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PAUL E GETCHELL
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HONORED ON PANEL 35W, LINE 82 OF THE WALL

PAUL EVERETT GETCHELL

WALL NAME

PAUL E GETCHELL

PANEL / LINE

35W/82

DATE OF BIRTH

10/12/1936

CASUALTY PROVINCE

LZ

DATE OF CASUALTY

01/13/1969

HOME OF RECORD

PORTLAND

COUNTY OF RECORD

Cumberland County

STATE

ME

BRANCH OF SERVICE

AIR FORCE

RANK

LTC

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ASSOCIATED ITEMS LEFT AT THE WALL
bracelet, commemorative POW*MIA pin, American Legion lapel painting
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LEFT FOR PAUL EVERETT GETCHELL
POSTED ON 11.24.2024

Final Mission of Capt Paul H. Getchell

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On January 13, 1969, pilot Lt Col Norman D. Eaton and navigator Capt Paul H. Getchell were flying a Martin B-57B Canberra (#52-1561) from the 8th Bomb Squadron, 35th Tactical Fighter Wing, 7th Air Force, call sign Yellowbird 52, on a night bombing mission over Laos. In the target area, Yellowbird 52 was cleared to attack the target by the Forward Air Controller (FAC). They made one successful napalm pass and one dry-run pass. Eaton was then cleared by the FAC for a third pass. At the time, the FAC was on a heading which precluded him from observing the third pass; however, he noticed an explosion shortly after Yellowbird 52 radioed “Off target.” No further contact was made with Yellowbird 52. Another FAC in the area reported picking up a two-second beeper signal. Search and rescue efforts were initiated but neither voice nor beeper signals were heard. These efforts were suspended at 7:00 PM on January 14, 1969, following negative contact with the crew and no crash site located. Both crewmen were placed in a status of missing. Each man was promoted, Eaton to Colonel, and Getchell to Lieutenant Colonel. Thirty-five years later, during January-February 2005, a joint Lao-U.S. team visited the area and began excavation of a suspected crash site. Human remains recovered from these efforts were positively identified the following year as those of Eaton and Getchell. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org]
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POSTED ON 9.8.2022
POSTED BY: John Fabris

honoring you...

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. I am heartened you returned home though I wish it had been under very different circumstances. May you rest in eternal peace.
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POSTED ON 11.27.2021
POSTED BY: Tammy Griffin

Paul Getchell

I too wore a bracelet in his honor, so glad to learn 40 + years later he was recovered and brought home.
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POSTED ON 10.12.2020
POSTED BY: Dennis Wriston

I'm proud of our Vietnam Veterans

Lieutenant Colonel Paul Everett Getchell, Served with the 8th Bomb Squadron, 35th Tactical Fighter Wing, 7th Air Force.
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POSTED ON 9.20.2019
POSTED BY: Susan Ballentine

POW Bracelet

When I was in the 7th grade I wore a POW bracelet for Major Paul Getchell. I never took it off until it broke in half. No one ever told me if he made it home. About 18 years ago, I went to DC and found his name on the VN Vet Memorial Wall ?? RIP??
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