Rank/Branch: 04/ USAF
Date of Birth: August 28, 1926
Home City of Record: Sherman, Tx.
Date of Loss: March 13, 1968 : Laos
Loss Coordinates: 202600N 1034300E
(UH684598) Status (in 1973): Missing in Action
Category: 2
Acft/ Vehicle/ Ground: A1E
Others in Incident: Clarence Blanton, James Calfee,
James Davis, Henry Gish, Willis Hall, Melvin Holland,
Herbert Kirk, David Springsteadah, Don Worley
(All missing from Lima 85)
Source: Compiled by Homecoming || Project15
March 1991 from one or more of the following: raw
data from U.S. Government agency sources,
correspondance with POW/MIA families, published
sources, interviews.
Fot three months in early 1968, a steady stream of
intelligence was received which indicated that
communist troops were about to launch a major attack
on Lima 85. Intelligence watched as enemy troops even
built a road to the area to facilitate moving heavy
weapons, but the site was so important that William
H.Sullivan, U.S. Ambassador to Laos, made the
decision to leave the men in place. When the attack
came March 11, some men were rescued by helicopter,
but eleven men were missing. The President announced
a halt in the bombing of North Vietnam.
Copyright 1991 Homecoming II Project
Synopsis: One of the most intriguing cases of the
Vietnam war is the Lima Radar Site 85 at Pho Pha Thi,
and the men who went missing there. Donald Westbrook,
involved into the incident by the luck of the draw
will perhaps never know just how intriguing it was.
Lima 85 was on a peak in the Annam Highlands near the
village of Sam Neua on a 5860 foot mountain called
Phou Pho Thi. The mountain was protected by sheer
cliffs on three sides, and guarded by 300 tribesmen
working for CIA. Unarmed US "civilians" operated the
radar which swept across the Tonkin Delta to Hanoi.
These "civilians" were actually Air Force personnel
who were temporarily relieved of active duty to take
jobs with Lockheed Aircraft Corporation serving with
Project Heavy Green at Lima 85. The project was so
secret that the men's wives were also required to
sign secrecy agreements. Absolutely no one was to
know about the assignment. Laos was a neutral country
and as such, U.S. military presence was
internationally prohibited.
Donald Westbrook was flying one of 4 A1E's orbiting
on stand-by to search for survivors of the attack at
Phou Phu Thi when his plane was shot down on March
13. Westbrook was never found. Observers said there
was no parachute seen, no beepers heard, and no voice
contact made. The wreckage of Westbrook's aircraft
was seen scattered over a wide area and smoking.
Finding no survivors, the Air Force destroyed Lima 85
to prevent the equipment from falling into the hands
of the enemy. Westbrook was declared Missing in
Action, with the high probability that the enemy knew
his fate, and had perhaps even captured him.
In mid March, the Lima Site wives were notified that
the site had been overrun by enemy forces, and that
the men who had not escaped had been killed. Many
years later, they learned that was not the whole
truth.
Two separate reports indicate that all the men
missing at Phou Pha Thi did not die. One report
suggests that at least one of the 11 was captured,
and another indicates that 6 were captured.
Information has been hard to get. The fact that Lima
Site 85 existed was only declassified in 1983, and
finally the wives could be beleived when they said
their husbands were missing in Laos. Some of the
men's files were shown to their families for the
first time in 1985.
The Lima Site wives have talked and compared notes.
They still feel there is a lot of information to be
had. They think someone survived the attack on Lima
Site 85. Perhaps Don Westbrook survived. They wonder
if their country will bring them home.
If you would like to read more about Lima Site 85, the next link will take you to a site constructed by Ron Haden
Lima Site 85
September 67 - December 67.
LIMA SITE 85
The next two links will take you to reports located on the All POW/MIA Site.
CHECO Report
Site 85 Cable Traffic
My Other Adopted POW/MIA's from Lima Site 85
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