In Loving Memory ......... ADR1 Gary Lee Conaway.
*** by Robert Sage - Gary is buried at Oakhill Cemetery, Taylorsville, IL.
*** Aviation Machinist's Mate (Reciprocating), First Class Conaway was a member of Patrol Squadron 1, U.S. Navy. On October 24, 1967, he was declared Missing in Action in South Vietnam. His remains were recovered on November 6, 1967 and identified on April 26, 1984. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial.


You may be gone, no longer living on this earth; but you will live on - in the memories of your family and friends. There will always be a part of you living in me, your brother, sisters and those who knew you and loved you. You will live on because we remember you!


GARY LEE CONAWAY - Navy - ADR1 - E6
Age: 29
Race: Caucasian
Date of Birth Oct 22, 1938 - Born in ... City, Iowa.
From: BLUE MOUND, IL
Religion: ROMAN CATHOLIC
Marital Status: Married - Shirley Ann Conaway and Son, William Ray Conaway, both of Taylorville, IL.
Parents: Father, Alva Ray Conaway, Born Oct. 5, 1915 and Died Aug. 8, 1992 in Decatur, Ill. and Mother, Telma Verlee Tisor Conaway, Birth: September 17, 1918, in Bagley, Iowa and Death: Oct. 21, 2009 Illinois at the age of 91 yrs. Married Alva Ray Conaway on August 29, 1937 in Columbus Junction, Iowa.
Your Brothers and Sisters: Ronald Ray Conaway of Decatur, IL, Danny Clyde Conaway of Decatur, IL, Mary Jane Davis of Arcadia, FL, Alva Dean Conaway and wife Bev of Macon, IL, and Joyce Ann Thomas of Decatur, IL.
* Maternal Grandparents: George Clyde Tisor and Ivy Mable (Stratton) Tisor.
* Paternal Grandparents: Rial Conaway, FAG # 86655833 and Charlotte Foster Conway, FAG #86655823.
Your Grandparents Children:
Clifford George Conway
Lawrence John Conway
1899-1955
Robert Eli Conway
1901-1971
Lucille Cathern Conway
1903-1980
Edgar Roy Conway
1905-Unknown
Marguerite Cora Conway
1907-2000
Hershall B Conway
1913-1968
Alva Ray Conway - YOUR FATHER
1915-1992
Eva Fay Conway
1915-1979


***** This man was my cousin.
Danielle Lynne Conaway

***** Name: Telma V Conaway - Your Mother
Event Type: Census
Event Date: 1940
Event Place: Mount Auburn Township, Christian, Illinois, United States
Gender: Female
Age: 21
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Relationship to Head of Household: Wife
Birthplace: Iowa
Birth Year (Estimated): 1919
Last Place of Residence: Rural, Louisa, Iowa
Household Role Gender Age Birthplace
Alva Conaway Head M 24 Iowa - YOUR DAD
Telma V Conaway Wife F 21 Iowa - YOUR MOM
Gary Lee Conaway Son M 1 Iowa - THIS IS YOU......
Junior Conaway Nephew M 14 Illinois



ADR1 - E6 - Navy - Regular
Length of service 10 years
Casualty was on Oct 24, 1967
In KHANH HOA, SOUTH VIETNAM
NON-HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
DROWNED, SUFFOCATED

Body was recovered
Panel 28E - Line 59


REMARKS: REMAINS RETURNED 8/84 FAMILY HAS NUMEROUS STORIES

CACCF DROWNED/SUFFOCATED/KHANH HOA 10 year Navy veteran




*****************************

Gary L. Conaway, ADR1
United States Navy
In the fall of 1967, Patrol Squadron One (VP-1) was deployed to Naval Air Station, Sangley Point in the Republic of the Philippines.
The Squadron had a detachment in Cam Ranh Bay, and the planes and crews rotated back and forth, spending about two weeks in Viet Nam on each cycle. VP-1's mission in Viet Nam was known as Operation Market Time. This mission required continuous patrols along coastal waters of South Viet Nam in order to prevent infiltration of enemy supplies or troops from the sea. Our aircraft was the Lockheed, P2V-7 Neptune which carried a crew of 11.
Petty Officer Gary Conaway was a member of my crew.
Gary was the Plane Captain of Crew 8 and leader of the six other enlisted crew members. He was a dedicated worker whose mechanical skills enabled him to detect the smallest problem with the aircraft and made sure it was fixed before the next flight.
Gary was a pleasure to fly with and always performed the task given him with a sense of commitment and professionalism. He did everything asked of him, and more.
The flight schedule at Cam Ranh Bay was very demanding since operations were conducted 24 hours a day. Off duty time was minimal, but when possible, the crews frequently went swimming at a nearby beach as a way to relax.
On the evening of October 23rd, Crew Eight began a long nighttime patrol that lasted almost 9 hours.
After landing early the next morning, some of the crew decided to go for a swim.
Tragically, there was a hidden undertow in the normally placid waters of the South China Sea that day.
Petty Officer Conaway and a second crew member became trapped in the rip current and could not make it back to shore.
When the rescue helicopter arrived, it was too late. Both men had drowned.
Their friends tried to help them, but were unsuccessful, barely surviving themselves.

Gary Conaway died in the service of our country, and his death was a great loss to all who knew him.
Mel Hinton
Lieutenant, USNR (1967)
Plane Commander,
VP-1, Crew 8

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