James Sutherland Pitches

Major
4TH SPEC OPS SQDN, 14TH SPEC OPS WING, 7TH AF
United States Air Force
01 June 1937 - 01 September 1969
Yonkers, New York
Panel 18W Line 021

7TH AF

4TH ACS
AC47D

USAF Navigator

Purple Heart, Air Medal, National Defense, Vietnam Service, Vietnam Campaign

The database page for James Sutherland Pitches

03 Mar 2007

REMEMBERED

by his brother,
Rev. Donald M. Pitches
firstprescarlstadt@verizon.net

A Note from The Virtual Wall

On 01 Sep 1969 an AC-47D "Spooky" gunship (tail number 43-49021) from the 4th Special Operations Squadron departed Bien Hoa Air Base on a night patrol. During the flight the aircraft was directed to support friendly troops whose position was under attack about 20 miles east of Bien Hoa. While on station the AC-47 was hit in the starboard wing and crashed, killing the eight crewmen:
  • Capt Robert P. Acher, Greensburg, IN, pilot
  • Capt James S. Pitches, Yonkers, NY, navigator (posthumous promotion to Major)
  • 1stLt Roy C. Williams, Eagle Springs, NC, copilot (posthumous promotion to Captain)
  • MSgt Harry H. Wecker, Harrisburg, PA, flight mechanic
  • TSgt Willie W. Alley, Richlands, VA, gunner
  • TSgt Lester M. Cavallin, Tacoma, WA, loadmaster
  • TSgt Albert C. McBride, Leadville, CO, flight engineer
  • SSgt Fred W. Smith, Savannah, GA, gunner
43-49021 was the last of 19 AC-47Ds lost during the war.




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With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Memorial first published on 03 Mar 2007
Last updated 08/10/2009