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USS CORAL SEA
CVA-43 ASSOCIATION

 USS Coral Sea POW-MIA 

The following information resulted from inputs from a number of USS Coral Sea Association members. Two of the largest contributors are Jim Johnson and George Zadroga. 

Blankets of Stone

Little flags all in a row
Standing in grass that death hath sown
White crosses, too many, in a line
Most have been here for a long, long time.
The fields are green, the clouds so white
Why they lie here, it just doesn't seem right
These precious few, too many it is sworn
Now the families come here to mourn.
Children, fathers, mothers and the like
They do not feel these deaths were right
They were taken away, so fresh, so green
Only to die in fields so mean.
Thoughts and dreams to die within
The hearts and minds of these young men.
They died away from home, dying for what ?
They died in jungle, rice paddy and hut
That was not a war, still they died over there
When the live ones came home people did not care.
They were cursed, degraded and called by a name
Killers they were called, trying to put us to shame.
They went because they had to, defending our land
They went because the government had a grand plan.
they all died...but we did not win,
And their families' cries are carried on the wind.
Know that they lie here 'neath these fields alone
...Covered with only their blankets of stone.

John M. Blondin
USS Coral Sea /CVA 43
Viet Nam 1971-1975

John gave us permission to to put his poem on the site. It is appropriate for the subject which follows the poem.


NAME

RANK

SQUADRON

DATE of LOSS

LOSS-COUNTRY
HOW

COMMENT

C. B. Goodwin

LT JG

VFP-63
RF-8A

7 Sept. 1965

North Vietnam
Unknown

Missing in Action

Donald B. Parsons, Jr.

LT JG
U. S. Navy Reserve

VF 154
F-4B

19 Sept. 1966

North Vietnam
AM

Status in 1973: Killed in Action

Thomas H. Pilkington

LT JG
U. S. Navy Reserve

VF 154
F-4B

19 Sept. 1966

North Vietnam
SAM

Status in 1973: Killed in Action

J. R. Bauder

LT CDR

VF-21
F-4B

20 Sept. 1966

North Vietnam
Unknown

Missing in Action

J. B. Mills

LT JG

VF-21
F-4B

20 Sept. 1966

North Vietnam
Unknown

Missing in Action

James R. Bauder

LT CDR
U.S.Navy

VF 21
F-4B

21 Sept. 1966

North Vietnam
Unknown

Status in 1973: Missing in Action

James B. Mills

LT JG
U.S.Navy

VF 21
F-4B

21 Sept. 1966

North Vietnam
Unknown

Status in 1973: Missing in Action

Dunn

LT JG

VA-25
A-1H

20 Sept. 19966

Off China
MIG

Missing in Action

William T. Arnold

LT JG
U. S. Navy

VA 22
A-4C

18 Nov. 1966

North Vietnam
Over Water

Status in 1973: Missing in Action

Timothy B. Sullivan

LT JG
U. S. Navy

VF 151
F-4B

14 Nov. 1967

North Vietnam
SAM

Status in 1973: POW/ Released

O. R. Orell

CDR

VA-52
A-1H

13 Oct. 1968

North Vietnam
Unknown

Missing in Action

L. J. Stevens

LT JG

VA-216
A-4C

14 Feb. 1969

Laos
AAA

Missing in Action

Stanley M. Jerome

E-6
U. S. Navy

VAH 10
KA-3B

18 Feb. 1969

North Vietnam
Over Water

Status in 1973: Killed/ Body not Recovered

Dustin C. Trowbridge

LT JG
U. S. Navy

VA 35

26 Dec.1969

South Vietnam/ Over Water

Status in 1973: Killed/ Body not Recovered

M. G. Hoff

LT CDR

VA-86
A-7A

7 Jan. 1970

Laos
AAA

Missing in Action

John J. Parker

LT
U. S. Navy

VA 86

4 March 1970

South Vietnam/ Over Water

Status in 1973: Killed/ Body not Recovered

S. D. Ketchie

1 st LT
Marines

VMA-224
A-6A

9 April 1972

Laos
AAA

Missing in Action

J. W. McDonald

1 st LT
Marines

VMA-224
A-6A

3 May 1972

North Vietnam
Unknown

Missing in Action

Marvin B. Wiles

LT
U. S. Navy

VA 94
A-7E

6 May 1972

North Vietnam
SAM

Status in 1973: POW

R. E. Wilson

CAPT
Marines

VMA-224
A-6A

11 June 1972

North Vietnam
AAA

Missing in Action

G. R. Shumway

LT

VA-22
A-7E

25 June 1972

North Vietnam
Unknown

Missing in Action

Edward A. Dickson

LT
U. S. Navy Reserve

VA 155
A-4E

7 Feb. 1965

North Vietnam
AAA

Status in 1973: Killed/ Body not Recovered

Larry J. Stevens

LT JG
U. S. Navy

VA 216
A-4C

14 Feb. 1969

Laos, AAA and Small Arms Fire

Status in 1973: Missing in Action

Joseph P. Dunn

LT JG
U. S. Navy

VA 25
A-1H

14 Feb. 1968

China
MIG

Status in 1973: Missing in Action

Rodney Chapman

LT CDR
U. S. Navy

VAH 10
KA-3B

18 Feb. 1969

North Vietnam
Over Water

Status in 1973: Killed/ Body not Recovered

Eddie Schimmels

E-
U. S. Navy

VAH 10
KA-3B

18 Feb. 1969

North Vietnam
Over Water

Status in 1973: Killed/ Body not Recovered

Curtis H. Cropper

LT
U. S. Navy Reserve

VF 151

5 April 1970

North Vietnam
Over Water

Thomas E. Dunlop

Comdr.
U. S. Navy

VA 22
A-7E

6 April 1972

North Vietnam
SAM

Status in 1973: 
Killed in Action

Brian Bushnell

E-3
U.S. Navy

VAW 116
E-2A

9 April 1970

North Vietnam
Over Water

Status in 1973: 
Killed Body not Recovered

Larry C. Knight

U. S. Navy

VAW 116
E-2A

9 April 1970

North Vietnam
Over Water

Status in 1973:

Charles B. Pfaffmann

U. S. Navy

VAW 116
E-2A

9 April 1970

North Vietnam
Over Water

Status in 1973:

Andrew A. Horchar Jr.

U. S. Navy

VAW 116
E-2A

9 April 1970

North Vietnam
Over Water

Status in 1973:

David A. Kardell

LT
U. S. Navy

VF 154
F-8D

9 May
1965

North Vietnam
Unknown

Status in 1973: Killed/ Body not Recovered

Norman P. Westwood, Jr.

LT
U. S. Navy Reserve

VF 161

17 May
1970

North Vietnam

Status in 1973: Killed/ Body not Recovered

Peter Mongilardi, Jr

Comdr.
U. S. Navy

VA 153
A-4C

25 June
1965

North Vietnam
AAA

Status in 1973: Killed/ Body not Recovered

Harry E. Thomas

Comdr.
U. S. Navy

Commanding Officer-VA 153
A-4C

13 Aug.
1965

North Vietnam
AAA

Status in 1973: Killed/ Body not Recovered/ Remains returned and Identified: 30 October 1996

Wendell B. Rivers

Comdr.
U. S. Navy

VA 155
A-4E

10 Sept.
1965

North Vietnam

Status in 1973: POW/ Released

Charles N. Tanner

LT Comdr.
U. S. Navy

VF 154
F-4B

9 Oct.
1966

North Vietnam
AAA

Status in 1973: POW/ Released

Ross R. Terry

LT
U. S. Navy

VF 154
F-4B

9 Oct.
1966

North Vietnam
AAA

Status in 1973: POW/ Released

James D. Hunt

LT
U. S. Navy

VA 52
A-6A

13 Oct.
1968

North Vietnam
Over Water
Unknown

Status in 1973: Missing in Action
Status in 1978 changed to: Presumed Killed in Action

Quinlen Orel

CDR
U. S. Navy

VA 52
A-6A

13 Oct.
1968

North Vietnam
Over Water
Unknown

Status in 1973: Missing in Action
Status in 1978 changed to: Presumed Killed in Action

Frederick J. Fortner

LT JG
U. S. Navy Reserves

VA 155
A-4E

17 Oct.
1967

North Vietnam
Own Rockets

Status in 1973: Missing in Action

Richard C. Clark

LT JG
U. S. Navy

VF 151
F-4B

24 Oct.
1967

North Vietnam
SAM

Status in 1973: POW
Died in Captivity

Robert F. Frishmann

LT JG
U. S. Navy

VF 151
F-4B

24 Oct.
1967

North Vietnam
SAM

Status in 1973: POW/ Released

Charles R. Gillespie, Jr.

Comdr.
U. S. Navy

VF 151
F-4B

24 Oct.
1967

North Vietnam
SAM

Status in 1973: POW/ Released

Earl G. Lewis

LT JG
U. S. Navy

VF 151
F-4B

24 Oct.
1967

North Vietnam
SAM

Status in 1973: POW/ Released

Verlyne W. Daniels

Comdr.
U. S. Navy

VA 155
A-4E

26 Oct.
1967

North Vietnam
SAM

Status in 1973: POW/ Released

Paul H. Schultz

LT Comdr.
U. S. Navy

VF 151
F-4B

16 Nov.
1967

North Vietnam
SAM

Status in 1973: POW/ Released

Theodore G. Stier

LT JG
U. S. Navy Reserve

VF 151
F-4B

19 Nov.
1967

North Vietnam
MIG

Status in 1973: Released POW

James E. Teague

LT JG
U. S. Navy

VF 151
F-4B

19 Nov.
1967

North Vietnam
MIG

Status in 1973: Killed in Captivity

Walter O. Estes

LT JG
U. S. Navy

VF 151
F-4B

19 Nov.
1967

North Vietnam
MIG

Status in 1973: Killed in Captivity

Claude D. Clower

LT CDR
U. S. Navy

VF 151
F-4B

19 Nov.
1967

North Vietnam
MIG

Status in 1973: Released POW

David E. Mc Rae

LT JG
U. S. Navy

VF 154
F-4B

2 Dec.
1966

North Vietnam
AAA

Status in 1973: Missing in Action

David G. Rehmann

LT JG
U. S. Navy

VF 154
F-4B

2 Dec.
1966

North Vietnam
AAA

Status in 1973: POW/ Released

Wimer P. Cook

LT Comdr.
U. S. Navy

VA 155
A-4E

22 Dec.
1967

North Vietnam
Own Bomb MK-82

Status in 1973: Killed/ Body not Recovered

Norris A. Charles

LT JG
U. S. Navy

VF-111
F-4B

30 Dec.
1971

North Vietnam
SAM

Status in 1973: POW/ Released

David B. Williams

Capt.
USMC

VMA(AW)-224
A-6A

3 May
1972

North Vietnam

Status: KIA - Remains returned in 1989

SUMMARY
69 Combat losses: One off China, Four over Laos, remaining over North Vietnam
Aircraft losses: Twenty six A-4s, Fifteen F-4s, Ten F-8s, Seven A-7s, Six A-1s, and Five A-6
Causes: Thirty eight by AAA, Thirteen by SAMs, Ten unknown, Four by MIGs, Two by small arms fire, and two by own ordnance
Pilots: Thirty recovered, twenty five POWs. twelve MIAs, one died in captivity, and twenty one Killed in Action.