Name: Richard Lee Ayers
Rank/Branch: O4/US Air Force
Unit: 12th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron
Date of Birth: 18 February 1933
Home City of Record: Waterloo IA
Date of Loss: 16 April 1970
Country of Loss: Laos
Loss Coordinates: 161400N 1063700E (XC727952)
Status (in 1973): Missing in Action
Category: 4
Acft/Vehicle/Ground: RF4C
Other Personnel in Incident: Robert E. Rausch (missing)
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 POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews. Copyright 1991 Homecoming II Project.
REMARKS: 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 surveillance. 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. Most pilots considered it one of the "hottest" planes around.
Capt. Robert E. Rausch was the pilot and Major Richard L. Ayers the Weapons/Systems officer of an RF4C Phantom from the 12th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron based at Tan Son Nhut Airbase, South Vietnam. On April 16, 1970, Rausch and Ayers were sent on a operational mission over Laos. When the aircraft did not return as scheduled, Rausch and Ayers were declared Missing in Action from the time of estimated fuel exhaustion.
In the early 1970's the Pathet Lao stated on a number of occasions that they held "tens of tens" of American prisoners and that those captured in Laos would also be released from Laos. Unfortunately, that release never occurred, because the U.S. did not include Laos in the negotiations which brought American involvement in the war to an end. The country of Laos was bombed by U.S. forces for several months following the Peace Accords in January 1973, and Laos steadfastly refused to talk about releasing our POWs
