07/19/2021
The Patriot Guard Riders have been requested to provide an Es**rt for Lt. Ray Krogman who was KIA Jan. 17, 1967 in Vietnam, from Billings, MT to Worland, WY
Lt. Alva "Ray" Krogman
Branch of Service - Air Force
Monday July 19, 2021
Port of entry Frannie, WY
1500 hrs (3:00)
DETAILS:
Lt. Krogman is being Flown into billings, MT on the 19th.
Departure from Billings Logan Field 1400 hrs (2:00 pm)Traveling to Frannie, WY (MT es**rt speed will be 60 mph)
Arrive in Frannie 1515 (3:15 pm)
There will be a 30 minute break and a ride briefing. (WY es**rt speed will be 55 mph)
Depart Frannie 1545 (3:45pm)
Arrive Lovell, WY 1605 (4:05 pm)
Arrive Greybull, WY 1640 (4:40 pm)
Arrive Basin, WY 1650 (4:50 pm)
Arrive Manderson, WY 1700 (5:00 pm)
Arrive at Destination (Worland, WY) 1720 (5:20 pm)
ALL TIMES ARE APPROXIMATE
You can join the es**rt at any time or place. Please fall in the back of line.
ANYONE CAN JOIN THE ES**RT. THIS IS ABOUT HONOR AND RESPECT.
For those that would like to stand Flagline in Worland as we arrive. Please meet with Ed Ransford (Ride Capt. from Riverton/Lander). We will post the staging time and place in the comments.
First Lieutenant
Alva Ray Krogman
April 12, 1941- January 17, 1967
Alva Ray Krogman, 25, was the definition of a true American hero. Ray took his last breath,
fighting for his country and defending the rights of each and every one of us. Ray was born April
12, 1941, in Worland, Wyoming. He was the second born to Marx and Metta Louella (Stone)
Krogman. His brother Roy was 10 years older than him and joined the Navy after graduating in
1949 from Lovell High School.
Ray grew up in Worland, where as a youth he was very active in Boy Scouts. He earned as many
badges as he could even attaining the rank of Eagle Scout. He graduated from Worland High
School in 1959. During those years, he participated in many clubs and activities. He was a
member of the Science and Math Club, Radio Club and The National Thespian Society. He
lettered in football 3 years and was All-State Honorable Mention his senior year. Ray was also
a member of the “W” Club. He was the president of his senior class, and he was chosen as a
representative for the Wyoming Boys’ State Program. His mother was quoted in an interview, “Ray was
very ambitious; he wanted to make the world better. He wanted to be a leader, and he put every
effort for it.”
After graduating from high school, Ray accepted an appointment to the US Air Force Academy
at Colorado Springs, Colorado. During his time at the academy, Ray flew the Northrop T-38 trainer.
Following his training and graduation from the Academy in 1964, Ray was assigned to a tactical
fast response unit of the 12th Air Force and stationed at James Connally Air Force Base in Waco,
Texas. He was assigned to various missions including the KC-133 Transport but was eventually
deployed to the Forward Air Controller (FAC) wing in Vietnam.
Sometime in 1966, Ray started flying, as a Forward Air Controller, in the Cessna O-1F, a small
single-engine propeller-driven plane also known as the Bird Dog. The Air Force refers to these
Cessna planes as the 0-1F Bird Dog, but the same civilian model is referred to as an L-19. These
planes are usually unarmed. At this time, he was stationed at Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force
Base in Thailand. Their main mission was to fly over the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos west of the
De-militarized Zone, as well as into North Vietnam. They would look for trucks, anti-aircraft gun placements,
and other enemy activity. Once found, they would mark them and direct other Navy and Air
Force jets and bombers to these enemy targets.
1st Lieutenant Krogman was assigned to the 504th Tactical Air Support Squadron, flying as a
Forward Air Controller over Laos. On January 17, 1967, while on temporary duty with the 23rd
Tactical Air Support Squadron, he took off from Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base in
Thailand in an 0-1F Bird Dog on a visual reconnaissance mission over Savannakhet Province,
Laos. Krogman’s aircraft was struck by 37mm anti-aircraft fire and crashed in the target area he
was marking. His last transmission was “I’m hit.” 1st Lieutenant Krogman was killed in the
incident, and his remains could not be recovered at the time of his loss. On February 14, 2019, a
Scientific Recovery Expert working at the crash site in Ban Kok Mak, Laos, reported the
recovery of possible remains and material evidence. In 2019, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting
Agency received these remains and subsequently conducted recovery efforts at the crash site,
yielding additional remains and material. These remains were consolidated and on July 7, 2020,
they were identified as those of 1st Lieutenant Alva Ray Krogman.
First Lieutenant Krogman was awarded the following medals from the Air Force for his service:
1. Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)
2. Air Medal (AM)
3. Purple Heart (PH)
4. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (AFOUA)
5. National Defense Service Medal (NDSM)
6. Vietnam Service Medal
