You will NEVER be forgotten!!
THIS IS DEDICATED IN YOUR HONOR
Major Herbert Lamar Lunsford
Rank/Branch: O4/US Air
Force
Date of Birth: 02 September 1928
Home City of Record: Lauderdale, MS
Date of Loss: 25 July 1967
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 172000N 1064700E (XE895171)
Status (in 1973): Missing in Action
Category: 3
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: F4C
Refno: 0771
Other Personnel in Incident: Jeremy M. Jarvis (missing)
SYNOPSIS: The Phantom, used by Air Force, Marine and Navy air wings, served a multitude of functions including fighter-bomber and interceptor, photo and electronic surveilance. The two man aircraft was extremely fast (Mach 2), and had a long range (900-2300 miles, depending on stores and mission type.) The F4 was also extremely maneuverable and handled well at low and high altitudes. The F4 was selected for a number of state-of-the-art electronics conversions, which improved radar intercept and computer bombing capabilities enormously. Most pilots considered it one of the "hottest" planes around.
Major Herbert L. Lunsford and 1Lt. Jeremy M. Jarvis comprised the flight crew of an F4C Phantom which was assigned a mission over North Vietnam on 25 July 1967. Major Lunsford was the pilot, and 1Lt. Jarvis his backseater. Jarvis was responsible for operating the weapons/systems and navigational equipment.
Lunsford's aircraft was shot down and crashed at a point on the coast of North Vietnam about 10 miles south of Dong Hoi in Quang Binh Province. Both Lunsford and Jarvis were declared Missing in Action.
The Defense Intelligence Agency further expanded the Missing in Action classification to include and enemy knowledge ranking of 3. Category 3 indicates "doubtful knowledge" and includes personnel whose loss incident is such that it is doubtful that the enemy would have knowledge of the specific individuals (e.g. aircrews lost over water or remote areas).
Since American involvement in Vietnam ended in 1975, nearly 10,000 reports relating to Americans missing, prisoner, or otherwise accounted for in Indochina have been received by the US Government. Many officials, having examined this largely classified information, have reluctantly concluded that many Americans are still alive today, held captive by our long-ago enemy.
Whether Lunsford and Jarvis survived the over-water crash of their aircraft to be captured by the multitude of enemy fishing and military vessels often found along the coastline is certainly not known. It is not known if they might be among those thought to still be alive today. What is certain, however, is that as long as even one American remains alive, held against his will, we will owe him our very best efforts to bring him to freedom.
To the family of Herbert Lamar Lunsford...you are in our thoughts and prayers daily.
