Al White Remembers
That Morning
By: William A. White

Charlie and I were room-mates at Spangdalem before the family joined him from the US in 1956.

We seperated from one another as I left the USAF to join Air America, based in Laos. On the day he was shot down, we met again for the first time in years at the Air America Club in Udorn, Thailand. We had breakfast together, shot the bull and then I invited him to take a flight in my C-123 "up country". He wanted to see what it was like up there one ground. I think I scared him as he was not used to landing on unprepared, 500' dirt runways!

After returning to Udorn for refueling and loading, we joined one another again for lunch. At the conclusion, he returned to his sqdn. to prepare for his (last) flight. We taxied out together and blinked our landing lights as a greeting. He roared off and I followed behind him.

The C-123 was used for SAR for our downed airmen in addition to the normal requirements. So, when it was reported that an aircraft was down, I immediately proceeded to the coordinates given for the downed pilot. Upon arriving in the area, we soon spotted Charlie, waving a white scarf or handkerchief. He appeared to be unhurt.

We called in our AA heleos. A location on a mesa south of Sam Neua was chosen to drop off a rescue team. During this time, I was "holding" to the south of his position at 3500'. Fortunately, for whatever reason, the "PL" elected not to shoot at us. After the team was dispatched, we all departed the area. Our plan was to return in five days and pick them all up. We never saw the team again either... Presumed all captured and probably killed as they were Lao and Thai nationalities.