Batcat
The United States Air Force
553rd Reconnaissance Wing
Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base

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In Remembrance of those Batcats
For Whom The Angels Have Called
May you All Rest in Peace and
know you are in our Thoughts and Prayers
Batcat 21


VERY IMPORTANT server change

I am in the process of changing servers for ALL my Batcat homepages. At this time all data is on both servers, however I urge you to use the newer server exclusively. Eventually the new, updated information will be added only to the new server.
The new For Whom The Angels Have Called homepage server is now at URL http://www.westin553.net/batcat17.htm
The new Batcat base homepage server is now at URL http://www.westin553.net/batcat00.htm
Thank you for switching and viewing this information on the new server!!

Thank you for switching to the new server


This area contains the names of our Batcat friends and colleagues who have passed away. Remembrance Area added 07/01/09, Last updated 01/17/12.

The primary objective of this page is to let others know when a Batcat has died. The losses at Korat are listed in other places on the Batcat homepage, but so as to not forget, those who died while at Korat are shown here too. Recent deaths are shown here as I become aware of their passing. If you have additional names, corrections, or other information please contact Larry Westin via email at: westin@tdstelme.net-Remembrance Area Update.

Those who died while at Korat

Check here for a List of the 25 Batcats who lost their life while at Korat. Three Batcats died from non operational incidents. The 22 Batcats who were killed on operational missions have their names engraved on the Vietnam Memorial Wall, Washington, D.C. Here is a view of the Vietnam Memorial Wall section for the 18 Killed on the April 25, 1969 loss, Vietnam Memorial Wall section 26W, and in a separate area of the Vietnam Memorial Wall for the 4 Killed on the September 6, 1969 loss, Vietnam Memorial Wall section 18W. The 22 Batcats killed on operational missions are recognized at the National Museum of the United States Air Force, Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, Ohio, on the 553rd Reconnaissance Wing Plaque in the Museum Memorial Park. Updated 10/18/09.

Those who have died since
returning from Korat

These are Batcats I am aware of who have passed away after returning from Korat. Date of death is shown when known. Please use the email contact at the top of this page to correct information or add names to this area.

    Lyle Ahner, 553rd RS, passed away 200?

    Rudolph Louis August, 553rd RS, passed away 2004

    Dick Baker, 554th RS, passed away May 8, 2004

    Jim Barcus, 553rd OMS, passed away January 26, 2005

    James Bartholomew, 554th RS, passed away Feburary 2004

    William David Bennett, 553rd RS, passed away October 11, 1971

    James W. Bourdeau, 554th RS, passed away Feburary 2009

    David Brown Sr., 553rd RS, passed away August 21, 2009

    Charles Leroy Buechele, 554th RS, passed away March 8, 2010

    Blaine Chapman, passed away June 4, 2008

    Donald "Chris" Christensen, 554th RS, passed away May 21, 1997

    Willie J. Christian, 554th RS, passed away March 12, 2011

    Bill Cody, passed away April 2002

    Dick Cole, 554th RS, passed away unknown date

    Sharpless "Steve" Crowe III, 554th RS, passed away May 24, 2011

    Larry Cummings, 553rd RW Detachment 1, passed away 200?

    Richard Custer, 553rd RW, passed away April 3, 2003

    Robert R. Dailey, 553rd RS, passed away August 10, 1978

    Ron Donley, 553rd FMS, passed away January 23, 2011

    James L. Edwards, 554th RS, passed away January 8, 2008

    Donald E. Ewing, 553rd RW, passed away January 6, 1995

    Robert E. Fiebig, 554th RS, passed away May 2009

    Bartholomew "Bart" Fundaro, 553rd FMS, passed away February 16, 2007

    Cecil "Pappy" Gilpin, 554th RS, passed away unknown date

    Leonard A. "Lenny" Gladue, 554th RS, passed away 1995

    Gerald C. Grotz, 553rd RS, passed away July 14, 1998

    Lou Green, 554th RS, passed away 2003

    Billy J. Hall, 553rd RS, passed away about 2000

    John Harsane, 553rd FMS, passed away unknown date

    Andrus "Andy" Hebert, 553rd RS, passed away July 5, 2009

    Arch Heckler, 554th RS, passed away April 27, 2009

    Dennis "Denny" Hill, 554th RS, passed away about 1976

    Lee Hagan Hundley, 553rd EMS, passed away December 16, 2011

    Jack January, 553rd RW, passed away about 2006

    William Ernest Johns Sr., 553rd EMS, passed away November 21, 2009

    Don Keefe, 553rd RS, passed away 2008

    Kenneth R. Krueger, 553rd OMS, passed away April 10, 2011

    John Larrabee, 554th RS, passed away about 1990

    John Walter Linaburg, 553rd AMS, passed away March 9, 2011

    Licious T. Lunsford, 554th RS, passed away unknown date

    Leo J. Magers, 553rd RS, passed away November 27, 2010

    Dean Maples, 553rd FMS, passed away July 26, 2007

    John Mark, 553rd RS, passed away September 12, 2008

    Daniel C. Marquez, 554th RS, passed away August 13, 2011

    Pete "Pietro A." Mazzio, 553rd RW, passed away January 23, 2006

    Brian "Shakey" Mckay, 554th RS, passed away June 8, 2011

    Thomas D. Moffatt, 554th RS, passed away August 21, 1973

    Benjamin "Biff" Morgan, 554th RS, passed away July 6, 2000

    John Nienstedt, 553rd RS, passed away March 13, 2011

    Frank Ortman, 553rd RW, passed away January 1987

    Ted Ostendorf, 553rd RW, passed away July 26, 2002

    Ed Pacheco, 553rd FMS, passed away August 9, 2008

    Ralph V. Parks, 554th RS, passed away May 19, 2004

    Donald L. Payton, 553rd RW, passed away February 12, 2010

    Ed Penny, 553rd RS, passed away April 26, 2005

    Lloyd Reeder, 553rd RW, passed away September 6, 2006

    Condrado "Conrad" Rico, 553rd RS, passed away September 2007

    Michael "Mike" Riggs, 553rd RS, passed away May 20, 2005

    James "Robbie" Robinson, 554th RS, passed away July 10, 2011

    Darrel Rook, 553rd RS, passed away November 9, 2008

    Harry "Skip" H. Rumble III, 553rd EMS, passed away May 30, 2010

    Thomas Edward Sandelin, 553rd RW, passed away 1987

    Alton "Sandy" Sandifer, 553rd EMS, passed away unknown date

    Joe Santana, 553rd RS, passed away November 19, 2010

    Rudy Scheithauer, 554th RS, passed away September 5, 2010

    Robert "Bob" Slane, 553rd RW, passed away March 16, 2011

    Jerry J. "JJ" Smith, 554th RS, passed away June 23, 2009

    Bob Snellgrove, 553rd RS, passed away late 1980's

    Randy Spencer, 553rd RS, passed away November 19, 2008

    Henry "Harry" Timmermans, 553rd RW, passed away March 13, 1989

    Francis "Frank" Tomanio, 554th RS, passed away unknown date

    Vinny Trovato, 553rd FMS, passed away December 23, 2008

    Charles Van Allman, 554th RS, passed away July 7, 2011

    Thomas Vansickle, 553rd OMS, passed away 2002

    Bobby D. Wagnon, 554th RS, passed away 2009

    Mike White, 553rd RW, passed away 1983

    Ray "Willy" Wilcox, 554th RS, passed away October 23, 2009

    Chet Worthen, 553rd RW, passed away November 2007


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