Fri, Oct 19, 2007
Major Robert Lapham Is Home At Last
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO)
announced Thursday the remains of a US serviceman, missing from the
Vietnam War, have been identified and returned to his family for
burial with full military honors. He is Maj. Robert G. Lapham, US
Air Force, of Marshall, MI. He will be buried Friday in Arlington
National Cemetery near Washington, DC.
On February 8, 1968, Lapham was flying the lead A-1G Skyraider
in a flight of two in Quang Tri Province, Vietnam. The aircraft
were alerted to join an airborne forward air controller to destroy
enemy tanks that had overrun the Lang Vei Special Forces Camp.
After completing one pass on the tanks, Lapham was nearing his
target on the second pass when he crashed. The crew of the other
aircraft involved in the mission reported seeing no parachute.
Between 1993 and 1998, joint US/Socialist Republic of Vietnam
(SRV) teams, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC),
traveled to Quang Tri Province two times to investigate the
incident and interview witnesses. One team also surveyed the crash
site and found aircraft wreckage.
In 2003, another joint team investigated the incident and
resurveyed the crash site. The team found more wreckage and
pilot-related evidence, including Lapham's identification tag.
Between 2004 and 2006, JPAC teams traveled to Quang Tri Province
four times to excavate the crash site. The teams recovered human
remains, aircraft wreckage and pilot-related items.
Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial
evidence, scientists from JPAC also used dental comparisons in the
identification of the remains.
More News
Also: SkyReach Parts Support, Piper Service Ctr, Airliner Near-Miss, Airshow London The Judge overseeing Icon's convoluted Chapter 11 process has approved $9 million in Chapter 11 >[...]
ILS PRM Approach An instrument landing system (ILS) approach conducted to parallel runways whose extended centerlines are separated by less than 4,300 feet and at least 3,000 feet >[...]
Aero Linx: FlyPups FlyPups transports dogs from desperate situations to fosters, no-kill shelters, and fur-ever homes. We deliver trained dogs to veterans for service and companion>[...]
Also: Skydio Chief, Uncle Sam Sues, Dash 7 magniX, OR UAS Accelerator US Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall was given a turn around the patch in the 'X-62A Variable In-flight>[...]
Also: NBAA on FAA Reauth, DJI AG Drones, HI Insurance Bill Defeated, SPSA Airtankers The Beechcraft Denali continues moving forward towards certification, having received its FAA T>[...]