Killed in Action, Body Not Recovered

This American Hero has not returned home.
Bring Him home...we owe Him so much more.

Name: John Clark Hurst
Date of Birth: 30 July, 1941
Home City of Record: Lufton, Texas

Branch: United States Marine Corps
Grade: Captain
Rank: O3
ID Number: 090413
Unit: Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 115, Marine Aircraft Group 31, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing Association
MOS: 7521 Pilot VMFA (I)

Date of Loss: 13 July, 1968
Age at Loss: 26
Country of Loss: South Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 163706 North 1064404 East (Quang Tri)
Status (in 1973): Killed In Action/Body Not Recovered
Category: 2
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: F4B #150650
Type: Hostile
Reason: Air Loss, Crash - Land - Fixed Wing - Pilot
Missions:
Other Personnel in Incident:
Refno: 1225

REMARKS: CACCF/CRASH/PILOT/4 YRS United States Marine Corps/QUANG TRI

Location of Name on the Wall: Panel 52W, Line 023

A Note from the Virtual Wall:

On 13 July 1968 Capt John C. Hurst, pilot, and 1st Lt Leonard A. Bird, radar intercept officer, of VMFA-115 at Chu Lai, were conducting a close air support mission about 10 miles south of Khe Sanh in F-4B BuNo 150650.

The F-4 was hit by ground fire during its second pass at the target, burst into flames, and crashed before either crewman could escape the aircraft.

Because the aircraft was under observation from the time it was hit until ground impact the two men were declared killed in action. Their bodies have not been recovered.

P.O.W. Network Biographical Info for Leonard A. Bird:

Name: Leonard Adrian Bird
Date of Birth: 14 September 1943
Home City of Record: Wilmington, Delaware
Branch: United States Marine Corp/O2
Grade: Lieutenant
Rank: 02
Unit: Vietnam Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 115, Marine Aircraft Group 31

Date of Loss: 15 July 1968
Country of Loss: South Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 163706 North 1054404 East (Quang Tri)
Status (in 1973): Killed In Action/Body Not Recovered
Category: 2
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: F4B 150650
Missions:
Other Personnel in Incident:
Refno: 1225

REMARKS: Died when aircraft he was in burst into flames and crashed
CACCF CRASH/OTHER AIRCREW QUANG TRI 3 YRS USMC

Aircraft details: Mach II capable F-4B Phantom II.

Squadron details: The "Able Eagles" were deployed to Da Nang, Republic of Vietnam on 14 October 1965. During the Viet Nam War, VMFA-115 flew more than 34,000 combat sorties, participating in such battles as the Tet Offensive, Hue City, Khe San, and Task Force Delta, and was awarded the Hanson Trophy in 1971 by the Commandant of the Marine Corps.

Casualty 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.