Sutton, William Carl, MSgt

US Air Force MSGT William Carl Sutton, Vietnam Veteran, Native of Goldsboro, NC. We was a U.S. Air Force Veteran and a U.S. Army Veteran. He was declared Missing In Action(MIA). US Air Force Master Sergeant William Carl Sutton was a casualty of the Vietnam War. As a member of the Air Force, MSGT Sutton served our country until January 28th, 1970 in the Khammouan Province Nakai District, Laos. He was 34 years old and was married. William died when his helicopter crashed. His body was not recovered. William was born on May 5th, 1935 in Kinston, North Carolina. MSGT Sutton is on panel 14W, line 077 of the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington D.C. He served in the Armed Forces more than Seventeen years in two Services. The Army Twice and the Air Force Once.

He joined the Air Force just after his 17th birthday in May or June of 1952. He received an Honorable Discharge on 7/5/56. He was only out for a few weeks and re-enlisted. When his 4 years were up, he was in the Philippines and signed a one year extension. He received an Honorable Discharge on 5/1/61.  Again he was out about two weeks and joined the Army. He served one three year term and received an Honorable Discharge on 5/22/64.  He was out of the Army for about six weeks and re-joined the Air Force to be a PJ. He graduated PJ school I think in Jan 1966 and was sent to Vietnam in April of 1966. He returned home after a one year tour in May 1967. He was home about eight months until January 25, 1968. This was two days after the USS Pueblo incident he was sent to Korea in preparation for a rescue (or retaliation). He was in Korea for about 5 months and come home sometime in May or June of 1968. He received a Honorable Discharge on 7/5/1968 but immediately re-enlisted.  He was sent back to Vietnam on his birthday 5/5/1969. He was there until he was killed on 1/28/1970. Gary Sutton.

William Carl Sutton, Master Sergeant, Unit: 37th Air Rescue and Recovery Group, Serial Number: 245605645, Date of Birth: 5-May-35, Date of Death: 28-Jan-70, City: Goldsboro, State: NC. Notes: Master Sergeant Sutton was a member of 37th Air Rescue and Recovery Group. On January 28, 1970, he was a crew member of a Siskorsky Sea Stallion Search and Rescue Helicopter (HH-53B) trying to rescue two downed airmen about 20 miles northeast of Mu Gia Pass, Laos. The helicopter was hit by a MiG and exploded. His remains were not recovered. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial.  

Daughter, Happy Birthday, Daddy. Bill Sutton was my Father, and I am remembering him today on what would have been his 73rd birthday. Thank you all for your kind words about my father. I will never forget him, and it comforts me to know that others have not forgotten. Bill Sutton was my father, and I am remembering him today on what would have been his 73rd birthday. Thank you all for your kind words about my father. I will never forget him, and it comforts me to know that others have not forgotten. Carolyn Sutton, csutton001@yahoo.com.

Acquaintance/friend. He was a dedicated para-medic. I was member of the 37ARRS at DaNang AFB South Viet Nam and I was helicopter mechanic/crew chief. MSG Sutton was a para-medic and crew member of one of the rescue helicopters. He was on a mission trying to save the life of another airman when the helicopter he was on was downed. The story that was told to us is that the helicopter was downed by a heat seeking missile fired from a North Vietnamese MIG fighter aircraft, while the helicopter's crew was attempting to rescue a downed pilot just north of the DMZ. I was at DaNang that day the report came in, but if memory serves me, MSG Sutton was flying out of Quang Tri that day. We usually had one or two helicopters that would go up to Quang Tri daily and we would sent one or two to a base south of us in order to cover more area quickly. I was not real close to MSG Sutton because we were in different sections, but he seemed a nice enough man when I would see him on the flight line before a mission. He gave his all as did the other crew members that day," that others may live." Allen Green, 214 Shady Oak Dr, Biscoe, NC 27209.

Brother Viet Nam Vet. MSGT Sutton's Jolly Green helicopter was in a holding area waiting to go rescue two downed WW pilots. Two MIG-21s, reportedly from the NVAF's 921st Flight Regiment, made a single pass at the holding area and were able to hit one of the HH-53s(serial #66-14434, Call Sign JOLLY GREEN 71)with an air-to-air missile. JOLLY GREEN 71 exploded and disintegrated in flight, involving it's six crewmen in an apparently unsurvivable crash.

He is the Son of Mr Robert S Sutton and Mrs Ferne Eliz Higgins Sutton, Father to Carolyn Ann, William Keith and Gary Franklin Sutton.

He served with the 40th Air Rescue Recovery Squadron, (Jolly Green Giants), 3rd Air Rescue Recovery Group, 7th Air Force. 40th Air Rescue/Recovery Squadron, Udorn AB Thailand.

He was awarded The Distinguished Flying Cross(DFC) with two Oak Leaf Clusters. The Purple Heart Medal for his Combat Related Wounds, The Presidential Unit Citation, The Outstanding Unit Award, Gallant Unit Citation, The Vietnam Service Medal, The Republic of Vietnam Campaign Service Medal, The National Defense Service Medal with One Device, The Air Force Good Conduct Medal, The US Army Good Conduct Medal, The Air Medal with Seventeen Oak Leaf Clusters, The US Air Force Commendation Medal, The Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Medal, The US Air Force Achievement Medal and The US Army Commendation Medal, The Philippine Defense Medal, The Korean Defense Medal and the United Nations Service Medal.

This Veteran has an (IMO) In Memory Of Headstone in Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial, Hawaii and another memorial in Willamette National Cemetery.