This Military Service Page was created/owned by
LCpl Ashley Roberts
to remember
Marine Maj William John Walker.
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UH-1E CRASHED DURING FIRING RUN 3 KM SOUTHEAST OF HILL 65 (22 KM SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF DANANG) 20APR68, UTM grid reference is AT905555, UH-1E 152436.
Major John Walker was the co-pilot of a UH-1E (#152436) was on 20 April 1968, two VMO-2 gunships and one HML-167 gunship launched a search and destroy mission in the [Operation] Foster area. During a gun run, the HML-167 aircraft crashed, killing all aboard. The VMO-2 gunships provided cover in the crash area, and other gunships were launched to provide suppressive fire in the area. The lost crew members included aircraft commander 1LT Joseph A. Cestare, pilot MAJ William J. Walker, crew chief CPL Warren C. Parsons, and gunner SGT Joseph A. Zutterman Jr. Search and rescue units were unable to recover their remains and all were listed Killed In Action - Body Not Recovered.
This Veteran has an (IMO) In Memory Of Headstone in Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial, Hawaii as well as one in Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, San Diego, California.
Cheryl DiFiore Daughter of his friend My father, Hal DiFiore, flew with Bill Walker. During the war there was a shortage of pilots, so the pilots were cross-trained. Bill and Hal were flying jets, so they had to choose between helicopters and fixed-wings for their second aircraft. Bill chose the former. My father chose the latter (C-130's) because he said that helicopters were widow-makers. In April 1968, both my father and Bill were in Viet Nam flying for different squadrons. I can remember the day my mother found out that Bill was killed. I was 11 years old and my mother fell apart after the phone call. I thought that something had happened to my father, but quickly realized it was Bill. My father died in 1991 of Chronic Lymphatic Leukemia. It has now been proven to be a direct link to Agent Orange. My father carried 100's of barrels of the stuff on his cargo plane on a weekly basis. At the time, he didn't know that Agent Orange would also create a lot of widows. I hope they are finally both flying in peace. Friday, October 17, 2003.
Vietnam War/Counteroffensive Phase III Campaign (1967-68)
From Month/Year
June / 1967
To Month/Year
January / 1968
Description This campaign was from 1 June 1967 to 29 January 1968.The conflict in South Vietnam remains basically unchanged. As Operation JUNCTION CITY ended, elements of the U.S. 1st and 25th Infantry Divisions, the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, and the forces of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam swung back toward Saigon to conduct another clearing operation, MANHATTAN. This took peace in the Long Nguyen base area just north of the previously cleared "Iron Triangle."
South Vietnamese Armed Forces became more active and capable under U.S. advisors. During the year the Vietnamese Special Forces assumed responsibility for several Special Forces camps and for the CIDG companies manning them. In each case all of the U.S. advisors withdrew, leaving the Vietnamese in full command.
With an increased delegation of responsibility to them, the South Vietnamese conducted major operations during 1967, and, in spite of VC attempts to avoid battle, achieved a number of contacts.
Despite the success of U.S. and South Vietnamese Army operations, there were indications in the fall of 1967 of another enemy build-up, particularly in areas close to Laos and Cambodia. In late October, the VC struck again at the Special Forces Camp at Loc Ninh. Fortunately Vietnamese reinforcements saved the camp. At the same time, approximately 12,000 VC troops converged on a Special Forces camp at Dak To. This camp was located in northern Kontum Province, where the borders of Laos, Cambodia, and South Vietnam meet. In response to this potential threat, the U.S. and South Vietnam committed a total of sixteen battalions to the region to counter a disturbing enemy resurgence at Kontum and Loc Ninh.