LEHNHOFF, EDWARD WILLIAM JR.
Remains Returned 25 November 1987
Name: Edward William Lehnhoff, Jr.
Rank/Branch: O3/US Air Force
Unit: 44th tactical Fighter Squadron
Date of Birth: 14 March 1936
Home City of Record: Ft. Scott KS
Date of Loss: 18 November 1967
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 213800N 1051200E (WJ206920)
Status (in 1973): Missing in Action
Category: 2
Acft/Vehicle/Ground: F105D
Other Personnel in Incident: From nearby F105s: Leslie J. Hauer; Edward B.
Burdett; Oscar M. Dardeau, Jr. (all remains returned)
Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 01 April 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.
REMARKS: 770609 SRV SED WOULD RET REMS SEP
SYNOPSIS: The F105 Thunderchief (or "Thud") performed yoeman service on many
diversified missions in Southeast Asia. F105s flew more combat missions over
North Vietnam than any other USAF aircraft and consequently suffered the
heaviest losses in action. They dropped bombs by day and occasionally by night
from high or low altitude and some later versions (F105D in Wild Weasel guise)
attacked SAM sites with their radar tracking air-to-ground missiles. This
versatile aircraft was also credited with downing 25 Russian MiGs.
On November 18, 1967, three F105s were shot down over Vinh Phu Province. It is
likely that the three were part of a multi-plane strike on military targets
around Hanoi.
The first F105 to be shot down, a D model, was flown by Col. Edward Burke
Burdett. The aircraft was shot down about 20 miles from Hanoi. Burdett was
captured by the Vietnamese, but, according to a list provided by the Vietnamese,
died in captivity the same day he was shot down. Whether Burdett was so severely
injured in the bail-out or was tortured to death is unknown. His remains were
not returned until March 6, 1974.
The second F105 was an F model and was flown by Maj. Oscar M. Dardeau, Jr. His
co-pilot on the flight was Capt. Edward W. Lehnhoff, Jr. Their aircraft was shot
down about 10 miles north of the city of Phy Tho. The fate of these two remains
uncertain, but they were classified Missing in Action, and there were
indications that the Vietnamese knew their fates. The Vietnamese "discovered"
and returned their remains on November 25, 1987.
Maj. Leslie J. Hauer was the pilot of the third F105 to be shot down at Vinh
Yen. Maj. Hauer was declared Missing in Action. In June, 1977, the Vietnamese
told U.S. officials they would return Maj. Hauer's remains in September. In
September, thirteen years later, they did just that.
Whether all the four airmen shot down on November 18, 1967 survived to be
captured is uncertain, but the notion is not unreasonable. Although the
Vietnamese have conducted site excavations in an effort to show "good will" in
recovering U.S. remains, they are known to have stockpiled hundreds of American
bodies awaiting politically expedient moments to return them, a few at a time.
Mounting evidence indicates that some Americans are still alive being held
prisoner of war in Southeast Asia. The Vietnamese pledged to return all
prisoners of war and provide the fullest possible accounting of the missing in
the peace accords signed in 1973. They have done neither, and the U.S. has not
compelled them to do so.
The United States government pledged that the POW/MIA issue is of "highest
national priority" but has not achieved results indicative of a priority.
Mitchell and the nearly 2500 Americans who remain unaccounted for in Southeast
Asia deserve our best efforts to bring them home, not empty rhetoric.
Edward W. Lehnhoff, Jr. was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, Oscar M.
Dardeau, Jr. and Leslie J. Hauer were promoted to the rank of Colonel, during
the period they were maintained Missing in Action.
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