Bio, Lannom, Richard C.

Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 01 April 1990 from 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:

SYNOPSIS: The Grumman A6 Intruder flew most of its missions from the decks
of Navy attack carriers of the Seventh Fleet. Their primary missions were
close-air-support, all-weather and night attacks on enemy troop
concentrations and night interdiction.

Seventh Fleet Vice Commander, Admiral William F. Bringle, said, "The
low-level night missions flown by the A-6 over Hanoi and Haiphong were among
the most demanding missions we have ever asked our aircrews to fly.
Fortunately, there is an abundance of talent, courage and aggressive
leadership in these A-6 squadrons."

LTCDR Thomas Scheurich was the pilot of an A6A on just such a mission over
Haiphong on March 1, 1968. He launched on that day from the USS ENTERPRISE
with his bombardier/navigator (BN), LTJG Richard C. Lannom, along with two
other A6 aircraft.

The flight proceeded to their target area located approximately 45 miles
northeast of Haiphong. The area was defended by medium anti-aircraft
artillery, automatic weapons and small arms. The aircraft reported at the
execute point, 5 minutes prior to coast-in point, at which time they turned
off their IFF transponder. Therefore, radar contact was lost on the
aircraft.

Following their attacks, the other two aircraft in the flight proceeded to a
pre-briefed rendezvous point which was to be used in the event of radio
falure for battle damage assessment. Both aircraft searched the rendezvous
area and attempted radio contact with Scheurich and Lannom with negative
results. Search and rescue (SAR) forces were alerted. No emergency beepers
were heard during the overland flight or during the subsequent electronic
search.

Scheurich's and Lannom's aircraft was evidently hit by ground fire and went
down about 55 miles southeast of Haiphong in the Gulf of Tonkin. It was
considered that there was little chance that the enemy knew the fate of
either man, and prospects were rather dim for their survival, but both were
classified Missing In Action. There was no proof they died. There still was
the possibility that they bailed out and were picked up in the water by the
Vietnamese.

When American involvement ended in Indochina, and 591 American prisoners
were released, Lannom and Schuerich were not among them. Their families and
those of nearly 2500 others still do not know with certainty whether they
are alive or dead.

Reports continue to be received that Americans are still being held prisoner
in Southeast Asia. Whether Lannom and Scheurich could be among them is
unknown. It is clear, however, that it is long past time to bring these men
home.

During the period they were maintained missing, Richard C. Lannom was
promoted to the rank of Lieutenant and Thomas E. Scheurich was promoted to
the rank of Captain.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From: Duus, Kristen L SFC USARMY DPAA EC (USA) <kristen.l.duus.mil@mail.mil>
Sent: 15 January, 2019 11:48
To: Undisclosed recipients:
Subject: Tennessee Naval Aviator Accounted-For From The Vietnam War

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

LT RICHARD CLIVE LANNOM

Return to Service Member Profiles

Conflict
Service
Status
Date of Accounting

VIETNAM WAR
UNITED STATES NAVY
Accounted For
10/09/2018

On October 9, 2018, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) identified the remains of Lieutenant Richard Clive Lannom, missing from the Vietnam War.

Lieutenant Lannom joined the U.S. Navy from Tennessee and was a member of Attack Squadron 35, embarked aboard the USS Enterprise (CVN 65). On March 1, 1968, he was the bombardier/navigator aboard an A-6A Intruder (bureau number 15-2944) that took off from the Enterprise on a strike mission against enemy targets northeast of Haiphong, North Vietnam. Radio contact with the Intruder was lost as it approached the target area. It failed to return to the Enterprise following the mission, and search and rescue efforts failed to locate any sign of the aircraft or its crew. In 2017, a set of remains were recovered from an area correlating to the loss of LT Lannom's Intruder. Forensic analysis led to the identification of these remains as those of LT Lannom.

Lieutenant Lannom is memorialized on Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

If you are a family member of this serviceman, you may contact your casualty office representative to learn more about your service member.

LT RICHARD CLIVE LANNOM

Unit VA 35
Historical Country of Loss
North Vietnam
Current Country of Loss
VIETNAM
Home of Record TN

	Vietnam War veteran missing for 51 years laid to rest in Tennessee CBS News 03/04/19 After Lannom disappeared, she joined the National League of POW/MIA families and lobbied for the return of prisoners of war. She remarried, but the ...
	Service & Sacrifice: MIA Navy pilot's widow shares memories of her lost first love WPSD Local 6 03/05/19 Charlotte hoped perhaps Tito was a prisoner of war. She joined the National League of POW/MIA Families and advocated for the release of POWs at ...