Remembering Shootdown of EC-121M (PR 21), April, 15, 1969 – 31 Crew members KIA – 50 Years Ago...

Thank you, my friend PO1 William "Chip" Nagel for reminding us of the North Korean-caused aircraft tragedy on April 15, 1969 when "U.S. Navy VQ-1 EC-121M (callsign, “Deep Sea 129”) flew a routine Beggar Shadow reconnaissance mission over the Sea of Japan. At roughly 1347 local time, while approximately 90 NM off the North Korean coast, the aircraft was shot down by two North Korean MiG-21 fighters. All 31 crewmen were killed."
Rest in peace PR-21 Crew:
LCDR James Howard Overstreet 1310 Electronic Warfare Aircraft Commander
LT Peter Philip Perrottet 1315 Copilot
LTjg Joseph Richard Ribar* 1315 Copilot
AEC LaVerne Albert Greiner Flight Engineer
ADRC Marshall Harry McNamara Flight Engineer
ADR1 Ballard Franklin Connors, Jr. Flight Engineer
LTjg Robert Joseph Sykora 1325 Navigator
LTjg Norman Elbert Wilkerson 1355 Navigator
ATN3 David Monroe Willis Radio Operator
CTO2 Steven Joseph Tesmer Secure Communicator
LT John Halleck Singer 1325 Senior Evaluator (SEVAL)
LT Dennis Baird Gleason 1325 Evaluator
LT John Dzema 6802 Evaluator
LT Robert Frank Taylor 1100 Communications Evaluator (COMEVAL)
AT1 Bernie Joel Colgin Airborne Electronics Supervisor (AES)
AT1 Richard Edson Sweeney, Jr.* EW Operator (EWOP)
AT1 Stephen Curtis Chartier EW Operator (EWOP)
ATR2 Dennis Joseph Horrigan EW Operator (EWOP)
AT1 James Leroy Roach Radar Operator
ATR2 Timothy Harlan McNeil Radar Operator
ATR3 Gene Kenneth Graham Radar Operator
ATN2 Richard Henry Kincaid Crew Leader
ADR2 Louis Francis Balderman Mech
AN Richard Thomas Prindle Plane Captain
CTIC Frederick Arthur Randall Russian Linguist
CTIC Richard Earl Smith Chinese or Korean Linguist
CTI1 John Howard Potts Korean Linguist
SSGT Hugh Michael Lynch Korean Linguist
CTI3 Philip David Sundby Korean Linguist
CTR3 John Alexander Miller, III Morse Operator
CTR3 Gary Ray DuCharme Morse Operator

*body recovered
Thank you, my friend SP5 Mark Kuzinski for mentioning me.

FYI Capt Seid Waddell Capt Tom Brown 1stSgt Eugene Harless CW5 John M. MSG Andrew White SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4"SCPO Morris Ramsey SGT Michael Thorin SGT (Join to see) SGT Robert George SGT John " Mac " McConnell SP5 Robert Ruck SPC Margaret HigginsSSgt Brian Brakke Sgt Arthur Caesar SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL

I remember this so very well and always will.

SSG William Jones Samantha S. Maj William W. 'Bill' Price COL Mikel J. Burroughs Cynthia Croft LTC Stephen F. ] Alan K. SGT John " Mac " McConnell LTC (Join to see) Maj Marty Hogan SCPO Morris Ramsey SPC Douglas Bolton Lt Col Charlie Brown Sgt Randy Wilber MSgt John McGowan Cpl (Join to see) PO3 John Wagner PO3 Bob McCord SGT Jim Arnold SPC Margaret Higgins

Heartbreaking