A Final Memorial Day thought

This is a place for veterans of military service to remember and reflect. War time or peace. Any service.

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riptidenj
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A Final Memorial Day thought

Post by riptidenj » Wed Jun 02, 2010 2:42 pm

Which also applies to Remembrance Day (?)-UK, Anzac Day, and whatever are the appropriate days in Canada, France
and other members countries.
Take a few minutes to think about those whose fates have never been determined, whose final resting places have yet to be located, and whose families never had closure.
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Niner
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Re: A Final Memorial Day thought

Post by Niner » Wed Jun 02, 2010 3:06 pm

Some continue to be found years afterward. One guy I went to high school with, Allen Graham was shot down flying an F111 in North Vietnam. His body was eventually turned over to the US in 1977.

From a government page.
On October 17, 1972, Capt. James A. Hockridge and 1Lt. Allen U. Graham were
flying an F111A near the city of Cho Moi in Bac Thai Province, North
Vietnam, when their aircraft was shot down. Later, Hanoi released a photo
showing the ID cards of both men, and other military papers from the crash.
Both Hockridge and Graham were mentioned in the story, which featured photos
of the totally burned wreckage of the aircraft, even though the military
papers and ID cards showed no fire damage. Radio Hanoi claimed both pilots
died in the crash and that this was the 4,000th aircraft downed over North
Vietnam. A later broadcast reported some remains were recovered and buried
along the Ca Lo River. Both men were listed as Missing in Action, until
their remains were returned by the Vietnamese September 30, 1977.
Another guy who's family I was familiar with was killed as a pilot and his body was found 35 years later.

http://www.pownetwork.org/bios/y/y351.htm
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rice paddy daddy
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Re: A Final Memorial Day thought

Post by rice paddy daddy » Fri Jun 04, 2010 2:38 pm

My wife's first husband served with a Naval aviator who was shot down over Laos and survived to make radio communication from the ground. He was never heard from again.
There is nothing so exhilarating as to be shot at without result.
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Member: VFW, Vietnam Veterans of America, American Legion, Society of the 5th Infantry Division
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DuncaninFrance
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Re: A Final Memorial Day thought

Post by DuncaninFrance » Sat Jun 05, 2010 4:51 pm

A classic example is the recent discovery of massed burials at Fromelles in France from a battle fought 94 years ago.
http://www.cwgc.org/fromelles/?page=english/homepage
Duncan

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