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Gone, But Not
Forgotten
USAFA Class of 1991
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"Not for fame or reward, not for place or for rank, not lured
by ambition or goaded by necessity, but in simple obedience to duty as they understood it,
these men suffered all, sacrificed all, dared all, and died."
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Inscription at Arlington National Cemetary |
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Capt Anthony Joseph Boffa, CS-09, 27 September 1996
Major Willam E. Burchett,
CS-38, 17 May 2004
Capt Gregory Michael Cindrich, CS-17, 14
September 1997
Major Gregory W. Fritz,
CS-07, 7 August 2002
Capt William Robert Grace,
CS-15, 2 December 1996
Capt Edward Lee Moody, Jr,
CS-20, 19 April 1998
Capt Frank M. Theer, CS-14, 17
December 2000
Lt Col Todd Valentine, CS-15, 2 July 2006
Capt Kimberly
Jo Wielhouwer (Harmon), CS-35, 17 August 1996
If you have a memorial tribute to any of our
classmates, please send it in and we will post
it here. |
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Lt Col
Todd Valentine
CS-15
 Just wanted you to know that God, in His great mercy, has finally decided
to heal Todd of his disease. He no longer suffers from the pain and anguish
of cancer. His body is pain-free, he is able to move around with ease and
his mind is no longer clouded with toxins and medication. He is now fully
prepared to perform the important work our Heavenly Father has reserved for
him on the other side. He will be greatly missed by his family, but we know
that it won't be long before we can be with him again for all eternity.
When Todd and I got married exactly 5 years ago (June 30, 2001), we did
not marry "until death do you part." We married in the temple through
special priesthood power "for time and all eternity." The knowledge that we
will be together again as a married couple in the next life will help me
endure the lonely years we will spend apart.
Todd passed on Sunday morning, July 2 [2006], at about 2am very
peacefully. A hospice nurse was with him the last day to make sure that he
was pain-free.
His mother and father were both here as well as a cousin (Lisa Carpenter)
and his youngest sister, Debi, who arrived just hours before the end.
Several people have written letters to Todd recently expressing their
feelings about him, sharing memories of him, and telling of how he has
touched their lives. I thought that would be a great thing to keep for the
kids to read when they get older so they can better understand the kind of
man Todd was. I would appreciate it if any of you who knew Todd well would
do the same. Feel free to send it via email and I will print it up and
include it with the others. If you would like to mail it, our address is 173
Brush Trail Lane, Cibolo, TX 78108. Our children have long lives to live
without their father and I would like to keep his memory as alive as
possible for them throughout their adult lives. Thanks in advance for doing
this for us.
I would also like to express my deepest appreciation for the prayers that
each of you have given for our family this last year. I have felt such
strength from those prayers.
Oh - I also want to tell you about the party that we had last week. There
were so many people who came by to see Todd and say goodbye. There were even
a few who flew in and drove great distances just for the event. Todd was
able to stay awake and remain lucid for the whole night and he really had a
great time. The party happened just in time, because he went downhill very
rapidly after that. I think he held on until then just to see everyone. We
were also surprised the day before the party to be visited by General Bill
Looney, the 4-star Air Force General who commands the Air Education and
Training Command (AETC). He awarded Todd with a Meritorious Service medal
and promoted him to Lieutenant Colonel. I will attach pictures of that event
with this message. It meant a lot to Todd to be recognized for the hard work
and dedication with which he has served our country.
If I don't close this now and send it out I will never finish it. Thanks
again for all you do for our family. We hope to see some of you at the
funeral.
Cindy Valentine
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Major
William E, Burchett
Major (ANG) William E
Burchett Class of 1991, died on 17 May 2004 as the result of an F-16 Crash
40 mi outside of Oaktown Indiana. He was buried in Memphis, TN on 22 May
2004. A Memorial Service was held on 22 May 2004 at the Cypress View Church
of Christ; 910 Sycamore View; Memphis TN.
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Captain Frank M. Theer
On the night of 17 December 2000, Captain Marty Theer was
taken from us in Fayetteville, North Carolina.Eleven days later, on a cold, clear day at
the Academy we said goodbye as Marty was laid to rest with full military honors in his
beloved home state.
During his years as a cadet, Marty was not a standout in
the traditional sense. His grades were above average, but not such that would place him at
the top of our class. While physically fit, he was not a flashy athlete. His military
aptitude was also above average, but not such that he would find himself consistently
named to the Commandant’s List.
But for the few of us who really knew him, Marty was truly
a man among boys in his approach to living. While some of us readied ourselves to become
officers and others just struggled to graduate, Marty prepared himself for life. He was never
 vindictive or acted out of anger, his
treatment of the underclassmen was always fair and consistent – he was a textbook
definition of the Golden Rule. While his
roommate suffered on two or three hours of sleep each night, Marty rarely failed to get
his full eight hours and was much the wiser for it. He never let the stress of the Academy
get to him, he just plodded on day-after-day until one day we woke up to find ourselves
newly-minted Second Lieutenants.
Following pilot training at Vance AFB, Oklahoma, Marty was
placed into the pilot bank. While many of us mourned his misfortune, Marty simply stood up,
brushed himself off, and moved on, intent to make the best of his situation. Assigned to
what was then Falcon AFB outside Colorado Springs, Marty put his Bachelor’s in space
ops to work playing with satellites. Taking Master’s classes on the side, he earned
an advanced degree in less than two years.
Sadly, Marty would not live to see the new millenium. A
former crewmember that had deployed and flown with Marty eulogized him by saying,
“The officers are supposed to be our leaders. A
leader must have the respect of his followers. He
may obtain this by one of two ways: earning or demanding this respect. I tell you now that Capt Marty Theer earned the
respect of the enlisted under him.” In the C-130 community, such words are the
highest compliment a pilot can get from his enlisted crew.
For those of us close to him, part of us left this world
when he left. Still, he left us all so much richer just for having him as a
friend. Marty is gone, but we will never forget him. We love ya’ man --
just keep the light on for us. (Capt Kevin Quamme ‘91, Capt Toby Sernel ‘91, and
Capt Chuck Tomko ‘91)
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Captain Anthony Joseph Boffa
CS-09
 Died 27 September 1996 in an auto accident
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Gregory Michael Cindrich
Died September 1997 in a C-141 crash off East
African coast
On September 26, 1997, Gregory M. Cindrich was
declared dead after a 13-day, multinational search-and-rescue effort in response to the
mid-air collision of his C-141 and a German Air Force TU-154 off the coast of Africa.
Greg's boyhood dream was the same as it was for
many of us - to go to the Academy and become a pilot. He was so commited to the
dream that he turned down several academic and athletic scholarships before
receiving his appointment. As a cadet, Greg spent several semesters on the Dean's
List and occupied leadership positions on the CS-17 staff. He was well known
"on the fields of friendly strife" as a talented athlete and serious competitor,
leading several intramural teams to wing championships and bringing the Malanaphy Trophy
to CS-17.
Greg graduated from Stalag 17 in May 1991 with a
B.S. in history and a UPT assignment to Reese AFB, Texas. Upon graduation from UPT
in 1992, Greg was "banked" and went to work at Andrews AFB in the 89th Mission
Support Squadron. During his toour, Greg earned several wing honors and finished his
MBA while awaiting his cockpit. On April 16, 1994, Greg and Monica were wed and in
September 1995, with their son, Christopher, joined the 15th Airlift Squadron at
Charleston AFB, N.C. at which time Greg began traveling the world as a C-141 pilot.
Despite the challenges of frequent family separations, Greg became a top-notch pilot
and was especially proud of several humanitarian missions. Among them was the
medical evacuation of several Khobar Towers bombing victims, and the medical evacuation of
an Air Korea crash survivor from Guam to a burn center.
Greg was proud to be an Academy graduate and
proud to serve his country, but more than anything, he was proud of and committed to his
family. His upbringing and his faith gave him values and hope and molded him into a
person worth emulating. I believe people were drawn to Greg because he was rock
solid in all respects and could be counted on in any circumstance. Immensely popular
no matter where life took him, he earned respect by giving respect. Greg will be
remembered for never speaking badly of anyone and for being blessed with a knack for
making others laugh when they needed it most. He shared these qualities freely and
lovingly with his family.
Greg is survived by his wife, Monica; his
thirteen-year-old son, Christopher; his father and mother, George and Mary Ann; and his
siblings, Christina, Jim, Darrell, and Nicole.
- Excerpts taken from Fall
1997 Checkpoints article written by Capt Eric Siegrist, '91
Although we have never met, I thought you might
not mind if I wrote to you. Greg died in 1997, and I was his wife. He was
my greatest love, and his death nearly killed me, too. We had a beautiful
baby boy -- now that baby is 13 years old, 5 foot 10, wears a size 12 shoe,
is a champion tennis player, as smart as his dad was and is really curious
to know more about his father. He has his father's sword hanging in his
room, and the graduation picture on the wall. I raised my son for 8 years
by myself -- and remarried 3 years ago. During that time, I moved from
South Carolina back to my hometown of Washington, DC. I have lost track of
many of the friends Greg had from the academy and pilot training. It would
be wonderful for Christopher to reconnect with his father's past. I think
we all hunger to belong, to make sense of unfair, enexplainable accidents in
life. It would help me to keep Greg alive for Christopher if Greg's friends
would get to know the best part of Greg: Chris. Chris' email is:
cmikcin@aol.com. I would appreciate it
if you would send my message out in your newsletter. Chris does not know
I'm writing you -- I thought if anyone did write to him about his dad, that
it would be a pleasant surprise.
Thank you very much. I wanted so badly to bring Chris to a reunion, but I
didn't think I could hold it together. So this would make it an easier way
to reconnect with a part of Greg that he was most proud of and that he
always cherished.....his friends and years at the Academy.
Monica Cindrich Matheny |
William Robert Grace
CS-15
Captain William R. Grace,
Class of 1991, was killed in the crash of his T-34C aircraft on December 2, 1996 at
Maxwell AFB, Alabama. He was an instructor pilot with Training Air Wing Four at Pensacola
Naval Air Station, Florida and was 27 years old. A native of Fairport, NY, Bill is
survived by his parents Robert and Jeanne Grace, and his brothers David and Steve.
Bill was easygoing and fun to be around. It
would have been difficult not to have become friends with him. His terrific sense of humor
was equal parts "Saturday morning cartoons", "The Simpsons" and
"Calvin and Hobbes". He loved his family and was always there for his friends:
offering help and encouragement, telling us that we needed to relax and not take things so
seriously, or just sharing his gift of laughter.
More so than anyone else I’ve ever
known, Bill lived life. When speaking of him, Bill’s closest lifelong friend said,
"How he lived his life was playing. Bill never really changed through life. He
started with his ‘Hot Wheels’, and ended with a sports car. His toys just got
bigger. One thing I’ve learned from Bill is that toys are important."
In his free time, Bill could usually be
found riding his motorcycle, biking, or playing sand volleyball or video games. He also
loved the water, growing up at his family’s summer house on Sodus Bay, NY. Bill was
an amazing water skier whose slalom turns seemed more a work of art than an act of
physical strength and skill. And he couldn’t resist "hot dogging" on one of
his jet skis.
While at the Academy, Bill was in CS-24 as
a four degree, and CS-15 as an upperclassman. On passes, he took time off with "the
guys", and his sponsor family, the Bastines. Bill liked taking in movies, setting
high scores at video arcades, and sampling the Springs’ "fine dining" at
the Chapel Hills Food Court and the Diner. In winter, he enjoyed ski trips in the Rockies
and testing the speed limits of his Eclipse GSX on the back road to Breckenridge. After
four long but memorable years, Bill graduated with Academic Distinction.
Bill attended UPT at Williams AFB,
finishing as a Distinguished Graduate, and winning the Flying Training Award for his
class. He then reported for C-5 training at Altus AFB and upon completion, reported to
Dover AFB, for his first operational assignment. Bill literally saw the world, flying over
a hundred sorties which included missions in support of: OPERATION RESTORE HOPE in
Somalia, OPERATION PROVIDE PROMISE in Rwanda, and OPERATION UPHOLD DEMOCRACY in Haiti.
Additionally, Bill flew missions in support of presidential summit meetings in the former
Soviet Union, and was personally selected to fly PHOENIX SAPPHIRE missions in support of
weapons grade uranium removal from the former Soviet Union. After completing Aircraft
Commander School at Altus AFB, he was upgraded to Aircraft Commander in February, 1996.
Bill reported to the US Navy’s Training Air Wing Six in June, 1996 for flight
instructor training in the T-34C, and began flying instructor sorties with Training Squadron Four in October, 1996.
Although Bill is missed by his family and friends, wherever
he is now, the sun is bright and the lake is clear. A spray of water arcs behind him as he
slices a turn on a water ski or a jet ski. And on the shore stands a regulation volleyball
court that’s built on the finest white sand.
-Nelson Snyder, ‘91 |
Kimberly Jo
Wielhouwer (Harmon)
CS-35
Died, 17 August 1996 in a C-130 accident at
Jackson Hole, Wyoming
U.S. Air Force Capt. Kimberly Jo
Wielhouwer, 27, died when the C-130 went down in mountain terrain shortly after
leaving the Jackson Hole Airport. The member of the Dyess Air Force Base, Texas crew is
the daughter of Gary and Cathy Harmon, owners of Andover Veterinary Clinic.
The plane was headed for New York City with cargo used in
support of President Clinton during his western vacation, when it experienced mechanical
troubles.
She was the first Andover K-12 graduate and salutatorian to
be admitted to the military academy, said her English/German teacher Barbara Bayer.
"We were incredibly proud of her," Bayer said. "She was one of the
brightest."
Kim graduated in 1987 from Andover High School,
second in her class. Her father is on the Board of Education. She was selected for the Air
Force Academy in 1987. She graduated and received her commission in 1991. She graduated
from flight school in 1992 and had recently qualified on C-130s at Little Rock, Ark., and
routinely flew military personnel and gear.
- Excerpts taken from Andover Headlines article
by Tom Schoening |
Edward Lee Moody, Jr.
CS-20
 Capt Edward L. Moody, Jr died in Bethesda, Maryland on April
19, 1998, as a result of complications while undergoing treatment for leukemia. At
the time of his death, Ed was a C-130 navigator in the 40th Airlift Squadron at Dyess AFB,
Texas, and was engaged to be married to Danita.
At USAFA, Ed was a Cadet Squadron Commander, a Soaring
Instructor Pilot, and was on the Superintendent's List for academic and military
excellence.
Since graduating, Ed had earned a Master of Science degree
from Georgia Tech. He attended Specialized Undergraduate Navigator Training (SUNT)
in 1994. After earning his wings, he was assigned to Dyess AFB, TX.
During his tour at Dyess, he deployed to Operation Southern
Watch, Operation Joint Endeavor, and Joint Task Force South.
Ed had recently received a scholarship to attend Medical
School in pursuit of his goal of becoming a doctor of medicine. He is survived by
his parents Dr. and Mrs. Edward Moody, Sr., his brother David, his sister Glynis, and his
fiancee Danita.
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Gregory W. Fritz
CS-07
 Greg was born in Irving, TX on
July 2, 1968. He was killed when his MC-130H Combat Talon II crashed
in the mountains just south of San Juan, Puerto Rico while flying a training
mission on Aug 7, 2002. He was buried with full military honors at
Arlington National Cemetery on Sept 4, 2002. Greg is survived by his
wife, Veronica, and children Connor and Lauren. Greg is also survived
by his mother and father, Vivian and James Fritz of Scroggins, Texas; a
brother Jeffrey Fritz of Longview, Texas; and a sister Dawn Champion in
Allen, Texas, along with six nieces and nephews.
Below is the news article covering the memorial service:
NFNS 02-125
Aug. 20, 2002
COMMANDO COMMUNITY REMEMBERS FALLEN CREW
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. (Night Flyer News Service) -- Friends and families
of the seven crewmembers who died when their MC-130H Combat Talon II plane
crashed Aug. 7 near Caguas, Puerto Rico, came together at Hurlburt Field's
Freedom Hangar Aug. 9 for a memorial service in honor of the fallen airmen.
The hangar, draped in camouflage netting that surrounded an enormous
American flag hoisted front and center, was filled with about 1,700 people.
Senior leaders spoke about the seven airmen and the three passengers who
lost their lives while conducting a training flight about 20 miles south of
San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Col. Frank Kisner, 16th Special Operations Wing commander, referred to
the crew as friends that dedicated their lives to duty for our nation.
"We are stunned, we are saddened, and we feel an incredible sense of
loss," Colonel Kisner said. "We are honored that great men and women
continue to dedicate their lives to our nation."
The commander stressed the crew had service to a cause, but more
importantly, they had service to each other.
Lt. Col. Joseph Hastings, 15th Special Operations Squadron, remembered
each of the seven airmen as he looked back on their professionalism,
dedication to duty and personal accomplishments:
* Maj. Michael Akos, 15th SOS aircraft commander/pilot, was an
exceptional and diligent officer;
* Maj. Gregory Fritz, 15th SOS navigator, had commitment to his family
and the job that was admired by all;
* Capt. Christel Chavez, 15th SOS co-pilot, wanted to fly since she was
little and was very determined;
* 1st Lt. Nathanial Buckley, 15th SOS electronic warfare officer, had a
knack for making friends quickly and was a talented officer;
* Tech. Sgt. Robert Johnson, 15th SOS flight engineer, known better as
Steve, served his country with honor;
* Staff Sgt. Shane Kimmet, 25th Information Operations Squadron direct
support operator, didn't just fly, he soared and had great work ethic;
* Staff Sgt. Robert McGuire, 15th SOS loadmaster, had only one joy
greater than flying, and that was his family;
Families, friends and co-workers sat and stood patiently, glancing
occasionally at the display of seven photos of the Hurlburt Field crew while
a bagpipe tribute was played by Les Matheson and a solo of "He Looked Beyond
My Faults" was rendered by Master Sgt. Elvis Jackson, Air Force Special
Operations Command.
"Numb that we are with grief, we assemble here to find meaning," said Lt.
Col. Frank Fields, 15th SOS commander. "They were pure and noble warriors.
They gave us their best. We train like we fight to ensure victory on the
battlefield," he said. "There are very few professions that require their
people to put their lives on the line everyday. You warriors are part of an
elite unit - Air Force Special Operations."
Colonel Fields said the families are warriors also, who've given their
best.
The memorial service was held for the airmen assigned here but the three
passengers, Capt. Panuk Soomsawasdi, Special Operations Command, U.S.
Southern Command, Naval Air Station Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico; and Tech.
Sgts. Christopher Matero and Martin Tracy, both members of the 123rd
Kentucky Air National Guard, were also remembered.
The hour-long ceremony ended with the release of 10 white doves from the
back of the hangar, symbolic of the 10 members aboard the MC-130H aircraft.
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The Soldier
"It is the soldier, not the reporter,
who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the soldier, not the poet,
who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the soldier, not the campus organizer,
who has given us the freedom to demonstrate.
It is the soldier, not the
lawyer,
who has given us the right to a fair trial.
It is the soldier, who salutes
the flag, who
serves under the flag, and whose coffin is
draped by the flag, who allows the
protester to burn the flag."
By Charles M. Province |
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