Keeping the faith

Keeping the faith

Legendary Cold War flier and WWII vet finally flies home

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U.S. Army 1LT James B. McGovern, also known as “Earthquake McGoon,” of Elizabeth, N.J., was laid to rest in Arlington Cemetery Thursday. He took the long way home:

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of an American civilian pilot, missing in action from Vietnam while flying for Civil Air Transport, a proprietary of the CIA, have been identified and returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
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On May 6, 1954, McGovern, along with his co-pilot, First Officer Wallace A. Buford, and four French servicemen, departed Haiphong, Vietnam, in their Civil Air Transport C-119 on what was to be the last supply drop to the besieged French forces at Camp Isabelle—the remaining French holdout in the battle of Dien Bien Phu. As the aircraft approached the drop zone, it was hit by anti-aircraft fire. The pilots attempted to fly southwest to the relative safety of Laos, but crashed along the Song [River] Ma in Houaphan Province. Only two of the Frenchmen survived and were taken prisoner by Lao forces. One of them died within a few days, and the other was released and returned to France a few months later. McGovern, Wallace and two of the French servicemen were not recovered.

During WWII, McGovern flew in China with the Flying Tigers and is credited with destroying two enemy aircraft in the air and five on the ground. He was captured by the North Koreans and held as a prisoner of war for several months during the Korean War.

Earthquake McGoon finally flies home

James McGovern’s post-World War II exploits were legendary:

9/11, Keeping the faith, Support our troops, War on Terror

President’s Memorial Day weekend radio address

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In part, President Bush said this Saturday during his weekly radio address:

One of those who gave his life was Sergeant David Christoff, Jr., of Rossford, Ohio. The day after the attacks of September the 11th, David walked into a recruiting station to become a United States Marine. Asked why he made the decision to serve, David said: “I don’t want my brother and sister to live in fear.” David eventually deployed to Iraq, where he fought street by street in the battle of Fallujah and earned a Purple Heart for wounds suffered in action.

While on leave back home, David learned his company was headed for combat in Afghanistan. But he knew there was also a job to finish in Iraq. So he asked to be reassigned to a unit headed for Iraq, and last May he died in Anbar province where the Marines are taking the fight to al Qaeda. When his family received his belongings, his mother and his father each found a letter from David. He asked that they pray for his fellow Marines and all those still serving overseas.

On Memorial Day, our Nation honors Sergeant Christoff’s final request. We pray for our men and women serving in harm’s way. We pray for their safe return. And we pray for their families and loved ones, who also serve our country with their support and sacrifice.

audio of Memorial Day rado-address by President Bush

Click on the image to hear the full audio