BRUNSTROM, ALAN LESLIE
Name: Alan Leslie Brunstrom
Rank/Branch: United States Air Force/O4
Unit: 20 TRS
Date of Birth: 25 March 1931
Home City of Record: Miami FL
Date of Loss: 22 April 1966
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 214200 North 1064000 East
Status (in 1973): Returnee
Category:
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: RF101C #0090
Missions:
Other Personnel in Incident:
Refno: 0312
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.
REMARKS: 730212 RELEASED BY DRV
SOURCE: WE CAME HOME copyright 1977
Captain and Mrs. Frederic A Wyatt (USNR Ret), Barbara Powers Wyatt, Editor
P.O.W. Publications, 10250 Moorpark St., Toluca Lake, CA 91602
Text is reproduced as found in the original publication (including date and
spelling errors).
ALAN L. BRUNSTROM
Colonel - United States Air Force
Shot Down: April 22, 1966
Released: February 12, 1973
I was born March 25, 1931 in Menominee Michigan. I attended a one room rural
school until completion of the sixth grade. At that time, I moved to Fargo,
North Dakota for the seventh grade. Following that year we moved to central
Missouri where I completed elementary and high school.
Ever since I was a small boy, I wanted to be an Air Force pilot so at the age
of seventeen I joined the Air Force. I went through basic training at Lackland
AFB, Texas and then to Airplane and Engine Mechanics school at Kessler AFB,
Mississippi. Following this I was sent to Rhein Main AB in Germany for the
Berlin Airlift.
Upon my return to the US, I went to Aircraft Engine school at Chanute AFB,
Illinois and on to Castle AFB, California in B-50 maintenance. I left Castle
as a S/Sgt. for flight training as an Aviation Cadet at Hondo AB, Texas;
Greenville AFB, Mississippi and James Connally AFB, Texas. I was commissioned
2 November 1953 and got my wings 1 December 1953. I proceeded to F-84 Gunnery
school at Laughlin AFB, Texas and Luke AFB, Arizona and on to K-2 Taegu,
Korea.
I returned to Nellis AFB, Nevada where I instructed in the T-33, and F-86-F/H
and flew the C-119 and C-123 support aircraft for the USAF Thunderbirds for
two years. In the summer of 1958, I attended Squadron Officers School at
Maxwell AFB, Alabama. I spent the next five years in the Air Defense Command
as an Intercept Director, advisor to the Japanese and Thai Air Force and Air
Division operations staff officer at McChord AFB, Washington, Northern Japan,
Thailand, and Syracuse, New York.
In the spring of 1964 I went to Shaw AFB, South Carolina for the RF-101
course. I was TDY to Hq. 13th Air Force at Clark AB, Philippine Islands for
five months in 1965. In December 1965 I was sent PCS to Tan Son Nhut AB,
Saigon and in March 1966 to Udorn AB, Thailand. I flew 115 combat missions
(250 hours combat time) and on April 22, 1966 I was downed by AAA over a
target on the NE Railroad approximately 60 miles north of Hanoi. I was
immediately captured and held prisoner until my release in February 1973.
After a long rest period my duty assignment was to the Air War College at
Maxwell AFB, Alabama and then on to college to get a BS in business to be
completed in a year. l still look forward to getting back into the fighter
flying game again.
While I was gone, my wife, Helen, made good use of her time by acquiring a BS
and an ME with emphasis on Biology at the University of Miami. Our daughter,
Kathy, has been a straight A student since kindergarten and soon completes the
8th grade.
I was a prisoner for almost seven years and during this time I was associated
with many men from different services. I can honestly say I have never known a
finer group of men. I am extremely proud of all of them. We did many things to
help each other through our darkest hours, but the thing that was most helpful
was our faith - faith in God, faith in our country, our Commander-in-chief,
and the American people as well as our families. I am grateful to be a part of
a wonderful country and a wonderful people - The American People!
November 1996
Alan Brunstrom retired from the United States Air Force as a Colonel. He and
Helen live in Florida.