Book Review by Don Poss: To Die Alone, In the Pursuit of Justice, by Jackie R. Kays, Barnes and Noble (Part-2).

To Die Alone,
"In the Pursuit of Justice”
by Jackie R. Kays,
Barnes & Noble

A Book Review by
Don Poss,
Webmaster & LM 37, VSPA

To Die Alone can be purchased at: Barnes & Noble and/or any other on-line bookstore. It can also, be ordered at any in-line bookstore, by using the title and/or ISBN # 978-1-84728-161-0.

The Official history of
C-123, USAF 55-4530
November 21, 1965: Crashed in a minefield, just short of the active Da Nang runway

AIR AMERICA: FAIRCHILD C-123 PROVIDERS (page 11):

Fairchild C-123B “530” 20191 30 June 64 ex USAF 55-4530;

Bien Hoa (BY 16) to
2AD, Da Nang, on 63182 (1 July 63);
still with the USAF in December 63.

Service History:

received on 30 June 64;
assigned to USAID contract AID-439-342 for use out of
Vientiane (Aircraft status as of 7 July 64, in: UTD/Kirkpatrick/B1F1);
not mentioned in USAF reel AVH-1, so no change in July-September 64.

Fate:

returned to the USAF as 55-4530, probably on 64244 (31 August 64),
when, according to the USAF records, 55-4530 was transferred from 2AD, Da Nang, to
FAC, St. Augustine;
returned to 2AD, Da Nang, in 64/5; 2AD, Da Nang, to
TN on 65324, that is
written off on 21 November 65, when it crashed in heavy rain short of the runway of Da Nang;
not current with Air America on 1 November 65 (Aircraft status as of 1 November 65 in: UTD/Kirkpatrick/B1F1).

References:
Aviation Safety Network:

Date	Type	Registration	Operator	Fat	Location	Pic	Cat
12-NOV-1965	Fairchild C-123	55-4530	USAF	0	Da Nang		A1

Duties of the Black Spot and other Special Military C-123s

Candlelight Flare Kickers: During the conflict in Vietnam, a number of C-123s were modified for specialized roles. Most of these modifications were on a 1 or 2 aircraft level. Only the usage of C-123s as "flare ships" to illuminate targets for fixed wing gunships such as the AC-47 and AC-119G were more numerous. These aircraft, operating under the call-sign Candle were flown by the USAF's 14th Special Operations Wing.

A single C-123B was tested as a possible replacement for the Candle aircraft, with its rear loading ramp removed and replaced with a large box with 28 large lights. The airplane could continuously light a 2 mile circle from an altitude of 12,000 feet. This aircraft, under the provisional designation NC-123B was dropped because the lights, fixed to the aircraft, made it far easier for enemy gunners to track compared to the earlier flare ships.