Vietnam-era MIA May Be identified After 36 years, Gives Hope To Dalton Family

WDEF News 12 - Chattanooga, TN, USA

Vietnam-era MIA May Be identified After 36 years, Gives Hope To Dalton Family
Submitted by Kristen Johnson on August 1, 2008 - 11:40pm. News

Missing for four decades, the remains of a Vietnam flight surgeon may finally be found.

For a Dalton family it could be the closure they've been waiting for.

Jo Anne Shirley flips through an album full of pictures of her brother Bobby Jones. She says, "He was just happy go-lucky,very bright, excited about his medical profession."

Major Bobby Jones was a flight surgeon during the Vietnam War.

Just 6 weeks into his tour of duty, Jones' F4 jet disappeared from radar in South Vietnam. The date Nov. 28, 1972.

Shirley remembers the day her family was told of the accident. "They said, we don't know the circumstances but we do know he's missing in action."

For 36 years now, Jones' family..including his sister Jo Anne Shirley have fought to find him and bring him home.

A recent call could be the hope they've waited for.

In June a forensic anthropologist searched what's believed to be Jones' crash site.

Shirley adds, "They found evidence that linked back specifically to Bobby. That evidence is in the form of a blood chit, a military identification marker.

Shirley says a team now plans to do a full excavation of the site and she says, "They do believe there's a good chance they'll find remains and if so, that's just icing on the cake."

But Shirley's search won't stop with her brother. Shirley leads a national effort to account for U.S. personnel missing in action.

Shirley says, "The reason we've accomplished what we have...is because of the National League of Families keeping the pressure on the government and the issue alive before the American people."

Shirley says the organization's efforts help keep today's soldiers and their families from going through her family's situation. Shirley adds, "As a Christian I know I'm going to be face-to-face with my brother one day and I want him to be proud of what we've done."

To date, there's 1,755 U.S. personnel listed as missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War.

To learn more how you can help keep these accountability efforts alive, visit www.pow-miafamilies.org.