WRITER, LAWRENCE DANIEL

Name: Lawrence Daniel Writer
Rank/Branch: O3/United States Air Force
Unit: 389th TFS
Date of Birth: 15 April 1940
Home City of Record: Olympia WA
Date of Loss: 15 February 1968
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 173100 North  1063500 East
Status (in 1973): Returnee
Category:
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: F4D
Missions: 7
Other Personnel in Incident: Joseph Carpenter, Returnee

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.

REMARKS: 730314 RELEASED BY DRV

Larry Writer was born in Olympia, WA on 15 April 1940.  He grew up in the
suburb of Lacey attending North Thurston High school.  He attended
Washington State university and the University of Puget Sound, graduating in
1963 with a double major in Biology and Chemistry.  He received his
commission through the ROTC program and had his first assignment at Eglin
AFB doing Research and Development in Chemical and Biological Weapons and
Defense.  He married the former Molly Brown on 8 August 1964. We have two
girls, Laurie Ann, born 12 July 1966, Brenda Lynn, born 21 August 1967 and a
boy Larry, born 13 February 1974.

He attended navigator training at Mather AFB in 66 and 67.  Two girls were
born at Mather, Laurie (1966-32) and Brenda (1967-31).  He was chosen as
part of a test program putting navigators in the back seat of the F-4.
Following training at the Fighter Weapons School he then went through the
Tet 68 Offensive to Danang AB. He arrived in Saigon on 30 January 1968 on the
eve of the TET offensive, and arrived at Da Nang Air Base on 3 February
1968. He started flying on 8 February. On Feb. 15 his 7th mission and 12th
day at Danang he was shot down near Dong Hoi about 30 miles north of the
DMZ.  Captured by local militia and moved to Hanoi. It took three weeks to
get to Hanoi. He lived in Little Vegas, Plantation, Hope (Son Tay), Faith,
Unity, Cao Bang, Plantation and home on the third C-141 on 14 Mar 73.  Total
time in Hanoi was 61 months. Longest time in solitaire was his first 666
days.

Following release he was retrained as a navigator and assigned to McChord
AFB to fly C-141's.  Two boys were added to the family,Larry II(1974-24)and
William(1975-23). Next came the Armed Forces staff College, 3 years at HQ
USAFE coordinating Special Operations training and scheduling air shows and
open houses and then 2 years as a Base Commander.  Back to the USA as Deputy
Commander for Resources (DCR) at Wurtsmith AFB and then to Fairclild AFB as
DCR and retirement as Colonel 31 Aug 87.

Post USAF career has been varied.  I am becoming an expert in Downsizing. 5
years as a manager in a trucking company, 18 months as the Business Manager
(CEO) of a Native American corporation, Production Control and Material
Manager for a startup company in the aircraft supplies industry, Financial
Analyst for a truck manufacturing company, Material Planner for a medical
instrument manufacturer and now National BIOGRAPHY Operations Manager for a
division of the same company.

Lawrence Writer lives in Washington State.

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