BARBAY, LAWRENCE
Name: Lawrence Barbay
Rank/Branch: O3/US Air Force
Unit: 41st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Takhli AB TH
Date of Birth: 17 October 34
Home City of Record: Baton Rouge LA
Date of Loss: 20 July 1966
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 215058N 1051657E (WK292160)
Status (in 1973): Released POW
Category:
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: EB66C
Other Personnel in Incident: Norman A. McDaniel; Edwin L. Hubbard; William H.
Means Jr.; Glendon W. Perkins (all released POWs); Craig R. Nobert (missing)
Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 15 May 1990 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: 730304 RELSD BY DRV
SYNOPSIS: The Douglas EB66C Skywarrior was outfitted as an electronic
warfare aircraft which carried roughly 5 tons of electronic gear in addition
to its flight crew of three and technical personnel. The EB66C featured a
pressurized capsule installed in the bomb bay, that accommodated four
technicians whose responsibility was to operate electronic reconnaissance
gear.
On July 20, 1966, an EB66C was dispatched from the 41st Tactical
Reconnaissance Squadron at Takhli Airbase in Thailand on an electronic
countermeasure mission over North Vietnam. The crew and technicians that day
included Capt. Lawrence Barbay, Capt. Glendon W. Perkins, Capt. Norman A.
McDaniel, Capt. William H. Means Jr., 1Lt. Edward L. Hubbard, and 1Lt. Craig
R. Nobert. Nobert served as the electronics warfare officer on the flight.
The flight was normal to the target area near Tuyen Quang, Quang Bac Thai
Province, North Vietnam. At this point, the aircraft was orbited east/west.
During this maneuver, the aircraft was hit by hostile fire. Two parachutes
were seen to eject the aircraft, after which the aircraft descended and
disintegrated.
In the spring of 1973, 591 Americans were released from prison camps in
Vietnam, including most of the crew of the Skywarrior lost on July 20, 1966.
They had been held in various POW camps in and around Hanoi for nearly seven
years. Only Nobert remained Missing in Action.
For 24 years, the Vietnamese have denied knowledge of the fate of Craig R.
Nobert, even though the U.S. believes there is a good possibility he was
captured and died in captivity. On January 18, 1978, the Department of the
Air Force declared Craig Nobert dead, based on no specific information he
was still alive.
Disturbing testimony was given to Congress in 1980 that the Vietnamese
"stockpiled" the remains of Americans to return at politically advantageous
times. Could Nobert be waiting, in a casket, for just such a moment?
Even more disturbing are the nearly 10,000 reports received by the U.S.
relating to Americans missing in Southeast Asia. Many authorities who have
examined this information (largely classified), have reluctantly come to the
conclusion that many Americans are still alive in Southeast Asia. Could
Nobert be among these?
Perhaps the most compelling questions when remains are returned are, "Is it
really who they say it is?", and "How -- and when -- did he die?" As long as
reports continue to be received which indicate Americans are still alive in
Indochina, we can only regard the return of remains as a politically
expedient way to show "progress" on accounting for American POW/MIAs. As
long as reports continue to be received, we must wonder how many are alive.
As long as even one American remains alive, held against his will, we must
do everything possible to bring him home -- alive.
During their captivity, Perkins, Barbay and McDaniel were promoted to the
rank of Major. Hubbard was promoted to the rank of Captain. Means was
promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
Craig R. Nobert was promoted to the rank of Major during the period he was
maintained missing.
Norman A. McDaniel resided in Camp Springs, Maryland in early 1990.
William H. Means, Jr. died in 1986 as a result of illness stemming from his
incarceraton in Vietnam.
SOURCE: WE CAME HOME copyright 1977
Captain and Mrs. Frederic A Wyatt (USNR Ret), Barbara Powers Wyatt, Editor
P.O.W. Publications, 10250 Moorpark St., Toluca Lake, CA 91602
Text is reproduced as found in the original publication (including date and
spelling errors).
UPDATE - 09/95 by the P.O.W. NETWORK, Skidmore, MO
LAWRENCE BARBAY
Major - United States Air Force
Shot Down: July 20, 1966
Released: March 4, 1973
I am Major Lawrence "Larry" Barbay hailing from Baton Rouge Louisiana where
I was born and raised. Upon graduation from high school I was fortunate
enough to receive an athletic scholarship to Louisiana Tech University for
football graduating in May 1956. I entered the Air Force via ROTC and
received my wings from Navigator Training at Ellington Field Houston Texas
in March 1958. From there I completed Electronic Warfare School at Keesler
AFB Mississippi and have had operational assignments in Japan (Yokota
1958-62); Strategic Air Command at Biggs AFB in El Paso (1962-65); and then
to SEA (Southeast Asia) in February 1966.
I am married to a lovely lady, Agatha who is the mother of our four children
who are David 13; Catherine 11; Dina 9 and Lauren 6. Lauren was born on July
30, 1966 ten days after I was shot down.
I was downed on 20 July 1966 while flying in a EB-66C on a large strike
support mission about 40 miles north of Hanoi. Upon ejection I was captured
and became a POW. I was released on March 4, 1973. My ordeal in North
Vietnam was a long one and if there is a message that I would like to
impart to my fellow Americans as to how I survived it would be this one.
Early in my marriage, Agatha once told me that "Faith can move mountains." I
have found that it can do more. My faith in God, my country and its people
and my wife and family has in my mind brought me to life and freedom once
again.
November 1996
Lawrence Barbay retired from the United States Air Force as a Lt. Col. He
and Agatha reside in Texas.
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