Page 12 - Memorial Day 2021 - Combined Special Edition of Luke AFB Thunderbolt and Davis-Monthan AFB Desert Lightning News

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CAissOn PLATOOn:

Solemn duty of honor, respect

Whether in the snow, rain, cold or heat, the Caisson Platoon
is out in Arlington National Cemetery for funerals every day,
Mondays through Fridays, except federal holidays, or in the case
of dangerous weather or other emergencies.
Using a caisson is steeped in tradition and history, going back
to the day when field artillerymen used the caissons to transport
75mm cannon ammunition.
The caissons, which were built in 1918, now carry the remains
of those who served the nation with honor and distinction.
Those eligible for a caisson at a military funeral at Arlington
include warrant officers and sergeants major, officers of all
ranks, those killed in action, valorous award recipients includ-
ing those who received the Medal of Honor, U.S. presidents, and
other special designees, said then-Staff Sgt. John Ford, former “It represents the horse of the departed officer, boots are
Caisson Operations non-commissioned officer. reversed in the stirrups, symbolic of both the officer’s last
A caisson team consists of seven horses and four riders. Three ride and the officer reviewing his troops for one final time,”
of the horses hitched to the caisson are unmounted, because the Ford said.
field artillerymen of the day used the off-side horses to carry The caparisoned horse is reserved for Army and Marine
additional gear, Ford said. Corps officers because it is a cavalry tradition. The honor is
A departed Army or Marine Corps officer in the rank of colonel also given to presidents in their capacity as commander-in-
or above is also afforded the honor of having a caparisoned, or chief of the armed forces, Ford said.
riderless, horse. The horse is led behind the caisson by a member Editor’s Note: This is a portion of an article written by
of the platoon. Lisa Ferdinando. Courtesy photos

honoR (from Page 10) low passes, Jones felt an explosion be- 1969: 1972:
neath his aircraft and his cockpit rapidly
Team from the Special Forces camp at filled with smoke. With complete disre- Airman 1st Class John Capt. Steven L. Bennett,
Kham Duc. Hostile forces had overrun gard of the possibility that his aircraft L. Levitow, 3rd Special 20th Tactical Air Support
the forward outpost and established gun might still be burning, he unhesitatingly Operations Squadron; Squadron, Da Nang Air
positions on the airstrip. They were rak- continued his search for the downed pilot. over Long Binh Army Post, Base, Vietnam; Quang Tri
ing the camp with small-arms, mortars, On this pass, he sighted the survivor and Republic of Vietnam, Province, Republic of Viet-
light and heavy automatic-weapons, and a multiple-barrel gun position firing at “While assigned as a load- nam, “Bennett was the
recoilless-rifle fire. The camp was en- him from near the top of a karst forma- master aboard an AC-47 pilot of a light aircraft
gulfed in flames and ammunition dumps tion. He could not attack the gun position aircraft flying a night mis- flying an artillery adjust-
were continuously exploding and litter- on that pass for fear he would endanger sion in support of Long Binh Army Post, ment mission along a heavily defended
ing the runway with debris. In addition, the downed pilot. Leaving himself exposed Levitow’s aircraft was struck by a hostile segment of route structure. A large concen-
eight aircraft had been destroyed by the to the gun position, Jones attacked the mortar round. The resulting explosion tration of enemy troops were massing for
intense enemy fire and one aircraft re- position with cannon and rocket fire on ripped a hole two feet in diameter through an attack on a friendly unit. Bennett re-
mained on the runway, reducing its us- two successive passes. On his second pass, the wing and fragments made over 3,500 quested tactical air support but was advised
able length to only 2,200 feet. To further the aircraft was hit with multiple rounds holes in the fuselage. All occupants of the that none was available. He also requested
complicate the landing, the weather was of automatic-weapons fire. One round cargo compartment were wounded and artillery support, but this too was denied
deteriorating rapidly, thereby permitting impacted the Yankee Extraction System helplessly slammed against the floor and due to the close proximity of friendly troops
only one air strike prior to his landing. rocket mounted directly behind the head- fuselage. The explosion tore an activated to the target. Bennett was determined to
Although fully aware of the extreme rest, igniting the rocket. His aircraft was flare from the grasp of a crewmember who aid the endangered unit and elected to
danger and likely failure of such an at- observed to burst into flames in the center had been launching flares to provide illu- strafe the hostile positions. After four such
tempt, Jackson elected to land his air- fuselage section, with flames engulfing mination for Army ground troops engaged passes, the enemy forces began to retreat.
craft and attempt to rescue. Displaying the cockpit area. He pulled the extraction in combat. Levitow, though stunned by the Bennett continued the attack, but, as he
superb airmanship and extraordinary handle, jettisoning the canopy. The influx concussion of the blast and suffering from completed his fifth strafing pass, his aircraft
heroism, he landed his aircraft near the of fresh air made the fire burn with over 40 fragment wounds in the back and was struck by a surface-to-air missile which
point where the combat control team was greater intensity for a few moments, but legs, staggered to his feet and turned to severely damaged the left engine and the
reported to be hiding. While on the since the rocket motor had already assist the man nearest to him who had been left main landing gear. As fire spread in the
ground, his aircraft was the target of burned, the extraction system did not pull knocked down and was bleeding heavily. As left engine, Bennett realized that recovery
intense hostile fire. A rocket landed in Jones from the aircraft. Despite searing he was moving his wounded comrade for- at a friendly airfield was impossible. He
front of the nose of the aircraft but failed pains from severe burns sustained on his ward and away from the opened cargo instructed his observer to prepare for ejec-
to explode. Once the combat control team arms, hands, neck, shoulders, and face, compartment door, he saw the smoking flare tion, but was informed by the observer that
was aboard, Jackson succeeded in getting Jones pulled his aircraft into a climb and ahead of him in the aisle. Realizing the his parachute had been shredded by the
airborne despite the hostile fire directed attempted to transmit the location of the danger involved and completely disregard- force of the impacting missile. Although
across the runway in front of his air- downed pilot and the enemy gun position ing his own wounds, Levitow started toward Bennett had a good parachute, he knew that
craft.” to the other aircraft in the area. His calls the burning flare. The aircraft was par- if he ejected, the observer would have no
were blocked by other aircraft transmis- tially out of control and the flare was rolling chance of survival. With complete disregard
Col. William A. Jones sions repeatedly directing him to bail out wildly from side to side. Levitow struggled for his own life, Bennett elected to ditch the
iii, 602nd Special Opera- and within seconds his transmitters were forward despite the loss of blood from his aircraft into the Gulf of Tonkin, even though
tions Squadron, Nakon disabled and he could receive only on one many wounds and the partial loss of feeling he realized that a pilot of this type aircraft
Phanom Royal Thai AFB, channel. Completely disregarding his in his right leg. Unable to grasp the rolling had never survived a ditching. The ensuing
Thailand; near Dong Hoi, injuries, he elected to fly his crippled flare with his hands, he threw himself impact upon the water caused the aircraft
North Vietnam, “Jones aircraft back to his base and pass on es- bodily upon the burning flare. Hugging the to cartwheel and severely damage the front
distinguished himself as sential information for the rescue rather deadly device to his body, he dragged him- cockpit, making escape for Capt. Bennett
the pilot of an A-1H Sky- than bail out. Jones successfully landed self back to the rear of the aircraft and impossible. The observer successfully made
raider aircraft near Dong his heavily damaged aircraft and passed hurled the flare through the open cargo his way out of the aircraft and was rescued.”
Hoi, North Vietnam. On that day, as the the information to a debriefing officer door. At that instant the flare separated and
on-scene commander in the attempted while on the operating table. As a result ignited in the air, but clear of the aircraft. Editor’s Note: Each recipient’s informa-
rescue of a downed U.S. pilot, Jones’ air- of his heroic actions and complete disre- Levitow, by his selfless and heroic actions, tion was taken from his Medal of Honor
craft was repeatedly hit by heavy and gard for his personal safety, the downed saved the aircraft and its entire crew from citation. More information can be found
accurate antiaircraft fire. On one of his pilot was rescued later in the day. certain death and destruction. at https://www.cmohs.org/.