Technical Sgt. Fred L. Clarke & Staff Sgt. Samuel F. Walker Jr. Memorial - Lackland AFB, Texas
Posted by: 
BruceS
N 29° 23.582 W 098° 37.126
14R E 536990 N 3251591
Plaque memorializing two C-123 loadmasters killed when their aircraft crashed in the skies over Laos. The plaque is located adjacent to the parade field at Lackland Air Force Base.
Waymark Code: WM3CYC
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 03/16/2008
Views: 16
C-123
...an enlisted story.
Technical Sgt. Fred L. Clarke
Staff Sgt. Samuel F. Walker Jr.
The skies over southeastern Laos were far from friendly and often crowded.
This was especially true the morning of Dec. 13, 1968. Sergeants Clarke
and Walker were loadmasters aboard "Candlestick 44," a venerable C-123K Provider
which launched out of Nakhon Phanom AB, Thailand. The crew was flying a
forward air control mission over the infamous Ho Chi Minh Trail. Their
task was to cruise at minimal altitude, 2,000 to 3,000 feet, spot enemy traffic
with their infrared detection device, then light the activity with flares so
accompanying RB-57B tactical bombers could drop their deadly loads on target,
but when two aircraft tried to occupy the same piece of sky, disaster struck.
An accompanying B-57 hit the top of the FAO and both aircraft crashed killing
all on board except the Provider pilot who managed to bail out and was later
rescued. Clarke and Walker were listed as missing in action and were
ultimately promoted to Chief Master Sergeant. On May 28, 1974, their
status was changed to killed in action ~ text of plaque