Capt. James Wayne Herrick Jr.
Name: James Wayne Herrick, Jr.
Rank/Branch: 1LT/U S Air Force
Unit: 602nd Special Operations Squadron, NKP
Date of Birth: 28 October 1944
Home City of Record: Panora IA
Date of Loss: 27 October 1969
Country of Loss: Laos
Loss Coordinates: 193100N 1035000E (UG796608)
Status (in 1973): Missing In Action
Category: 3
Acft/Vehicle/Ground: A1H
REFNO: 1506
Other Personnel In Incident: none missing
Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project from one or more of the
following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with
POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews. Updated by the P.O.W.
NETWORK.
REMARKS:
SYNOPSIS: Jim Herrick was born on a farm in Guthrie Co. Iowa, the oldest son of the Herricks. He had paralytic polio at the age of 7, but by the summer of his 8th year was completely recovered with no trace of paralysis. He had a normal, active youth.
In school at Iowa State College, Jim was in the Air Force ROTC, and went to flight school following college. He volunteered for overseas duty and was sent to Southeast Asia in May 1969.
On October 27, 1969, Jim was flying an A1H aircraft on a reconnaissance mission when his plane went down in Xiangkhouang Province, Laos. His last known location was one mile north-northwest of Ban Khang Pha Nien and 19 miles north-northeast of Xieng Khouang. This is near the famed Plaine des Jarres region of Laos.
In the prisoner of war release following the signing of the Paris Peace agreements, no prisoners held by the Lao were released. Only those prisoners held by the Vietnamese were freed. Jim Herrick, along with nearly 600 other Americans, disappeared in Laos and were left behind, forgotten.
Thousands of reports of Americans held in captivity have been received by the United States Government. Many sources have been polygraphed and indicate no deception, yet the government states there is no "proof" Americans are being held. Yet, the reports persist, and increase in number as the years pass.
As the years pass, what must those men be thinking of us?
James W. Herrick was promoted to the rank of Captain during the period he was maintained Missing in Action. He was presumptively declared killed in action 21 November 1977, based on no new information to prove he was alive.
Information from No-Quarter:
--- General / Personal ---
Last name: HERRICK First name: JAMES WAYNE JR Home of Record (official): PANORA State (official): IA Date of Birth: Saturday, October 28, 1944 Sex: Male Race: Caucasian Marital Status: Single
--- Military ---
Branch: Air Force Rank: CPT Serial Number: 482503407 Component: Reserve Pay grade: O3 MOS (Military Occupational Specialty code): 1115J
--- Action ---
Start of Tour: Monday, October 27, 1969 Date of Casualty: Monday, November 21, 1977 Age at time of loss: 33 Casualty type: (A3) Hostile, died while missing Reason: Air loss - Crashed on land (Pilot - Fixed wing aircraft) Country: Laos Province: Unknown/Not Reported The Wall: Panel 17W - Row 124
The Wall Memorial
