Updates at the
bottom of the page...
On 1 March
1969, MAJ Wendell R. Keller, pilot, and 1LT Virgil K. Meroney III, co-pilot,
launched
as the lead aircraft in a flight of two, call signs "SHERMAN 01"
and
"SHERMAN 02". The flight was tasked with a Forward Air Controller (FAC),
call sign "CANDLESTICK 43", a C123 from Nakhon Phanom Air Base, Thailand.
The
target was a suspected storage area and vehicles moving through the mountains
southwest of the Ban Karai Pass,
Khammoune Province, Laos. CANDLESTICK 43
located
the target area and the SHERMAN flight began multiple rocket passes on it.
Moderate
to light ZPU-23 and 37mm anti-aircraft artillery fire was encountered.
At
about 0145, SHERMAN 02 held high while SHERMAN 01 went down to make their final
rocket pass.
A few seconds
later, SHERMAN 02 observed a large explosion in the target area.
SHERMAN
02 immediately attempted to make radio contact his lead but without success.
CANDLESTICK
43 initiated electronic and visual search and rescue (SAR) efforts.
Neither
CANDLESTICK nor SHERMAN 02 observed parachutes or heard
emergency
beepers or radio calls. Because the area was under total enemy control,
no
ground search was possible.
When
formal search efforts were terminated Keller and Meroney were listed Missing in
Action.
Their last known position
was about 12 miles southwest of the Ban Karai Pass.
Following
the first annual review of their status, the Air Force determined
that
there was no evidence that either of the men had ejected from the aircraft
and
their status was changed from MIA to Killed in Action, Body not Recovered.
There
have been numerous attempts by the Department of Defense, Joint Task Force -
Full
Accounting, to investigate the "Crash Site". The efforts of the investigations
have recovered
only small materials
from the possible site - but did produce several pieces of
personal
equipment indicating that crew member(s) were on-board when the plane crashed.
The investigators interviewed local Laotian
inhabitants who confirmed the location, which matches
the
military reported crash site. Further investigations through the years have not
turned up much more
crash site aircraft
material and the site has not fully been excavated because of unexploded ordinances.
There
are up to 15 crash sites in the immediate vicinity and no positive identification
can be made
until an aircraft engine
number is found.
Most
recent page Update February 26, 2010:
The
last on-site investigation was made in February,
2009, with numerous interviews of local Laotians.
No
new information was found regarding the crash site, burial sites, pilot related
equipment or personal
effects being
found in the area. Each time an investigation was made, the host government of
Laos cooperation
and support was
good at all levels. The Air Force Missing
Persons Branch in San Antonio, Texas, have been
very
helpful providing all the documentation and help pertaining to the on-going investigation.
Although
this JPAC (Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command) investigation took place in February,
2009,
DPMO (Defense POW/MIA Personnel Office) did not review the report until
October, 2009. The February report
was finally made available to the Next of
Kin in December, 2009.
Additionally, in July, 2009, a planned "Recovery/Excavation
Operation" was cancelled. The reason written for
the cancellation in
the report Summary stated: "Because of Pacific Command's Budget Constraints"
Recent
email correspondence with JPAC Public Affairs Office has answered some important
questions.
The following is quoted from their offices:
"Please
accept my apology for any frustration caused to you with regard to your requests
to
JPAC for information. We strive to provide expeditious responses to the
high volume
of inquiries we receive and hope that this email will establish
a more continuous dialogue
with you with fewer future delays.
As you
alluded to in your email, our mission planning process is a complex and dynamic
one
and it is sometimes difficult to provide definitive information before full coordination
and
preliminary planning are complete. Please be assured that the site associated
to your case
has been a topic of ongoing discussions at JPAC. In fact, during
a recent excavation decision meeting,
the priority of the Ban Katok Village
site believed to be associated with either your
case (1396) or the case 1781
aircraft was raised from Category 5 to Category 3.
The FY11 planning process
has started and we have added this site to the excavation plan
for the first
Laos mission of the fiscal year occurring in October-November 2010.
At
this time, it does not appear that any budget or safety constraints will interfere
with the
execution of this mission. I will pass along to the Air Force Casualty
office any significant changes
to our plan for this case so that you can be
kept informed of any updates."
I
vow to not relent and will persevere in my questions
that need answers until
my Brother is returned.
I sincerely appreciate the friendship and support
of the
Preddy Memorial Foundation.
email
address: dougmeroney@hotmail.com