[SandyC]

I just felt like sharing something that happened today. I was cruising the web checking out military sites and came across the Vietnam Virtual Wall and looked up Jim's cousin James Clellon Story, nicknamed Sonny. There he was, on the wall, his name engraved forever. Yet, he's also considered MIA.



Someone posted a memorial to him and it said:

Posted for: JAMES CLELLON STORY:

I helped search. No results were found. Just parts of the truck. Hwy 19 near Ahn Khe Pass.

Posted by: Roy G Tipton
Relationship: We served together
Friday, April 5, 2002

We're going to try to contact this man. He was there when Sonny's convoy was attacked. We've only met one other veteran who knew Sonny. He was behind Sonny's truck when it was attacked. Throughout the years the family has been contacted once or twice to give dna samples to match to Sonny's to no avail. I can only imagine what this man went through trying to find the soldiers in that convoy.

It's important to our family to know what happened. We know the details but it's of some comfort to know there was someone there who witnessed what happened and was with Sonny in his final minutes. I guess it makes it more real and/or acceptable if that makes sense.

If your interested in looking at the memorial and the details of a veteran's fate you can visit it here: The Virtual Wall

To view an actual image of the wall and someone you may know visit here: View The Wall

[DM]

Thanks for sharing that Sandy! I've been to the VN Memorial wall and it takes your breath away.

[Alffe]

It does take your breath away...and people making impressions of their loved ones names....tears...pride

[Bannet]

Hi Sandy

Thanks for sharing. That was really nice.

I wear a P.O.W bracelet and have been wearing it since 1971. This past summer I visited the traveling memorial wall in Kalkaska MI.

I found the man who's name is on my bracelet. Still MIA. but presumed dead.

I refuse to take it off until he is brought home. Anyway if you want to check out the wall it's in my pictures. his name is there on the wall (Craig Dix)

Thanks again.

[weegot5kiz]

Thank you Sandy for sharing this, hope you are able to hook up with this vet, to get some answers

Beth, that is really cool, and nice of you on the mia pow braclet

[braingonebad]

Sandy, thanks for posting, and I hope you can get in touch and get some answers.

Originally Posted by Bannet

Hi Sandy

Thanks for sharing. That was really nice.

I wear a P.O.W bracelet and have been wearing it since 1971. This past summer I visited the traveling memorial wall in Kalkaska MI.

I found the man who's name is on my bracelet. Still MIA. but presumed dead.

I refuse to take it off until he is brought home. Anyway if you want to check out the wall it's in my pictures. his name is there on the wall (Craig Dix)

Thanks again.

I wonder if he's related to my mil? I'll have to ask her. (Her family is from the Toledo area)

[Victor H]

I hope that it works out, Sandy.

It gives me chills each time I see my last name on that wall.

-Vic

[sabimax]

Thanks for sharing...I loved seeing the wall...way back years ago...hugsss,sarah

[Riverwild]

Thanks for this, Sandy.

I also have my bracelet. I think about him every Veterans Day and your post made me take some time and I started searching for more information on him.

His name is William F. Mullen and he is from Brockton, Mass. He was lost over Laos on April 29, 1966 and his name is on the Wall.

He was a Captain and a pilot with the US Marines. He was flying his last mission, at the end of his tour of duty, over the Ban Karai Pass in Laos, and disappeared. Reports state that his radio was active after he was lost and that he was using the "click" system that pilots used after they were shot down, for two days. Efforts to rescue him were held back by heavy artillery fire each time they tried to go in.

His wife, Barbara Mullen, raised two children while waiting for his return. When the POWs in Viet Nam were brought home, no agreement was made with the Pathet Lao for the servicemen they held or for any information on deaths of prisoners held in Laos.

Captain Mullen was promoted while MIA, to Major and then to Lt Colonel.

Lt. Colonel Mullen was declared presumed dead in 1986, although no information or remains were found.

The saddest part of my search was reading these words:

September 10, 2008

The following information should be included in his file and his personal
website under William F. Mullen:

About six years ago intelligence from former North Vietnam military officers
confirmed to our Defense Department that my husband's parachute had carried him straight down into a North Vietnam Headquarters on the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos. Since then the Defense Department has located a grave where eventually the North Vietnamese buried him.

My husband and an estimated 400 plus aviators were shot down, many captured and later buried by the North Vietnamese along the Ho Chi Minh Trail and elsewhere in Laos - so many, in fact, that although my husband's grave was found more than five years ago, the list for returning the remains of these POWs is so long they will not excavate my husband's grave for at least three more years.

I will appreciate your making these changes as soon as possible...

With appreciation,

Barbara Mullen

Barbara Mullen wrote a book "Every Effort" in 1986, detailing her search for information and her wait for her husband to return. She has remarried and the book is listed under her married name, Barbara Mullen Keenan and is still available through Amazon and other booksellers.

During my search I also found out that his son is a Lt Colonel in the USMC who served several tours of duty in Iraq.

[SandyC]

RW, thank you for sharing that story. How touching and sad. About six years ago is when Jim's aunt was asked to provide dna samples to cross match with found remains. The sad part is they declined to give dna. The mother, Jim's aunt wanted to but the family (his sisters) asked to not bring up the past because it hurt too much. She let them decide to not do it. In some way I can understand but more of me doesn't get it.

Jim and I have fought in the past to bring our men and women home with Task Force Omega, a private veteran's organization we used to belong to. To have a family refuse dna because they don't want to relive the past hurt me. Not for them, but for Sonny. Jim has tried to find someone who would at least take his blood to cross match but so far we've not heard from anyone.

I told my MIL about this man and asked her to ask the family if they want me to get his contact infomation for them. I am going to go ahead and contact him for Jim and I no matter what their decision.

Anyway, thank you for sharing your story. I will remember your soldier on Veteran's and Armed Forces day.