HORNE, STANLEY HENRY
Remains Returned 08 April 1990 - ID Announced 14 November 1990
Name: Stanley Henry Horne
Rank/Branch: O4/US Air Force
Unit:
Date of Birth: 19 May 1926
Home City of Record: Los Angeles CA
Date of Loss: 14 January 1968
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 214300N 1045100E (WK078059)
Status (in 1973): Prisoner of War
Category: 1
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: F105D
Refno: 0986
Other Personnel in Incident: (none missing)
Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 15 February 1991 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 1998.
REMARKS:
SYNOPSIS: The F105 Thunderchief ("Thud"), in its various versions, flew more
missions against North Vietnam than any other U.S. aircraft. It also
suffered more losses, partially due to its vulnerability, which was
constantly under revision. Between 1965 and 1971, the aircraft was equipped
with armor plate, a secondary flight control system, an improved pilot
ejection seat, a more precise navigation system, better blind bombing
capability and ECM pods for the wings. The D version was a single-place
aircraft.
Maj. Stanley H. Horne was the pilot of an F105D Thunderchief dispatched on a
mission over North Vietnam on January 14, 1968. At a point on the Red River
near the city of Yen Bai in Nhgia Lo Province, Horne's aircraft was shot
down and he was never seen again. Horne was declared Missing in Action. The
U.S. Government believed the enemy knew his fate, but had no evidence to
confirm this.
Records on American military personnel were maintained in various government
agencies. Raw intelligence data from Southeast Asia freqently first found
its way into the files of the organization which came to be known as Joint
Casualty Resolution Center (JCRC). Many analysts believed JCRC records were
the most complete and authoritative, since they contained largely raw data
without benefit of analytical "muddling".
In November 1973, JCRC received a cable from Defense Intelligence Agency
which was copied to various high stations, including CIA, the Secretary of
State and the White House. The cable stated JCRC should "take necessary
action to delete any references pertaining to PW [Prisoner of War] status
and place members in a new MIA code" the files of Stanley Horne and several
others. Whether JCRC had intelligence that indicated Stanley Horne had been
captured is unknown. Ironically, Horne went down very near one of the prison
locations (at Yen Bai) which was determined to have held U.S. prisoners.
Since American involvement in Vietnam ended in 1975, nearly 10,000 reports
relating to Americans missing, prisoner, or otherwise unaccounted for in
Indochina have been received by the U.S. Government. Many officials, having
examined this largely classified information, have reluctantly concluded
that many Americans are still alive today, held captive by our long-ago
enemy.
Whether Horne survived the crash of his aircraft to be captured by the enemy
is certain not known. It is not known if he might be among those thought to
be still alive today. What is certain, however, is that as long as even one
American remains alive, held against his will, we owe him our very best
efforts to bring him to freedom.
In April 1990, remains were recovered which were subsequently identified as
being those of Stanley Henry Horne. In November of the same year, the U.S.
officially announced his return home after 22 years.
[naf0617.95 06/18/95]
NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF FAMILIES
FOR THE RETURN OF AMERICAS MISSING SERVICEMEN
WORLD WAR II - KOREA - COLD WAR - VIETNAM
FROM: DOLORES ALFOND - (206) 881-1499
BARB SWORSKI ---- (612) 378-1947
LYNN O'SHEA ----- (718) 846-4350
...
FROM THE SAME DOCUMENT, WE HAVE A REPORT ON MAJOR STANLEY HORNE. OUR
JULY 3RD REPORTS PUTS MAJOR HORNE IN THE "LAST SEEN ALIVE CATEGORY." THE
COMMENTS - AIRCRAFT HIT BY AIR TO AIR MISSILE FIRED BY MIG. A GOOD
CHUTE WAS SEEN WITH BEEPERS. SAR NEGATIVE." MAJOR HORNE'S REMAINS
WERE RETURNED ON APRIL 10, 1990. THE FORENSIC ANALYSIS READS "
RECEIVED AS UNIDENTIFIED. REMAINS WERE 80 PERCENT COMPLETE WITH SIGNS
OF BURIAL AND STORAGE. COMMINGLED BONES CONTAINED IMPACTED DIRT,
DISINFECTANT, AND BROWN STAIN. POST-MORTEM FRACTURES OF VERTEBRAE, ONE
RIB, AND BOTH FEMORAS WERE EVIDENT. REMAINS CONTAINED UNUSUAL
ALTERATION OF LONGITUDINALLY- ORIENTED, NARROW GROOVES IN ALL LONG
BONES, CRANIUM, SCAPULA AND HIP BONES INCONSISTENT WITH ANIMAL OR
POST-DEPOSITIONAL DAMAGE." NEED WE SAY, MAJOR HORNE'S NAME WAS NOT ON
THE LIST AS DIED IN CAPTIVITY.
IF THE VIETNAMESE CAN'T TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT REMAINS HOW THE HELL, CAN
WE EXPECT THEM TO TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT OUR LIVE POW'S....
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