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1990-06-05
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65 lines
BYNUM, NEIL STANLEY
Name: Neil Stanley Bynum
Rank/Branch: O2/US Air Force
Unit:
Date of Birth: 29 August 1943
Home City of Record: Vian OK
Date of Loss: 26 October 1969
Country of Loss: Laos
Loss Coordinates: 171300N 1060800E (XE212041)
Status (in 1973): Missing In Action
Category: 2
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: F4D
Other Personnel In Incident: Gray D. Warren (missing)
Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 15 June 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:
SYNOPSIS: When North Vietnam began to increase their military strength in South
Vietnam, NVA and Viet Cong troops again intruded on neutral Laos for sanctuary,
as the Viet Minh had done during the war with the French some years before. The
border road, termed the "Ho Chi Minh Trail" was used for transporting weapons,
supplies and troops.
The communists poured through the Mu Gia, Bartholemy and Ban Karai Passes in the
mountains along the border of Laos and Vietnam and went over into Laos and down
the trail. As time went by, the NVA established substantial missile and AAA
sites as well as logistic facilities near the passes as well as in a sector
north of the DMZ. The passes were of special concern, as U.S. fighter planes
were frequently routed through them when they were headed into Vietnam from
Thailand. Efforts were continually being made to clear these areas. Hundreds of
American pilots were shot down trying to stop this communist traffic to South
Vietnam. Fortunately, search and rescue teams in Vietnam were extremely
successful and the recovery rate was high.
Still there were nearly 600 who were not rescued. Many were alive on the ground
and in radio contact with search and rescue and other planes; some were known to
have been captured. Hanoi's communist allies in Laos, the Pathet Lao, publicly
spoke of American prisoners they held, but when peace agreements were
negotiated, Laos was not included, and not a single American was released that
had been held in Laos.
On April 23, 1LT Neil S. Bynum and Capt. Gray D. Warren were flying an F4D
Phantom on a mission near the Ban Karai pass when the plane was shot down. Both
men were declared missing in action. It was felt that ample evidence existed
that the enemy could account for both men.
In 1973, when American prisoners were released, the families of those men lost
in Laos were shocked to find that not one man had been released from Laos,
although they had been told negotiations had included them. Many knew their man
had survived, some had evidence of captivity.
There has been no negotiated release of prisoners from Laos since the war ended.
The nearly 600 Americans are still there, and tragically, reports continue to be
received that some are still alive as captives. Neil Bynum and Gray Warren could
be among them. It's long past time we brought our men home.
Gray D. Warren graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1965. Neil S. Bynum
was promoted to the rank of Captain during the period he was maintained missing.