SCHIERMAN, WESLEY DUANE
Name: Wesley Duane Schierman Rank/Branch: United States Air Force/O3 Unit: 67 TFS - Korat AB Thailand Date of Birth: 21 July 1935 St John WA Home City of Record: Lancaster WA Date of Loss: 28 June 1965 Country of Loss: North Vietnam Loss Coordinates: 211800 North 1035800 East (Son La) Status (in 1973): Returnee Category: Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: F105D (Schierman states F105F not D) Missions: Other Personnel in Incident: Robinson Risner, returnee Refno: 0130
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. Updated 2008.
REMARKS: 730212 RELEASED BY DRV INJURED
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).
WESLEY DUANE SCHIERMAN Major - United States Air Force, pilot Shot Down: August 28, 1965 Released: February 12, 1973
Born 21 July 1935 in St. John, Washington. Joined the Washington Air National Guard in February 1953, attended Pilot Training from October 1954 through May 1956, returned to the Washington Air National Guard and attended Washington State University, ATO Fraternity (B.S. Psychology 1959). Married Faye A. Rigsby (B.A. Education, Washington State 1959) in September 1958. Two children: daughter, Sandra, born December 1960, and son, Steven, born May 1962. Pilot, Northwest Airlines 1959 - 1960.
Returned to active duty in the United States Air Force in September 1962. Stationed at Clovis Air Force Base, New Mexico, 1962-64, and Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, 1964-65. Captured on August 28, 1965 while flying an F-105 on my 37th combat mission over North Vietnam.
During my almost 7 1/2 years in North Vietnam my greatest tribulation was that of overcoming my grief at having subjected my wife and children to the painful and difficult experience that they were to undergo. However, I had great faith and confidence in my wife's ability to overcome these difficulties and that faith has been rewarded by a strength and steadfastness that far exceeded my greatest expectations.
Throughout many years of torture, exploitation, deprivation and degradation, my will to live was sustained primarily by this faith and love for my family. I vowed that if it was humanly possible for me to return to them and still do my duty to my country, I would do so. Through this faith and the Grace of God I have been fortunate enough to have endured this trial. Generally speaking, I was quite impressed with the ingenuity and tenacity of the men I served with while imprisoned in North Vietnam. However, I feel that the real heroes of this war are those who unfortunately will not return - those many thousands who gave their lives that we might enjoy the benefits and way of life of this wonderful country in which we live. I must also mention the great sacrifice of those who have been maimed and incapacitated as a result of this conflict. I pray to God that these men will be able to bear their burden and continue on with the same spirit that gave them the courage to participate in this very difficult conflict in the first place.
I have enjoyed my homecoming, return to freedom, and reunion with my family more than words can describe and l look to the future with joyous anticipation! My future plans are to return to my previous employment as a pilot for Northwest Airlines which I look forward to with great anticipation. I am definitely willing to serve my country again should it become necessary, although I pray to God that it will not.
I will conclude with this one thought which is a quotation by William Allen White. "Liberty is the thing you cannot have unless you are willing to give it to others."
---------------- October 21, 1999
I should add to my biography that my wife Faye & I had a daughter, Stacy Lynn, born in April of 1975, following my return from Vietnam in 1973. All of my three children, & three grandchildren live in the Washington State area.
I retired from the United States Air Force Reserve as a Major. I became a commecial pilot and eventually retired from the Airlines in 1995, but find myself seemingly busier than when I was working! I still continue to fly in a small experimental aircraft, which I enjoy a great deal.
More on Wesley Schierman's time in captivity can be found in the pages of Benjamin Schemmer's "THE RAID" by Avon.
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