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This Remembrance Profile was originally created by Sgt Stephen Willcox - Deceased
"Capt. James W. "Bill" Reed was a pilot assigned to the 555th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Ubon Airfield, Thailand. On July 24, 1970, he and his navigator, 1Lt. Donald B. Bloodworth were assigned an operational mission of Laos in their F4D Phantom fighter/bomber.
Their mission that day took them over the Plaine des Jarres (Plain of Jars) region of northern Laos in Xiangkhoang Province. As the aircraft was making a strafing pass over a communist truck convoy, it took enemy fire. The crew of a C123 observed the Phantom crash after it had made its pass over the target, but no one saw parachutes before seeing a huge explosion, and no recognizable aircraft parts were found. No emergency radio beeper signals were heard. Nevertheless, there remained the possibility that the men saftely ejected.
James W. Reed was promoted to the rank of Major during the period Donald Bloodworth and he was maintained missing."
Major Reed's status was changed to KIA in 1986 when a piece of dental plate was found at the crash site in Laos. (Source: http://boards.ancestry.com) A memorial service was held for him on May 24, 1998. Source: Congressional Record - May 18, 1998, The House of Representatives - Hon. Robert W. Ney - Honoring Major James William Reed - http://thomas.loc.gov. Donald Bloodworth was found and returned to his family.
