Daphne vet among those honored in memorial to final military action of Vietnam War

DAPHNE, Ala. (WKRG) — A Daphne veteran is among those being remembered in a new monument to a forgotten chapter in the Vietnam War.

Later this week the Air Force will dedicate a new monument to nearly two dozen airmen killed when their helicopter crashed in southeast Asia,

The Mayaguez Incident was the US’s last combat action in southeast Asia and happened after the fall of Saigon.

In 1975 the Cambodian Khmer Rouge navy seized the cargo ship SS Mayaguez and its crew.
20-year-old Sgt. Jimmy Black of Daphne was one of 23 airmen who volunteered for the rescue mission.

The helicopter crew with the call sign Knife-13 were headed to a staging area when their helicopter crashed. A monument being dedicated at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland’s Security Forces Museum this Thursday pays tribute to all the men lost in the crash with their names and images.

“It makes me feel that they’re finally being recognized for their service. I, myself and the other family members hope that with with this occurring, more information will come out in terms of their training and their actual experience,” said Black’s niece Jennifer Stelling. “I’ve always had this connection and I feel like maybe I’ve had this connection for a reason because it’s leading to this. I know that I can’t change the past, but I’m hoping that some of the men that came home but I feel never really came home. I can find some sort of solace now and knowing that the brothers that they lost are recognized properly and honored properly.”

Jennifer Stelling was born after her uncle was killed but she always felt a special bond with him.
Over the years she’s collected mementos of his service and gathered documents in the hopes more information on the Mayaguez incident will be revealed to the public.

Jerry Nelson is with the The Vietnam Security Police Association. He says he was inspired to help create the memorials because families of those who died felt they were being forgotten. Nelson says he wanted them recognized in places of honor.

This is one of two memorials to Knife 13 and they’re still raising money for both, for more information click here .

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