Re: Finding the family of Lt. Gary L. Shank -- War Stories!

[ Show ]

Support VoyForums

[ Shrink ]

VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

Thu, January 02 2025, 8:09:11 [ Login ] [ Contact Forum Admin ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, [6] ]

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: Fri, October 20 2006, 9:29:04
Author: Jeff Northridge
Author Host/IP: dialup-4.131.215.198.Dial1.SanJose1.Level3.net / 4.131.215.198
Subject: Re: Finding the family of Lt. Gary L. Shank
In reply to: Donna Androsky 's message, "Finding the family of Lt. Gary L. Shank" on Thu, October 19 2006, 15:39:55

Howdy Donna;

For instructions on how to do that see http://www.pownetwork.org/2004_index2.html . There was someone who posted a tribute to LT Gary Leslie Shank (USN) on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall (http://thewall-usa.com/ ) and who managed to locate and return their bracelet to LT Shank's mother, Stormy. The POW Network says the following:

SHANK, GARY LESLIE
Name: Gary Leslie Shank
Branch/Rank: United States Navy/O2
Unit:
Date of Birth: 16 March 1947
Home City of Record: PRAIRIE VILLAGE KS
Date of Loss: 23 July 1972
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 203258 North 1063424 East
Status (in 1973): Missing in Action
Category: 2
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: A7B #154531
Missions:
Other Personnel in Incident:
Refno: 1903
Source: Compiled by P.O.W. NETWORK from one or more of the following: raw
data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA
families, published sources, interviews and CACCF = Combined Action
Combat Casualty File.
REMARKS: DEAD
On coast Thai Binh 25 miles South of Haiphong.
REMAINS RETURNED 07/01/84
CACCF/CRASH/PILOT/4 YRS UNITED STATES NAVY

No further information available at this time.

Although everybody seems to be in agreement on the loss date of 7/23/72, the VVMW gives a casualty date of 8/9/74. I don't know why there is such a big discrepancy between the two since North Vietnam released all U.S. POWs in the spring of 1973. The Coffelt KIA Database says that the plane was an A7B and that LT Shank's unit was VA-56, 7th Fleet. I think that the "VA-56" is a Naval aviation squadron, but I'm not sure since I was Army and the Navy has some strange ways making unit designations. I can't even find out which aircraft carrier he was on.

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Replies:

Note -- Jeff Northridge, Fri, October 20 2006, 12:05:01 (dialup-4.246.30.20.Dial1.SanJose1.Level3.net/4.246.30.20)