41 Squadron Vietnam War Veterans project - Scotty Wingfield

Scotty Wingfield is searching for 41 Squadron’s ‘lost’ Vietnam War Veterans. His overall plan is to develop a comprehensive and independently verifiable database of information that can be used to find the Ground Crew members of 41 Squadron that flew into Vietnam alongside Air Crew, and then assist them to get recognition for their service. He completed Version 1 back in 2015 based only on the Squadron’s Unit History records.

• All Vietnam Flights by 41 Squadron RNZAF Version 3: Dec 1962-April 1975 (Google docs)

The Version 3 spreadsheets that can be accessed at the link above are an authenticated record all of the flights, crews, locations and landings by 41 Squadron for the thirteen-year period 1 December 1962 – 21 April 1975 when the last Bristol Freighter flew out at the fall of Saigon. They include all of the Unit History data as well, flight log information from 46 Captain and Pilots logbooks, and detailed hand written records from Flight Authorisation Books (which cover the first 2.5 year period from 1 Dec 1962 to 31 March 1965).

Research

The Version 3 workbook above has four spreadsheets made up as follows: 

1. All Vietnam Flights: The Version 3 database includes all of the Unit History data plus logbook information from 46 Air Crew, and records from the Squadron's Flight Authorisation Books.
2. References: These detail the source and location of every Log Book addition or correction to the Unit History data. The references also detail the source and location of every Flight Authorisation Book addition or correction to the Unit History data. There are 346 amendments and each has been recorded independently and verified.   
3. Airmen Sorted by Rank: I have located 212 names either recorded in the Unit Histories, Air Crew Flight Logs or Flight Authorisation Books. 137 of these are Ground Crew, 65 are Officers, Visiting Aircrew and other Visitors, and 10 names with no rank shown. Some of the Airmen recorded here have received medals and Vietnam Veteran status, most have not. NZDF Medals are working with me at the moment to correctly identified these Airmen with initials and service numbers and whether they have already received medals.   
4. Airmen Sorted by Name A-Z: (same as spreadsheet 3 above but makes it easier to find them).

Scotty's List

View 'Scotty's List' of 137 ground crew airmen identified by Scotty's research below:

Scotty's List: 137 forgotten Airmen that served in the Vietnam War

Special Request for 41 Squadron Air Crew

If you were on 41 Squadron during the Vietnam War and completed an Air Crew Flight Log would you please take the time to check the locations that you landed at in Vietnam against the locations shown in the Version 3 spreadsheet document above. Please direct any additions, corrections or ground crew names to Scotty Wingfield at [email protected] or call me on (03) 3373 644 or 021 542 682 or write to PO Box 33134 Barrington Christchurch 8244 NZ.

See newspaper article on Scotty's project, The Press, 22 April 2016 (Stuff)

See article about Scotty's List: The Forgotten Airmen of the Vietnam War (RSA)

Recognition

In May 2019 Scotty Wingfield received the Chief of the Air Force Commendation for 'outstanding zeal and devotion to duty' in recognition of his research into 41 Squadron's 'lost' Vietnam War veterans. You can watch a video about Scotty's award here.