The Freedom Tree
With The Vision of Universal Freedom
For All Mankind
This Tree Is Dedicated To
CAPT. PAUL RAYMOND
And All
Prisoners of War
and
Missing in Action
1973
============================================
From the POW Network.org
PAUL D. RAYMOND
Name: Paul Darwin Raymond
Rank/Branch: O2/US Air Force
Unit: 557th Tactical Fighter Squadron
Date of Birth: 10 January 1943
Home City of Record: Deposit NY
Date of Loss: 05 September 1967
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 171100N 1065400E (YE021007)
Status (in 1973): Missing in Action
Category: 2
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: F4C
Other Personnel in Incident: Donald W. Downing; on another F4C nearby:
Thomas P. Hanson; Carl D. Miller (all missing)
Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 15 March 1991 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.
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.
1Lt. Paul D. Raymond and Maj. Carl D. Miller were F4 pilots who were sent on a
combat mission over Quang Binh Province, North Vietnam on September 5, 1967.
Raymond's bombardier/navigator on the flight was Capt. Donald W. Downing, while
Miller's was 1Lt. Thomas P. Hanson.
Both aircraft crashed on their missions near the coast of Vietnam. Raymond and
Downing went down about 10 miles north of the city of Vinh Linh, while Miller
and Hanson went down about 20 miles north of Vinh Linh. All four were classified
Missing in Action, and it is believed the Vietnamese could account for them,
alive or dead.
591 American Prisoners of War were released in 1973, but nearly 2500 were not.
Thousands of reports have been received by the U.S. Government that indicate
hundreds of Americans are still alive and held captive in Southeast Asia, yet
the government seems unable or unwilling to successfully achieve their release.
Policy statements indicate that "conclusive proof" is not available, but when it
is, the government will act. Detractors state that proof is in hand, but the
will to act does not exist.
Whether the four airmen missing on September 5, 1967 survived to be captured is
not known. Whether they are among those believed to be still alive today is
uncertain. What cannot be questioned, however, is that America has a moral and
legal obligation to secure the freedom of those who may still be illegally held
by the communist governments of Southeast Asia. It's time we brought our men
home.
During the period they were maintained missing, Miller was promoted to the rank
of Colonel, Downing to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, Hanson to the rank of
Major and Raymond to the rank of Captain.
Paul D. Raymond graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1965.
============================================
From - Sun Aug 03 1997
From: Thomas
Re: Captain Paul Darwin Raymond, USAF
This e-mail may have been sent to the wrong individual. My name is
Thomas and I am a member of the AFROTC. My Detachment number
is 785 at the University of Memphis. This summer I attended Air Force
Field Training at Dover AFB in Delaware. It was here that I was
fortunate enough to be selected as Warrior of the Week. One of the
honors involved in receiving this distinguished award was a POW/MIA
bracelet.
The name on my bracelet was CAPT. PAUL D. RAYMOND, USAF. I
was also given a short synopsis on his background. It is as follows:
"Captain Raymond is from Deposit, New York. He has a wife and one son.
Captain Raymond ran track and wrestled while at the Air Force Academy
and played baseball with Air Force friends. He won a physical fitness
award at the Academy and was also on the Dean's list and the
Commandant's list. Captain Raymond sang in the Air Force choir. He
loved to play bridge, had deep faith, and loved life. Captain Raymond
is missing in North Vietnam and was on an F4C at the time of the loss."
After receiving this bracelet, we had the opportunity to go to
Washington. It was here that I found his name on the Vietnam Wall and
learned that his middle name was Darwin. By receiving this POW/MIA
bracelet, it has sparked great interest in me. I, with your help, would
like to try to get in touch with the family of Captain Raymond. If I
have sent this transmission to the wrong person, Please pass it on to
someone who might be able to help. If this is the right person, thank
you for your help
Sincerely
Thomas