Richard Belton Brockman

Captain
A CO, 9TH AVN BN, 9 INF DIV
Army of the United States
11 February 1939 - 17 January 1967
Columbia, South Carolina
Panel 14E Line 042

9 INF DIV

9TH AVN BN
Army Aviator

Air Medal, National Defense, Vietnam Service, Vietnam Campaign

The database page for Richard Belton Brockman

13 Nov 2002

Dad

I know you know how much you are missed. There is not a day that goes by that I don't think about you. I only knew you for a little while before you left me. I was just four, but I remember the day we took you to the airport to leave for Vietnam. Mom says it was December 31, 1966, I just remember you hugging me then walking away. The next thing I remember, there were two men at our door. There are good things I remember, like the time you tried to take me up in the helicopter and I became hysterical, I guess that's why I remember. I have often wonder what life would have been like with you in it. I have had a pretty good life, I only wish you could have been here. I thank you for your sacrifice to this country and I am very proud of you for what you did. I will defend that till the day I die. I will love you forever.

Your Daughter Julie
cowgirlsmom1@tds.net

11 Nov 2003

My Love,

It has been 36 years since I have seen your face, touched you, or been able to tell you I love you. Our girls have grown up and we have four grandkids now. But I know you know that. You told me that you would always watch over me and the girls, remember?

I have loved you all my life, and I want you to know how very proud I am of you. I often wonder what our lives would be now, and how different things would have been if you had not been called home so soon. I never got to see you wear your Captain's bars, while you were alive, but I saw them when we had our last visit.

Dick, my love for you has never died, my life has been a living hell since you left. It was so hard watching the girls, watching the other kids' daddies come home from work. Knowing that you would not be coming home to us. They asked when we could go to heaven to see you. What do you say to a child who doesn't understand death?

You were my first true love, and you will always be the center of my heart.

Your wife always,
Judy K Brockman
MsJ1946@aol.com

A Note from The Virtual Wall

Eight men died in the crash of a UH-1D (tail number 64-13726) belonging to the 118th Assault Helicopter Company. The aircraft lost its main rotor, which then impacted and chopped up the tail boom; the UH-1 crashed and burned. While the possibility that the aircraft had been hit by enemy fire could not be absolutely ruled out, the accident board concluded that the probable cause was mechanical failure.

The eight men were

  • CPT Richard Belton Brockman, pilot, A Co, 9th Avn Bn
  • CPT Edgar Joe Saffle, pilot, 118th AHC
  • SP4 James Arno Harden, crew chief, 118th AHC
  • SP4 Anthony Philip Magistro, gunner, 118th AHC
  • SP4 Herbert Harold Crowder, passenger, HHC, 1/5 Inf Rgt
  • PFC Larry Gene Gray, passenger, HHC, 1/5 Inf Rgt
  • PFC Herschel Lee Epps, passenger, HHC, 1/5 Inf Rgt
  • PFC Frank J Krebs, passenger, A Co, 1/5 Inf


The point-of-contact for this memorial is
his daughter,
Julie Brockman Davis
cowgirlsmom1@tds.net 
13 Nov 2002



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With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Last updated 02/13/2005