RAF Bentwaters Missing Airmen Page

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Please E-Mail or notify us if you have found your missing person. Cheers.
IMPORTANT!!!Looking for a FRIEND, RELATIVE, MILITARY MEMBER? 'Click Here' to find links that may help. Looking for your AMERICAN FATHER? E-Mail 'Steve Krulin'. Steve has been very successful working with TRACE to find American Fathers...and there is NO CHARGE for Steve's efforts. However success very much depends upon your ongoing participation.

FOUND

John Oakford: I found your web site very interesting indeed! My wife Anne Oakford (formally Powell) worked in the Service Club at RAF Woodbridge/Bentwaters in the late 1950's. She has been trying to contact former Master Sergeant Al Parent and his wife Eleanor for some time now, with no success. Is it possible to place this letter on your web site with with this e-mail. 12/13/00 Both Al and Eleanor Parent are deceased, and so is their adopted son Louis. However, I am helping look for the mother/father of the other UK child adopted by the Parents...by Steve Krulin.
8/21/01
William Reese Bowen: RAF Woodbridge, 1961-65, 81st Air Police. Home town was Cuero, TX. I am looking for my Father William Reese Bowen. If anyone knows where he is, please e-mail Billie Bowen. 12/19/00 Hello Maureen and Jim. You put a message on your site, saying I was looking for my Father, William Reese Bowen. Also you sent this infomation to Steve Krulin. I am writing to tell you he found him.... He has phoned me, and is on his way now, to upstate New York to meet me, said he had been looking for me for years, but in England... I cannot tell you how happy this has made me, this has turned out beyond my wildest dreams. I want to thank you for your part in this, espicialy for telling Steve, without all of you none of this would have happened. I am sure you love to hear "success" stories. Warm Regards Billie. (2/1/01)

Curtis Wood's Looking for Kevin Turnbo and others. Visit his pages for more information. (6/4/99) 'SUCCESS'...I found him. Man I found him. We talked on the phone tonight for over 4 hours. If it was not for you, I would never have found him. I owe you alot. Let me know how I can ever repay you. I am sitting here with tears in my eyes. I realy mean this. I do not think anyone knows how important it was to me to find him. If it where not for your page, I may never have found him. We are planning on getting together in 2 months. My family and I are going to fly down to him when he gets back from his son's collage trip. Man, it is hard to believe that Courtney is going to Med School. He was 5 the last time I saw him. Thank you very much.

Julie Cook : I live in Ipswich, Suffolk, UK. I am seeking information about William Arnold Jacques RAF Bentwaters, 1264th AACS Squadron, worked for Major D T Francis, 1958-59. Shipped back to US towards end of summer 1959. He originally came from California, I'm told. He was at least 6ft tall and handsome. I would appreciate any help or guidance you can give me. Thanks for your time. 5/21/99. William Jacques has been found by Julie and she has contacted him.6/14/99

Gordon C Rogers: Negaunee MI now Kenosha WI 53140. I am trying to find my old roommate Harrison M Bundy of Columbus OH. Been looking for him the past 30 years. Any one knowing of Harrison please give him this message.11/30/99 Happy to report finding Harison and putting Gordon in touch with him. They had a long emotional talk today. Jim & Maureen. 12/04/99

Gordon C Rogers: Negaunee MI now Kenosha WI 53140. Looking for a lady from Ipswich, Tina Lucas, daughter of Sylvia Lucas, from Nacton/Prioriy Heath Way. Tina would be about 44 to 45 years old now. She married an American in the 70's but may be divorced now and living back in Ipswich. Any one knowing of Tina please give her this message.11/30/99 Received information about Tina through E-mail 1/15/00

Scofield, Gay: Can anyone help locate Scofield, Gay, RAF Bentwaters/Woodbridge, 1959/1961, 81st transportation squadron. He was an airman first class, aged about twenty one. Believed to come from Kentucky area? Hoping someone can help. Mandy Curtis. Scofield Gay, 66, Crothersville, died at 1:47pm Tuesday, Oct 26, 1999 at his home. 4/8/00

MYSTERIES

Lori Rehfeldt would like to know?Who was the RAF Bentwaters Colonel (A-10 pilot) who crashed in an air show in 1979 or early 1980. We named the perimeter road after him.Send E-Mail if you know his name?
(REPLY): Olson (christian name William)? Was this the same A10 crash that killed the RAF winchman that tried to save him off the Felixstowe coast? Col. Olson was married to local beauty queen Nanette Slack (now living at Heathersett Norfolk) Ps. Would be interesting to know how she is and especially her two grown children. I do know she participates in Ballroom comps or did.San E-mail.(8/21/99)
(INQUIRY): My name is Tony Magee. I Live in Felixstowe and I am an Ex-Serviceman of HM Royal Air force (20 Years Service). I am doing some Research into Lt Col William Harold Olson. Ok A Brief Explanation for you: I am a Member of the R A O B (Buffs). In our Lodge in Felixstowe, one of our Members bought a secondhand Picture frame to put a Photo of his Great Grandchild in, and when he opened the back to place the photo in, he found a Photo of an USAF Serviceman and a short text message which reads:
In Memoriam, WILLIAM HAROLD OLSEN, Lt Colonel United States Air Force, Died as a result of an air incident On November 18, 1980. He was thirty-eight years old. I’ve topped the windswept with easy grace heights, Where never lark, or even eagle flew. And’ with silent, lifting mind I’ve trod, The high untrespassed sanctity of space, Put out my hand , and touched the face of God.
The Member of our Lodge Knows that I am on the Internet and asked me to see what I could about tracing Lt Col Olson's family to return the photo. I have looked on your website and came across a few things and I think I am on the right track. I think he married a local Beauty Queen (Nanette Slack), But Alas I have come to a Halt. If you can help me in anyway I would be very Grateful. And the intention is to return the photo to it's Rightful Family. I hope to Hear from you soon. Email at a.magee@ntlworld.com. 1/4/02
(REPLY): I believe that the pilot you are seeking would have the last name of Thompson. To my knowledge, he was a Fairchild liaison officer on the A10 project and thus was not assigned to the 81st. I could be wrong, if so let me know. I'll forward any other info I can verify.John Smith's E-mail.(8/21/99)
(REPLY): Lori asked a question about the pilot of the A-10 crash in the late 70's. I have heard that his name was Thompson, and I am trying to find out if it was Tommy Thompson who I served with at Bien Hoa in 68-69 in the 510th TFS. If anyone knows or has information about the pilot and the crash please contact. Michael J Critchley E-mail.(6/19/01)
(REPLY): Pilot was Col Thomas "Tommy" Thompson. Had been ADO for A10 at DM and A10 Instructor Pilot and was 1st DO at Bentwaters on arrival of Hawgs. Crashed on 4 July 1979 during demo at (as I recall) RAF Wethersfield flown with then Maj Glenn Proffitt (now the late MG). Large crowd was waiting at Bentwaters for their return and their demo for us when only one came back! 'Twas indeed a sad day for all who had known and especially those of us who had flown with him. The wing's Top Gun award became the Thompson Trophy in his honour. And many a wine glass met its ultimate fate to his memory during subsequent dinings-in !Sender.(9/16/99)
(REPLY): Regarding the Thompson Crash. As I understand it, the crash took place at RAF Chicksands in Bedfordshire. Interestingly, there is no runway at RAF Chicksands. The aircraft cart wheeled in during a demo flight, and the pilot was reportedly killed in a sideways ejection. Mrs Thompson sued the aircraft and seat manufacturer (FRC/McDonell-Douglas), and (reportedly) received a multi-million dollar settlement. The aircraft had a 'beta' Stability Augmentation System (SAS), and it was believed that an inflight SAS failure caused an uncommanded roll(?). A monument erected to Col Thompson at RAF Chicksands was moved to Base Ops at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, in about 1995. It was interesting to see it at DMAFB after seeing it at RAF Chicksands in 987. It was at the DM rededication ceremony that I saw Mrs Thompson and her son who was then flying for the USAF. I also remember seeing the boxes containing the remains of Col Thompson's aircraft in the old Victor Alert area at RAF Bentwaters shortly after my arrival there in 1980. An additional story associated with Col Thompson regards an incident which occurred within a month of his crash. I spoke with crew chiefs at RAF Bentwaters/Woodbridge who claimed to have removed branches from the good colonel's aircraft nose wheelwell. He was supposedly restricted from flying for some unspecified period of time, and only returned to flying status shortly before his fatal crash. Having seen the videos of "normal" missions flown by A-10 squadron pilots, I have no reason to question the above report. Alan S Wisniewski, 2LT Retired. 4/11/01.

*David Lee: Garden Grove, CA. Trying to piece together as much info as I can about my Father's plane crash Aug 14,1959 when I was a year old. My dad was 1st LT Sterling H Lee. He crashed a Voodoo F-101 at RAF Wooodbridge, though he was stationed at RAF Bentwaters. If you recollect anything please e-mail me. 11/19/99

Mystery Airman?
Do you know this TSgt?
Please E-mail me if you do.
(Click for Big Pic)

Comments on Mystery Airman?

Where is the guy's military decorations and wedding ring, strange? I do not see one. Could this be best man? Interesting that this was found in an antique shop in Bury St Edmunds...Ron Burrell

RAF WB Mystery Plaque? E-mail me with info.(Click for Big Pic)
Comments on Mystery Bridge Plaque?

Fourthly, can you help me out. This is a photograph taken of a memorium plaque opposite the sports pitch at RAF Woodbridge, it reads: IN MEMORIUM - MAJOR JOE WILSON Jnr - CAPT STEVE BERTA - JULY 1974. Can you help me research this, as the building that it is attached to is to be demolished and if I know the Army here it will be binned so i'm going over the fence one night to rescue it!. I suppose from the era, and the fact that it is two people, this could be an F4 crew, Please help!...Mark Hitch:

Sorry to not have been in touch for a while, we seem to have aquired another member to our family. We've just had a little boy who at the minute takes up ever minute i've got. Still...As for the plaque, well I had some leads. It seems that the two lad were indeed an F4 crew that crashed on a routine bombing run in Germany. I did receive a rather rude message asking me to get it and mail it to the States to some bloke. I haven't heard from him since, so my next course of action is to go officially to the 'Officer in Charge' of the base here at RAF Woodbridge with the facts and the story to get the plaque to present back to the USAF at RAF Mildenhall. Well the web pages are great. I do get time to visit every now and then, please keep in touch. All the best, Mark...Mark Hitch:(9/24/99)

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