JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas -- “You don't forget it... it’s always right here,” said retired Tech. Sgt. Lorenzo Galvan Jr., pointing to his head.
The former 68th Airlift Squadron loadmaster still chokes up a bit when he talks about the tragic events of Aug. 29, 1990.
Around 12:30 a.m., 17 Airmen took off from Ramstein Air Base in Germany aboard a C-5A Galaxy for a mission, call sign BRAVO-12, in support of Operation DESERT SHIELD. Only four would come back.
The aircraft crashed moments after takeoff, erupting into a ball of flames less than a mile from the end of the runway. Safety investigators concluded there had been an un-commanded and inadvertent deployment of the number 1 engine thrust reverser during the takeoff.
Nine Airmen from the 433rd Military Airlift Wing died along with four other service members from other units. Galvan was one of the four survivors, the only one from the 433rd MAW.
“Living here on the south side of San Antonio, not a day goes by that the C-5 doesn't fly over,” Galvan said. “It's a constant reminder. I can't forget them.”
On the 35th anniversary of the tragedy, the 68th Airlift Squadron hosted a remembrance and wreath-laying ceremony to honor the memory of the BRAVO-12 crew.
“I appreciate them not forgetting,” Galvan said. “In other places, it might have gone by the wayside a long time ago, but fortunately these people have a good memory.”
Galvan, family members, friends of the fallen, along with current and former 433rd AW Airmen, were among the more than 100 people who attended the solemn event held at the BRAVO-12 memorial that sits just outside the 68th AS building on JBSA-Lackland.
“We remember them not just for how they died, but also for how they lived,” Col. Douglas Jeffrey, 433rd AW commander, emphasized during his remarks as the presiding official.
“We acknowledge the profound grief and the lasting impact that crash had on the families, friends, colleagues, and the whole wing community,” Jeffrey said. “Their absence is still felt deeply today. Their memory inspires a continued commitment to safety and vigilance.”
The culminating moment of the ceremony came when Anthony Price, son of Maj. Richard Price, one of the BRAVO-12 pilots, laid a wreath at the memorial as a bugler played taps.
“This ceremony brings back a lot of memories of us being together,” Price said. “That time–it was tough, but we made it through. It's great to see people that probably weren't even born when this happened, still come out and honor their memory... It's touching.”
Following the ceremony, Galvan, who received the Airman’s Medal for his efforts in helping the other survivors immediately after the crash, powerfully captured the essence of the moment.
“To live in the hearts and minds of those that stay behind is to not die,” he said. “As long as one person remembers you, you're not dead. You're here in spirit.”
The service members of the 433rd Military Airlift Wing aircrew killed in the BRAVO-12 incident:
- Maj. John M. Gordon
- Maj. Richard W. Chase
- Maj. Richard M. Price
- Senior Master Sgt. Carpio Villareal Jr.
- Master Sgt. Rosendo Herrera
- Tech. Sgt. Daniel G. Perez
- Tech. Sgt. Lonty A. Knutson
- Staff Sgt. Daniel Garza
- Staff Sgt. Edward E. Sheffield
The four other service members that perished in the crash:
- Capt. Bradley R. Schuldt, 7th Air Division at Ramstein AB, Germany
- Master Sgt. Samuel M. Gardner Jr., 31st Weather Squadron at Hahn AB, Germany
- Staff Sgt. Marc H. Cleyman, 31st Weather Squadron At Hahn AB, Germany
- Staff Sgt. Rande J. Hulec, 31st Weather Squadron at Ramstein AB, Germany