SHANK, GARY LESLIE

REMAINS RETURNED 07/01/84

Name: Gary Leslie Shank
Branch/Rank: United States Navy/O2
Unit:
Date of Birth: 16 March 1947
Home City of Record: PRAIRIE VILLAGE KS
Date of Loss: 23 July 1972
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 203258 North  1063424 East
Status (in 1973): Missing in Action
Category: 2
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: A7B #154531
Missions:
Other Personnel in Incident:
Refno: 1903

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 and CACCF = Combined Action
Combat Casualty File.  Updated 2020.

REMARKS: DEAD

On coast Thai Binh 25 miles South of Haiphong.

REMAINS RETURNED 07/01/84

CACCF/CRASH/PILOT/4 YRS UNITED STATES NAVY
                 

No further information available at this time.

======================

Library of Congress files:

NVN: Biographic Site Report/Update for REFNO: 1903-1-01
Country: NVN

Name: Shank, Gary Leslie

Subjects: Grave site; Crash site; Thai Binh Province

Reel: 372

Page: 3-6

Type of Document: Automated Data Extract

Date of Report: 94 03 01

Date of Information: 72 07 23

Originator: JTFFA

Category: JTFFA Files

VM: Evaluation of RPT HK88-089
Country: VM

Name: Gary L. Shank

Subjects: Thai Binh Province; Aircraft downed; Crash site; Remains

Comments: REFNO 1903 Resolved Case

Reel: 350

Page: 18

Type of Document: Message

Date of Report: 90 03 07

Date of Information: 72 07 23

Document Number: 071812ZMar90

Originator: JCRC Barbers Pt

Category: JCRC Archival Files

 

Subject: Submission
Date: Sat, 27 Oct 2018 16:53:55 +0000
From: William M. Killian <wkillian@smjuhsd.org>

 

On July 23, 1972, LTJG Gary L. Shank was flying an armed reconnaissance mission in a U.S. Navy
A-7B Corsair II (#154531), call sign Champion 414, over North Vietnam. LTJG Shank was the wingman

in a flight of two aircraft. When the flight arrived over the target, the flight leader made his attack and,
as he pulled out, notice anti-aircraft fire in the target area He observed a bright flash just below the
nose of Shank’s aircraft. Shank’s Corsair commenced a left descending turn and crashed in shallow
water. No parachute was seen nor were there any beeper signals heard. Search and rescue efforts
were started immediately, and electronic surveillance continued throughout the night. All efforts proved
unsuccessful. Because of hostile threats in the area, ground inspections of the crash site were not
possible. On July 17, 1984, Shank’s remains were returned to the U.S. by the Socialist Republic of
Viet Nam. His remains were positively identified on August 2, 1984. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org] ds,

 

Submitted by William M. Killian

 

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02/2020

LT GARY LESLIE SHANK

Return to Service Member Profiles

On August 2, 1984, the Central Identification Laboratory-Hawaii (CILHI, now DPAA) identified the remains of Lieutenant Gary Leslie Shank, missing from the Vietnam War.

Lieutenant Shank entered the U.S. Navy from Kansas and was a member of Attack Squadron 56, Carrier Air Wing 5. On July 23, 1972, he piloted an A-7B Corsair II (bureau number 154531, call sign "Champion 414") that took off from the USS Midway (CVA-41) on an armed reconnaissance mission against enemy targets in North Vietnam. While in the target area, the Phantom was shot down by enemy anti-aircraft fire and crashed into shallow waters, killing LT Shank. Search and rescue efforts were started immediately but could not recover LT Shank's remains at the time. In 1984, the Vietnamese government repatriated human remains related to this loss and U.S. investigators were able to identify LT Shank from these remains. 

Lieutenant Shank is memorialized in the 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.