lest we forget

WALLACE, JOHN CLAYTON

Rank / Branch:

WARRANT OFFICER ONE, U.S. ARMY

Date Of Birth:

1946-09-18

Country Of Loss:

SOUTH VIETNAM

Status:

HOSTILE-HELICOPTER CRASH

Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground:

OH-6A LIGHT OBSERVATION HELICOPTER

Other:

MARRIED

Unit:

FIRST CAVALY DIVISION

Date Of Loss:

1968-09-26

Loss Coordinates:

QUANG TRI

Catagory:

BODY RETURNED

Awards & Decorations:

SEE BIO

VETERAN HAGI0GRAPHY

WALLACE, JOHN CLAYTON, WARRANT OFFICER ONE, U.S. ARMY, ODESSA, ECTOR, TEXAS

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

ARMY AVIATOR WINGS, DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS, BRONZE STAR, AIR MEDAL, PURPLE HEART, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, NATIOANL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL, VIETNAM CROSS OF GALLANTRY.COM. VIETNAM CAMPAIGN MEDAL

BIOGRAPHY

John was born in Neoshe, Missouri. He was the son of Virginia Murray Clayton and John Leslie Wallace. His oldest sister, Margaret Wallace died before her first birthday. He had an older sister, Shirley Jean and a younger brother, Stephen Hamilton. He attended schools in Neoshe and was a 1964 graduate.
After high school, he attended the College of the Ozarks, a private junior college. He worked for the school radio network and was very active on campus. After his two-year stay there, he enrolled at the University of Arkansas and attended one year. He worked for the school radio network and was very active on campus.
He enlisted in the Army in June 1967 for the Warrant Officer Flight Training Program. He completed basic training at Fort Polk, Louisiana and began his flight training program at Fort Wolters, Texas as a member of B-3, Class 68-7. While a flight student, he met Janice Brunner of Odessa, Texas, a student at North Texas State University in Denton. Janice was a 1966 graduate of Odessa High School and her mother and stepfather owned and operated Nelson Office Supply. They married at Fort Rucker, Alabama in the Post Chapel when John was attending his secondary flight training.
After flight school and commissioning as a Warrant Officer One, John received further training in the OH-6A which was a low observation helicopter, faster and more mobile. He also received weapons training. The LOH was used for observation and for drawing the enemy out. It was a two-man helicopter with a pilot and an observer. It was also equipped with cannon and machine gun.
John began his tour in Vietnam on July 28, 1968, and was assigned as a LOH pilot with C Troop, 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. He was operating out of Camp Evans. On September 26, 1968, he was part of an operation to rescue some cut off troopers. He was the pilot, there was an observer and a gunner on board the aircraft. The aircraft was an OH-6A, tail number 67-16079. During the operation, he was flying over a tree line and had hovered for better observation. The aircraft was at a height of about 20 feet when the aircraft was struck by ground fire and immediately went down and crashed. The aircraft caught on fire and there were no survivors.
WO1 Wallace was buried with full military honors in the Neoshe Memorial Park Cemetery in his hometown. He was survived by his wife of Odessa, Texas and his parents and his brother and sister.