THE WALL OF FACES

Major Lawrence Gene Stolz, Served with the 433rd Tactical Fighter Squadron, 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, 7th Air Force.

I HAVE WORN THIS BRAVE SOLDIER'S POW BRACLET FOR 45 YRS. NEVER HAVE I TAKEN IT OFF, PEOPLE DO REMEMBER
I THINK OF CAPT. STOLZ OFTEN, AND SAY A PRAYER FOR HIM ON CHRISTMAS DAY AND THE 26TH
I HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN...GOD BLESS

On December 26, 1971, aircraft commander CAPT Lawrence G. Stolz and weapons system operator 1LT Dale F. Koons were flying a USAF F-4D (#66-8818) from the 433rd Tactical Fighter Squadron, 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, 7th Air Force as the number three in a flight of four on a strike mission over North Vietnam. When the flight was about two or three miles from the target, their aircraft was seen to pull up and enter a cloud bank and disappear. Other members of the flight were unable to reestablish visual or radio contact with them and continued the mission. After the other flight members had struck the target, they attempted to contact CAPT Stolz or 1LT Koons without success. Because of the location and heavy enemy anti-aircraft fire, no search and rescue was attempted. In early January, 1990, it was announced that remains returned by the Vietnamese to U.S. control in April 1988 had been positively identified as those of Larry Stolz and Dale Koons. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and pownetwork.org]

It is around Christmas and I always think about him around now. I almost feel like I knew him. I always wonder if he made it back what would he be now.

CAPT Larry G. Stolz was a pilot and 1LT Dale F. Koons his rear seater aboard an F-4D Phantom fighter/bomber assigned to the 433rd Tactical Fighter Squadron at Ubon Airfield, Thailand. Stolz was serving his second tour in Vietnam. On his first tour, he had flown as "back-seater" on the F-4 as Koons was on his second. Stolz had been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and other honors for combat missions flown during his first tour of Vietnam. On December 26, 1971, Stolz and Koons were sent on a bombing mission over North Vietnam as number three in a flight of four aircraft. During the mission, Stolz' aircraft was hit, and he took the plane up into the low cloud cover either as escape procedure or in order to eject. Stolz and Koons were not seen again. The FBI later uncovered a photo made by the North Vietnamese which showed Larry's and Dale's identification, pistol, flight plans and dollar bills from their pockets. The Vietnamese added a note on the back of the photo which stated that both were "destroyed" with their aircraft when it crashed into Ham Rong Bridge in the Ham Rong area of Thanh Hoa Province. The photo had originally been printed in a Dutch newspaper, and again shown on CBS on January 6, 1972. In early January, 1990, it was announced that remains returned by the Vietnamese to U.S. control had been positively identified as those of Larry Stolz and Dale Koonz. [Taken from pownetwork.org]