HOLLAND, LAWRENCE THOMAS

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Name: Lawrence Thomas Holland
Rank/Branch: O4/US Air Force
Unit: Unknown (per Air Force)
Date of Birth: 15 May 1934
Home City of Record: Alhambra CA
Date of Loss: 12 June 1965
Country of Loss: South Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 113431N 1065341E (YT088795)
Status (in 1973): Killed/Body Not Recovered
Category: 1
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: F100D
Refno: 0097
Other Personnel in Incident: (none missing)

Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 01 April 1990 with the assistance
of 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 2020.

REMARKS: EJECTED - KILLED IN SHOOTOUT

SYNOPSIS: The North American F100 "Super Sabre" first saw action in
Southeast Asia in northwest Laos in May 1962. F100 operations in Vietnam
began in 1965, and took part in Operation Flaming Dart, the first U.S. Air
Force strike against North Vietnam in February of that year. Further
deployments of the aircraft to the area left just five F100 squadrons in the
United States.

Various modifications were made to the aircraft affectionately called "Hun"
or "Lead Sled" by its pilots and mechanics over the early years, gradually
improving night bombing capability, firing systems and target-marking
systems. The single seat models D and F were good at top cover and low
attack, and could carry a heavy load of munitions.

Major Lawrence T. Holland was the pilot of an F100D dispatched on a tactical
mission over South Vietnam. His aircraft was the lead in a flight of two
F100's. After making passes on a target near Don Luan in Phuoc Long
Province, Maj. Holland radiod his aircraft had been hit by hostile fire. A
parachute was observed to alnd in 100 foot trees.

A rescue helicopter ladned in the nearest clearing and the helicopter crew
proceeded on foot into the woods. They were fired upon by Viet Cong and they
saw the enemy drag the limp body of Maj. Holland into a ditch. The
helicopter crew were unable to rescue Maj. Holland.

In late August, 1971, the Department of the Air Force received information
which they believed sufficient to determine that Holland had died at the
time of the incident. It was determined Holland had been shot and killed by
Viet Cong soldiers after he opened fire on them. Maj. Holland was reportedly
buried in the immediate vicinity of the incident. At this time, his status
was changed to Killed in Action/Body Not Recovered.

Holland is one of many who were almost in the grasp of rescue teams when
they were last seen. Holland appears to have been dead at that time, but
many others were alive. Some of the Americans who remain missing were
actually photographed in captivity, only to disappear.

Since the war ended, nearly 10,000 reports have been received relating to
Americans missing in Southeast Asia. Some authorities have reluctantly
concluded that hundreds of Americans are still alive in captivity today. It
would not appear that Lawrence T. Holland is one of them. But if there is
even one American still alive, this government, which sent him, has a moral
and legal obligation to bring him home.
 

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01/2020

https://dpaa.secure.force.com/dpaaProfile?id=a0Jt0000000KYf0EAG

MAJ LAWRENCE THOMAS HOLLAND

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Captain Lawrence Thomas Holland, who entered the U.S. Air Force from California, served in 615th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 401st Tactical Fighter Wing. On June 12, 1965,  he was the pilot of a single-seat F-100 Super Sabre (tail number 55-3702, call sign "Edna 11") that took off from Da Nang Air Base, South Vietnam, as the lead in a flight of two aircraft on a tactical mission north of Dong Xoai, South Vietnam. While making a pass over the target, Capt Holland's aircraft was hit by enemy ground fire. Soon after, he radioed his wingman that "Edna 11" was hit and he would soon eject. Capt Holland landed near (GC) YT 066 802, and a rescue helicopter was dispatched and landed in a nearby clearing but as rescuers made their way to Capt Holland, they heard gunshots. They were soon spotted by and fired on the Viet Cong, but the rescue team was forced to withdraw to the helicopter and reported seeing Capt Holland's body pulled into a ditch by the enemy. Years later, a "rallier" (communist defector) who witnessed the events reported that after ejecting, Capt Holland became stuck in his parachute when it landed in a tree at (GC) YT 088 795. The Viet Cong ordered him to surrender, at which point Capt Holland opened fire with his pistol but was shot and killed by the enemy, and his body left under a nearby tree. Later attempts to locate and recover his remains were unsuccessful. Following the incident, the Air Force posthumously promoted Capt Holland to the rank of Major (Maj). Today, Major Holland is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Based on all information available, DPAA assessed the individual's case to be in the analytical category of Active Pursuit.

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