This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Lorin Walker-Family
to remember
Walker, Bruce Charles, Capt.
If you knew or served with this Airman and have additional information or photos to support this Page, please leave a message for the Page Administrator(s) HERE.
Captain Walker was a Covey Forward Air Controller assigned to the 20th Tactical Air Support Squadron at Da Nang. He and First Lieutenant Larry Fletcher Potts USMC were flying OV-10A S/N 68-3280 just south of the DMZ when they were hit by a Surface to Air Missile and crashed three miles northwest of Dong Ha in Quang Tri Province, South Vietnam.
The missile was one of 83 SAMs seen on this day in the DMZ area. Both aircrews successfully ejected and Captain Walker evaded capture for 11 days. He used his survival radio to control air strikes on camouflaged enemy positions. Another survival kit was dropped to him and he was given directions for rescue. His last radio transmission was to warn rescue aircraft to abort the pick up. He was last seen in a ditch surrounded by about 20 NVA soldiers who were clearly heard during his radio transmission. Lt. Potts was shot down on his 25th birthday, captured and died of wounds in Quang Binh prison. Captain Walker was promoted while missing and his body was not recovered.
This Veteran has an (IMO) In Memory Of Headstone in Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial, Hawaii.
Aircraft/Missile Information
Specifications StatsCentral Model Rockwell OV-10A Bronco Length 41.67 ft | 12.70 m Width 39.70 ft | 12.10 m Height 15.29 ft | 4.66 m Engine(s) 2 x Garrett T76-G-416/417 turboprop engines driving three-blade propellers. Empty Weight 6,969 lbs | 3,161 kg MTOW 14,442 lbs | 6,551 kg Max Speed 281 mph | 452 km/h | 244 kts Max Range 228 miles | 367 km Ceiling 23,999 ft | 7,315 m | 4.5 miles Climb Rate 2,650 ft/min (807.7 m/min) Hardpoints 7 Armament 4 x 7.62mm machine guns OR 1 x 20mm three-barrel gattling gun
