Birth: Jul. 1, 1947, Holyoke, Hampden County, Massachusetts, USA,
Death: Apr. 4, 1975, Bien Hoa, Vietnam
Burial:Live Oak Memorial Park, Monrovia, Los Angeles County, California, USA
Ssgt Kenneth Edwin Nance was a member of the crew of Operation Babylift, Vietnam 1975.
Staff Sergeant Kenneth Edwin Nance was a casualty of the Vietnam War. As a member of the Air Force, SSGT Nance served our country until April 12th, 1975 in Binh Hoa, South Vietnam. He was 27 years old and was not married. Kenneth died when his plane crashed during Operation Babylift. His body was recovered. Kenneth was born on July 1st, 1947 in Holyoke, Massachusetts. SSGT Nance is on panel 01W, line 123 of the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington D.C.
This American Hero, served with Honor and died with Courage! ‘The initial mission of Operation Babylift to bring Vietnamese orphans to the US in the few remaining days before the Republic of Vietnam fell. The C-5 departed Saigon-Tan Son Nhut Airport at 16:03. Twelve minutes after takeoff, after climbing through FL230, there was what seemed to be an explosion as the lower rear fuselage was torn apart. The locks of the rear loading ramp had failed, causing the door to open and separate. A rapid decompression occurred. Control and trim cables to the rudder and elevators were severed, leaving only one aileron and wing spoilers operating. Two of the four hydraulic systems were out. The crew wrestled at the controls, managing to keep control of the plane with changes in power settings by using the one working aileron and wing spoilers.The crew descended to an altitude of 4,000 feet on a heading of 310 degrees in preparation for landing on Tan Son Nhut’s Runway 25L. About halfway through a turn to final approach, the rate of descent increased rapidly to 4,000 feet per minute. Seeing they couldn’t make the runway, full power was applied to bring the nose up. At 50 feet, the throttles where retarded to idle and the C-5 touched down in a rice paddy. Skidding about 1,000 feet, the aircraft again became airborne for a half mile before hitting a dike and breaking into four parts. The cargo compartment was completely destroyed, killing 141 of the 149 orphans and attendants. Only three of 152 in the troop compartment perished. Five of the flight crew, three of the medical team, and three others lost their lives, but 175 of the 328 aboard survived.’ Source: Air Force Magazine, Aug. 1991.
He is the Son of Harold Edwin Nance who was fighter pilot in WW II and Dolores Elain Rowland Nance of Holyoke, Massachusetts.
He served with the 1369th Photo Squadron, 405th Fighter Wing, PACAF, United States Air Force.
He was Posthumously awarded The Airman’s Medal, The Vietnam Service Medal, The Republic of Vietnam Campaign Service Medal, The National Defense Service Medal and The Air Force Good Conduct Medal.