DUART, DAVID HENRY

Name: Henry David Duart
Rank/Branch: United States Air Force/O3
Unit: 13 TFS Korat AB Thailand
Date of Birth: 25 December 1934
Home City of Record:
Date of Loss: 18 February 1967
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 183400 North 1055200 East (Ha Tinh 15 miles SE Vinh)
Status (in 1973): Returnee
Category:
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: F105F Wild Weasel
Missions:
Other Personnel in Incident: Jay Jensen, returnee
Refno: 0596

Source: Compiled by P.O.W. NETWORK from one or more of the following: raw
data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA
families, published sources, interviews.

REMARKS: 730304 RELEASED BY DRV

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).

DAVID H. DUART
Lieutenant Colonel - United States Air Force
Shot Down: February 18, 1967
Released: March 4, 1973

I enlisted in the United States Air Force on 22 April 1954 and graduated
from flight school on 2 August 1955. My wife, Helen, and I were married on
4 August 1956 and we have three children, Pamela, born 1958, Brian, in 1960,
and Susan, born in 1964.

My F-105 was hit by a Surface to Air Missile over North Vietnam on the 18th
of February, 1967. I was captured immediately upon reaching the ground by
the local militia. For the next six years I lived in various camps in and
around Hanoi, including the Hanoi Hilton and The Zoo.

I believe that the concern of the American people led by the various POW/MIA
organizations and the United States government was directly responsible for
the improvement of the treatment of the POW's in North Vietnam beginning in
late 1969. I am eternally grateful for this tremendous effort in our behalf.
Although I will never be able to adequately express my thankfulness to each
of you, I will quote a poem by Helen Steiner Rice that I wish I had written
for you.

THE WORLD NEEDS FRIENDLY FOLKS LIKE YOU

In this troubled world it's refreshing to find
Someone who still has the time to be kind,

Someone who still has the faith to believe
That the more you give the more you receive,

Someone who's ready by thought, word or deed
To reach out a hand in this hour of need.

I plan to stay in the Air Force and in this capacity, do what I can to
re-pay my country and those who showed such great concern for my plight as a
Prisoner of War.

Thank you and God Bless each of you.

November 1996
David Duart retired from the United States Air Force as a Colonel. He and
Helen live in Texas.

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