CAPT. RICHARD W. PODELL
U.S. Air Force Reserve Capt. Richard W. Podell, missing from the Vietnam War, has now been identified.
On June 9, 1967, Capt. Richard W. Podell, a navigator, along with two pilots, and three aircrew members assigned to 29th Troop Carrier Squadron, 463rd Troop Carrier Wing, 7th Air Force were flying a lead C-130B aircraft on routine shuttle flights from Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Saigon, Republic of Vietnam, to several airfields in southern Vietnam. At Nha Trang Air Base, they picked up classified cargo and the remains of two deceased individuals: one American Soldier and one member of the Republic of Korea Army, as well as four escorts. The aircraft returned to Tan Son Nhut Air Base and was on approach for landing when it had to vector around an artillery firing zone. Shortly after making normal radio contact, the aircraft crashed in a swampy area approximately 12 miles east of Tan Son Nhut Air Base.
On June 10, 1967, the Tan Son Nhut, or TSN, Mortuary sent a team to recover the remains of the missing crew members and passengers. Subsequently, the TSN Mortuary identified five individuals, but were unable to individually identify the remaining six Americans.
In May 1992, Vietnamese villagers turned over identification media and possible human remains they recovered from a C-130 crash site in Vam Ba Dau Long Tan Village, Long Thanh District, Dong Nai Province. One of the items turned over was an ID tag belonging to Podell. In December 1992, the U.S. Army Central Identification Laboratory, Hawaii concluded the remains most likely belonged to Podell. In October 1994, Vietnamese villagers turned over additional human remains and material evidence associated with Podell’s incident. In November 1994, the U.S. Army Central Identification Laboratory, Hawaii received the human remains and material evidence.
To identify Podell’s remains, scientists from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial (mtDNA) and Y-chromosome (Y-STR) DNA analysis, anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial evidence. On Sept. 10, 2018 DPAA officially identified the remains of Podell.
A visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. Oct. 19, 2018 at the Blair-Stubbs Funeral Home, Thornton, Texas. The graveside service will be at 2 p.m. Oct. 20, 2018 at Thornton Cemetery, Thornton, Texas, with full military honors.
Support from the government and people of Vietnam was vital to the success of this recovery.
For more information, contact AFMAO Public Affairs at 302-677-2275 or afmao.pa@us.af.mil.