tail number 55-0044

Simmons, Robert Eugene
Air Force Master sergeant

Robert Eugene Simmons from DeRuyter, New York, Madison county.

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: March 29, 1972
Death details: On May 26, 1988, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC, now DPAA) identified the remains of Senior Master Sergeant Robert Eugene Simmons, missing from the Vietnam War.

Senior Master Sergeant Simmons entered the U.S. Air Force from New York and was a member of the 16th Special Operations Squadron. On March 29, 1972, he was a crew member aboard an AC-130A gunship (tail number 55-0044, nicknamed “Prometheus”) that took off from Ubon Airfield, Thailand, on a night reconnaissance mission to targets east of Savannakhet in southern Laos. The aircraft was shot down by enemy surface-to-air missiles, killing SMSgt Simmons and the other crew members. Search and rescue efforts were curtailed due to heavy enemy activity, and no remains could be recovered at that time. Between 1986 and 2006, a U.S./Laotian team excavated the crash site in Savannakhet Province and recovered human remains and artifacts. Investigators were able to identify SMSgt Simmons among the remains recovered.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Todd, William Anthony
Air Force Master sergeant

William Anthony Todd from Mahopac, New York, Putnam county.

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: March 29, 1972
Death details: On September 10, 1986, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC, now DPAA) identified the remains of Master Sergeant William Anthony Todd, missing from the Vietnam War.

Master Sergeant Todd entered the U.S. Air Force from New York and was a member of the 16th Special Operations Squadron. On March 29, 1972, he was a crew member aboard an AC-130A gunship (tail number 55-0044, nicknamed “Prometheus”) that took off from Ubon Airfield, Thailand, on a night reconnaissance mission to targets east of Savannakhet in southern Laos. The aircraft was shot down by enemy surface-to-air missiles, killing MSgt Todd and the other crew members. Search and rescue efforts were curtailed due to heavy enemy activity, and no remains could be recovered at that time. Between 1986 and 2006, joint U.S./Laotian teams excavated the crash site in Savannakhet Province and recovered human remains and artifacts. Modern forensic techniques were eventually able to identify MSgt Todd among the remains recovered.

Source: National Archives Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Wanzel, Charles Joseph III
Air Force Captain

Charles Joseph III Wanzel from New York City, New York, New York City county.

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: March 29, 1972
Death details: On June 26, 1986, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC, now DPAA) identified the remains of Captain Charles Joseph Wanzel III, missing from the Vietnam War.
Captain Wanzel entered the U.S. Air Force from New York and was a member of the 16th Special Operations Squadron. On March 29, 1972, he copiloted an AC-130A gunship (tail number 55-0044, nicknamed “Prometheus”) that took off from Ubon Airfield, Thailand, on a night reconnaissance mission to targets east of Savannakhet in southern Laos. The aircraft was shot down by enemy surface-to-air missiles, killing Capt Wanzel and the other crew members. Search and rescue efforts were curtailed due to heavy enemy activity, and no remains could be recovered at that time. Between 1986 and 2006, joint U.S./Laotian teams excavated the crash site in Savannakhet Province and recovered human remains and artifacts. Investigators were able to identify Capt Wanzel among the remains recovered.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Smith, Edward Dewilton Jr.
Air Force Master sergeant

Edward Dewilton Jr. Smith from Red Creek, New York, Wayne county.

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: March 29, 1972
Death details: On September 10, 1986, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC, now DPAA) identified the remains of Senior Master Sergeant Edward DeWilton Smith Jr., missing from the Vietnam War.

Senior Master Sergeant Smith entered the U.S. Air Force from New York and was a member of the 16th Special Operations Squadron. On March 29, 1972, he was a crew member aboard an AC-130A gunship (tail number 55-0044, nicknamed “Prometheus”) that took off from Ubon Airfield, Thailand, on a night reconnaissance mission to targets east of Savannakhet in southern Laos. The aircraft was shot down by enemy surface-to-air missiles, killing SMSgt Smith and the other crew members. Search and rescue efforts were curtailed due to heavy enemy activity, and no remains could be recovered at that time. Between 1986 and 2006, joint U.S./Laotian teams excavated the crash site in Savannakhet Province and recovered human remains and artifacts. Investigators were able to identify SMSgt Smith among the remains recovered.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Stephenson, Howard David
Air Force Lieutenant colonel

Howard David Stephenson from Boston, Massachusetts, Suffolk county.

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: March 29, 1972
Death details: On June 9, 2008, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC, now DPAA) identified the remains of Lieutenant Colonel Howard David Stephenson, missing from the Vietnam War.

Lieutenant Colonel Stephenson entered the U.S. Air Force from Massachusetts and was a member of the 16th Special Operations Squadron. On March 29, 1972, he was a crew member aboard an AC-130A gunship (tail number 55-0044, nicknamed “Prometheus”) that took off from Ubon Airfield, Thailand, on a night reconnaissance mission to targets east of Savannakhet in southern Laos. The aircraft was shot down by enemy surface-to-air missiles, killing Lt Col Stephenson and the other crew members. Search and rescue efforts were curtailed due to heavy enemy activity, and no remains could be recovered at that time. Between 1986 and 2006, a joint U.S./Laotian team excavated the crash site in Savannakhet Province and recovered human remains and artifacts. Modern forensic techniques were eventually able to identify Lt Col Stephenson among the remains recovered.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Brauner, Henry Paul
Air Force Lieutenant colonel

Henry Paul Brauner from Franklin Park, New Jersey.

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: March 29, 1972
Death details: On July 24, 2009, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC, now DPAA) identified the remains of Lieutenant Colonel Henry Paul Brauner, missing from the Vietnam War.
Lieutenant Colonel Brauner entered the U.S. Air Force from New Jersey and was a member of the 16th Special Operations Squadron. On March 29, 1972, he was the navigator aboard an AC-130A (tail number 55-0044, nicknamed “Prometheus”) when it took off from Ubon Airfield, Thailand, on a night reconnaissance mission to targets east of Savannakhet in southern Laos. The gunship was shot down by enemy surface-to-air missiles, killing Lt Col Brauner and the other crew members. Search and rescue efforts were curtailed due to heavy enemy activity, and no crew member remains including those of Lt Col Brauner were recovered at that time. Between 1986 and 2006, joint U.S./Laotian teams excavated the gunship’s crash site in Savannakhet Province and recovered human remains and artifacts. DPAA analysts used modern forensic techniques to eventually identify Lt Col Brauner’s remains from among those recovered.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Young, Barclay Bingham
Air Force Major

Barclay Bingham Young from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Broward county.

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Wednesday, March 29, 1972

Death details: On March 25, 2008, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC, now DPAA) identified the remains of Major Barclay Bingham Young, missing from the Vietnam War.

Major Young entered the U.S. Air Force from Connecticut and was a member of the 16th Special Operations Squadron. On March 29, 1972, he was a crew member aboard an AC-130A gunship (tail number 55-0044, nicknamed “Prometheus”) that took off from Ubon Airfield, Thailand, on a night reconnaissance mission to targets east of Savannakhet in southern Laos. The aircraft was shot down by enemy surface-to-air missiles, killing Maj Young and the other crew members. Search and rescue efforts were curtailed due to enemy activity, and Maj Young’s remains could not be recovered at the time. Between 1986 and 2006, joint U.S./Laotian teams excavated the crash site and recovered human remains and artifacts. Modern forensic techniques were eventually able to identify Maj Young among the remains recovered.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Castillo, Richard
Air Force Lieutenant colonel

Richard Castillo from Corpus Christi, Texas.

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Wednesday, March 29, 1972
Death details: On October 9, 1986, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC, now DPAA) identified the remains of Lieutenant Colonel Richard Castillo, missing from the Vietnam War. Lieutenant Colonel Castillo entered the U.S. Air Force from Texas and was a member of the 16th Special Operations Squadron. On March 29, 1972, he was a crew member on an AC-130A gunship (tail number 55-0044, nicknamed “Prometheus”) that took off from Ubon Airfield, Thailand, on a night reconnaissance mission to targets east of Savannakhet in southern Laos. The aircraft was shot down by enemy surface-to-air missiles, killing Lt Col Castillo and the other crew members. Search and rescue efforts were curtailed due to heavy enemy activity, and no remains could be recovered at that time. Between 1986 and 2006, a joint U.S./Laotian team excavated the crash site in Savannakhet Province and recovered human remains and artifacts. Investigators were able to identify Lt Col Castillo among the remains recovered.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Halpin, Richard Conroy
Air Force Captain

Richard Conroy Halpin from San Diego, California, San Diego county.

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Wednesday, March 29, 1972
Death details: On September 10, 1986, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC, now DPAA) identified the remains of Captain Richard Conroy Halpin, missing from the Vietnam War. Captain Halpin entered the U.S. Air Force from California and was a member of the 16th Special Operations Squadron. On March 29, 1972, he was a crew member aboard an AC-130A gunship (tail number 55-0044, nicknamed “Prometheus”) that took off from Ubon Airfield, Thailand, on a night reconnaissance mission to targets east of Savannakhet in southern Laos. The aircraft was shot down by enemy surface-to-air missiles, killing Capt Halpin and the other crew members. Search and rescue efforts were curtailed due to heavy enemy activity, and no remains could be recovered at that time. Between 1986 and 2006, joint U.S./Laotian teams excavated the crash site in Savannakhet Province and recovered human remains and artifacts. Investigators were able to identify Capt Halpin among the remains recovered.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Paulson, Merlyn Leroy
Air Force Major sergeant

Merlyn Leroy Paulson from North Dakota, Cass county.

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Wednesday, March 29, 1972
Death details: On June 12, 1987, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC, now DPAA) identified the remains of Master Sergeant Merlyn Leroy Paulson, missing from the Vietnam War. Master Sergeant Paulson entered the U.S. Air Force from North Dakota and was a member of the 16th Special Operations Squadron. On March 29, 1972, he was a crew member aboard an AC-130A gunship (tail number 55-0044, nicknamed “Prometheus”) that took off from Ubon Airfield, Thailand, on a night reconnaissance mission to targets east of Savannakhet in southern Laos. The aircraft was shot down by enemy surface-to-air missiles, killing MSgt Paulson and the other crew members. Search and rescue efforts were curtailed due to heavy enemy activity, and no remains could be recovered. Between 1986 and 2006, a joint U.S./Laotian team excavated the crash site in Savannakhet Province and recovered human remains and artifacts. Investigators were able to identify MSgt Paulson among the remains recovered.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Load More
Back To Top