08 May 2007 I wear a bracelet for CMSgt Aruthur V. McLaughlin. If anyone here knows anything about him, or knows his family, please let me know. Meredith meredith.powers.lupo@va.gov

 

A Note from The Virtual Wall On the night of 20/21 December 1972 99 B-52s from U-Tapao RTAFB and Guam conducted bombing raids on a number of targets in North Vietnam. Six of the B-52s and one supporting Navy A-6 were shot down. LTC John F. Stuart's B-52 (tail number 56-0622) first received minor damage from a MiG fighter and then was hit by at least one surface-to-air (SAM) missile northeast of Hanoi. Two of the six men aboard the aircraft were able to bail out, were captured, and later released (Captain T. J. Klomann and 1Lt P. L. Grainger); the other four died in the crash (LTC Stuart, Major R. A. Perry, Captain I. S. Lerner, and MSgt A. V. McLaughlin). Two of the six B-52s were able to make it to Laos or Thailand before the crews had to abandon their aircraft; the other four B-52s and the A-6A went down in North Vietnam. At dawn on 21 December, eleven B-52 crewmen had been picked up but there were 26 B-52 and two A-6A aircrew missing in action. Even when the POWs were released in February and March 1973, the situation wasn't fully clarified. Eleven live POWs were released (9 B-52, 2 A-6A) and the remains of LTC Keith R. Heggen, who died after capture, were repatriated. The North Vietnamese denied knowledge of the remaining 16 men, who were continued in MIA status. The seven aircraft and the ultimate disposition of their aircrews by tail number were B-52G 57-6496, 72nd Strat Wing, Guam: 2 killed in action, 4 POWs B-52G 57-6481, 72nd Strat Wing, Guam: 6 survived (Thailand) B-52D 56-0622, 307th Strat Wing, U-Tapao: 4 killed in action, 2 POWs B-52D 56-0669, 43rd Strat Wing, Guam: 1 killed in action, 5 survived (Laos) B-52G 58-0198, 72nd Strat Wing, Guam: 4 killed in action, 2 POWs released, 1 POW died B-52G 58-0169, 72nd Strat Wing, Guam: 5 killed in action, 1 POW A-6A 155594, VA-196, USS Enterprise: 2 POW The status of the six crewmen from B-52D tail number 56-0622 as of 24 Dec 2004 follows: Major John F. Stuart, pilot; remains not repatriated Major Randolph A. Perry, radar navigator; remains identified 13 Jan 2004 Captain Thomas J. Klomann, navigator; released POW Captain Irwin S. Lerner, Electronic Warfare officer; remains identified 30 Oct 2003 1st Lt Paul L. Granger, co-pilot; released POW CMSgt Arthur V. McLaughlin, Jr, gunner; remains not repatriated

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