To Our Fallen Brothers

AIRMAN FIRST CLASS DARRYL G. WINTERS

19 July 1966, Amn Winters was killed when the F-100 Supersabre aircraft in which he was flying as a combat cameraman crashed, presumably due to enemy ground fire, during a strafing attack against a Vietcong target 15 miles west of Saigon, Republic of Vietnam.  He was then on his 302nd air combat mission to document the air war in Vietnam and his 217th mission in an F-100 aircraft.  He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.  Airman Winters  logged more combat flying missions than any AAVS photographer.

It is in his honor that Air Force Photography’s most prestigious award has been named; the Darryl G. Winters Award and is presented annually to the outstanding photographer from the fields of still, motion picture, and video.

AIRMAN SECOND CLASS ROBERT A. SAUCIER

1 July 1966, Airman Saucier drowned when the F-100 aircraft on which he was flying as a combat cameraman, landed at Bien Hoa Air Base to refuel after a combat mission, ran off the runway and overturned in a water filled ditch.

TECHNICAL SERGEANT RUSSEL R. FYAN
and SERGEANT DANIEL J. O'CONNER

26 April 1968, TSgt Fyan and Sgt O'Conner were performing official photographic duties aboard a C-130 aircraft during an air drop mission in the Shau Valley, Republic of Vietnam.  The aircraft was hit by enemy ground fire and exploded, killing them both.

SERGEANT THOMAS F. BUHR

3 May 1968, Sgt Buhr, combat photographer, was serving as a crew member on a helicopter when it was lost during Operation: IGLOO WHITE in the Republic of Vietnam.  Wreckage was later identified and Buhr was declared Killed in Action.

AIRMAN FIRST CLASS JOHN B. STEVENS

9 October 1968, Airman Stevens, an aerial observer was covering a psychological warfare speaker mission aboard an O2-B aircraft from Nha Trang Air Base when radio contact was lost.  A search party later found the wreckage and recovered his body.  Investigation of the wreckage showed cause of crash due to enemy fire.

STAFF SERGEANT ELLSWORTH S. BRADFORD

11 October 1969, SSgt Bradford, an aerial photographer was aboard an AC-119 aircraft which took off from Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Republic of Vietnam, on a combat gunship mission.  He was killed when immediately after lift off, the port engine caught fire and the aircraft went into a sharp descending left turn, hitting the ground and bursting into flames.

SERGEANT GREGORY L. ANDERSON

28 January 1970, Sgt Anderson, combat cameraman, was aboard an HH-53 helicopter on a rescue mission that launched from Udorn Royal Thailand Air Force Base, Thailand.  Twelve miles southwest of Huong Khe, North Vietnam, the aircraft was fired on by a MiG fighter, and the helicopter exploded in midair.

AIRMAN FIRST CLASS RICHARD NEEF

27 November 1970, Amn Neef was flying aboard an aircraft assigned to the 19th TAS, Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Republic of Vietnam, as an aerial photographer.  The aircraft crashed with no survivors.

SERGEANT JAMES H. ALLEY

Sgt Alley was deployed to Detachment 3, 600th Photo Squadron, Da Nang Air Base, Republic of Vietnam, during March and April 1972.  Sgt Alley flew numerous high risk missions documenting the activities of HH3 search and rescue aircrews.  With five days remaining on his sea tour, he was instructed to return to the 601st Photo Flight at Ubon RTAF, Thailand.  As he was preparing to board an aircraft to take him out of the combat zone, a call was made for volunteers to fly a high risk search and rescue mission in 1st Corps.  With no regard for his personal safety, Sgt Alley picked up his equipment and boarded the departing helicopter.  During the mission, which was attempting to pick up an EB66 crew member downed in enemy territory, the helicopter received several heavy caliber AAA hits, burst into flames and crashed with no survivors.

Sgt. Alley, a motion picture cameraman, was a contemporary of mine in Thailand. This happened while I was a still combat cameraman at Korat RTAFB from which the EB66 flight originated. I do not believe that the helicopter was brought down by AAA but by RPG and small arms fire due to the remote location of the rescue. This rescue attempt was turned into the Hollywood film “BAT 21” (the mission call sign) starring Gene Hackman and Danny Glover.     - Steve Hock, USAFR RET

MASTER SERGEANT JOE CASTRO
and SERGEANT KENNETH E. NANCE

4 April 1975, MSgt Castro and Sgt Nance were killed in a crash of a Military Airlift Command C-5A transport plane near Tan Son Nhut Air Base, South Vietnam, at the onset of Operation: BABYLIFT activities.  These two men continued filming until impact, and according to survivors, MSgt Castro was last seen with his Motion Picture Camera at his shoulder filming action around him while Sgt Nance held the photo light high for him.

In Memorium
The following members of the 600th Photo Squadron and
the 601st Photo Flight have since departed for their final R&R.
If you have any information or fond memories you
would like noted here please email Alan@Palmore.com

Lt Col Christian S. Bauer

Lt Col Christian S. Bauer of Westport Island, Maine, died Thursday, Nov 22 2007.  He was born June 22, 1913, in Philedelpia, Pa.  He served in Italy as a combat camerman during WWII.  He was later commissioned in the US Air Force.  He was Commander 1365th Photographic Squadron, Orlando AFB, Fl 1960-1065.  He is survied by wife, Patricia, one son Christian S. of Orlando, and daughter Sue Beverage of Phoenix, AZ.  Burial will be held on January 27 at Arlington National Cemetary

JOE CASTRO

Joe was originally a still photographer. He was sent to Ubon in 67(?) where I was his trainer into mopic photography. I remember Russ Fyan coming to Eglin from Edwards just as I was being transferred from Eglin to Edwards. Didn't know him very well.     - Joe Montgomery

RUSSELL FYAN

TSgt Fyan was at Eglin AFB when I arrived as a green one stripper in 1966. As a TSgt he was one of guys who I would have to give credit for training and raising my skill level and many other of the young photographers that came out of Eglin. Russ was a very short man so we hit it off as I'm only 5' 1" and he had me beat by maybe two inches is all. During taxi & take off in a F-4 you are supposed to have your seat adjusted all the way down. They used to tease Russ & I that all they could was the top of our helmet bobbing along as we taxied by.    - Wally Jensen

HERMAN KOKOJAN

Herman Kokojan’s career as a military photographer culminated with a Pulitzer Prize nomination for his photographs depicting the Viet Cong release of American POWs. Herman is the only Still Photographer to receive The Military Photographer of the Year Award three years in a row (1975-77). Herman passed away in 1991. He was working for Blackstar at the time.

Herman was quite the cut up. A rifted officer, he was just a Sergeant and was my replacement when I left Tan Son Nhut in 1972. I was told I could not leave until he was fully trained both in still photography and in our operations. By the time he won Military Photographer of the year in 1975 he was a Technical Sergeant. I am proud to have known him and to have played a small part in his exceptional career.     - Alan Palmore

There are certain people in your life that change you, and Herman J. Kokojan was one for sure.  I first met Herm after returning from SEA in 1969.  Herman was the biggest influence in my readjusting to the real world and developing a new positive long term view of life. Herm was several years older than me. He was a wonderful mentor even though he had his own problems adjusting to the RIF.  When it came to photography he was a natural and poured his heart into every shot.  We lost touch with each other over the years, but I took his advise to take an assignment at the place where he was at the time of his RIF.  He convinced me pursue an education and career in the Air Force.  Thanks to Herm, I licked most of my demons from SEA, was eventually commissioned and retired after a 24 year career.  Herm, I know you have a camera around and shooting some of the best aerials ever.  You are gone, but not forgotten.     - Your old friend, Jerry Montrose, Capt. USAF Ret.

CARSON LYONS

Carson was at Edwards when I got therein '63. A hell of a nice guy. I remember he was the only photographer that was given a security clearance to fly chase on the SR-71 testing.     - Joe Montgomery

Carson was a cameraman under me on the MACV team (68-69), and aside from being gifted with his camerawork, was always the first to reach out to the younger members of the team who were having trouble. and the first to lighten us all up when things got tough. He also made immediate connections with the local folks, especially the kids, who intuitively sensed his genuine caring. And with a camera in the air, no one was better. His family has every reason to be proud of him.     - Jerry Grandey

MARC MECHAUT

I served with Marc at Egiln AFB Florida in 1968 between his return from Da Nang and my departure for Bien Hoa. While at Eglin Marc received his Bronze Star for motion picture work in Viet Nam. Marc as a fairly big man with a slight French accent and very big heart. When one of our buddy's got married he let me drive his brand new car with the bride & groom from the wedding to the reception. Which by the way we got pulled over for leading the procession at to high a speed. I still have the picture I took for the press release when Marc re-enlisted during a T-38 photo chase mission over the Gulf of Mexico.     - Wally Jensen

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