LEE, CHARLES RICHARD

REMAINS RETURNED  06/03/83

Name: Charles Richard Lee
Branch/Rank: United States Navy/O3
Unit: Attack Squadron 146 (VA-146)
Date of Birth: 13 March 1941
Home City of Record: SAN DIEGO CA
Date of Loss: 09 July 1967
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 204900 North  1063300 East
Status (in 1973): Missing in Action
Category: 2
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: A4C
Missions:
Other Personnel in Incident:
Refno:


Official pre-capture photos

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.  2021

REMARKS: PROB DEAD

REMAINS RETURNED  06/03/83

CACCF/COSTA MESA CA/CRASH/PILOT/12 YRS USN

No further information available at this time.

Subject: Submission
Date: Thu, 3 May 2018 14:54:17 +0000
 

On July 9, 1967, LT Charles R. Lee was the pilot of an U.S. Navy A-4C Skyhawk (#149542) from Attack Squadron 146 (VA-146), call sign Busy Bee 602, launched from the aircraft carrier USS Constellation (CV-64) in a flight of four for a strike on the Haiphong POL storage area in North Vietnam. As the flight was approaching the target area, LT Lee’s aircraft was struck by a surface-to-air missile (SAM). The aircraft was observed to burst into a ball of fire and crash. Various witnesses reported that they had not seen an ejection attempt nor a parachute, and no beeper signals were heard. Search operations were initiated around the crash site, but there was no sign of a survivor. Lee was listed as Missing in Action, presumed Killed in Action. On June 3, 1983, remains believed to be Lee’s were returned to the United States by the North Vietnamese. These were positively identified on June 27, 1983. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org]


 

Submitted by William M. Killian
 
Subject: Loveletters. LCDR Charles Lee
Date: Mon, 31 May 2021 16:38:57 -0400
From: Bobbi Brown <queenb712@icloud.com>


As a teenager in the 1970s, I had the privilege of wearing a bracelet in honor of LCDR Charles Lee for many years. Like so many he made the ultimate sacrifice, and his remains were returned in 1983. On this Memorial Day I would like to express my gratitude and condolences to LDCR Lee’s family and offer them his bracelet. In the event this brings up painful memories, please accept my apologies, and I will take the bracelet to “the Wall” on a future visit.

Please feel free to contact me. God Bless!

Bobbi Brown


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01/2020

https://dpaa.secure.force.com/dpaaProfile?id=a0Jt000000vZtpLEAS

LCDR CHARLES RICHARD LEE

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On June 27, 1998, the Central Identification Lab-Hawaii (CILHI, now DPAA) identified the remains of Lieutenant Commander Charles Richard Lee, missing from the Vietnam War.

Lieutenant Commander Lee, who joined the U.S. Navy from California, served with Attack Squadron 146, Carrier Air Wing 14  and was embarked aboard the USS Constellation (CVA-64). On July 9, 1967, he piloted an A-4C Skyhawk (bureau number 149542) on a combat mission over Hai Phong Province in North Vietnam. During the mission, the Skyhawk was shot down by a surface-to-air missile and LCDR Lee was killed. Search and rescue efforts were initiated but were unable to locate him at the time. In 1983, the Vietnamese government repatriated remains which were later identified as those of LCDR Lee.

Lieutenant Commander Lee is memorialized on 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.