THE WALL OF FACES

On February 6, 1967, CAPT Lucius L. Heiskell was a pilot and was flying an O1F aircraft on a visual reconnaissance mission with another O1F when his aircraft was struck by enemy fire forcing him to bail out. His parachute was followed to the ground and voice contact with him indicated that immediate rescue was not feasible due to enemy troops in the area. Beeper signals continued and later an HH3E helicopter flown by MAJ Patrick H. Wood was dispatched to recover Heiskell. He was at this time located near the border of Laos and North Vietnam about 5 miles from the Mu Gia Pass. Wood's crew that day included CAPT Richard A. Kibbey and SSST Donald J. Hall. Heiskell was hoisted aboard, but as the helicopter was departing the area, it was hit by ground fire causing it to explode and crash. The helicopter pararescueman (D.D. Hackney) survived, was rescued and treated for burns. The remainder of the crew, Hall, Kibbey and Wood, as well as Heiskell, were not located. Patrick H. Wood was promoted to the rank of Colonel during the time he was maintained Missing in Action. Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 15 March 1991 from one or more of the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POWMIA families, published sources, interviews. [Taken from vhpa.org]

(Photo Credit: his son Richard Kibbey Jr) Rest in peace with the warriors.

If I should die, and leave you jere awhile, be not like others, sore undone, who keep long vigils by the silent dust, and weep...for MY sake, turn again to life, and smile...Nerving thy heart, and trembling hand to do something to comfort other hearts than thine...Complete these dear, unfinished tasks of mine...and I, perchance, may therein comfort you.

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

RIP Col. Kibbey. May you return soon to our hometown and your family.