Return With Honor

On October 27, 1969, Captain Jim Herrick while assigned to the 602nd Special Operations Squadron, Nakhon Phanom flew his Skyraider on an interdiction mission over the Ho Chi Minh Trail. His plane went down in Xiangkhouang Province, Laos. His last known location was one mile northwest of Ban Khang Pha Nien and 19 miles northeast of Xieng Khouang near the Plain Of Jars.

Contrary to the prisoner of war release of the Paris Peace agreements, no prisoners held by the Laotian communists were ever released. Only those held by the Vietnamese were freed.

Sadly, nearly 600 Americans including Jim Herrick, disappeared into the dense jungles of Laos left behind. These brave men have never been forgotten by their families, nor by those who served with them.

God,where have the past years gone which seem so much as a passing cloud? In an instant I am there with you once again as the Skyraiders cough to life before heading out over the trails in Laos.

I can't believe it was over 20 years ago, since standing on the runway at Nakhon Phanom on my first return trip I felt your presence, knowing some day all of us will be together in the time we call eternal once a few more brief clouds have passed.

Yet there will never be a time for us to dispair as we strove to assist others and you gave your all to do it. Your memory and spirit live on within the hearts and minds of your family members who have waited so long for you to come home and never forgotten by those who served with you.

The internet has finally provided us the ability to find one another and together we have created the Thailand Laos Cambodia Brotherhood, a non profit charity organization to honor your memory by aiding those you strove to assist all over Southeast Asia.

Now during the past twelve years thousands of children have been helped in memory of those who did not return home and many more are being aided today with blankets, shoes, food, and other items of necessity by your brothers. Currently we are repairing schools, adding bathrooms and water systems and libraries in the area surrounding Nakhon Phanom. We are also building schools, adding bathrooms and water systems in central and northern Laos.

Truly our departed brothers live on in spirit within the hearts of the young children we assist in their memory. Every one of them earned the right to be returned with honor to their homeland and their loved ones.

Welcome Home my brothers!

John Sweet
56th Special Operations Wing
Tactical Units Operations Center
1987th Comm Nakhon Phanom 69-70
Air Commando Assoc. # 2924