Obituaries (1 Viewer)

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MADISON, Wis. — Federal officials have identified the remains of a U.S. Air Force pilot from Wisconsin who went missing during the Vietnam War nearly 60 years ago.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced Tuesday that its scientists in December positively identified the remains of U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Donald W. Downing of Columbus.


Downing was piloting an F-4C Phantom II aircraft during an armed night reconnaissance mission over the then-Democratic Republic of Vietnam in September 1967 when his plane disappeared. Another plane in the formation reported a midair fireball and Downing's plane didn't respond to any further radio calls, according to the accounting agency.

Search-and-rescue efforts yielded nothing and Downing was reported as killed in action in April 1978. He was a captain when he disappeared but was posthumously promoted to lieutenant colonel.

Decades of investigation yielded nothing until a recovery team in May and June 2024 discovered life support equipment, aircraft wreckage and bone tissue at a site in Quang Binh Province, Vietnam.

The accounting agency's scientists used DNA testing and other evidence to identify Downing. His funeral will be held in Arlington National Cemetery on an as-yet-undetermined date.

www.marinecorpstimes.com

Remains of pilot lost over Vietnam nearly 60 years ago identified

Lt. Col. Donald Downing was piloting an F-4C Phantom II aircraft during a night mission when his plane disappeared in a fireball.
www.marinecorpstimes.com www.marinecorpstimes.com
 
Thumpalumpacus said:
MADISON, Wis. — Federal officials have identified the remains of a U.S. Air Force pilot from Wisconsin who went missing during the Vietnam War nearly 60 years ago.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced Tuesday that its scientists in December positively identified the remains of U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Donald W. Downing of Columbus.


Downing was piloting an F-4C Phantom II aircraft during an armed night reconnaissance mission over the then-Democratic Republic of Vietnam in September 1967 when his plane disappeared. Another plane in the formation reported a midair fireball and Downing's plane didn't respond to any further radio calls, according to the accounting agency.

Search-and-rescue efforts yielded nothing and Downing was reported as killed in action in April 1978. He was a captain when he disappeared but was posthumously promoted to lieutenant colonel.

Decades of investigation yielded nothing until a recovery team in May and June 2024 discovered life support equipment, aircraft wreckage and bone tissue at a site in Quang Binh Province, Vietnam.

The accounting agency's scientists used DNA testing and other evidence to identify Downing. His funeral will be held in Arlington National Cemetery on an as-yet-undetermined date.

www.marinecorpstimes.com

Remains of pilot lost over Vietnam nearly 60 years ago identified

Lt. Col. Donald Downing was piloting an F-4C Phantom II aircraft during a night mission when his plane disappeared in a fireball.
www.marinecorpstimes.com www.marinecorpstimes.com
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My thoughts are with Col. Downing's family, and with sincere appreciation to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency for their unflagging and underappreciated efforts.
Col. Downing.jpg

From honorstates.org: On September 5, 1967, four men were on a combat mission in two McDonnell Douglas Phantom II Fighter F-4 jets over Quang Binh Province, North Vietnam.
Paul D Raymond was the pilot of the F-4D Phantom II #63-7547 "Sharkbait 42" with Donald W Downing as his bombardier navigator.
Carl D Miller was the pilot of the F-4D Phantom II (65-0723) "Tide 02" with Thomas P Hanson as his bombardier navigator.
Both aircraft crashed on their missions near the coast of Vietnam. Raymond and Downing went down about 10 miles north of the city of Vinh Linh, while Miller and Hanson went down about 20 miles north of Vinh Linh. All four of these men are classified as Missing in Action.
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There are many media mentions about identifying Col. Downing, but no mention of the F-4's pilot, Paul Raymond.

Also, oddly one media report claims this was a "spy mission," which I'd assume might refer to photo-recon, though at night, that seems odd. I can only assume it was more 'creative editorial license!'
 
:pilotsalute:

Downing was piloting an F-4C Phantom II aircraft during an armed night reconnaissance mission over the then-Democratic Republic of Vietnam in September 1967 when his plane disappeared. Another plane in the formation reported a midair fireball and Downing's plane didn't respond to any further radio calls, according to the accounting agency.

Search-and-rescue efforts yielded nothing and Downing was reported as killed in action in April 1978.

He was MIA for over ten years. When did the USAF change from a year and a day missing being the automatic date when a MIA was declared KIA and the death certificate being issued?
 
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MiTasol said:
:pilotsalute:

Downing was piloting an F-4C Phantom II aircraft during an armed night reconnaissance mission over the then-Democratic Republic of Vietnam in September 1967 when his plane disappeared. Another plane in the formation reported a midair fireball and Downing's plane didn't respond to any further radio calls, according to the accounting agency.

Search-and-rescue efforts yielded nothing and Downing was reported as killed in action in April 1978.

He was MIA for over ten years. When did the USAF change from a year and a day missing being the automatic date when a MIA was declared KIA and the death certificate being issued?
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I suspect that has something to do with North Vietnam's secrecy regarding PoWs.
 
fannum said:
My thoughts are with Col. Downing's family, and with sincere appreciation to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency for their unflagging and underappreciated efforts.
View attachment 815228
From honorstates.org: On September 5, 1967, four men were on a combat mission in two McDonnell Douglas Phantom II Fighter F-4 jets over Quang Binh Province, North Vietnam.
Paul D Raymond was the pilot of the F-4D Phantom II #63-7547 "Sharkbait 42" with Donald W Downing as his bombardier navigator.
Carl D Miller was the pilot of the F-4D Phantom II (65-0723) "Tide 02" with Thomas P Hanson as his bombardier navigator.
Both aircraft crashed on their missions near the coast of Vietnam. Raymond and Downing went down about 10 miles north of the city of Vinh Linh, while Miller and Hanson went down about 20 miles north of Vinh Linh. All four of these men are classified as Missing in Action.
-----------------------
There are many media mentions about identifying Col. Downing, but no mention of the F-4's pilot, Paul Raymond.

Also, oddly one media report claims this was a "spy mission," which I'd assume might refer to photo-recon, though at night, that seems odd. I can only assume it was more 'creative editorial license!'
Click to expand...
☑️
 
MiTasol said:
Originally that would have made sense though the fireball was a very persuasive indication that he was not a PoW and I thought that by the NV government had released all PoW names long before 78
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A fireball in a night mission isn't indicative of much. An ejection seat suddenly ruining your might vision may as well be a fireball for any witness.

As for believing that the NV gov't released all names, I'm not so sure. I'd have to do more research but I'm pretty sure that they (or was it Cambodians?) held PoWs incommunicado and in secret. I'm open to correction and will myself look into it more tomorrow to ensure I'm not shitting about ... but they weren't very keen on GC/ICRC conventions.
 
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