Individual Details

Death

ELWYN REX CAPLING - Air Force - COL - O6 Age: 37 Race: Caucasian Sex: Male Date of Birth Jul 15, 1930Born: Rosetown, Saskatchewan, Canada From: DETROIT, MI Marital Status: Married - Sister, Joan Capling Quirk - FAG Memorial# 23955816. Birth:Nov. 1, 1928-Death:Jan. 11, 2008. Joan E. Quirk, 79, of Bad Axe died Friday, Jan. 11, 2008 at Huron Medical Center in Bad Axe. Joan was born Nov. 1, 1928 in Rosetown Saskatchewan, Canada to the late Rex and Edna (Hamilton) Capling.****** I was also flying in the area, when Rex, was shot down. I was flying in a flight of F-4's attacking a nearby target when Rex's F 105, was shot down. When I heard on "guard," that he was bailing out, we kept our remaining ordance and went over and flew 'cap' over where he landed. I'am probably the last person who talked to him. He landed in a large cabbage field, his legs were broken and he couldn't move. (broken arms and legs, were common in high speed ejections, from F 105's) I did not know, that it was Rex, until after I got back, to Danang and read the classified, 'shoot down' report. Robert Krogseng - Stationed with Rex, in the 62, nd., FIS., K.I., Sawyer, AFB. COL - O6 - Air Force - Reserve His tour began on Jan 19, 1968Casualty was on Sep. 19, 1968In , NORTH VIETNAMHostile, died while missing, FIXED WING - PILOTAIR LOSS, CRASH ON LANDBody was recoveredPanel 43W - Line 33Other Personnel in Incident: (none missing) on September 19, 1968, Maj. Elwyn Rex Capling was the pilot of an F105F aircraft sent on a mission in North Vietnam . During the mission, Capling's aircraft was shot down over Quang Binh Province. Other pilots in the flight observed Maj. Capling's successful ejection and landing on the ground.By radio, Capling reported his leg was broken and requested help. Because of the heavy concentration of North Vietnamese forces in the immediate area, rescue attempts were impossible.In November 1973, JCRC received a cable from Defense Intelligence Agency which was copied to various high stations, including CIA, the Secretary of State and the White House. The cable stated JCRC should "take necessary action to delete any references pertaining to PW [Prisoner of War] status and place members in a new MIA code" the files of Capling and several others. Whether JCRC had positive intelligence that indicated Capling had been captured is unknown.Promoted to Colonel while in MIA status