STUART, JOHN FRANKLIN

Name: John Franklin Stuart
Rank/Branch: Lt.Colonel/United States Air Force
Date of Birth: 26 July 1933
Unit: 307th Strat Wing, Utopea AB Thailand
Home City of Record: Indianapolis IN
Loss Date: 20 December 1972
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 210500N 1055900E
Status (in 1973): Missing In Action
Category: 2
Acft/Vehicle/Ground: B52
Refno: 1955

Other Personnel In Incident: William U. Acuri; Terry M. Geloneck; Paul L.
Granger; Thomas J. Klomann (all returned POWs from B52, coordinates 210500N
1055900E); Roy Madden Jr.; Michael R. Martini (returned POWs from B52,
coordinates 211000N 1054500E); Craig A. Paul; Warren R. Spencer (remains
returned from B52, coordinates 210459N 1053958E); Arthur McLaughlin; Irwin
S. Lerner; Randolph Perry (all missing from B52, coordinates 210500N
1055900E)

Source: Compiled 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 in 2020.

Remarks: POSS KIA - TWO ON CREW REL PWS

SYNOPSIS: John F. Stuart was aboard a B52 shot down by a Surface to Air
(SAM) missile over Hanoi on December 20, 1972.  His B52 was one of many
involved in the successful "Christmas Bombings" of Hanoi that finally
convinced the Vietnamese to sit at the peace table.

There were a total of 12 men missing in close proximity to each other from
B52 aircraft on December 20.  It is unclear which men were together on any
given plane, although it seems clear that the four missing were on the same
plane as Madden and Martini, as Defense Department notes that two men were
released from Lerner and Perry's plane.  The total number listed exceeds a
normal B52 crew capacity, which is six.  Stuart was in a flight of three
B52s over Hanoi that day.  The fate of all three planes is uncertain.

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[2002 update]
The number three aircraft in the flight, a B52D, contained the following
crew members:
Major John F. Stewart, pilot;
Major Randolph A. Perry,  R/Nav;
Capt. Thomas J. Klomann, Nav;
Capt. Irwin S. Lerner, EWO;
1Lt. Paul L. Granger, Co-Pilot; and
Chief Master Sgt. Arthur V. McLaughlin, Jr., Gunner.

One thing that amazed analysts about the B52 bombers that were shot down
over Hanoi during this period was the high survival rate of the crewmembers.
Many more were returned as POWs than was expected.  The B52s that were shot
down were downed in extremely hostile territory with little or no chance of
rescue.

Unfortunately, it does not appear that all the prisoners were returned in
1973 at the end of the war.  Since 1975, thousands of reports have been
received by the U.S. Government relating to Americans still alive in
captivity.  Experts in the U.S. Government have stated they believe they are
being held.  The question then, is no longer whether or not they are alive,
but who are they, and how can we bring them home?  And is one of them John
F. Stuart?

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02/2020

https://dpaa.secure.force.com/dpaaProfile?id=a0Jt00000001UbbEAE

LT COL JOHN FRANKLIN STUART

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On December 20, 1972, a B-52 Stratofortress (tail number 56-0622, call sign "Orange 03") with a crew of six embarked on a combat mission over Hanoi, North Vietnam. The aircraft, which was third in a flight of three, was hit by a surface to air missile while over the target. The aircraft burst into a large fireball and crashed in the vicinity of (GC) 48Q WJ 869 477. Crew members in other aircraft did not see any parachutes and detected no rescue beepers. Because of the heavy enemy fire and the fact that the loss location was deep in enemy territory, a search and rescue effort could not be conducted. It was later learned that two of the crew members survived the crash, were held as prisoners of war in North Vietnam, and were eventually released. A joint US/Vietnamese mission resulted in the recovery of the remains of two of the crew members. The other two crew members remain unaccounted for.

Major John Franklin Stuart, who joined the U.S. Air Force from Indiana, served with the 307th Strategic Wing. He was the aircraft commander of the Stratofortress when it crashed, and his remains were not recovered. After the incident, the Air Force promoted Major Stuart to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col). Today, Lieutenant Colonel Stuart 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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