Frank Anthony DiFiglia

Lieutenant Colonel
20TH SPECIAL OPS SQDN, 14TH SOW, 7TH AF
United States Air Force
10 February 1925 - 26 March 1969
Burbank, California
Panel 28W Line 044

7TH AF

20TH SOS
UH-1

USAF Pilot

Purple Heart, Air Medal, National Defense, Vietnam Service, Vietnam Campaign

The database page for Frank Anthony DiFiglia

21 Apr 2002

Remembered by his squadronmates in the
20th Special Operations Squadron
the Green Hornets.

A memorial from a fellow Green Hornet,
Robert Hall
Robert.Hall12@scott.af.mil
25 Aug 2006

For my uncle,
LtCol Frank Anthony DiFiglia

I remember the day we heard my uncle had been killed. He was 2 weeks short of retiring and coming home for good. I was 11 years old at the time and this was the first time I ever saw my mom cry. Uncle Frank was her oldest brother and closest sibling. Seeing my mom cry was very painful and I didn't know how to ease her pain. Rose M. Difiglia-Alfieri passed away 3 years ago. I know they are somewhere together enjoying each other's company once again.

From his niece,
Louise Alfieri
toastposties@sbcglobal.net

A Note from The Virtual Wall

On 26 March 1969 a UH-1 (tail number 63-13158) of the 20th SOS went down. While hostile fire was the suspected cause, the only certainties are that the aircraft was flying at about 4,000 feet when a severe vibration began. The pilot began an auto-rotation to earth, but control was lost during the descent. The main rotor came apart, severing the tail boom. The aircraft crashed and burned near Duc My, SVN, 12 minutes north of Nha Trang, SVN. Eight men died in the crash:
  • Aircrew, 20th SOS, 14th SOW
  • Passengers
    • Col Donald G. Lepard, 14th SOW staff, Flint, MI
    • Col J B L. Levesque, 14th SOW staff, Van Buren, ME
    • Capt Walter C. Booth, 20TH SOS Maintenance Officer, Waukesha, WI
    • Capt Robert W. Fields, Flight Surgeon, 14th USAF Hospital, De Land, FL
    • Mr. Green, US civilian, assignment unknown
According to Jim Henthorn, who has compiled a history of USAF helicopter losses, there was one survivor - a Sergeant Joslyn.


The point-of-contact for this memorial is
his niece,
Louise Alfieri
toastposties@sbcglobal.net



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With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Memorial first published on 21 Apr 2002
Last updated 08/26/2006