13th Airlift Squadron

Post date: Nov 26, 2010 9:14:28 PM

United States Air Force C-141 Crew 

Laid To Rest In Arlington National Cemetery

by Staff Sgt. Michael Dorsey Air Force News Service

Released: Apr 6, 1998

Remains of the nine airmen who perished September 13, 1997 in a mid-air collision between an Air Force C-141 and German Tupolev 154 off the coast of Africa were laid to rest April 2, 1998 in a group burial at Arlington National Cemetery.

In a full-honors funeral, a stream of airmen followed the horse-drawn carriage to pay their respects to Captain Peter Vallejo, Captain Gregory Cindrich, Captain Jason Ramsey, Staff Sergeants Robert Evans, Scott Roberts and Stacy Bryant, and Senior Airmen Gary Bucknam, Justin Drager and Frankie Walker. 

Eight pallbearers from the Air Force Honor Guard carried the casket. A full-honors service includes of a band, bugler, caisson, firing party, honor guard flight, pallbearers, color team and flag bearer. Attending survivors received American flags during the ceremony.

The crash claimed 33 lives. Twenty-four were aboard the German aircraft. Eight of the nine C-141 crewmen were from the 13th Airlift Squadron, McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey. Walker was from the 305th Aircraft Generation Squadron at McGuire. 

The C-141 had delivered U.S. soldiers and mine-clearing equipment to Windhoek Field, Namibia, before departing for Ascension Island. An Air Force accident investigation board concluded that the German aircraft was flying at the wrong cruise altitude, causing the crash. 

BRYANT, STACY

Sergeant, United States Air Force 

DATE OF DEATH: 09/13/1997

BURIED AT: SECTION 34  SITE 1758

CINDRICH, GREGORY

Captain, United States Air Force 

DATE OF DEATH: 09/13/1997

BURIED AT: SECTION 34  SITE 1758

EVANS, ROBERT

Sereant, United States Air Force 

DATE OF DEATH: 09/13/1997

BURIED AT: SECTION 34  SITE 1758

ROBERTS, SCOTT

Sergeant, United States Air Force

DATE OF DEATH: 09/13/1997

BURIED AT: SECTION 34  SITE 1758

BUCKNAM, GARY

Sergeant, United States Air Force 

DATE OF DEATH: 09/13/1997

BURIED AT: SECTION 34  SITE 1758

DRAGER, JUSTIN

A1C, United States Air Force

DATE OF DEATH: 09/13/1997

BURIED AT: SECTION 34  SITE 1758

RAMSEY, JASON

Captain, United States Air Force

DATE OF DEATH: 09/13/1997

BURIED AT: SECTION 34  SITE 1758

VALLEJO, PETER

Captain, United States Air Force

DATE OF DEATH: 09/13/1997

BURIED AT: SECTION 34  SITE 1758

WALKER, FRANKIE

SAM, United States Air Force

DATE OF DEATH: 09/13/1997

BURIED AT: SECTION 34  SITE 1758