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Other Personnel In Incident:
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.
REMARKS:
SYNOPSIS: The Phantom, used by Air Force, Marine and Navy air wings, served a multitude of functions including fighter-bomber and interceptor, photo and
electronic surveillance. The two man aircraft was extremely fast (Mach 2), and had a long range (900 - 2300 miles, depending on stores and mission type). The F4
was also extremely maneuverable and handled well at low and high altitudes. Most pilots considered it one of the "hottest" planes around.
Maj. Gary G. Wright and his backseater, 1Lt. Frederick J. Wozniak, were aboard an RF4C aircraft when it disappeared on an unarmed reconnaissance mission over
North Vietnam on January 17, 1967. The plane was lost in Than Hoa Province.
That same day, Peking Radio announced that three American planes had been downed over Hanoi on January 17. The announced location coincided with the intended
flight path of Wright's mission. While no names were given, there is a reasonable possibility that Wright and Wozniak survived.
Wright and Wozniak were not among the prisoners of war that were released in 1973 by the Vietnamese. The Vietnamese deny any knowledge of them, though circumstances
surrounding their incident indicate the strong probability that enemy forces knew their fates.
Alarmingly, evidence continues to mount that Americans were left as prisoners in Southeast Asia and continue to be held today. Unlike "MIAs" from other wars, most of the nearly
2500 men and women who remain missing in Southeast Asia can be accounted for. If even one was left alive (and many authorities estimate the numbers to be in the hundreds),
we have failed as a nation until and unless we do everything possible to secure his freedom and bring him home.
Gary G. Wright was promoted to the rank of Colonel and Frederick J. Wozniak was promoted to the rank of Major during the period they were maintained Missing in Action.
I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to keep pushing this issue inside the Beltway...The need to get specific answers is more important now than ever before.
If still alive, some MIAs are now in their 70s...They don't have much time left. We have to demand the answers from the bureaucrats and keep standing on their necks
(figuratively speaking) until they get the message that THEY work for US and that we are serious about getting these long overdue responses. Diplomatic considerations aside...
We can no longer allow questionable protocols established by pseudo-aristocratic armchair strategists, to determine or influence the fate of the men who were in the trenches
while the diplomats were sharing sherry and canapes and talking about "Their Plans" for the future of SE Asia.
Update 2-18-98
I just received a very nice email from Gary G. Wright, Jr. Yes, this is the son of Gary G. Wright, my adopted POW/MIA. I've added the photo that Gary Jr sent me of his father and the message he wrote to me in my guestbook.
Frederick Wozniak (missing)
A/C DISAP - NO TRACE OF CREW
Name: Gary G. Wright Jr.
Website:
Referred by: Fate stepped in and brought me!
From: Jacksonville Florida
Time: 1998-02-18 07:48:57
Comments: I think you have developed a really wonderful site. This is one of the nicest web sites I have ever seen. I was doing a search for items to include in a web site for my father, and I came across your site from doing a search on the type of aircraft he was flying when he went missing over North Vietnam. My name is Gary G. Wright Jr., and the page you did on my father Gary G. Wright is beautiful. I was really surprised, as I had no idea I would find anything like that. On behalf of his five children, twelve grandchildren and one great grandchild, I would like to thank you very much! I gather from your site that you are a very heartfelt person, and hope this letter is not too much of a shock! If you are interested, I have some additional items and information I will E-mail to you. Take care and thanks again for all you have done, Gary G. Wright Jr.
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Gary G. Wright Page 2
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