Portland reservists rededicate memorial to King 56 crew Published Nov. 17, 2006 By Master Sgt. Chance Babin Air Force Reserve Command Public Affairs PORTLAND, Ore. -- On a rolling hillside at Willamette National Cemetery a lone bagpiper plays "Amazing Grace" during a ceremony here Nov. 17. Friends and family cry one last time together for lost heroes, while several hundred people gather to honor the men of King 56 whose lives were lost serving their country. Although time has passed and wounds have healed, the memory of 10 American patriots lost in the plane crash off the coast of Northern California is not forgotten. It's been almost 10 years since the HC-130 Hercules assigned to Air Force Reserve Command's 304th Rescue Squadron crashed in the cold waters of the Pacific Ocean. Officials from Portland's 939th Refueling Wing made a decision to relocate a monument created to honor the memory of those lost Nov. 22, 1996, after the Base Realignment and Closure opted to downsize the Air Force Reserve's presence in Oregon. The monument was originally located on base, but now its final home is at Willamette National Cemetery where eight of the crew members have markers or headstones. "It was important to us to secure a more permanent home for this monument in light of the mission change for the 939th," said Col. William Flanigan, 939th ARW commander. "We can't imagine a more appropriate place for this beautiful remembrance than Willamette National Cemetery where so many of our nation's heroes are buried." For many current and former members of the unit, this was a last opportunity to come back and pay tribute to the crew of King 56. "We're here to honor the men whose names are engraved on this stone," said Col. Scott Nielson, a former 939th Rescue Wing vice commander. "But in an important way, we're also here to connect again with each other as well as to remember them. That's why we conduct ceremonies like this one. We don't do it just for them - we also do it for those who knew them, worked with them, laughed with them and loved them." For family members, the moving of the memorial to location open to the general public was a welcomed event. "This is a great place where everybody gets to see the memorial and give remembrance to King 56," said retired Senior Master Sgt. Bill McAuley, father of Tech. Sgt. David McAuley. "It means a lot to me and my family." For one family member there could be no better place than Willamette Cemetery. "I wish the memorial would have been here all along," said Rochelle Storlie, sister of Senior Master Sgt. Robert Roberts. "My mom is buried a few stones away." (AFRC News Service)