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Fallen AC-47 Spooky crewmembers memorialized during ceremony

  • Published
  • By Airman Dennis Spain
  • 1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
More than 100 Air Commandos, past and present, attended an AC-47 Spooky gunship plaque dedication ceremony at the Hurlburt Field Air Park, here Sept. 9.

The Spooky Gunship brotherhood purchased the memorial plaque to commemorate their fallen AC-47 crewmembers, who died in combat while serving in Southeast Asia.

“I know our Spooky brothers -- whose names are on the memorial -- would be pleased to see so many of us here honoring their memory and sacrifice,” said Junior Skinner, a member of the Spooky Gunship brotherhood.

The Spooky brotherhood members who spoke at the ceremony recounted their past missions with the aircraft.

The first AC-47 combat missions took place December 1964 during the Vietnam War. Within a year, aircrews provided nightly local defense throughout South Vietnam. During missions, Spooky crews prevented friendly ground positions from being overrun.

“Our primary mission was night, close-air support for troops on the field and in outposts,” said Mike Thahan, a member of the Spooky Gunship brotherhood. “We flew airborne alert, and when someone made contact with the enemy and needed us, we would hustle to the fight, set up a circular firing pattern and stay there until the job was done.”

Thahan went on to speak about the impact he and the AC-47 crews had on countless American lives.

“I never fully realized how critical our close-air-support mission was to so many people,” Trahan said. “I have met a few veterans along the way, and nearly every one of them said, ‘Man, you really saved my bacon over there one night. If it wasn’t for the Spooky, I wouldn’t have made it home.’”

At the close of the ceremony, the president of the Spooky Gunship brotherhood spoke about the meaning behind the memorial.

The phrase, “All gave some, some gave all,” is engraved on the base of the plaque.

“They made the ultimate sacrifice for our country,” Skinner said. “For that they will never be forgotten.”