|
This
Page Is Dedicated To
Richard K. Harper
|
 |
|
| Thanks to Joni's Patriotic Graphics. |
- Name: Richard K. Harper
- Rank/Branch: W3/US Army
- Unit: Headquarters, MACV
- Date of Birth: 02 October 1941
(Norwood MA)
- Home City of Record: Burlington
MA
- Date of Loss: 19 May 1965
- Country of Loss: South Vietnam
- Loss Coordinates: 141745N
1084450E (BR570815)
- Status (in 1973): Killed/Body
Not Recovered
- Category: 2
- Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: O1F
- Other Personnel in Incident:
Leroy M. Donovan (missing)
|
| Source: Compiled
by Homecoming II Project 15 October 1990 from one or more of the following: raw data from
U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA families, published sources,
interviews. |
| REMARKS: ACFT
OVERDUE-JF815-J |
| SYNOPSIS: The O1
"Bird Dog" was used extensively in the early years of the war in Vietnam by
forward air controllers and provided low, close visual reconnaissance and target marking
which enabled armed aircraft or ground troops to close in on a target. The Bird Dog was
feared by the enemy, because he knew that opening fire would expose his location and
invite attack by fighter planes controlled by the slowly circling Bird Dog. The Vietnamese
became bold, however, when they felt their position was compromised and attacked the
little Bird Dog with a vengeance in order to lessen the accuracy of the impending air
strike. |
On May 19, 1965,
O1 pilot CWO Rickard K. Harper was assigned an aerial reconnaissance mission over South
Vietnam. His observer was SFC Leroy M. Donovan. The aircraft, assigned to Headquarters,
MACV, departed Holloway Airfield at about 1300 hours.
At 1700 hours the aircraft was an hour overdue. A check was made with airfields where the
plane could have landed along its flight path, with negative results. A search was
initiated in and around Camp Holloway, and along the route the aircraft was to take.
Searches continued until May 25, but no sign of the aircraft or crew was found. Loss
location is estimated to be in Binh Dinh Province, near the border of Kontum Province.
Radio Hanoi broadcast on May 28 that the Viet Cong had shot down an O1F aircraft on May
18, which may or may not correlate to this aircraft because of the date discrepancy.
Nothing was ever found of the crew or plane, and no further indication that the crew had
been captured was ever found.
Donovan and Harper are among nearly 2500 Americans who disappeared in Southeast Asia.
Experts now believe, based on thousands of reports received, that there may be hundreds of
Americans still alive, captives of a long-ago enemy, today. Whether the crew of the O1F
lost on May 19, 1965 is among them is not certain. What is clear, however, is that we must
do everything it takes to bring these men home. Our honor depends upon it. |
| "All
Biographical and loss information on POWs provided by Operation Just Cause have been
supplied by Chuck and Mary Schantag of POWNET. Please check with
POWNET regularly for updates." |
You can make a difference
too!
Animated Flags by
The Animation Factory.
Contact the Web Master
This site is hosted by
Mystic Technologies/Inetking Internet Service
Since
September 28, 1998.
This page last updated
July 21, 2013 Warning to
Spammers. All spam is monitored by
spamcop and reported
to to the proper authorities. It is wise that you first see what this site
is about and respect the families and the men and women of the US Military
that have fought and died for your rights. This is not a business site and
the mailing address for this site is for the use of family and friends of
these brave soldiers. |
|
