We hold dear the memories of our 23 fallen comrades, lost in the honorable service of the country we all love. We also honor our 4 classmates who were POWs in Vietnam. They are listed at the bottom of this page.
VIETNAM LOSSES
Adams, Stanley Lee
CS-14
4 November 1969
Date of Birth: 3 April 1943; Home Town: Warner Robins, GA
Captain Stanley L. Adams was killed while piloting an operational mission over South Vietnam on 4 November 1969. His F-4C aircraft, lead in a flight of two, was struck by hostile ground fire while making its first napalm pass over the target.
Bonnell, George Harrison III
CS-18, 17
12 November 1966
Date of Birth: 22 May 1943; Home Town: Worthington, OH
2nd Lieutenant George H. Bonnell, III, was downed on 28 October 1966 while on a rescue mission over South Vietnam.
The HH-43 helicopter he was copiloting was struck by automatic weapons fire while on the way to pick up wounded soldiers. He was rescued and reported as very seriously injured on 29 October 1966, with multiple fractures. He died of these injuries on 12 November 1966.
Callies, Tommy Leon
CS-20
1 August 1969
Date of Birth: 31 May 1943; Home Town: Howard, SD
He was reported missing on 1 August 1969, while on a strike mission southwest of Chu Lai, South Vietnam. The F-4E aircraft he was piloting was seen to crash into a hillside. His status was changed to Killed in Action on 21 July 1970.
Crew, James Alan
CS-17
10 November 1967
Date of Birth: 5 May 1941; Home Town: Windber, PA
Major James A. Crew was reported missing on 10 November 1967 while on a bombing mission in Southeast Asia. His F-4C aircraft failed to return to Da Nang AB, South Vietnam. His status was changed to Killed in Action in December 1978.
Daffron, Thomas Carl
CS-22
18 February 1970
Date of Birth: 25 September 1943; Home Town: Pinckneyville, IL
Captain Thomas C. Daffron was reported missing on 18 February 1970 while on an operational mission in Southeast Asia. The F-4C aircraft he was copiloting was presumed to have been downed by suspected hostile ground fire and observed as a large fireball on the ground. No parachutes were seen and no beepers heard. His status was changed to Killed in Action on 23 June 1975.
Davenport, Robert Dean
CS 10, 5
28 March 1968
Date of Birth: 17 February 1942; Home Town: Jefferson City, MO
Captain Robert D. Davenport was reported as missing on 28 March 1969 while on an operational mission in Southeast Asia. The F-4D aircraft he was piloting lost communication and did not return to friendly control. A search was initiated with no results. The aircraft wreckage was subsequently found and evidence of death was received on 13 January 1970.
Greer, Wade Anthony
CS-16
5 November 1969
Date of Birth: 29 March 1943; Home Town: Nacogdoches, TX
Captain Wade A. Greer was killed on 5 November 1969 flying F-4C tail number 63-7604. As he returned from an interdiction mission, he was given a ground-controlled approach into Cam Ranh Bay airfield. During the approach the F-4 simply disappeared from the controller’s radar screens – no reason for the crash was ever found.
Hardy, John Kay Jr.
CS-17
22 August 1974
Date of Birth: 13 Jan 1942; Home Town: Los Angeles, CA
Captain Jack K. Hardy was declared MIA on 12 Oct 1967 while on a mission as a PWSO in an F-4 over North Vietnam. He was later declared dead on 22 Aug 1974. Details may be found on the Vietnam Virtual Wall at USAFA.
Hackett, Harley Benjamin III
CS-1
24 July 1968
Date of Birth: 23 October 1942; Home Town: Florence, SC
Captain Harley B. Hackett, III, was reported missing on 24 July 1968 while on a armed reconnaissance mission in North Vietnam. He was piloting the number two F-4D aircraft when his lead was struck by hostile fire. He successfully vectored lead over the water where the crew was recovered. Radar and radio contact was lost at that time. A Navy aircraft in the area reported seeing an aircraft crash in the approximate vicinity of his Hackett’s plane; however, no parachutes were seen and no emergency signals were heard. His status was changed to Killed in Action on 9 July 1973.
Hesford, Peter Dean
CS-8
21 March 1968
Date of Birth: 2 December 1942; Home Town: Mystic, CT
1st Lieutenant Peter D. Hesford was reported missing while on an operational mission in Laos. The F-4D aircraft he was piloting was number two in a flight of two and was presumably struck by hostile fired and crashed on the side of a hill.
No parachutes were seen and no beepers were heard. He was promoted posthumously to Major effective 22 March 1976. His status was changed to Killed in Action on 8 June 1978.
Hopper, Earl Pearson, Jr.
CS-11
10 January 1968
Date of Birth: 21 July 1943; Home Town: Phoenix, AZ
Captain Earl P. Hopper, Jr., was reported missing on 10 January 1968 while on an operational mission in North Vietnam. The F-4D aircraft he was copiloting was struck by intense hostile fire. Parachutes were not seen, nor were beepers heard; however, voice contact was established with one crew member from the aircraft who stated he was located in a wooded area and was in good condition.
Search and rescue efforts were terminated due to weather and approaching darkness. The pilot of the aircraft was later listed as captured. Captain Hopper was promoted to Major while on Missing in Action Status. His status was changed to Killed in Action on 14 July 1982. He was the last remaining American serviceman carried as MIA in North Vietnam.
Johnson, Theodore Wesley
CS-6
17 November 1967
Date of Birth: 10 July 1942; Home Town: Westfield, NY
1st Lieutenant Theodore W. Johnson was killed on 17 November 1967 shortly after takeoff on a combat mission in Thailand. The EB-66C aircraft he was instructor navigator on lost its number two engine. The aircraft returned to its home base and attempted a landing; however, it impacted the ground and burned short of the runway.
Keller, George Richard
CS-8
27 May 1970
Date of Birth: 5 September 1943; Home Town: Farmington, NM
Captain George R. Keller was reported missing on 27 May 1970 while on an operational mission in Cambodia. The F-4D aircraft he was piloting was struck by hostile fire while making a pass over the target. The right wing of the aircraft appeared to be on fire and was observed to separate from the plane prior to the crash.
Evidence of death was received on 29 May 1970.
Lucki, Albin Earl
CS-17
23 April 1970
Date of Birth: 27 February 1944; Home Town: Salt Lake City, UT
Captain Albin E. Lucki was reported missing on 23 April 1970 while on an operational mission in Southeast Asia. The F-4D aircraft he was piloting did not return to friendly control and he was declared Missing in Action at the time of estimated fuel exhaustion. His status was changed to Killed in Action on 8 November 1973.
McCubbin, Glenn Dewayne
CS-16
19 May 1968
Date of Birth: 21 August 1942; Home Town: Almena, KS
Major Glenn D. McCubbin was assigned to the 497th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, 7th Air Force, U.S. Air Force deployed to Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand. On 19 May 1968, he was a Captain and the co-pilot of a McDonnell Douglas F-4D Phantom II fighter on a night armed reconnaissance over Bo Trach District, Quang Binh Province, North Vietnam, when his aircraft was shot down by hostile fire. He was subsequently promoted to Major while in Missing in Action status.
His remains were recovered on 24 January 1989 and identified on 12 June 2006.
Melnick, Steven Bernard
CS-6
17 August 1970
Date of Birth: 25 December 1943; Home Town: Billings, MT
Captain Steven B. Melnick was killed on 17 August 1970 while on a night strike mission in South Vietnam. Contact with the F-4E aircraft he was piloting was lost when his flight encountered suspected hostile antiaircraft fire. His aircraft crashed on a hillside and burned.
Newendorp, James Vernon
CS-20
1 October 1971
Date of Birth: 24 July 1942; Home Town: Alton, lA
Captain James V. Newendorp was killed on 1 October 1971 while on a combat reconnaissance mission in South Vietnam. The RF-4C aircraft he was piloting crashed from suspected hostile action. The copilot ejected and was subsequently rescued. Newendorp did not eject from the aircraft.
Raymond, Paul Darwin
CS-16
5 September 1967
Date of Birth: 10 January 1943; Home Town: Deposit, NY
1st Lieutenant Paul D. Raymond was reported mission on 5 September 1967 while on an operational mission over North Vietnam. The F-4C aircraft he was copiloting was number two in a flight of two. As the lead was rolling in on target he saw a large fireball off his left wing descending toward the ground.
Radio contact was attempted with no success. No parachutes were sighted and no emergency radio signals were heard.
Raymond was posthumously promoted to Captain effective 13 June 1968. His status was changed to Killed in Action on 15 November 1973.
Ross, Joseph Shaw
CS-24, 5
1 August 1968
Date of Birth: 26 January 1943; Home Town: Ft Thomas, KY
1st Lieutenant Joseph S. Ross was reported missing on 1 August 1968 while on a night strike mission in North Vietnam. The F-4D aircraft he was copiloting was the lead in a flight of two. His aircraft rolled in on a group of trucks and his wingman observed a large explosion near the target. Radio contact was unsuccessful; no parachutes were seen and no beepers heard. His status was changed to Killed in Action on 12 March 1975. He was promoted to Captain posthumously.
Sijan, Lance Peter
CS-21
22 January 1968
Date of Birth: 13 April 1942; Home Town: Milwaukee, WI
Captain Lance P. Sijan was reported missing on 9 November 1967 while on a FAC control strike mission in Southeast Asia. He was copiloting an F-4C aircraft that was the lead of two. On the second pass over the target, his aircraft was struck by hostile fire, burst into flames, began to climb, then rapidly descended and crashed. No parachutes were seen and no beepers heard, however voice contact was established with him on the ground. He dragged himself backwards on his elbows and buttocks for 45 days through the jungle, evading capture. He was decimated after a month and a half without food when he was finally captured. Still, in his weakened condition he cold cocked a guard and escaped. He was recaptured a few hours later. Eventually joined with other POWs (Gruters and Craner); Sijan, emaciated and near death, still resisted.
Despite being abused, he gave no information except his name. He asked for no assistance and thought only of escape. Lance Sijan, resisting to the end, died in a Hanoi prison on 22 January 1968. He was carried as missing until 23 April 1974 when Gruters and Craner were returned home. On March 4, 1976 President Ford awarded him the Medal of Honor posthumously.
Smith, Victor Arlon
CS-8
17 January 1969
Date of Birth: 28 February 1943; Home Town: Silver Spring, MD
Captain Victor A. Smith was reported missing on 17 January 1969 while on an operational mission in Laos. The F-4D aircraft he was piloting was downed by hostile fire and both he and his copilot ejected with good parachutes. The copilot was subsequently rescued, but Smith could not be located. His status was changed to Killed in Action on 24 January 1974.
Warren, Gray Dawson
CS-22
16 October 1969
Date of Birth: 22 May 1942; Home Town: Des Moines, IA
Captain Gray D. Warren was reported missing on 26 October 1969 while on an operational mission in Southeast Asia. The F-4D aircraft he was piloting was observed “going down” by the forward air control aircraft. No parachutes were seen and no beepers were heard. He was declared Missing in Action at the time of estimated fuel exhaustion. His status was changed to Killed in Action on 25 October 1973.
Wood, James Watson
CS-6
17 August 1970
Date of Birth: 21 January 1943; Home Town: Galesburg, IL
Captain James W. Wood was killed on 17 August 1970 while on a night strike mission in South Vietnam. The F-4E aircraft he was piloting encountered suspected hostile antiaircraft fire and crashed on a hillside and burned.
PRISONERS OF WAR
Four of our classmates were POWs. In addition to Lance Sijan (entry above) they included:
Donald, Myron Lee
CS-3
02/23/1968 – 01/01/1973
Date of Birth: 20 May 1943, Home Town: Moravia NY
Unit: 497th TFS – F4D – Missions: 27 Laos; 47 North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 212400N 1071500E
SYNOPSIS: The Phantom, used by Air Force, Marine and Navy air wings, served a multitude of functions including fighter-bomber and interceptor, photo and electronic surveillance. The two man aircraft was extremely fast (Mach 2), and had a long range (900 – 2300 miles, depending on stores and mission
type). The F4 was also extremely maneuverable and handled well at low and high altitudes. Most pilots considered it one of the “hottest” planes around.
Lt. Myron L. Donald served as weapons systems operator in a Phantom fighter/bomber flown by Major Laird Guttersen on a mission they were assigned on February 23, 1968. While close to Hanoi, the aircraft was hit by a missile from a MiG 21. Donald and Guttersen crash landed near Haiphong and both were captured by the North Vietnamese. Both were released in March 1973 with other American POWs.
Donald and Guttersen received torture and deprivation in the hands of the Vietnamese, but neither lost their will to survive. Donald says that the POWs’ sense of humor was one of the biggest things that kept them going. He remembers times when POWs were in their cells with irons on hands and feet, but laughing so hard that tears ran down their cheeks. This, he said, “drove them crazy.”
Since the war ended, over 10,000 reports relating to Americans missing, prisoner or unaccounted for in Southeast Asia have been received by the U.S. Government. Many authorities who have examined this largely classified information are convinced that hundreds of Americans are still held captive today. These reports are the source of serious distress to many returned American prisoners. They had a code that no one could honorably return unless all of the prisoners returned. Not only that code of honor, but the honor of our country is at stake as long as even one man remains unjustly held. It’s time we brought our men home.
Myron L. Donald was promoted to the rank of Captain during his captivity.
Smith, Wayne Ogden
CS-10, 5
01/18/1968 – 03/14/1973
Date of Birth: 10 August 1943, Home Town: Largo FL
Unit: 435th Tactical Fighter Squadron – F4D
Loss Coordinates: 211800 North 1061200 East
The numbers and alphabet that Wayne Ogden Smith learned as a
student in Richmond became instrumental in keeping his sanity during five
years and two months as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam…….