Ronald Alan Bois-ClaireAviation Machinist 2nd ClassVAP-62 (TAD TO VAP-61), TF 77, 7TH FLEET United States Navy 07 December 1938 - 25 August 1967 Tucson, Arizona Panel 25E Line 041 |
 
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The database page for Ronald Alan Bois-Claire
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Commander Edward J Jacobs, LTJG James J Zavocky, and ADJ2 Ronald A Bois-Claire were conducting airborne photo reconnaissance off the coast of North Vietnam in an RA-3 aircraft. Radio contact with the aircraft was lost, and SAR efforts failed to uncover any trace of the aircraft or its crew. All three men were declared "Missing in Action". Eventually that was changed to "Killed In Action/Body Not Recovered". The fact of the matter is that no-one knows what became of these three men.
The sponsor of this memorial wishes to remain anonymous. |
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In the memorial Note, it was said that VAP 62 did not send detachments to Vietnam during the war, but provided aircraft augmentation. I was in VAP 62 from October 1967 until the end in 1969. We supplied detachments of men and aircraft on four month rotations to VAP 61. During that time, most of us saw duty in Danang.
Tom Williams |
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I served in the Navy with Ron Bois-Claire and flew in the squadron RA-3B aircraft with him several times. I have tried so many times to contact his family over the years but without success. He was a good man who loved his family so very much and was also a very good friend. I've missed that friendship all these years. We spent many hours talking about "life" in general and how being a "family man" was the only life for either one of us. We were in Panama for quite a while and I remember the time he and I drove a Navy station wagon to the top of a hill overlooking the canal locks and watched big ships going through. On the way back down the hill Ron lost control of the car on the gravel road and we wound up completely buried in the brush about 20 feet off the road. I had to climb back over the seats to open the rear cargo door in order for us to get out. A car load of men drove by after several hours and saw us standing there by the road without a "car" and looking very sheepish. They actually got down into the brush and pushed the car back up to the road. Ron and I laughed so hard we literally couldn't stand up. I still laugh at those times yet today. Ron was not only a great person but also a wonderful friend. I know, if God allows me to enter Heaven when I die, Ron will be there, just inside the gate, with a big smile on his face and we're going to bust out laughing again about those crazy times so many years ago. If anyone who knew Ron happens to read this I hope you will contact me.
From a friend, |
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Remembered
by his son, |
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I've always been interested in wearing a POW/MIA bracelet so I finally got one. I was asked if I wanted an Air Force one (because I'm in the Air Force) or if I wanted to just pick one. Well, for my sentiment/emotional purposes I just picked one and pulled out Ronald A. Bois-Claire. I figured I would do a little research to see what I could find and now knowing a little about what happened to PO1 Bois-Claire I am very proud to wear this bracelet. I hope that one day researchers can find the exact problem of why his aircraft went down so the mystery can be solved and I can send my bracelet to his family.
From , |
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I am Ronald A. Bois Claire Senior's wife. My name is Frances Gaile Bois Claire Lyons, my email address is gailel@bellsouth.net. We were married almost 5 years before he went to Vietnam, we had one son Daniel Keith and I was pregnant with our second son, that is why his name is Ronald Alan Junior born on October 26, 1967. Ronnie also was married before to Mary Eunice Olliff Bois Claire and had a son Robert Alan and a daughter Helen Marie. Yes, he was a great man, a good father, very funny, a neat freak and a real hard worker. I love him dearly after all these years. His mother wanted a graveside to go and put flowers and talk to him. Although we did not have a body he actually has one at East Lawn Palms in Tuscon, Arizona. I got to go back there on Memorial Day 2006 after 39 years, it was a sad but a wonderful experience, I will forever miss him.
Sincerely, |
A Note from The Virtual WallThe three men were flying in RA-3B BuNo 144835 assigned to Heavy Photographic Squadron 61 (VAP-61) and probably launched from Danang Air Base in South Vietnam. They were conducting a night photo recon mission with infrared cameras in North Vietnam. The aircraft simply disappeared - no signs of wreckage or the crew were ever found.Heavy Photographic Squadron 62 (VAP-62) was based at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida, as part of the Atlantic Fleet. VAP-62 never deployed as a full squadron to Vietnam during the war but did (as noted above) provide aircraft and aircrew augmentation to the Pacific Fleet's VAP-61. |
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The point-of-contact for this memorial is his son, Ronald Alan BoisClaire, Jr. jeniebois@aol.com |
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With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Memorial first published on 05 Jan 2001
Last updated 11/15/2006