Aircraft
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AC-47D Spooky Gunships Aircraft |
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Page was created on 8/09/15 and work will progress as time permits
| Click on person's name for link to that person's photo page If "then" and "now" photos have larger format pictures, clicking on the photos will reveal them. |
| Donald J Luke | 
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| Don was with 4th Special Operations Squadron initially assigned to Nha Trang Airbase for training, shots and in-country orientation. Within a few weeks, Don was transferred to Danang Airbase. Assignment was aircraft maintenance / crew chief at Danang. Volunteered for night shift, was tired of being awakened at night by rocket attacks. Completed tour at Danang during November 1969. |
| Fred Graves | 
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| Fred was a Loadmaster with 4th Air Commando Squadron assigned to Nha Trang Airbase during 1967 and 1968. Fred also spent time during 1968 with the UC-123K Ranch Hand defoliant (Agent Orange) spraying aircraft at Bien Hoa Airbase My initial contact with Fred was through the Classmates website during 2008-2009 where he had posted the Spooky photographs. |
| Walter Parnell | 
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| I was contacted by Phil Sisson of Litchfield, IL. during 2009 He forwarded copies of photographs taken of and by Walter Parnell a crewchief on the early "Puff, The Magic Dragon" AC-47D gunships (later call sign, Spooky) Walthers wife, May Parnell had loaned them to Phil so that he could share them to interested parties. Walter retired from the Air Force after serving from 1953 to 1973, serving time in both Korea and Vietnam Walter was born on Aug 19, 1933 and passed away on May 4, 2002. |
| Richard A. Lenz | 
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| The following information was provided by Bob Lenz, son of Richard A. Lenz Richard Lenz was born May 28, 1928 in Cleveland, Ohio. Early on he had two loves, flying and singing. Both led him to his wife of 66 years, Amy Ruth Blackwell Lenz, whom he met while at USAF pilot training and singing in the First Presbyterian Church choir in Columbus, MS. While serving in the Air Force he was deployed to the 4th Air Commando Squadron "B" Flight at Pleiky Airbase, Vietnam where he flew AC-47 “Spooky” gunships. His heroic actions while flying in close support of ground forces earned him two Distinguished Flying Crosses and twelve Air Medals. Richard served 20 years in the USAF and retired as a Command Pilot at the rank of Major. He and Ruth traveled the U.S. and Germany, wherever the Air Force took them. His last assignment was Dobbins AFB, where he and Ruth settled down and bought their first house in Smyrna, GA. in 1997, they moved to Melbourne, FL. where they found their dream home in their dream neighborhood. In addition to the garden, Richard was known for his self-designed wooden boat models and for the rest of his life, he continued to build his fleet. On Monday, March 30, 2020, Richard Andrew Lenz, loving husband and father of four children, passed away at the age of 91 and a half years old. |
| AC-47D Gunships Website © Donald Luke Photos for personal use only. All rights reserved by original owner of image. Reproduction or redistribution in any form without express written permission is prohibited. |
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