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694th IG honors C-130 crews

By SSgt. Larry Ferrell
694th IG
Ft. Meade, Md.

On Sept. 2, 1958, while on a routine flight along the Turkish and Armenian border, a reconnaissance-configured C-130 aircraft (aircraft No. 60528) strayed into Soviet airspace and was shot down by Air Defense MiG-17 jet fighters. Seventeen Air Force crew members lost their lives on that mission, 41 years ago.

The aircraft was assigned to the 7406th Support Squadron, U.S. Air Forces Europe, based at Rhein-Main AB, Germany. They were on temporary duty, operating out of Andana, Turkey. Six USAFE crewmembers and 11 U.S. Air Force Security Service operators were on board to conduct the reconnaissance mission.

The 694th Intelligence Group recently held a memorial ceremony, to honor the 17 and all other reconnaissance crews who lost their lives during Cold War reconnaissance missions. The observance was conducted at the National Vigilance Park where Col. Carla Bass, commander of the 694th IG, and Col. Wyatt Cook, commander of the Air Force Cryptologic Office laid a wreath to commemorate the dedicated service members.

“These brave reconnaissance crews faced the same dangers as did their fighter and bomber brethren in conflicts such as World War II, Korea and Vietnam,” Bass remarked during her speech.

“For these individuals, there was no public recognition, no hometown press releases when the mission was a great success. It is only when something went dreadfully wrong that operations might come to national attention,” said Bass.

About 250 personnel attended the remembrance, to include many members of the Prop Wash Gang. The Prop Wash Gang’s name originated because the C-130 was propeller driven and prop wash is an Air Force term for discussions that take place with propeller noise in the background.

TSgt. Philip Brown served as the master of ceremonies and the 694th IG Honor Guard posted the colors to half-mast while the unit’s choir, the Stellar Tones, sang the National Anthem. Senior Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Dwight Johnson gave the invocation and Ila Clem, widow of TSgt. Arthur Mello who was killed in the crash, presented his wings to their daughter, Brenda Sherman.

The National Vigilance Park is located on the grounds of the National Security Agency, Ft. George Meade, Md. The centerpiece is an Aerial Reconnaissance Memorial that was refurbished to resemble the U.S. Air Force C-130 aircraft shot down 41 years ago. It is the nation’s first large-scale memorial to Cold War service and sacrifice.

The memorial C-130 was originally dedicated two years ago. It was reclaimed from storage at the Aircraft Maintenance and Regeneration Center, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz. A four-man flight crew, from the 40th Flight Test Squadron, Eglin AFB, Fla., flew the aircraft to Greenville, Texas, where it was refurbished. The crew was equipped with only a single VHF radio, a handheld Global Positioning System unit and three road maps. They flew under visual flight rules.

After refurbishment, another 40th FTS crew flew the C-130’s final flight to Ft. George Meade’s Tipton Army Airfield. The memorial C-130 is now located in the middle of the National Vigilance Park (which is adjacent to the National Cryptologic Museum).

“The wreath-laying ceremony has been an annual event since the park originated in 1997,” said Maj. Franklin Crawford, 694th IG special projects officer. “I take great pride in spearheading this event. Reconnaissance crews served valiantly during a time when they couldn’t make their contributions public. They deserve to be recognized.”

As a backdrop to the Aerial Reconnaissance Memorial, there are 18 trees in the National Vigilance Park, each symbolizing a type of reconnaissance aircraft lost during the Cold War (12 Air Force, four Navy and two Army airframes). The park also includes three memorial plaques: one lists the names of the lost crewmen, one contains a dedication statement and the third describes the aircraft.