Hamilton AF Base, CA Transport Plane Crashes, May 1970

Robert G. Ward was my father and a Major in the USAF. He was sitting next to Capt. GEORGE BURKE, who did survive the crash. My father was buried at Mount Olivet in Fort Worth Texas. He was survived by wis wife Annette Collier Ward, His mother and father, Mr. and Mrs. William Morse and 4 children...Angela, Pamela, Robert G. Jr and Charles.

Later I discovered that the crash was caused by a fault in the windshield and there was a settlement between the families and General Dynamics.

Please change Robert G. Ward to Major Robert G. Ward USAF 36, Hamilton AFB. Further JOHN DAVIEAU discovered Capt George Burk, who was on fire and called the base for help. Capt Burk USAF 28, Hamilton AFB was the only survivor of this crash.

This accident has been on my mind for 40 years. I was the last to talk to this aircraft,I think. I was the air traffic controller working departures that day. I pretty much saw it crash do to the excellent radar coverage in that area. I knew there was something very wrong due to the track and and it's location. I knew there were eucalyptus trees there. I saw the aircraft make a tight turn to the left then disappear from radar. I called and called over and over even after I knew it was down thinking it may have crash landed. Then the tower or someone said smoke could be seen. I always wanted to know what was the cause. I can still remember the trucks bringing the wreckage on base. At first I stood fast doing what needed to be done,talk calm,work fast,observe everything,try to thinkahead.But, later i would think about it and always wonder if i could have done more, knowing i could not. I did hear one transmission unauditable befor I lost the target. I went to an aircraft accident investigation board "interrogation" in about 1974 or 5. They wanted to know what happened by the fraction of second. Eight lawyers representing all the different parts involved. I figured they were looking to find someone to blame. I asked to be told what happened, but was never contacted again. I'm very sorry for your loss,40 years too late,but just the same. A short time later I got orders to thailand and it was years later before I made it back to Hamilton afb. I had been involved in a number of other accidents but this one has haunted me to this day. I guess you don't have to have been involved in combat to be bothered by these things and too embarressed to talk about it with so many other guys who really suffered and died. And still the Vietnam vet was looked down on. I hope this doesn't open any old wounds, I thought you might want to know someone else out there remembers.