LAGRAND WILLIAM JOHN

Name: CW2 William John La Grand
Status: Body Not Recovered from an incident on 09/05/1965 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Declared dead on 09/06/1966.
Age at death: 24.3
Date of Birth: 05/11/1941
Home City: Portland, OR
Service: AV branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 197 AHC, 145 CAB
Major organization: other
Flight class: 65-3
Service: AV branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 02E-075
Short Summary: KIA as passenger in fixed wing just after arrival in RVN while flying with a buddy in an A-1E Skyraider.
Aircraft: A-1E tail number 132562
Service number: W2215469
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: *
Primary cause: SVN-BNR F/W
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: fire or burns
Vehicle involved: fixed wing aircraft
Position in vehicle: observer
"Official" listing: fixed wing air casualty - non-aircrew
Length of service: 02
Location: Unknown Province

Additional information about this casualty:
SYNOPSIS: William La Grand was a passenger aboard an A-1G aircraft on a flight which departed Bien Hoa on September 5, 1965. 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. Getting a ride in a Skyraider from a friend right after arriving in country.

Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - died while missing
married male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Religion: Roman Catholic
Burial information: MOUNT CALVARY CEMETERY, PORTLAND, OR (IMO)
The following information secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: warrant officer
This record was last updated on 08/20/1995


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Date posted on this site: 11/13/2023


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