THE WALL OF FACES

LTJG Anderson. I first became aware of OP-2E 131436 through your crewmember ATN3 Siow's remembrance. After Army in VN, I eventually went into the Navy and chose P-3s as my platform. You are remembered.

Lieutenant Junior Grade Denis Leon Anderson, Served with Observation Squadron 67 (VO-67), Pacific Fleet.

On January 11, 1968, a U.S. Navy OP-2E Neptune aircraft (#131436) from Observation Squadron 67 (VO-67), a squadron that operated secretly out of an airbase in Thailand, was one of three planes dispatched on an Acoubuoy drop mission over Laos. The Neptune aircraft was designed to drop electronic sensors to detect truck movements along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Carrying a crew of nine, radio and radar contact with the aircraft was lost at 9:57 AM. It was reported by one of the other pilots that the last words of lost aircraft's mission commander were simply, "I'm going down through this hole in the clouds." An extensive visual, electronic, and photographic search was conducted in the area of the aircraft's last known position. The lost crewmen included LTJG Denis L. Anderson, LTJG Arthur C. Buck, AE2 Richard M. Mancini, CDR Delbert A. Olson, AO2 Michael L. Roberts, ATN3 Gale R. Siow, LTJG Philip P. Stevens, ADJ2 Donald N. Thoreson, and PH2 Kenneth H. Widon. The crew's mascot, a bull terrier named Snoopy, was also killed. On January 23rd, a USAF A-1 Skyraider located a suspected crash site. On January 25th, an USAF O-2 Skymaster from the 23rd Tactical Air Support Squadron photographed the site. Using the photographs for photo interpretation, and in conjunction with visual air reconnaissance of the site, it was determined that the wreckage was that of the lost Neptune aircraft. The plane had crashed on the northern side of a sheer cliff, 150 feet below the 4583-foot summit line of Phou Louang mountain, about nine miles northeast of Ban Nalouangnua, Khammouane Province, Laos. It was decided that all indications were that there were no survivors and most probably no identifiable remains. Because of the heavy jungle canopy, irregular terrain, and the close proximity of enemy forces, no ground team was inserted to inspect the crash site for remains. There was no indication as to the exact cause of the crash. All members of the crew were placed in an initial casualty status of Missing in Action, later changed to Presumed Killed in Action/Body Not Recovered. Thirty-three years later, in an operation utilizing U.S. Army mountaineers, the crash was excavated and remains were recovered and repatriated on July 10, 2001. They were positively identified on May 20, 2003. A group burial took place at Arlington National Cemetery. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org, pownetwork.org, and vo-67.org]

I wore this young man’s name on my arm from 1970 until it broke and fell apart. When we were asked to send our bracelets back to be melted for the memorial, I kept it since he was still MIA at that time. After researching on the web, I discovered he was found in 2001 and Identified in 2003.

I would love to know more about him. I would also like to let his family know how I carried, thought and prayed for their Denis for the last 47 years. The broken bracelet was kept in my jewelry box which was stolen in 1997. It was always my intention to send the bracelet back to you.
I know nothing can change what you lost but someone you never have or never will meet looks for him on the wall.
I am sorry for your loss and grateful for his sacrifice.

I have always heard stories of you from your wife and my mother. You are well respected and loved by my self and our family. My respect and love will always be with you.