Major Calvin Walter Maxwell ’66 ’68 US Army
Calvin Walter Maxwell was born November 6, 1943 in Atlantic City NJ to Mr. and Mrs. Calvin D. Maxwell. His father, a veteran of WW II, was a policeman and moved to Carlsbad NM in the 1950’s where Walter was raised. He graduated from Carlsbad HS in June 1961 and enrolled at NMSU the next fall. Initially studying Engineering he later transferred to Education, receiving his BS in Education in 1966 and his Masters in Counseling and Guidance in June 1968. Calvin married in Aug 1964. While attending NMSU he was a member of ROTC. He was allowed to remain at NMSU to complete his Masters degree before departing to fulfill his military obligation. He then went to Fort Hood, Fort Sill and finally Ranger School at Fort Benning Georgia. By July 7, 1969 Captain Maxwell was in country assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 6th Battalion, 14th Artillery Regiment. On 10 October 1969, then Captain Maxwell was flying as an observer aboard a Cessna O1G Birddog assigned to the 219th Aviation Company, 17th Aviation Group, 1st Aviation Brigade. The pilot was then 1st LT Franklin L. Weisner. They were part of a 2 aircraft sortie in a high / low search mission about 5 miles northeast of Dak Pek in Kontum Province, II Corps.
The other aircraft received a radio transmission from their aircraft as they were proceeding down a valley. Approximately 15 seconds later another transmission occurred in which they heard screams and moans, then silence. On October 13th, search aircraft found the wreckage lying inverted in a fast flowing river. Ground search teams were brought in the next day and conformed that this was the plane being flown by Lt Weisner. A scuba team was brought in and conformed that both seat belts and shoulder harnesses were still hooked in but no remains were present. About 100 meters downstream they found a seat pad and one aviator’s helmet. While there were several .30 caliber holes in the fuselage there was no evidence that these would have resulted in the loss of the aircraft. All searches were terminated on October 18, 1969. His family continued to hope for his survival and possible status as a POW. However, in 1978 the US Army officially declared his death. He was promoted to Major while missing. He was survived by his wife, who became an ardent supporter of continuing the search for those Missing in Action. Today he is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at Honolulu Memorial Cemetery. Major Calvin Maxwell was 25 years of age when he gave his life in service to his country.