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Today in History – December 5, 1956 – The “Snark” disappears and is found 27 years later (maybe).

5 December 1956 – A Northrop XSM-62 Snark, 53-8172, N-69D test model, fitted with a new 24-hour stellar inertial guidance system, launches from Cape Canaveral Missile Test Annex, Florida. It wanders off-course, ignores destruct command, disappears over Brazil. It is found by a farmer in January 1983. The Day They Lost the Snark   By J.

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Gower, William R. – KIA

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  • Gower, William R. – KIA

William Ray Gower - KIA

Preferred Name: Billy
Date of Birth: November 19, 1934
Highest Military Grade: 0-3 – Captain
Hometown: Marshfield, MO
Headed West Date: July 29, 1966
Biography
Pilot Information
Album

“Capt. Billy Ray Gower began his Air Force career as a radar observer before entering flight school. Capt. Gower became a B-47 bomber pilot with the Strategic Air Command, where he remained from 1960 until… he was transferred to Luke AFB near Phoenix, Ariz., for fighter training in the F100.

Gower, a graduate of Marshfield High School, was well known as an athlete, and had tried out with a Cincinnati Reds farm team before joining the Air Force. He is a former Southwest Missouri State College student.”(1)

On July 29, 1966, Capt’ Gower’s F-100 was hit by multiple ground file about 25 miles west of Saigon and he perished. It was his first tour in Vietnam and his third mission.

“At the time of his death Capt. Gower was married with three children: a son, and two daughters.” (1)

William is buried at Marshfield Cemetery, Marshfield, Webster County, MO, and is honored on the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial in Washington DC. Name inscribed at VVM Wall, Panel 09e, Line 87.

(1) The Leader & Press, Springfield, MO, Tuesday, August 2, 1966

Units Assigned

  • Strategic Air Command (B-47)
  • 615th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 366th Tactical Fighter Wing, 7th Air Force, Phan Rang AB, Vietnam (F-100)

Awards & Decorations

Purple Heart
Purple Heart
National Defense Service Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Vietnam Campaign Medal
Vietnam Campaign Medal
Vietnam Service Medal
Vietnam Service Medal
Presidential Unit Citation
Air Force Presidential Unit Citation
Vietnam Cross Of Gallantry
Vietnam Gallantry Cross
AF Good Conduct Medal
Air Force Good Conduct Medal

Flight Info

B-47
F-100

Military & Civilian Education

Civilian Education:

  • Marshfield High School
  • Southwest Missouri State College

Gower William1
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