Davidson College – In Memoriam

Capt John Dudley Wiley, 30, Margaret Road, was killed in action on August 3, according to official notification by the US Air Force. Yesterday word as received that he was missing in action and it was later reported that he had been killed aboard a Caribou C-7A aircraft making a landing approach at Ha Tranh, Vietnam – when the aircraft was accidentally hit by American artillery fire.

He was married to the former Patricia Morrison of Iredell County and the couple have two children, John Malcolm, 6, and Jane Agnes, age three and a half. In addition to his wife and children, he is survived by his mother, Mrs E.V.Wiley of Charlotte, a sister, Mrs Robert H Brown of Charlotte and his maternal grandmother, Mrs Dora Dunlop of Charlotte. He was born in Mecklenburg County May 26, 1937. His father was a Presbyterian minister and formerly served the Concord Presbyterian Church in Iredell County. He grew up in Waxhaw and Norwood and moved with his family to Loray in 1953, when his father became pastor of the church there.

He attended Scott’s High School and Darlington Preparatory School, Rome Ga. He attended Davidson College and Mars Hill College. He joined the US Air Force in 1957 and was commissioned an officer in 1960. He was married in September of that year. Funeral arrangements are incomplete but he will be buried in the Concord Presbyterian Church in Statesville. Bunch Funeral Home will be in charge of the arrangements and details will be announced later. On Thursday this newspaper published a picture on the Front Page of an American Aircraft falling apart in the Air after being struck by American artillery, 45 miles north of Duc Pho. The information at that time was that three men were killed in the accident. It has been definitely established that Capt Wiley was one of those killed.

He is the Son of Mr Ewell Van Wiley and Mrs Agnes Dunlop Wiley. Husband of Patricia Morrison Wiley. Father of John Malcom Wiley, Jane Agnes Wiley and Brother to Dora Lee Wiley.

He served with the 459th Tactical Airlift Squadron, 483rd Tactical Airlift Wing, 7th Air Force.

He was awarded Army Pilot Wings Insignia, The Purple Heart Medal for his combat related wounds, The Air Force Longevity Award(s), The Vietnam Service Medal, The Vietnam Cross of Gallantry Unit Citation, The National Defense Service Medal and the Air Medal with 21 Multiple Oak Leaf Clusters.

David Sumner Bullard, Jr passed on July 14, 1967. No additional information is currently available.

CPT Robert Cole Stewart, Vietnam Veteran, Native of Carthage, NC.

Captain Robert Cole Stewart was a casualty of the Vietnam War. As a member of the Army, CPT Stewart served our country until February 15th, 1967 in Chuong Thien, South Vietnam. He was 32 years old and was married. It was reported that Robert died when his helicopter crashed while on an ARVN Operation in Chuong Thien province. His body was recovered. Robert was born on July 9th, 1934 in Carthage, North Carolina. CPT Stewart is on panel 15E, line 037 of the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington D.C. He served our country for 12 years.

Stewart was Warrior lead on that fateful day. I was Tiger Lead in the second insertion behind him and watched his aircraft roll over on its side as he was killed. It was my longest day but could not compare to his ultimate sacrifice. He was missed then and still is. The men of Soc Trang lost a gallant officer that day, one of many they would lose in those days. They are gone but not forgotten. God rest them all. Dave Cunningham.

Fellow Pilot. In the Shadow of the Blade is a documentary about a rebuilt UH-1 “Huey” helicopter that tours the United States, once again touching only a relative few of the many, many lives that it impacted. I was also at Chuong Thien on February 15, 1967 and as I viewed the documentary my thoughts turned to Captain Stewart and his family. May God bless them! Meredith “Maz” Mazza, 7711 Wyatt Lake Drive, Las Vegas, OK 73505.

Capt Stewart is the son of Myrton Thomas & Doris Mae Mills Stewart of Carthage NC

He served with the 336th Assault Helicopter Company, “Warriors”, 13th Aviation Battalion, 164th Aviation Group, 1st Aviation Brigade, USARV.

He was awarded Army Aviators Wings, The Bronze Star Medal, The Purple Heart Medal for his combat related wounds, The Vietnam Service Medal, The Republic of Vietnam Campaign Service Medal, The National Defense Service Medal and The Air Medal with Multiple Oak Leaf Clusters.

Rawley Pratt Turner passed on February 9, 1967. No additional information is available at this time.

William Raymond Haught passed February 1, 1967. No additional information is available at this time.