Local Vietnam Vets Finally To Be Laid To Rest

Peoria Journal Star - Peoria, IL, USA

Pentagon identifies remains from plane shot down 40 years ago

By ANDY KRAVETZ
of the Journal Star
Posted Dec 15, 2008 @ 10:51 AM

After 40 years, two central Illinois men killed when their plane was shot down in Vietnam will be laid to rest along with four of their crewmates in Arlington National Cemetery later this week.

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced Monday the remains of Air Force Maj. Bernard L. Bucher of Eureka and Army Capt. Warren R. Orr Jr. of Kewanee will be interred Thursday along with the crew members.

A relative of Bucher said some members of the family will travel to Washington, D.C., to take part in the ceremony. She said she had asked the Pentagon to release the information on Monday to let those who were wearing an MIA bracelet in honor of Bucher know "that this has finally been put to rest."

Warren Orr of Santa Anna., Calif., said nine members of his family will travel to Washington for the ceremony. For him, the interment of his son's remains is a "relief."

"For a long time, there was uncertainty. We didn't know if he was a (prisoner of war) or not. He was listed as missing in action for a number of years," said the elder Orr from his home.

The other servicemen have been identified as Maj. John L. McElroy of Eminence, Ky.; 1st Lt. Stephen C. Moreland of Los Angeles; Staff Sgt. Frank M. Hepler of Glenside, Pa.; and Airman 1st Class George W. Long of Medicine, Kan., all of the Air Force.

Long was buried in his hometown last year.

On May 12, 1968, these men were on board a C-130 Hercules evacuating more than 150 Vietnamese villagers from the Kham Duc Special Forces Camp near Da Nang, South Vietnam. While taking off, the crew reported taking heavy enemy ground fire. It was reported the plane exploded in mid-air soon after leaving the runway.

In 1986 and 1991, U.S. officials received remains and identification tags from sources claiming they belonged to men from this incident. Scientific analysis revealed they were not American remains, but it was believed the area residents knew where the crash site was located.

Orr's remains were identified last year by a DNA analysis. Bucher's relative said only four bones out of 2,200 found at the crash site were identified as being part of the crew. The rest of the remains were too degraded by fire or by the elements.

However, the military is burying the group as a whole given the evidence of dog tags, equipment and the fact that the bones were found at the location of the crash, said a Pentagon spokeswoman.

Warren Orr Jr. was to be laid to rest last year at Arlington but it was delayed until this week, his father said.

The ceremony will be hard for the California man, who will also stop by the Vietnam Memorial to remember his son, whom he called a "perfect gentlemen."

"He hated violence. He was quite creative, just the kind of guy everyone liked," the elder Orr said.

Andy Kravetz can be reached at 686-3283 or akravetz@pjstar.com.