LEWIS CLARK WALTON MIA 10 MAY 1971

BACK TO HOME

JAMES LUTTRELL, LEWIS WALTON, KLAUS BINGHAM WERE MEMBERS OF A LONG-RANGE RECONNAISSANCE (LRRP) TEAM "ASP" WHICH WAS INSERTED INTO WESTERN QUANG NAM PROVINCF 12 MILES FROM LOAS MAY 3, 1971. THE ASP TEAM EAS INSERTED WITHOUT GROUND FIRE OR RADIO TRANSMISSION.  ON MAY 4, THE AREA WAS SEARCHED BY FORWARD AIR CONTROLLERS (FAC) WHO NEITHER SAW NOR HEARD ANYTHING FROM THE TEAM. ON MAY 5, THE PILOTS FLYING INTO THE AREA

J DARK GREEN FATIGUES LOCATING PANEL SIGNALS.  HELICOPTERS WERE LAUNCHED AT 1500 HOURS THAT DAY WITH A RESCUE TEAM, BUT COULD NOT BE INSERTED BECAUSE OF BAD WEATHER. THE FAC STAYED ON STATION UNTIL 1700 HRS THAT DAY, BUT NO COMMUNICATION WAS EVER ESTABLISHED WITH THE TEAM. ON MAY 6, WEATHER AGAIN PROHIBITED SEARCH ATTEMPTS. ON MAY 7, HOSTILE FIRE IN THE AREA PREVENTED THE INSERTION OF A RESCUE TEAM.  POOR WEATHER PREVENTED THE INSERTION OF A SEARCH TEAM UNTIL MAY 14.  THE TEAM WAS EXTRACTED THE SAME DAY, WITHOUT EVER HAVING HEARD OR SEEN THE PATROL. LUTTRELL, WALTON AND BINGHAM DISAPPEARED. THE TREE WERE CLASIFIED AS MISSING IN ACTION.  THEY ARE AMONG 2400 AMERICANS WHO ARE STILL MISSING FROM THE VIETNAM  WAR.  EXPERTS NOW BELIEF THAT HUNDREDS OF THESE MEN ARE STILL ALIVE. LEWIS WALTON WAS A SEASONED SOLDIER WHEN HE DIAPPEARED.  HE WAS TRAINED FOR SURVIVAL UNDER ADVERSE CIRCUMSTANCES.  UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF HIS DISAPPEARANCE, THE U.S. ARMY BELIEVES THE ENEMY MAY KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM.  HE COULD BE ALIVE.

A SOLDIERS PLEA I LOOK AROUND THIS DARK DANK CELL HOW DID I END UP HERE IN THIS LIVING HELL? HOW LONG HAVE I BEEN HERE?  SIX MONTHS OR A YEAR? THAT I'LL NEVER GET HOME IS MY GREATEST FEAR. DO THEY CARE IF I'M GONE?  DO THEY CARE IF I LIVE? THIS CEILING'S SO CRUMBLY, IT LEAKS LIKE A SIEVE. HOW LONG IS IT NOW?  FIVE YEARS OR TEN? FIFTEEN OR TWENTY?  I DON'T KNOW WHEN, I'VE EVER FELT WORSE OR FELT SO ALONE, PLEASE LET MY DIE SOON SO I CAN GO HOME. MY BODY IS TIRED, MY MIND ALL BUT GONE, I KNOW IN THIS COUNTRY THAT I'M JUST A PAWN. I'M LEFT LEFT WITH MY MEMORIES WHICH ARE ALL FADING FAST, LIKE MY HOPES AND MY DREAMS, THEY JUST DIDN'T LAST. I KNOW THAT MY FAMILY I NEVER SHALL SEE, MY GOD!  IT IS TRUE! THEY DID FORGET ME. - SHARON ADAMS