By 1965, the US participation in Vietnam was reaching a juncture where it could choose to disengage (and thus concede the loss of South Vietnam to the Communist juggernaut – which then would then sweep across the rest of the SE Asia landscape). It could “stay the course,” with a limited ground role using advisers…
As I’ve noted elsewhere – one of the great things about running a blog are the contacts you make from around the world about the darnedest things. Some few years back I put up a post in the MIA section about the return of 2ndLt Ray Packard, a rookie P-38 pilot thrown into a battle…
Last year, a small group of us spent the better part of the summer and fall writing on the Solomons Campaign. That drawnout slugfest in the southwest Pacific receives little notice beyond Guadalcanal and some discussions regarding Santa Cruz. The purpose of that exercise (here and over at USNI’s blog) was to surface the larger…
In the mail: Seven Missing WWII Airmen Identified The Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the remains of seven servicemen, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and will be returned to their families for burial with full military honors. Army Capt. Joseph M. Olbinski, Chicago; 1st Lt. Joseph J. Auld,…
In May 2008, I wrote of the final identification and return of the remains of two of the Prometheus’ crew, Maj Barclay B. Young and Sr. Master Sgt James K. Caniford, two of a crew of 14 lost one dark March night, 38 years ago. At the time, all but one MIA had been identified,…
In the mail today: The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial. Air Force Maj. Russell C. Goodman of Salt Lake City, Utah, will be honored this…
Sixty-five years ago today, over the fields of France, 23 P-38s of the 474th Fighter Group engaged what could loosely be described as a gaggle of German Bf-109’s and FW-190’s in a frenetic, hard fought, swirling dogfight. Initially engaged in a fight were the odds were 2:1 against them, the 12 427th Fighter Squadron and…
Looking for anyone who was part of VMF-215 from 1943-45, aviator, ground-pounder or those who may have flown with VMF-215 in combined or associated operations during that period. Bryan Bender, a reporter with the Boston Globe, is looking for any of the above to flesh out a story he is working on stemming from earlier…
Courtesy Gary Koch, historian for the 474th FG, we have the pictures from Lt Packard’s funerl. Recall that he was involved in one of the largest air-to-air engagements in the ETO when 22 P-38s encountered a mixed formation of almost 80 German fighters. Packard Funeral Pics View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own.
The Official press release: Marine Pilot Missing In Action From WWII Is Identified The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors He is…
