Remains Returned 05/02/97

Rank/Branch: O3/US Air Force
Unit: 2nd Bombardment Squadron
Date of Birth: 11 April 1938
Home City of Record: Suitland MD
Date of Loss: 07 July 1967
Country of Loss: South Vietnam/Over Water
Loss Coordinates: 094357N 1065858E
Status (in 1973): Killed/Body Not Recovered
Category: 5
Acft/Vehicle/Ground: B52D
Other Personnel in Incident: George E. Jones; Olen B. McLaughlin. On second B52: Paul A. Avolese; William J. Crumm; David F. Bittenbender  (all missing)
Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 15 March 1991 from one or more of the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews. Updated by the P.O.W. NETWORK.
REMARKS: AIR COLLISION - 7 RESC - N SUBJ - J
SYNOPSIS: Boeing B52 Stratofortress bombers have long been the Air Force's most important strategic bomber. Used heavily in Vietnam, the venerable aircraft continued its role throughout the Southeast Asia conflict and played an important role in the Persian Gulf war two decades later.

On July 7, 1967, two B52 aircraft were enroute to a combat mission when they collided in mid-air over the South China Sea. The aircraft were approximately 20 miles offshore at the point of Vinh Binh Province when the accident occurred. Seven crewmembers from the aircraft were rescued, but Avolese, Crumm, Bittenbender, Blankenship, Jones, and McLaughlin were not.

All the missing crewmen onboard the two B52 downed that day were believed to be dead. It is unfortunate, but a cold reality of war that their remains were not recoverable. They are listed with honor among the missing because their remains cannot be buried with honor at home.

Major General William J. Crumm is the highest-ranking man missing.

In 1993-94, joint U.S.-Vietnamese investigative teams interviewed a Vietnamese fishermen who claimed to have located wreckage and human remains from a large aircraft in 100 feet of water. The fishermen turned the remains over to U.S. authorities.

The remains of Blankenship and Jones were identified individually, and are part of a group remains identification. Mitochondrial DNA testing was used to confirm the two identifications. Their remains will be shipped from the U.S. Army's Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii at a later date
determined by the families.