BRUNSON, CECIL H.

Name: Cecil H. Brunson
Rank/Branch: O2/United StateAir Force
Unit: 469th TFS
Date of Birth: 19 December 1947
Home City of Record: Memphis TN
Date of Loss: 12 October 1972
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 213000 North  1063000 East
Status (in 1973): Returnee
Category:
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: F4E
Missions: 160
Other Personnel in Incident: Myron Young, returnee, pilot

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: 730329 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).
UPDATE - 09/95 by the P.O.W. NETWORK, Skidmore, MO

CECIL H. BRUNSON
First Lieutenant- United States Air Force
Shot Down: October 12, 1972
Released: March 29, 1973

When I left for Southeast Asia in February 1972 I wasn't really worried
about going into combat. Sure I was a little scared but I didn't  really
believe anything was going to happen to me. I spent eight months at Korat
Thailand. Occasionally I would send pictures back home to my wife Jean. One
such picture was, of me sitting on the nose section of my F-4 Phantom. The
caption I wrote on the back of the picture read: "This is my horse
'Phantom.' He hasn't thrown me yet." It wasn't long after this that Captain
Myron A. "Joe" Young and I were shot down northeast of Hanoi on October 12
1972. During our captivity Captain Young and I wrote "The Ballad of Sparrow
3" a song describing the event on October 12 1972. *

I feel lucky that my captivity lasted only six months I have a great deal of
respect for those who spent many years in Hanoi's prisons.  These men
exemplify the bravery and  courage of America's fighting man. Out of this
experience I've gained some important things deeper faith in God and a
greater love for America.

November 1996
Cecil Brunson resides in Tennessee.