman, McAndrews and Booth.

So young.

[yardwork]

6. I'm so sorry for your losses, and for so many others lost in war.

[TygrBright]

7. Thank you for remembering them. n/t

[RobinA]

8. So Sorry

for the loss of these young men.

[democrank]

9. Thank you very much for posting this.

Vietnam War took so much. Some were gone in an instant, some took years and years.

[Hortensis]

10. I often think of those I knew who should be alive somewhere today

but haven't been for half a century. They get younger and more tragic every decade.

[PatrickforO]

11. May they have eternal rest in perpetual light.

Hopefully a better place than this. I'm very, very sorry for your loss.

[Paladin]

12. So many good lives lost, in such a shitty war.

I had a cousin who was one of them. That ended my family's flag-waving.

[irisblue]

13. I am sorry

[Skittles]

14. ...

[Niagara]

15. RIP McAndrews, Wiseman, and Booth.

Thank you for your sacrifice and your bravery.

[renate]

16. literally too tragic for words

Just think about those 50 years that they didn't get. Fifty years. Nothing is or could possibly be more precious than life, and that was taken away from them by old men (pretty much all old men in government, back then), almost all of whom had no loved ones' skin in the game. Fifty years stolen from them.

It's heartbreaking. So far beyond heartbreaking.

I'm glad you remember them and told us about them.

[Hekate]

17. Rest in Peace, sleep in heavenly peace

When you speak their names, and when they are remembered, in a sense they live still. Not good enough, I know, for those who were robbed of their lives and for those who were robbed of their presence in this life.

Thank you for sharing this with us this night.