The database page for Marvin Lee Foster
I carried your POW bracelet all through the 70's hoping you would come back safely but that was not to be. You are not forgotten A memorial initiated byLee Kehoe lkehoe@theflyer.net |
I am his great niece (his brother Jack is my grandfather). I am serving my first enlistment in the United States Air Force, and not a day goes by that I don't remember that I am carrying on a family tradition in defending my country. I think of him through every POW/MIA celebration and many times inbetween, especially as I have learned details of his relationship with my grandfather. It would have been an honor to meet him.
Erika K. Foster |
You were in the best of company on that fateful day. Raymond Bobe was my classmate and winged his way to Heaven with you. I am sure you and he are guarding those pearly gates and await our arrival. You will always be remembered along side Raymond when I take those special moments to remember. You shall remain forever young in the minds and hearts of those who knew and loved you. May God grant to those of us who are left here without you and Raymond the same peace that you have enjoyed for 37 years.
Reba Darnell |
I lived in Hawaii from 1971 - 1975 and wore LtCol Marvin Foster's POW bracelet too. It has the date 3-16-69 on it which I understand is the date he went missing. Sorry he never made it home but his service is appreciated.
Beverly Burke |
I wore a POW bracelet from 1971 through 1973 with the name Lt. Col. Marvin Foster. Now I know what finally happened and am so sorry.
Sue Kalahar |
May GOD Bless you and your family. I also wore Lt Col Marvin Foster's POW MIA bracelet for several years. I never took it off until it broke in half. I felt as if a part of me had been taken away. I kept it with me for several years afterward and would love to have forwarded it on to his family. Unfortunately through the years and several moves I lost it. I attempted several times to locate another one. I felt in my heart that he was a part of my family and I missed him very much. I am glad that in 2005 there was a small part of closure for his family with him being returned and laid to rest in his homeland. I would like to thank him and his family for the ultimate sacrafice that he and they endoured. May GOD bless you always and I am hoping to one day shake Lt Col Foster's hand as he guards the Pearly Gates of Freedom.
Valerie W |
A Note from The Virtual WallOn 16 March 1969 the Command Aviation Company, 210th Aviation Battalion, was tasked with flying a routine logistics flight which originated at Long Thanh with several scheduled stops enroute Hue/Phu Bai and return. The aircraft assigned was a UC-21A aircraft (tail number 66-18007). The trip was uneventful through its first scheduled stops. At Long Binh passengers Major Marvin L. Foster, SP4 Michael Batt, and PFC Raymond Bobe boarded the aircraft for transportation to Hue. The aircraft went from Long Binh to Qui Nhon, where two passengers deplaned, and departed for Hue/Phu Bai.Although the weather was good on departure from Qui Nhon it deteriorated as the flight approached Danang and the crew requested an instrument flight plan to Hue with radar flight following. Although Danang had radio and radar contact with the UC-21, radio contact was lost when the crew was directed to change frequency to Hue Approach and radar contact was lost shortly thereafter (not unexpectedly, since there's a 5000-foot mountain range between the two places). The official reports do not indicate that Hue/Phu Bai ever established contact with the UC-21. Although search and rescue efforts were begun when the aircraft failed to arrive on time, an airborne search had to await improvement in the weather and were unsuccessful in finding any evidence of the aircraft or its crew and passengers. The five men aboard were classed as "Missing" and were continued in that category until the Secretary of the Army approved Presumptive Findings of Death on the dates shown below:
The press release does not mention Captain Charles R. Barnes by name; he is the "one other passenger aboard whose remains have not been identified". A JTF-FA summary of the recovery operation dated 05 April 2005 gives the location of the crash site - the peak of Nui Cai Mountain, 11 kilometers east-southeast of Phu Loc, part of the 5000-foot mountain range mentioned above. |
The point-of-contact for this memorial is one who wears his MIA bracelet, Lee Kehoe lkehoe@theflyer.net |
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With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Memorial first published on 21 Aug 2002
Last updated 03/06/2008