RUSSELL RICKLAND FYAN

600th Photo Sq.

Air Force - TSGT - E6 - Regular
Age: 35
Date of Birth: Jul 24, 1932
From: MUSKEGON, MI
Religion: BAPTIST
Marital Status: Married
Length of service: 16 years
His tour began on: Nov 23, 1967
Casualty was on: Apr 26, 1968
Place: In THUA THIEN, SOUTH VIETNAM
Action: HOSTILE, FIXED WING - CREW, AIR LOSS, CRASH ON LAND, Body was recovered
Wall: Panel 52E - Line 18

RUSSELL RICKLAND FYAN

Notes from The Virtual Wall: http://www.virtualwall.org/dm/McdanielJL01a.htm
OPERATION DELAWARE, which began 19 April 1968, was intended to disrupt enemy activities in the western part of the A Shau Valley. On 25 April, US cavalry units air assaulted into the abandoned airstrip at A Loui. On the 26th, in weather with ceilings as low as 3-500 feet, C-130s from Cam Ranh Bay, Bien Hoa, and Tan Son Nhut were tasked with air-dropping supplies to the cavalrymen. The first 20 C-130s received antiaircraft fire, and seven of them were hit. The 21st C-130 (C-130B tail number 60-0298) was hit heavily by .51 caliber and 37mm AAA fire and its cargo was set afire. The pilot elected to attempt an emergency landing on the airstrip but hit trees on final, crashed, and exploded. When the burning wreckage cooled sufficiently, the bodies of five of the eight men were recovered - but there was no trace of the pilot, navigator, or loadmaster. All eight men were classified killed in action:

Maj Lilburn R Stow (BNR)
Capt James J McKinstry
Maj John L McDaniel (BNR)
TSgt Russell R Fyan (600th Photo Sq.)
SSgt Beryl S Blaylock
Sgt Daniel J O'Connor (600th Photo Sq.)
Sgt Larry R Todd (BNR)
A1C Kenneth L Johnson

The point-of-contact for this memorial is one who remembers,
Roy V. Fair, Colonel (Ret.)
8820 Lake Drive, Snellville, Ga 30039
royvfair@bellsouth.net
19 Nov 2002