In Memory of Four... 310th Air Commando Squadron

The 310th was stationed in Nha Trang, South Vietnam in 1963. They were part of the 315th Troop Carrier Group. They were primarily used as a remote combat re-supply and troop evacuation squadron.

On October 24, 1963, flying a USAF Fairchild C-123B Provider, dropping flares around a village,

65 miles south of Saigon, under attack by Viet Cong, Captains Woodrow Fitzgerald and Gordon Brown, Staff Sergeants Charles Lankford and Walter Morris, and four South Vietnamese Air Force observers came under attack from ground fire and crashed. All eight men died in the crash.

Captain Gordon Richard Brown was from Morgan City, Louisiana, born January 30, 1929. He attended Louisiana State University from 1946-1948. He served in the USAF from 1948 until his death in 1963. Captain Brown is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Captain Woodrow Melvin Fitzgerald was from Staunton, Virginia. He was born September 9, 1932 and served in the USAF from 1953 until his death. He is also buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Staff Sergeant Walter Kenneth Morris was from Paris, Kentucky. He was born April 18, 1927 and served in the USAF from 1947 until his death. 

Staff Sergeant Charles Bernard Lankford was from Collinsville, Indiana. He was born October 30, 1930 and had served with the USAF since 1949. He left behind a wife and 3 small children, ages 1,5 and 6. I could not track down a photo of SSGT Lankford.

There is a photo of SSGT Morris that is captioned as being him "with his crew". I am unable to verify if any of the crew are the others that perished along with him 52 years ago today. If anyone knows for sure, I would appreciate the information.

These four men died while trying their best to help others who were on the ground fighting for their lives. Let us not forget them. They left families and friends that still grieve for them. The price they paid can never be repaid. Families move on, but they are never the same. We can take some comfort in the fact that the legacies left behind can serve to lessen the impact of the tremendous loss. On one of the men's remembrances, a grandchild that never knew their grandfather speaks of the love and loss the family feels and assures his Grandfather that he was loved and his legacy is in good hands.