In Honor Of
Capt. Douglas P. LeFever
Least We Never Forget....
Name: Douglas Paul LeFever
Rank/Branch: Captian
Unit:497th Tatical Fighter Squadron
D.O.B.:04 January 1943
Home City of Record: Arcanum Ohio
Date of Loss: 05 November 1969
Country of Loss:Laos
Loss Coordinates: 172800N 105390E (WE725422)
Status:Missing In Action
Acft/Vehicle/Ground:F4D
Other Personal In Icident:Maj. Joseph Y. Echanis (Missing)
Synopsis:Capt. Douglas P. LeFever was the pilot and Major Joseph Y. Echanis was the navigator of an F4D aircraft from the 497th Tactical Fighter Squadron. On November 5th, 1969, thier mission was to act as Forward Air ontroller for an operational mission over Laos. While directing a flight over the assigned area, radio contact was lost with the plane. At 4:34 am, one of the strike aircraft saw a large ball of fire on the ground. Although no parachutes were observed, the Air Force concluded that the possibility exists that the crew ejected and safely reached the ground.
Throughout the day, an electric search was conducted, with negative results. The terrain where the plane went down was so rugged that a visual search was not possible. No wreckage was ever found. The last known location was just southwest of Ban Som Peng, in Khammouane Province, Laos.
Since the war's end in 1973, thousands of reports have been received by the US Government regarding Americans in Laos, where nearly 600 Americans went missing, and none released.
Henry Kissinger predicted in the 50's that future "limited political engagments" would result, unfortunatly, in nonrecoverable prisoners of war.
We have seen this prediction fulfilled in Korea and Vietnam where thousands of men and women reamin missing, and where ample evidence exists that many of them (from both wars) are still alive today. For Americans the "unfortunate" abandonment of military personal IS NOT ACCEPTABLE and the policy that allows it must be changed befor another generation is left behind in some faraway war.
And remember please pray everyday that God protects these men, and all other's that have not come home, and to keep them safe from harm, and give peace to the families of all of our soldiers either active, inactive, or POW/MIA.
PLEASE WRITE OR CONTACT YOU LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND TELL THEM HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS PRACTICE AND TELL THEM TO:
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Vice-President of the United States
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