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March 27, 1995
MEMORANDUM FOR CORRESPONDENTS
Five American Servicemen, previously listed as unaccounted for in
Southeast Asia, have been
identified as group remains consisting of
Major John
W. Goeglein, USAF, of Colorado
Springs, Colorado; Captain Leroy C. Schaneberg, USAF, of
Ashton, Illinois; and Master
Sergeant Paul L. Jenkins, USAF, of McGehee, Arkansas; Staff Sergeant
Marvin E. Bell,
USAF, Blytheville, Arkansas; and Staff Sergeant Michael F. Dean, USAF of
La Puente,
California.
The five served as the crew of an HH-53C helicopter which was shot down
by enemy ground
fire during a search and rescue mission over Laos on June 30, 1970. No
radio or distress
transmissions were received. Search and rescue efforts were conducted
three days later after
photographic reconnaissance indicated that the likelihood of the crew's
surviving the crash was
remote. Their group remains were repatriated in 1993 as a result of a
joint U.S.-Lao
excavation.
The U.S. Government welcomes and appreciates the cooperation of the
government of Laos
that resulted in accounting for these Americans. We hope that such
cooperation will bring
increased results in the near future. Achieving the fullest possible
accounting for Americans
listed during the war in Indochina as Prisoners of War, Missing in
Action, or Killed in
Action/Body not Recovered and who remain unaccounted for is of the
highest national priority.
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