Memorial Poem (click here)

The following USAAF Airmen lost their lives in the Pacific theatre during WWll while serving under the 317th Troop Carrier Group.

Maj. Joseph C. Ford, Lt. Arthur W. Betts, Lt. Robert H. Cameron, Lt. Stanley D. Campbell, Lt. Clyde J. Chewning, Lt. Henry C. Ellis, Lt. Leonard R. Foster, Lt. Robert J. Kiebler, Lt. Melvin L. Kinney, Lt. William R. Kinzie, Lt. Robert L. Kirkman, Lt. Frank E. Koski, Lt. Arthur H. Maki, Lt. Franklin P. Miller, Lt. David W. St. Jean, Lt. Leonard E. Walker, F/O Robert P. Hutson, S/Sgt. Deloren T. Allen, S/Sgt. Ben A. Korzinski, S/Sgt. Olen R. Porter, S/Sgt. Lawrence E. Turille, S/Sgt. Frank A. Wise, Sgt. Michael E. Anderchak, Sgt. John J. Buderek, Sgt. Keith K. Keown, Sgt. Erwin C. Kieke Jr., Cpl. Carlos I. Aguirre, Cpl. Thomas Cammincotta, Cpl. George E. Cunningham, Cpl. Carl A. Drain, Cpl. J. H. Farrar, Cpl. Everett A. Forslin, Cpl. Dewey Goldsmith, Cpl. Charles I. Griffin, Cpl. Sidney Israel, Cpl. Jerome R. Kelley, Cpl. Patsy D. Roviello, Cpl. Harry N. Smith, Pfc. John A. Bitson, PFC. Ashley T. Johnson

The following Airmen lost their lives in support of the Berlin Airlift when their C-54 crashed out of Celle RAF Station, Germany on July 12, 1949. They were assigned to the 40th TCS of the 317th Troop Carrier Wing.

Robert C. Von Luehrte, Donald J. Leemon, Herbert F. Heinig

The following Airmen perished in the crash of their C-119C (50-127) on 10 Feb 1953 while attempting a GCA landing in a snow squall at Bitberg AB, Germany. They were assigned to the 39th TCS of the 317th Troop Carrier Wing at Rhein Main AB , Germany.

Louis D. Rassi, William J. Patton, James A. Latta Jr.

George B. Weibel Jr., Gerald D. Anderson

Ross N. Richards

A former 40th TCS pilot at Rein-Main and Neubiberg was killed
in the crash of a C-119F just after take off from Sewart AFB, TN.

The crash took place shortly after his return from Germany and assignment to the 316th TCW in 1954.

Frank N. Fulton

A former 40th TCS pilot was killed in the crash of a 464th TCW C-119G when
an engine failed on take off from Pope AFB, NC in 1954.

Leslie D. Forguson a former 40th TCS pilot , Jay B. Border a former 39th TCS pilot

These airmen were killed in the crash of a 316th TCW C-119F during a flight
through a thunderstorm in Georgia in 1954

The following Airmen died in the midair collision of C-130A (56-0526) with a French fighter over France on Sept. 19, 1958.

Howard Grasher, Elmer Fawcett, Charles Tillou,
Robert W. Hancock, Frank M. Braun, David McGrath

The following 15 crewmen died in the crash of an Evreux C-130A (55-0020) on March 8, 1962 in Alencon, France while on a training mission:

Cecil Williams, Robert L. Conway, Edward J. Vianco, William J. Wilson
Gayle J. O'Grady, James S. Douglass, Stanley C. Hardin, Harold E. Kazee,
Huey Green, Theodore Shedelbower, Stanley E. Royster, Vincent Stantucci,
Alfred J. Knight, James Waples, Lee Taylor

Click here for news report

The following 13 Airmen died in the crash of a C-130A (56-0546)
while on a mission in Africa on May 17, 1962:

Frank Sabol, John W. Stuart, Jr., Douglass G. White, Frank J. Leonard, Thomas P. Revell, Fred D. Fisher,
Jack Hake, Ervin M. Miller, L. Roy Laslow, Richard E. Boyd, Thomas J. Neal, James O. Phillips

The following 317TAW Airmen were killed when their Lockbourne based C-130A (56-0515) crashed during an assault take-off from Bitburg, Germany on 12 Dec. 1965

James R. Pecchia, Paul J. Pedranti, Frank A. Gallina, Charles W. McJunkins, Victor Maffucci

Henry M. Drew served with the 317th at Evreux Air Base France. He was killed later while still serving in the Air Force when the C-130E (64-0536) he was a passenger on crashed in to a mountain after take off.  
Taipei, Taiwan Oct. 2, 1970

The following 317TAW Airmen were killed when their Pope AFB based C-130E (68-10936) crashed near Charleston SC after a lightning strike ignited fuel vapors in the main fuel tank on Nov. 30, 1978

Samuel P. Eskew, Mark D. Greer, Daniel K. Morris, Robert H. Canton, Burnie C. Finch ll, Robert H. Van Winkle

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The following 40TAS Airmen perished in the crash of C-130E ( 68-10945) . The aircraft was assigned

to the 317TAW at Pope AFB and crashed during a low altitude extraction (LAPES) at Ft. Bragg, NC on 1 July 1987:

Gary C. Bardo
Albert G. Dunse
John B. Keiser III
Timothy J. Matar

The following Airmen perished in the crash of C-130E (64-0501).  The aircraft was assigned to the 317TAW at Pope AFB and crashed in Blewett Falls Lake, NC on 28 April 1992 while conducting Special Operations Low Level (SOLL) training:

Gabriel Magrane, Thomas E. Rowe, Michael E. Jones, John G. Urbansky, Gregg F. Johnston,
Stephen F. Sablone, Michael S. Carpenter, Shelton M. Clark

Mark W. Reynolds (Australian Exchange Officer)

The following Airmen lost their life while serving in Vietnam:

Sam Deichelmann shot down over Bien Hoa, South Vietnam 06 September 1968  MIA
Robert (Bob) Ireland shot down over Ho Chi Minh Trail 21 April 1970, listed MIA, Remains found 11 Sept 1978
(Bob was a former flight engineer with 41st TCS. He was shot down in a AC130A gunship 54-1625.)
Arthur Grasser died in helicopter crash Gia Dinh, South Vietnam 6 Aug 1969
Ralph J. Lund shot down over Bao Loc South Vietnam 6 Sept 1968
Al Fellows shot down over Ho Chi Minh Trail flying an O-1as, 1968
Tom Mitchell shot down during Blind Bat Mission near Xepon (Tchepone), Laos, 1968

William A. Jones III a former 40th TCS pilot was awarded the Medal of Honor for heroic action in Vietnam.

For information regarding his award visit: http://www.mishalov.com/Jones.html
pmishalov.com/Jonehttp://www.mishalov.com/Jones.htmls.html

Click here for details.
He was killed in the crash of a private plane in 1969. He was assigned to Andrews AFB at the time of his death.

Herbert Waldman, Col.USAF,Ret . Died Jan. 4, 2006 at age 86, his burial was at Arlington National Cemetery.  He was a World War Two C-47 pilot and the first Commander of the 41st Troop Carrier Squadron. He took command of the 41st at age 23 when it was first formed in Feb. of 1942 at Duncan Field, TX.. and continued as Squadron Commander when the 41st was sent to New Guinea in Jan. 1943. Promoted to Major in Sept. 1943 he was assigned to 317th Troop Carrier Group Headquarters. He served 30 years in the Air Force, a number of them were spent at the Pentagon in the Office of the Secretary of Defense.

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Tech. Sgt. Joey D. Link, 29, of the 39th Airlift Squadron, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas

TSgt. Link died of natural causes at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany on Aug. 5, 2007

The C-130 Hercules flight engineer was assigned to the 39th Airlift Squadron at Dyess Air Force Base, Abilene, Texas

He was deployed to the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing based at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, at the time of his death.

317th Veterans Group Officers

Don Satterthwaite

March 19, 1937- Oct.8, 2005  Age 68

2001 Seattle, WA -Reunion Chairman

A good friend and loyal member of the 317thVG, He will be missed by all.