by Tom Martin, Blackhawk 67
February 16, 1968, I had just gotten back from R&R a couple of days before and this was my first mission after R&R. When I arrived at the aircraft, I had a new gunner, just for the day. He was fillling in for Hudec so that Hudec could have a day off.
His name was Dennis Lulofs and while he was only a month younger that me (20) he looked to be only 16 or 17. When you look like a youngster among youngsters (19-21 year olds) you know you have a baby face. Of course we game him grief about it all day. He took it well, he was a happy go lucky guy and fun to be around. He did a good job, he wanted to be a full time gunner, not just a fill in when he got the chance.
Well it was a long day and we didn’t get back to Tay Ninh until after dark. Lulofs assisted the CE with the daily maintenance, then took the guns to the armament cleaning area up by the maintenance tents. He gave them a good clearing, put them into storage, then headed back to the company area. About that time the enemy chose to start a rocket attack on the airfield. As Dennis was looking for cover, he was hit by a large piece of shrapnel from a near miss, killing him instantly.
During my tour (67-68) I think we lost around 12-14 KIA and another bunch WIA and evacuated. I do not remember them all, but there are a few who have stuck with me for many years, Dennis Lulofs was one of them. I will never forget how young he looked and how much he desired to become a full time gunner. I remember the shock when I heard that he was killed.
Luckily I did not have any of my crew KIA during my tour, Dennis was the closest, since he had been part of the crew that day. Even after multiple crashes, being shot down, engine failures, the only casuality dring a mission was my CE sprained ankle during a crash on Nui Ba Den. We were all lucky I guess, maybe that is why Dennis death impacted me so much, not sure. Even after over 50 years, I still think about him and see that baby face.
There of course are others I remember, CPT Bailey, Steve Eckle, Fitzgerald, Wilcox, CPT Presson, and WO Preston (WIA). Each for his own separate reason. Bailey, he and I had words in Opns after my crash on the mountain and then he died in an accident, have always wished I had the opportunity to apologize ever since. Presson, one shot fired all day on the final pickup and it hit him. He had just returned from R&R and this was his first flight after getting back. Eckle and Fitzgerald, Steve was a very good friend and I had some great memories of him, along with Fitz. Preston was my original tent mate when I first arrived and I had picked him up after he was shot down on August 7. Charley Wilcox was one of the “old guys” who trained me when I came into the 187th, before he was infused out. He was a great teacher, calm, easy going, informative, it was hard to hear about him being killed.
You can call it survivor guilt or whatever, their deaths had an impact on me, as well they should. I will never forget them and neither should anyone else. They gave their all and deserve to be remembered.