Note from a friend:

In December 1967 Jan and I met in a bar in Lewiston, Idaho, both of us with orders to Bangkok, Thailand. Very uniquely, Jan and I shared the exact same birthday - September 27, 1947. We became inseparable, Jan working in maintenance and myself working in Air cargo. We pretty much stuck together in Thailand. In December 1968 Jan and I both had reassignment orders to different bases.

Jan was being pushed to get a forklift off the flight line on Don Muang Royal Thai Air Force Base when he made a grave error in judgement. He had the forklift in the air on a wrecker and crawled under the forklift to secure a chain without placing jack stands under the forklift. The brake released while he was under the forklift and it crushed him. I happened to be in the back of a C-130 unloading cargo and saw it happen. He was dead instantly. This has floated around in my mind forever. He was one heck of a soldier and died needlessly. I was chosen as escort to bring him back to his family, an honor that will go with me to the grave. Jan's father never recovered from Jan's death. He died only recently.

Rest in Peace, my friend. I will never forget you ... how can I? we shared the same birthday.

Richard C.Devlin
formerly SSGT USAFR

Miller, Jan Devoe, A1C