Thank you from Ray Leftwich Jr:

To: The Members of the 6994th Security Squadron

From: Raymond Jerome Leftwich,

son of TSGT Raymond Francis Leftwich

Gentlemen and Ladies,

I wish to thank WOW, how do you thank the men and women who did so much for the Leftwich family and continue to this day!  Y’all continue to make my heart soar and my eyes fill with tears every time y’all go do yet another act in my dad’s name.

Since the day the Goodfellow Base Commander and the Base Chaplain showed up at our door and gave us ‘THE NEWS,” the 6994th has taken and made the Leftwich family part of your own.

I have been told there were buildings in that country, I still have problems saying today, parks and buildings with his name where I was born in Japan, in Kelly AFB and Goodfellow AFB with his name on them.  Y’all were instrumental in making a shadow box for his medals, you made sure we got to all ceremonies (and this was a mother with children ranging from 10 to 2, a handful indeed).  You all made sure we were taken care of.

Today, at Offut AFB, the youngest Leftwich daughter Peggy Leftwich Ryan is in the process of putting the Leftwich display into their museum for permanent display.

Also because of the 6994th, there is a scholarship program at ANGELO STATE UNIVERSITY in San Angelo.

I wish I could be here today but unfortunately today would have been my wife Kitty and my 45 anniversary but I need to say my final goodbye’s.  Kitty and I started the scholarship program together and without the help of a few very close 6994th friends, (God bless you and your families), this scholarship program would have stopped.

God continues to Bless me with Angels today and they are the men and women and families of the 6994th!  This is one family I definitely want to see in Heaven!  WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A HUGE PARTY AND THE FIRST ROUND IS ON DAD!!!  Thank you.

The second annual Vietnam War Commemoration Ceremony is scheduled for Wednesday morning, March 29th at 1100 AM at the Weyandt-Eddy Memorial Plaza. The full event flyer is featured on the vietnam50thcpp.com Homepage. 

Full details about registering for easy access to Goodfellow AFB (if needed), available downtown lodging with hospitality suite, free Tuesday evening reception, Wednesday morning ceremony and plaza visitation, and Wednesday evening reception and dinner are included on the RSVP/Reservations page. Please check it out and submit your online or mail-in reservation no later than 17 March 2023. 

This will be a special ceremony to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Operation Homecoming and the return of Vietnam War Prisoners of War. We will also note the exodus of American forces from Vietnam, including the final EC-47 (362nd TEWS & Det 2, 6994th Scty Sq) mission(s) flown from Vietnam (DaNang) on/about 17 February 1973. Please notify Richard Graham at [email protected] or Joe Martin at [email protected] if you flew this mission or have documents and/or pictures supporting this ARDF milestone. Whatever is available will be put on display in the Clarion Hotel Hospitality Suite.