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| Adopted by Vietnam Veterans Of America, Inc. Chapter 308 Logan, West Virginia 25th November 1998
Name: Edward Milton Parsley
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| Other personnel In Incident: James L. Carter, Wilburn R. Brown, Therman M. Waller (all missing) |
| The Fairchild C123 "Provider" was a night attack system/transport aircraft based on an all-metal glider designed by Chase Aircraft. The airplane's C123B prototype first flew on September 1,1954. The C123B, in the hands of a group of airmen who called themselves "The Mule Train" became the first transport to see Vietnam service. The C123B transport were soon joined by UC123Bs of the now-controversial Project Ranch Hand which sprayed pesticides and herbicides over Vietnam, including Agent Orange.
The Provider, particularly in camoflage paint with mottled topside and light bottomside, resembled an arched-back whale suspended from the bottom midpoint of huge dorsal wings. Like other transports, the Provider proved it's versatility during the Vietnam war. The C123 also dispensed flares to illuminate targets for fighters or tactical bombers, and were dubbed "Candlestick" when they served in this capacity. On February 3, 1966, a C123C Provider aircraft with a crew of four, including its pilot, Capt. Wilbur R. Brown, and crew members James L. Carter, Sgt Edward M. Parsley and SGT Therman M. Waller, was assigned a mission on the border of Laos and South Vietnam about 10 miles southwest of Khe Sanh. During the mission, radio contact was lost with the Provider and it's whereabouts of those of the crew were never determined. In April 1969, a rallier identified a number of photographs of missing Americans as men he believed to have been captured. Wilbur Brown was among those the rallier selected. CIA questioned the identification as no returned POWs reported having seen any of the Provider crew in POW camps. It should be noted, however, that it is now widely believed that more than one prison system existed in Vietnam, and that prisoners in one were not mingled with prisoners from another. (Also, given the location of the crash, the possibility exists that the crew, if captured, may have been taken by Pathet Lao forces. No Americans were ever released that were held in Laos.) The mission flown by the C123 lost on February 3, 1966, is not indicated in public records. It is known that "Candlestick" missions, dispensing flares to illuminate targets for fighters or tactical bombers, was very effective against truck traffic in Laos, except in those areas where anti-aircraft defenses became too formidable. It is possible that the C123C might have been on a "Candlestick" mission. Brown, Carter, Parsley and Waller were declared Missing in Action by the U.S. Air Force. They are among nearly 2400 Americans who are unaccounted for from the Vietnam War. Experts believe there are hundreds of these men still alive today, waiting for their country to come for them. Whether the missing men from the Provider lost on February 3, 1966 are among those still alive is not known. What is certain, however, is that the U.S. has a moral and legal obligation to do everything possible to bring home those who are alive. |
visitor since Nov. 27th, 1998.
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