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Observation Squadron Sixty Seven
VO-67

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Observation Squadron Sixty Seven
VO-67
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Loss of Shipmates

Greetings,

This has been a sad week for the VO-67 brotherhood with the loss on our Shipmate Dan Swank. "Wings of Gold to Angel Wings". Dan was never able to get to a reunion but he was in contact with several members of our squadron over the years and was very interested in all the squadron news. He will be missed.
As I looked at the new Arlington pictures posted on the VO-67 web site I was reminded of what a special week that was. Being at that most inspiring place to pay tribute to our fallen brothers was most rewarding. The families of Crew-2 will perhaps be able to rest a little easier now that their loved ones are home. Now, as with Crew-5 and John Hartzheim we can begin a small degree of closure.Perhaps we will hear something on Paul Milius in the near future. Sixteen VO-67 shipmates were in attendance for the Crew burial as well as many family members. Several family members of Crew -5 were also there. You can be sure that the crew was given the highest respect by all. Also attending was Dave Rankin, the head Anthropologist from CILHI, in charge of the Crew-2 recovery site and Earl Swift from Parade Magazine. Earl, who was on one of the earlier visits to Laos, has written a book entitled " Where They Lay". It will be out later this year and it chronicles the many searches undertaken for our missing military personal. It will have a section on Crew-2 and Commander Paul Milius. As it turns out Dan Rankin is related to the Mancini family.
After the Crew-2 burial the family members decided to present the flag to the VO-67 Brotherhood for all the effort they undertook in the letter writing and phone call campaign. Mansour Salaha-Din and I excepted the Flag on behalf of the VO-67 Association. Mansour was chairman of the Crew-2 committee. The Flag is now in a Flag case in the Archives. You will see many pictures of shipmates holding that special flag with much pride. Lisa Salahu-Din took most of the Arlington pictures and we are going to make her the official Squadron photographer.

In Brotherhood
Bob Reynolds - VO-67 Association President