LESTER, RODERICK BARNUM

Name: Roderick Barnum Lester
Rank/Branch: O2/US Navy
Unit: Attack Squadron 52, USS KITTY HAWK (CVA 63)
Date of Birth: 19 June 1946
Home City of Record: Morton WA
Date of Loss: 20 August 1972
Country of Loss: North Vietnam/Over Water
Loss Coordinates: 210000N 1054500E
Status (in 1973): Missing In Action
Category: 2
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: A6A
Refno: 1912
Other Personnel In Incident: Harry S. Mossman (missing)

Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 01 April 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 1998.

REMARKS:

SYNOPSIS: The Commander of the 7th Fleet once remarked that the low level
missions over Hanoi and Haiphong that the A6 pilots were sent on were among
the most demanding ever asked of Navy pilots. He added that it was fortunate
that these A6 pilots were among the most talented in the military.

LTJG Roderick B. Lester was a seasoned pilot assigned to Attack Squadron 52
onboard the aircraft carrier USS KITTY HAWK. On August 20, Lester launched
on his 144th mission with his Bombardier/Navigator (BN) Lt. Harry S.
Mossman, in their A6A Intruder attack aircraft on a night, low-level, armed
reconnaissance mission in the general vicinity of Cam Pha, North Vietnam.

During their mission, a brief radio transmision from the aircraft was
received, "Let's get the hell out of here." The transmission was felt to
indicate the planned flight path was being aborted because of heavy enemy
fire. At the same time, another air crew on the mission noted a flash of
light under the 1,000 foot overcast in the same general vicinity of their
aircraft location. The aircraft was last tracked over Hanoi, North Vietnam.

Weather was poor, with numerous thunderstorms which made the source of the
flash of light difficult to determine. Electronic surveillance was begun. A
visual search of the area noted accurate gunfire. Further search was
negative.

Lester and Mossman did not return from the mission, and were placed in a
Missing in Action status. The area of their last known locaton was heavily
populated, and there is every reason to believe that the Vietnamese could
account for the two - alive or dead, yet the Vietnamese have given no added
information on them.

When the war ended, refugees from the communist-overrun countries of
Southeast Asia began to flood the world, bringing with them stories of
missing GI's in their country. Since 1975, nearly 10,000 such stories have
been received. Many authorities believe that hundreds of Americans are still
held in the countries in Southeast Asia.

The U.S. Government operates on the "assumption" that one or more men are
being held, but that it cannot "prove" that this is the case, allowing
action to be taken. Meanwhile, low-level talks between the U.S. and Vietnam
proceed, yielding a few sets of remains when it seems politically expedient
to return them, but as yet, no living American has returned.


During the period he was maintained missing, Roderick B. Lester was promoted
to the rank of Lieutenant Commander.

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