THE WALL OF FACES

Although we never met personally, I want to thank you John Stiles Earle, for your continued vigilant and faithful service, to this great country of ours!

Your Spirit is alive--and strong, therefore, you shall never be forgotten!

Again, thank you Lieutenant Earle, for a job well done!

MAYBE ONE DAY SOON.....UNTIL THEN.....HEAVENLY PEACE MY FRIEND

I have not forgotten you. I chair the Adoption Committee for The National League of Families of Prisoners of War and Missing in Action in Southeast Asia. We will always remember the 1,889 Americans still unaccounted for in Southeast Asia and the thousands of others that lost their lives. We will not stop our efforts until all of you are home where you belong.

We need to reach the next generation so that they will carry on when our generation is no longer able. To do so, we are attempting to locate photographs of all the missing. If you are reading this remembrance and have a photo and/or memory of this missing American that you would like to share for our project, please contact me at:

Candace Lokey
PO Box 206
Freeport, PA 16229
[email protected]

If you are not familiar with our organization, please visit our web site at :

www.pow-miafamilies.org

John was a teammate on the Westfield State College Soccer team.
It was the fall of my freshman year. I was nervous. I didn't know anybody. I wasn't even going to try out for the team. Johnny was an immensely popular upperclassman who heard that I played in high school. He encouraged me to join the team. He never stopped encouraging and supporting me and the others on the team. We went on to win the conference championship in large measure because of the chemistry nurtured by Johnny Earle.He made everyone else better because he was there.

LIEUTENANT


JOHN STILES EARLE



ATTACK SQUADRON 172

U.S.S. SHANGRI-LA (CVS-38)



ON 22 JUNE 1970

LT EARLE LAUNCHED IN HIS A4C ' SKYHAWK ' ATTACK AIRCRAFT

AS PART OF A TWO-PLANE STRIKE MISSION INTO SOUTH VIETNAM.

HIS 2130 HRS CATAPULT LAUNCH WAS NORMAL AS HE BEGAN HIS

INITIAL CLIMB. WHEN TOLD TO CLIMB BY THE "AIR BOSS", HE SAID,

"Roger, Boss, I'm trying. It just won't climb".


HIS AIRCRAFT WAS SEEN IN A SLOW DESCENT AND SECONDS LATER

IMPACTED THE WATER 2 TO 3 MILES AHEAD OF THE SHANGRI-LA.


THE AREA WAS THOROUGHLY SEARCHED BY DESTROYERS AND

HELICOPTERS THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT AND FOLLOWING DAY,

BUT THEY WERE UNSUCCESSFUL.


THE EXACT REASON FOR THE ACCIDENT WILL PERHAPS NEVER BE

KNOWN, BUT WHATEVER HAPPENED WAS OBVIOUSLY BEYOND

HIS CONTROL.


INITIALLY LT EARLE WAS PLACED INTO THE STATUS OF BEING

MISSING IN ACTION

BUT LATER WAS OFFICIALLY DECLARED TO BE

DEAD / BODY NOT RECOVERED


HE IS LISTED WITH HONOR AMONG THE MISSING BECAUSE

HIS REMAINS HAVE NEVER BEEN FOUND.



YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN

NOR SHALL YOU EVER BE


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When DOUGLAS AIRCRAFT created the A4 ' SKYHAWK ' the intent was to provide the NAVY and MARINE CORPS with an inexpensive, lightweight attack and ground support aircraft. The design emphasized low-speed control and stability during take-off and landing as well as strength enough for catapult launch and carrier landings. The plane was so compact that it did not need folding wings for aboardship storage and handling. In spite of its diminutive size, the A4 packed a devastating punch and performed well where speed and manoeuverability were essential.

Flying from an aircraft carrier is a special science. The limited takeoff and landing area leaves little room for error.
Occasionally, tragic accidents occur, claiming lives.