Lane, Charles Jr.
Air Force Captain

Charles Jr. Lane, age 29, from South Dakota, Yankton county.

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Wednesday, August 23, 1967

Death details:

On August 23, 1967, an F-4 Phantom II (tail number 66-0247, call sign “Ford 04”) with two crew members was one of four aircraft on a strike mission against enemy targets in North Vietnam. While en route to the target, the flight was attacked by enemy MiG-21 fighters that fired missiles and hit two of the aircraft, including “Ford 04.” After the two aircraft were shot down, three parachutes were seen and signals from four rescue beepers were detected. One of the crew members aboard “Ford 04” survived the incident and was captured by enemy forces, and returned to U.S. custody following the war. The other crew member was not located following the incident.

First Lieutenant Charles Lane Jr. entered the U.S. Air Force from South Dakota and served in the 555th Tactical Fighter Squadron. He was the pilot of “Ford 04” when it was shot down and was lost along with the aircraft. Further attempts to locate his remains were unsuccessful. Following the incident, the Air Force promoted 1st Lt Lane to the rank of Captain (Capt). Today, Captain Lane is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Cemetery: Memorialized in Black Hills National

Source: National Archives, grave marker, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency