Arkansas lX

I have not spent too much time in Arkansas and as a result have very few memorials in my files.

As I was searching for something interesting to share I cam across Michel Sublett's name. At first I, mistakenly, thought that perhaps I had stumbled across one of the eight nurses listed on The Wall. IN all my writings, now about 1150, this has never happened and I was a bit excited. After realizing my error, I felt it was only right and just to give Corporeal Sublett his well earned due.

Michel Kent Sublett

 

Cpl Michel Sublett was lost to small arms fire in a hostile action. 

He was from Searcy, Arkansas where this memorial honors him, his service and his heroism, forever. As it should. 

The following three are listed upon the same memorial as POWs. 

William Ward Smith

Cpt. William Smith was involved in a midair collision with a helicopter. A rescue was attempted but his remains could not be found. He is still considered MIA. He was lost on July 23, 1966 in the Quang Tri Province.

I read a report, but could not verify, that the pilot was rescued. 

Edd D. Taylor

LTJG Edd Taylor was on a rescue mission to find a sailor in the water when his aircraft was shot down. the sailor he was attempting to save was captured and spent eight years as a POW. He survived and returned home.

For 36 years he was listed as MIA. In march of 2020 remains were excavated in the La Son Province and on May24, 201 DNA lead to the identification of LTJG Taylor.

R.I.P. and Welcome Home, brother

Don Franklin Worley

SSGT Don Worley was lost on March 11th, 1968 in Laos (you know, that place we never were.) The story is recounted below in an account I found on line. I hope it is accurate.                                                                                        

"AN ACCOUNT OF WHAT TOOK PLACE AT LIMA 85 ON 11 MARCH 1968

LIMA 85
Laos, 11 March 1968


LIMA 85 was the name of a TSQ-81 radar and TACAN site located in the mountains of Laos about 12 miles west of the Laos / North Vietnam Border border.

The TSQ-81 radar was used to provide flight following and navigation assistance for US aircraft operating in Laos and North Vietnam; the TACAN was (and remains) a standard radio navigation aid.

At the time LIMA 85 was established, Laos was officially neutral under the 1962 Geneva Accords.

The North Vietnamese government simply ignored the 1962 agreement and effectively exercised military control over large parts of Laos adjacent to the North Viet Nam, South Viet Nam, and Cambodian borders.

The United States government officially observed Laotian neutrality while unofficially attempting to respond to Laotian government requests for assistance.

The 1962 Accords prevented any open U. S. military presence in Laos, so the men assigned to operate LIMA 85 couldn't be military - yet only military personnel were trained in TSC-81 operations.

The answer was both simple and sneaky: US Air Force personnel were officially assigned to the 1043rd Radar Evaluation Squadron, Bolling Air Force Base, Washington DC, temporarily released from active duty, and "employed" by Lockheed as civilians.

The TSQ-81, TACAN, generators, prefab buildings, and other necessary equipment was provided by the United States Air Force and the site established on a 5860 foot high mountain called Phou Pha Thi. The site was protected on three sides by sheer cliffs.

Once in operation, LIMA 85 developed into a real thorn in North Vietnam's side - the high-resolution TSQ-81 radar allowed precision bomb drops by aircraft otherwise incapable of effective night/bad weather ground attack, while the TACAN supported accurate aircraft navigation.

The site was protected by a combination of Thai "mercenaries" and Laotian tribesmen loyal to the government - a total force of about 1,000 irregular troops.

In January 1968 the North Vietnamese attempted to destroy LIMA 85 by air attack in one of the very rare air operations conducted outside their own borders, the Peoples' Army of Vietnam (PAVN) Air Force used AN-2 Colts to bomb and strafe the site. While the attack was unsuccessful, it clearly illustrates the importance placed on destroying LIMA 85.

(NOTE: The PAVN Air Force Museum in Hanoi reportedly has a highly visible, detailed representation of the attack complete with a mock-up of the mountain, model AN-2 Colts, photos of the aircrew, and the gun pod from one of the AN-2 Colts).

In February 1968 it became evident that the NVN government intended to conduct a massive ground operation directed at capturing and destroying LIMA 85.

Ten PAVN battalions were identified moving toward and establishing base camps at the foot of Pha Thi mountain. The US Ambassador to Laos was responsible for deciding when the Americans manning LIMA 85 would be withdrawn - unfortunately, he left the decision undone for one day too long.

On 11 March 1968 the ground attack began and ended - by day's end the PAVN troops had assaulted through the fourth side of the site, the only approach not blocked by sheer cliffs, and had overrun the site.

US rescue efforts were only partially successful as eleven Americans were lost when LIMA 85 fell into enemy hands, and a twelfth was lost when his A-1E SKYRAIDER was shot down.

As of 06 November 2002, none of the twelve US Air Force men lost at LIMA 85 have been repatriated.
 

(( Last updated on 06 Nov 2002 ))"    

Note: Since this was first published several of the men lost have been repatriated through the joint efforts of the United States government and the Vietnamese government. 

Next time, on October 14th, we will return to California, to honor others so worthy of our admiration and never ending respect. Join me there, at 9:00 am., as always.

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron from Florida, Tim from Virginia, Molly from Florida, Colleen from Pennsylvania, Elli from Maryland, and Peg and Ray from Florida, among others, have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. I even got one from Ireland! These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served and/or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here.

I hope all those listed here will encourage you to send along photos and join the group.