|
|
 |
 |
|
| Name: | Robert Granthan Lapham |
| Rank/Branch: | O4/US Air Force |
| Unit: | |
| Date of Birth (DOB): | 18 February 1927 |
| Home City of Record: | Marshall, MI |
| Loss Date: | 08 February 1968 |
| Country of Loss: | South Vietnam |
| Loss Coordinates: | 163158N 1064157E |
| Status (in 1973): | Killed/Body Not Recovered |
| Category: | 2 |
| Acft/Vehicle/Ground: | A1E |
| Refno: | 1043 |
| Other Personnel in Incident: | none missing. |
| Source: | Compiled 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 in 1998. |
| Remarks: | |
| Synopsis: Maj. Robert Lapham won a Silver Star for one of the most important bombing attacks of the war. Despite heavy enemy ground fire, he successfully broke a heavy siege upon U.S. troops near the demilitarized zone (DMZ). He is believed to have died in the mission when the A1E Skyraider he was piloting apparently was hit and exploded with a half-load of bombs aboard. His plane apparently was hit by machinegun fire that had forced the three other planes he was leading to turn back. Neither Lapham's body nor wreckage of the aircraft was found. The Air Force described the mission as one of "extraordinary achievement." Robert Lapham's wife died five years after he went missing. She never knew for sure whether he died or just disappeared. When the war ended, refugees from the communist-overrun countries of Southeast Asia began to flood the world, bringing with them stories of live GI's still in captivity in their homelands. Since 1975, over 6000 such stories have been received. Many authorities believe that hundreds of Americans are still held in the countries in Southeast Asia. The U.S. Government operates on the "assumption" that one or more men are being held, but that it cannot "prove" that this is the case, allowing action to be taken. Meanwhile, low-level talks between the U.S. and Vietnam proceed, yielding a few sets of remains when it seems politically expedient to return them, but as yet, no living American has returned. Robert's sister, Helen, died in the early 90's, still bravely fighting for information on her brother. In death, with the Lord, she may have found the answers she sought. |
|
All Biographical and loss information on POWs provided by OpJC have been supplied by Chuck and Mary Schantag of POWNET. Please check with POWNET regularly for updates. |
|
 |
| ROBERT GRANTHAN LAPHAM MAJ - O4 - Air Force - Regular 40 year old Married, Caucasian, Male Born on Feb 18, 1927 From MARSHALL, MICHIGAN His tour of duty began on Aug 28, 1967 Casualty was on Feb 08, 1968 SOUTH VIETNAM HOSTILE, FIXED WING - PILOT AIR LOSS, CRASH ON LAND Body was not recovered Religion - METHODIST Panel 38E - - Line 32 |
Source: The VietNam Veterans' Memorial Wall Page. |
Next POW/MIA biography |
|
 Home |
 Back |
My TOC |
 E-mail me |
||
 Sign My POW/MIA Guestbook and/or Read My POW/MIA Guestbook |
||
Click here to adopt your own POW/MIA from Operation Just Cause (OpJC or OJC). Click here to go to the OpJC Comm Center for more information. All Biographical and loss information on POWs provided by OpJC have been supplied by Chuck and Mary Schantag of POWNET. Please check with POWNET regularly for updates. |
Anyone without Internet access may adopt a POW/MIA
by sending a SASE along with their state and branch preference to:
Operation Just Cause
P.O. Box 264
Stockholm, NJ 07460
I will participate in POW/MIA Internet Blackout Day on February 1, 2003.......What about you? 
Please click on the banner above to learn more about POW/MIA Internet Blackout Day.
| Home | Back | Top | My TOC |
