Lima Site 85

Kirk, Herbert Arthur
Air Force Staff Sergeant

Herbert Arthur Kirk, age 39, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia county.

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Monday, March 11, 1968
Death details: On March 11, 1968, North Vietnamese soldiers conducted a sapper attack against a U.S. Air Force Tactical Air Navigation system, designated Lima Site 85 in Houaphan Province, Laos, also referred to as Phou Pha Thi. The enemy attacked very early in the morning, using grenades and mortars, and eventually killing eleven U.S. Air Force personnel. Nine Americans were later rescued from the site, one who was wounded and then later died of his injuries before he reached the evacuation base.

Staff Sergeant Herbert Arthur Kirk, who joined the U.S. Air Force from Pennsylvania, served with Detachment 1, 1043rd Radar Evaluation Squadron. He was killed in action during the attack in Laos, and his body was not recovered. He remains unaccounted-for. Today, Staff Sergeant Kirk is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Cemetery: Memorialized at Riverview, Huntingdon.

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

Blanton, Clarence Finley
Air Force Lieutenant Colonel

Clarence Finley Blanton, age 46, from El Reno, Oklahoma, Canadian county.

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Monday, March 11, 1968
Death details: On July 26, 2012, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC, DPAA) identified the remains of Lieutenant Colonel Clarence Finley Blanton, missing from the Vietnam War. Lieutenant Colonel Blanton entered the U.S. Air Force from Oklahoma and was assigned to the 1043rd Radar Evaluation Squadron, 7th Air Force, on temporary duty as the commander of eighteen men at Lima Site 85, a tactical air navigation radar site located on the mountain peak at Phou Pha Thi, Houaphanh Province, Laos. On the morning of March 11, 1968, Lt Col Blanton was killed in an attack on Lima Site 85 by North Vietnamese commandos. Hours later, under protective cover, U.S. military helicopters rescued eight of the men still alive at the post but were unable to recover the remains of Lt Col Blanton. In 2005, human remains and an identification card that belonged to Lt Col Blanton were discovered at the base of Phou Pha Thi. Authorities were able to successfully identify the remains as those of Lt Col Blanton.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Calfee, James Henry
Air Force Major sergeant

James Henry Calfee, age 36, from Boling, Texas, Wharton county.

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Monday, March 11, 1968
Death details:

On August 8, 2025, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) identified the remains of Master Sgt. James Henry Calfee, missing from the Vietnam War.

Calfee entered the U.S. Air Force from Texas and served with Detachment 1, 1043rd Radar Evaluation Squadron. In 1968, Calfee and 18 other men were assigned to Lima Site 85, a tactical air navigation radar site on a remote, 5,600-foot mountain peak known as Phou Pha Thi in Houaphan Province, Laos. In the early morning of March 11, the site was overrun by Vietnamese commandos with grenades and mortars, causing the Americans to seek safety on a narrow ledge of the steep mountain. A few hours later, under the protective cover of A-1 Skyraider aircraft, U.S. helicopters were able to rescue eight of the men. Calfee and 10 other Americans were killed in action and could not be recovered at the time. From 1994 to 2009, in cooperation with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and Laos, joint teams led by DPAA’s predecessor Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) pursued multiple leads from dozens of witnesses interviewed, including those involved with the attack. In 2003, a joint team recovered remains during site investigation work along the western slopes of Phou Pha Thi. The remains were scientifically identified as one of the 11 missing Airmen from this incident. In 2005, a Laotian citizen provided U.S. officials an identification card belonging to another missing servicemember and human remains that had purportedly been found at the base of Phou Pha Thi. In 2023, DPAA personnel and members from partner organizations discovered unexploded ordnance, incident-related materials, possible material evidence, and possible osseus remains from the research site, leading to another identification of one of the missing. Joint recovery teams surveyed and excavated the site from Jan. 16 – Feb. 16, 2025, and March 2-31, 2025, recovering possible human remains, possible material evidence, and other osseus material. All remains and evidence were subsequently sent to the DPAA Laboratory for scientific analysis. Based on the laboratory analysis and total evidence available, a portion of the remains recovered were identified as those of Calfee.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Davis, James Woodrow
Air Force Staff sergeant

James Woodrow Davis, age 28, from Waynesboro, Mississippi, Wayne county.

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Monday, March 11, 1968
Death details: On March 11, 1968, North Vietnamese soldiers conducted a sapper attack against a U.S. Air Force Tactical Air Navigation system, designated Lima Site 85 in Houaphan Province, Laos, also referred to as Phou Pha Thi. The enemy attacked very early in the morning, using grenades and mortars, and eventually killing eleven U.S. Air Force personnel. Nine Americans were later rescued from the site, one who was wounded and then later died of his injuries before he reached the evacuation base. Staff Sergeant James Woodrow Davis, who joined the U.S. Air Force from Mississippi, served with Detachment 1, 1043rd Radar Evaluation Squadron. He was killed during the attack on Lima Site 85 on March 11, 1968, and his remains were not recovered. Today, Staff Sergeant Davis is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Gish, Henry Gerald
Air Force Staff Sergeant

Henry Gerald Gish, age 25, from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Lancaster county.

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Monday, March 11, 1968
Death details:

On June 23, 2025, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) identified the remains of U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Henry Gerald Gish, missing from the Vietnam War.

Gish entered the U.S. Air Force from Pennsylvania and served with Detachment 1, 1043rd Radar Evaluation Squadron. In 1968, he and 18 other men were assigned to Lima Site 85, a tactical air navigation radar site on a remote, 5,600-foot mountain peak known as Phou Pha Thi in Houaphan Province, Laos. In the early morning of March 11, North Vietnamese commandos attacked the site with grenades and mortars, causing the Americans to seek safety on a narrow ledge of the steep mountain. A few hours later, under the protective cover of A-1 Skyraider aircraft, U.S. helicopters were able to rescue eight of the men. Gish and ten other Americans were killed in action and unable to be recovered. From 1994 to 2009, in cooperation with Vietnam and Laos, joint teams led by DPAA’s predecessor, Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command, conducted multiple recovery operations, pursuing witness leads and recovering evidence and remains. In 2023, DPAA personnel and members from partner organizations discovered unexploded ordnance, incident-related materials, and possible remains from the research site, leading to the identification of a missing American service member. In 2025, joint recovery teams conducted two more excavations at the site, recovering human remains that were returned to the DPAA laboratory for further study. There scientists used modern forensic techniques to identify Gish.

He is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. His name is also inscribed along with all his fallen comrades on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, DC.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Hall, Willis Rozelle
Air Force Technician sergeant

Willis Rozelle Hall, age 40, from Hollywood, Florida, Broward county.

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Monday, March 11, 1968
Death details:

On June 23, 2025, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency identified the remains of U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Willis Rozelle Hall, missing from the Vietnam War.

Hall entered the U.S. Air Force from Florida and served with Detachment 1, 1043rd Radar Evaluation Squadron. In 1968, he and 18 other men were assigned to Lima Site 85, a tactical air navigation radar site on a remote, 5,600-foot mountain peak known as Phou Pha Thi in Houaphan Province, Laos. In the early morning of March 11, North Vietnamese commandos attacked the site with grenades and mortars, causing the Americans to seek safety on a narrow ledge of the steep mountain. A few hours later, under the protective cover of A-1 Skyraider aircraft, U.S. helicopters were able to rescue eight of the men. Hall and ten other Americans were killed in action and unable to be recovered. From 1994 to 2009, in cooperation with Vietnam and Laos, joint teams led by DPAA’s predecessor, Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command, conducted multiple recovery operations, pursuing witness leads and recovering evidence and remains. In 2023, DPAA personnel and members from partner organizations discovered unexploded ordnance, incident-related materials, and possible remains from the research site, leading to the identification of a missing American service member. In 2025, joint recovery teams conducted two more excavations at the site, recovering human remains that were returned to the DPAA laboratory for further study. There scientists used modern forensic techniques to identify Hall.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Holland, Melvin Arnold
Air Force Technician sergeant

Melvin Arnold Holland, age 32, from Woodland, Washington, Cowlitz county.

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Monday, March 11, 1968
Death details: On March 11, 1968, North Vietnamese soldiers conducted a sapper attack against a U.S. Air Force Tactical Air Navigation system, designated Lima Site 85 in Houaphan Province, Laos, also referred to as Phou Pha Thi. The enemy attacked very early in the morning, using grenades and mortars, and eventually killing eleven U.S. Air Force personnel. Nine Americans were later rescued from the site, one who was wounded and then later died of his injuries before he reached the evacuation base. Technical Sergeant Melvin Arnold Holland, who joined the U.S. Air Force from Washington, served with Detachment 1, 1043rd Radar Evaluation Squadron. He was one of the Air Force technicians killed during the attack on the Lima Site 85 TACAN site on Pha Thi Mountain, and his body was not recovered. Today, Technical Sergeant Holland is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Price, David Stanley
Air Force Sergeant

David Stanley Price, age 33, from Centralia, Washington, Lewis county.

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Monday, March 11, 1968
Death details: On March 11, 1968, North Vietnamese soldiers conducted a sapper attack against a U.S. Air Force Tactical Air Navigation system, designated Lima Site 85 in Houaphan Province, Laos, also referred to as Phou Pha Thi. The enemy attacked very early in the morning, using grenades and mortars, and eventually killing eleven U.S. Air Force personnel. Nine Americans were later rescued from the site, one who was wounded and then later died of his injuries before he reached the evacuation base. Sergeant David Stanley Price, who joined the U.S. Air Force from Washington, served with Detachment 1, 1043rd Radar Evaluation Squadron. He was killed during enemy action in Laos, and his remains were not recovered. He remains unaccounted-for. Today, Sergeant Price is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Shannon, Patrick Lee
Air Force Technician sergeant

Patrick Lee Shannon, age 33, from Owasso, Oklahoma, Tulsa county.

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Monday, March 11, 1968
Death details: On October 31, 2005, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC, now DPAA) identified the remains of Technical Sergeant Patrick Lee Shannon, missing from the Vietnam War. Technical Sergeant Shannon joined the U.S. Air Force from Oklahoma and was a member of Detachment 1 of the 1043rd Radar Evaluation Squadron. On March 11, 1968, he was stationed at a tactical air navigation facility in Houaphan Province, Laos, when it was overrun by Vietnamese communist forces. TSgt Shannon was killed in the attack, and rescue teams could not recover his remains at the time. Enemy presence in the area prevented further search and rescue efforts for those lost in the attack. After the war, joint U.S., Vietnamese, and Laotian teams conducted multiple investigations to recover those missing from the attack on the facility. In 2003, the investigations led to the recovery of remains that U.S. forensic analysis later identified as those of TSgt Shannon.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Springsteadah, Donald Kenn
Air Force Technical sergeant

Donald Kenn Springsteadah, age 33, from Millville, New Jersey, Cumberland county.

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Monday, March 11, 1968
Death details:

On June 23, 2025, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) identified the remains of U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Donald Kennebunk Springsteadah, missing from the Vietnam War.

Springsteadah entered the U.S. Air Force from New Jersey and served with Detachment 1, 1043rd Radar Evaluation Squadron. In 1968, he and 18 other men were assigned to Lima Site 85, a tactical air navigation radar site on a remote, 5,600-foot mountain peak known as Phou Pha Thi in Houaphan Province, Laos. In the early morning of March 11, North Vietnamese commandos attacked the site with grenades and mortars, causing the Americans to seek safety on a narrow ledge of the steep mountain. A few hours later, under the protective cover of A-1 Skyraider aircraft, U.S. helicopters were able to rescue eight of the men. Springsteadah and ten other Americans were killed in action and unable to be recovered. From 1994 to 2009, in cooperation with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (S.R.V.) and Lao People’s Democratic Republic (L.P.D.R.), joint teams led by DPAA’s predecessor Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) conducted multiple recovery operations, pursuing witness leads and recovering evidence and remains. In 2023, DPAA personnel and members from partner organizations discovered unexploded ordnance, incident-related materials, and possible osseus remains from the research site, leading to the identification of a missing American service member. In 2025, joint recovery teams conducted two more excavations at the site, recovering human remains that were returned to the DPAA laboratory for further study. There scientists used modern forensic techniques to identify Springsteadah.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

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