Letter 452, Albert Rocha

To Whom It May Concern, My name is Albert Rocha. I was the navigator aboard Captain Makosky's aircraft on his last mission. We took off, and as we came over ██████ for our run, we came under heavy ground fire. Alex held the aircraft steady through it all, but we got hit after dropping our payload. We started to list over to the right, and we all pulled our ejection handles, and came rocketing out. But Alex's was going to be the last to fire, and a SAM hit the jet before he could get out. The rest of us parachuted and were captured and sent to ██████.

While I cannot tell you anything that will soften the blow of this loss, it may comfort you to know that Alex was a good pilot, and an even better fellow airman. We weren't without our differences, but he always had some joke, pretty vulgar but funny ones, to lighten the mood when something looked like it was about to turn into an argument. He wasn't an idealogue, but he cared for each of us, that's why he stayed. He didn't trust we'd get a better pilot than he. And I think he was right. He will live on in the memories of myself and the others who flew with him. He went on to "that better land, where the rebels ride in style, where his airplane will always work, and he'll sit back and smile." Sincerely, Captain Albert Rocha (POW) Victorian Independent Air Force 1st Bombardment Wing