William La Grand
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Name: William John LaGrand
Rank/Branch: W2/US Army
Unit: 197th Aviation Company, 145th Aviation Battalion
Date of Birth: 11 May 1941
Home City of Record: Portland OR
Date of Loss: 05 September 1965
Country of Loss: South Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 110655N 1065516E (YT098293)
Status (in 1973): Killed/Body Not Recovered
Category: 2
Acft/Vehicle/Ground: A1G
Refno: 0137

Other Personnel In Incident: Richard C. Marshall (missing)

Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 15 October 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: CRASH EXPLODE - NO EJECT SEEN - J

SYNOPSIS: The Douglas A1 Skyraider ("Spad") is a highly maneuverable,
propeller driven aircraft designed as a multipurpose attack bomber or
utility aircraft. The A1 was first used by the Air Force in its Tactical Air
Command to equip the first Air Commando Group engaged in counterinsurgency
operations in South Vietnam, and later used in a variety of roles, ranging
from multi-seat electronic intelligence gathering to Navy antisubmarine
warfare and rescue missions.

Army Chief Warrant Officer William J. LaGrand was a passenger onboard an A1G
aircraft which departed Bien Hoa on September 5, 1965. The pilot of the
plane was Air Force Capt. Richard C. Marshall.

The aircraft was seen to crash and no ejections were observed from the
aircraft prior to impact. The area in which the aircraft went down was under
hostile control at the time, and recovery and excavation attempts at the
time were thwarted because of heavy enemy activity in the area and hostile
presence. Both LaGrand and Marshall were declared killed in action.

LaGrand and Marshall are among 2500 Americans still prisoner, missing, or
otherwise unaccounted for in Vietnam. Since the war ended, over 10,000
reports have been received relating to America's missing in Southeast Asia.
As reports have mounted, many authorities have concluded that hundreds of
them are still alive, one must wonder if LaGrand and Marshall died that day
or their ejection escaped notice and they survived to be captured.

Whatever the fate of William LaGrand, and Richard Marshall, one can be
certain that they would be proud to fly one more mission to help bring those
who are alive to freedom.



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Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Panel 2E, Row 76.

Veterans Memorial on Panel 2E, Row 75.