THORNTON, GARY LYNN Name: Gary Lynn Thornton Rank/Branch: 01/US Navy Unit: Liaison, USS ENTERPRISE Date of Birth: 2 December 1941 Home City of Record: Porterville CA Date of Loss: 20 February 1967 Country of Loss: North Vietnam Loss Coordinates: 194158N 1054257E (WG750782) Status (in 1973): Released POW Category: Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: F4B Refno: 0597 Other Personnel in Incident: Russell C. Goodman (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 1998. REMARKS: 730304 RELEASED BY DRV SYNOPSIS: The Phantom, used by Air Force, Marine and Navy air wings, served a multitude of functions including fighter-bomber and interceptor, photo and electronic surveillance. The two man aircraft was extremely fast (Mach 2), and had a long range (900 - 2300 miles, depending on stores and mission type). The F4 was also extremely maneuverable and handled well at low and high altitudes. The F4 was selected for a number of state-of-the-art electronics conversions, which improved radar intercept and computer bombing capabilities enormously. Most pilots considered it one of the "hottest" planes around. Major Russell C. Goodman was an Air Force pilot flying as a liaison officer between the Air Force and the Navy. On 20 February 1967, he was the pilot of an F4B Phantom fighter jet with Ensign Gary L. Thornton flying as his weapons/systems officer. The team was scheduled to fly a bombing mission against a railroad siding in North Vietnam. At a point about 8 miles south of the city Thanh Hoa in Thanh Hoa Province, North Vietnam, Goodman's aircraft was hit by a surface-to-air missile (SAM) in the left front section. Ensign Thornton could not establish contact with Maj. Goodman. Before he ejected from the badly damaged jet, Thornton noted that Goodman was either dead or unconscious because his head was down and wobbling back and forth. Ensign Thornton was captured by the North Vietnamese and returned to U.S. control on March 4, 1973 during Operation Homecoming. During his debriefing, Thornton expressed his belief that Maj. Goodman did not exit the aircraft. Since American involvement in Vietnam ended in 1975, nearly 10,000 reports relating to Americans missing, prisoner, or otherwise unaccounted for in Indochina have been received by the U.S. Government. Many officials, having examined this largely classified information, have reluctantly concluded that many Americans are still alive today, held captive by our long-ago enemy. Maj. Russell C. Goodman probably died the day his Phantom took a SAM hit. But one can imagine that he would gladly be among those first in line to help bring his comrades home. It's time the war ended. It's time our men came home. 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). GARY L. THORNTON Lieutenant - United States Navy Shot Down: February 20, 1967 Released: March 4, 1973 I was born in Delano, California, on 3 December 1941. I lived in that immediate vicinity until early 1947, when my family and I moved to Klamath Falls, Oregon. We remained there for about one year, then moved north, again, to Washington state. We remained there until January, 1951. After four years away from "God's Country," California, we returned to the Porterville, California, area. I was in the third grade. My father began farming and did so for the bulk of my remaining school years - much to my enjoyment, I might add - something I was beginning to realize during my college years and I have learned to appreciate even more through six years of imprisonment reflections. I attended Porterville High School, graduating in 1960. I was moderately active in high school sports and student government. Porterville Junior College was my next educational step. I graduated from that school in 1963. During my last year of high school (September 1959) I enlisted in the Naval Air Reserve and served as a "Weekend Warrior" for some four years, entcring active service in November 1963. I served the enlisted Navy in Jacksonville, Florida, for some 15 months when I was recipient of orders to Naval School, PreFlight (February 1965). After the completion of pre-flight I attended Basic Naval Flight Officer's School, Sherman Field, completed in November 1965 and transferred to RIO training at NAS Glynco, Georgia. On 9 February 1966, I was commissioned and awarded my "Wings of gold". My next duty station was NAS Miramar, San Diego, California and VF-121 for RIO training in the F4B I completed the training syllabus in August 1966 and joined my one and only operational Navy Squadron-FV-96 subsequently aboard USS Enterprise. My first combat-December 1966. Forty-plus combat missions-shot down, captured on 20 February 1967. Repatriated 4 March 1973. Six years,12 days of imprisonment (I think the last man to complete six years). Since repatriation life has been filled by a world of activity, not the least of which involves a meeting with the world's most beautiful woman (note some personal bias, perhaps). Miss Mae Fagundes, a San Leandro, California, girl and I were married on Saturday, 15 September 1973 at NAS Alameda. After an Acapulco honeymoon we now make our home in the Monterey, California vicinity where I attend Naval Post Graduate School in the pursuit of a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government (International Relations). At the end of my schooling I expect assignment to a fleet squadron and continuation of my operational Naval career. My parents, Mr. and Mrs. Billy Thornton, reside in Porterville, California. My oldest brother, Bill D. Thornton works with the city planning office, Glendale, California. Another brother, Jack W. Thornton is District Manager for Travelers Insurance Co. Claims Division, Sacramento, California. Finally, a sister, Mrs. Harland W. Walker, mother of four, lives in the Porterville area. Gary Thornton retired from the United States Navy as a Commander. He lives in California.