PENN, MICHAEL GENE JR.

Name: Michael Gene Penn Jr.
Rank/Branch: United States Navy/O2
Unit:
Date of Birth: 13 March 1946 Dallas TX
Home City of Record: Fort Worth TX
Date of Loss: 06 August 1972
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 205900 North 1064600 East
Status (in 1973): Returnee
Category:
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: A7B
Missions: 75
Other Personnel in Incident:
Refno:

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: 730329 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).

MICHAEL GENE PENN
Lieutenant - United States Navy
Shot Down: August 6, 1972
Released: March 29, 1973

I was born in Dallas, Texas, 13 March 1946. On 8 March 1968 I married the
former Miss Carolyn Ann Ritchie in Ft. Worth, Texas. We now have a son,
Derek, three years old. Working as a police officer for the City of Ft.
Worth for three years I simultaneously attended the University of Texas at
Arlington and graduated in June 1969. I entered the Navy Jet Flight Training
Program in August 1969, receiving my Wings in April 1971. My first duty
station as a designated naval aviator was NAS Lemoore, California where I
was assigned to Attack Squadron 56. My first cruise was on the USS Midway,
departing the United States on 10 April 1972. I flew 75 combat missions over
North Vietnam, and on the 75th, a SAM suppression mission, my aircraft, an
A-7 Corsair II, was hit by a SAM over Haiphong. Though I ejected safely I
was captured minutes after landing.

Through resistance and brotherhood among the captive Americans, and a
tremendous faith in our Commander-in-Chief, and the American people, we
maintained our dignity and returned with honor. I am extremely proud to have
served my country, and no one will ever know the true meaning of freedom
until it has been taken away.

December 1996
Michael resides in Texas.

---

Use your Browser's BACK function to return to the PREVIOUS page

---