SCHIERMAN, WESLEY DUANE
Name: Wesley Duane Schierman
Rank/Branch: United States Air Force/O3
Unit: 67 TFS
Date of Birth: 21 July 1935 Port John WA
Home City of Record: Lancaster WA
Date of Loss: 28 June 1965
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 211800 North 1035800 East (Son La)
Status (in 1973): Returnee
Category:
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: F105D
Missions:
Other Personnel in Incident: Robinson Risner, returnee
Refno: 0130
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. Updated 1999.
REMARKS: 730212 RELEASED BY DRV INJURED
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).
WESLEY DUANE SCHIERMAN
Major - United States Air Force, pilot
Shot Down: August 28, 1965
Released: February 12, 1973
Born 21 July 1935 in St. John, Washington. Joined the Washington Air
National Guard in February 1953, attended Pilot Training from October 1954
through May 1956, returned to the Washington Air National Guard and attended
Washington State University, ATO Fraternity (B.S. Psychology 1959). Married
Faye A. Rigsby (B.A. Education, Washington State 1959) in September 1958.
Two children: daughter, Sandra, born December 1960, and son, Steven, born
May 1962. Pilot, Northwest Airlines 1959 - 1960.
Returned to active duty in the United States Air Force in September 1962.
Stationed at Clovis Air Force Base, New Mexico, 1962-64, and Kadena Air Base,
Okinawa, 1964-65. Captured on August 28, 1965 while flying an F-105 on my
37th combat mission over North Vietnam.
During my almost 7 1/2 years in North Vietnam my greatest tribulation was
that of overcoming my grief at having subjected my wife and children to the
painful and difficult experience that they were to undergo. However, I had
great faith and confidence in my wife's ability to overcome these
difficulties and that faith has been rewarded by a strength and steadfastness
that far exceeded my greatest expectations.
Throughout many years of torture, exploitation, deprivation and degradation,
my will to live was sustained primarily by this faith and love for my
family. I vowed that if it was humanly possible for me to return to them and
still do my duty to my country, I would do so. Through this faith and the
Grace of God I have been fortunate enough to have endured this trial.
Generally speaking, I was quite impressed with the ingenuity and tenacity of
the men I served with while imprisoned in North Vietnam. However, I feel that
the real heroes of this war are those who unfortunately will not return -
those many thousands who gave their lives that we might enjoy the benefits
and way of life of this wonderful country in which we live. I must also
mention the great sacrifice of those who have been maimed and incapacitated
as a result of this conflict. I pray to God that these men will be able to
bear their burden and continue on with the same spirit that gave them the
courage to participate in this very difficult conflict in the first place.
I have enjoyed my homecoming, return to freedom, and reunion with my family
more than words can describe and l look to the future with joyous
anticipation! My future plans are to return to my previous employment as a
pilot for Northwest Airlines which I look forward to with great anticipation.
I am definitely willing to serve my country again should it become necessary,
although I pray to God that it will not.
I will conclude with this one thought which is a quotation by William Allen
White. "Liberty is the thing you cannot have unless you are willing to give it
to others."
----------------
October 21, 1999
I should add to my biography that my wife Faye & I had a daughter, Stacy
Lynn, born in April of 1975, following my return from Vietnam in 1973. All
of my three children , & three grandchildren live in the Washington State
area.
I retired from the United States Air Force Reserve as a Major. I became a
commecial pilot and eventually retired from the Airlines in 1995, but find
myself seemingly busier than when I was working! I still continue to fly in
a small experimental aircraft, which I enjoy a great deal.
More on Wesley Schierman's time in captivity can be found in the pages of
Benjamin Schemmer's "THE RAID" by Avon.
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