HALL, FREDERICK MERVYN [SOME RECORDS SHOW FREDRICK]
Name: Frederick Mervyn Hall
Rank/Branch: O2/US Air Force
Unit: 390th
Tactical Fighter Squadron
Date of Birth: 06 June 1943
Home City of Record: Waynesville NC
Date of Loss: 12 April 1969
Country of Loss: South Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 152820N 1073715E
Status (in 1973): Missing In Action
Category: 3
Acft/Vehicle/Ground: F4D
Refno: 1423
Other Personnel In Incident: Ernest L. DeSoto (missing)
Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 01 April 1991 from one or more of
the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence
with POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews. Updated by the P.O.W.
NETWORK 2023.
REMARKS: DISAP IN CLOUD BANK
SYNOPSIS: The Phantom, used by Air Force, Marine and Navy air wings, served
a multitude of functions including fighter-bomber and interceptor, photo and
electronic surveillance. The two man aircraft was extremely fast (Mach 2),
and had a long range (900 - 2300 miles, depending on stores and mission
type). The F4 was also extremely maneuverable and handled well at low and
high altitudes. Most pilots considered it one of the "hottest" planes
around.
Maj. Ernest L. DeSoto was the pilot and 1Lt. Frederick M. Hall the navigator
and systems operator of an F4D sent on a combat mission on April 12, 1969.
DeSoto's aircraft was one in a flight of three which departed Da Nang
airbase for a bombing mission in an unstated area.
During the mission, other pilots report that DeSoto and Hall's aircraft
disappeared into a cloud bank, and was not seen again. The last location
logged for the aircraft was in Quang Nam Province, South Vietnam, a few
miles north of the tri-border area of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.
Three weeks later, an aviator who had been recommended for the Congressional
Medal of Honor was put on report. It had been decided it would be "unwise"
to award the Medal because it might remind the Vietnamese that American
troops were active near the DMZ and upset the Paris peace talks.
The Paris Peace talks, finally culminating in peace accords in 1973,
signaled the end of U.S. involvement in Southeast Asia. One of the
stipulations agreed to by Vietnam was the return all Prisoners of War and
the fullest possible accounting of the missing. However, known prisoners of
war did not return, nor did several known to have died in captivity. Precise
locations of crash sites were known in many cases, but access to them was
denied.
DeSoto and Hall are among nearly 2500 Americans who were lost in Southeast
Asia and never returned. Reports continue to mount that some of them are
alive, being held prisoner. Contrary to policy statements, the return of
these men does not seem to be a high priority of the U.S. Government.
Americans like Hall and DeSoto went to Vietnam prepared to be wounded or
taken prisoner, even prepared to die. They did not go prepared to be
abandoned. They must be brought home.
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From: DPAA NCR OC Mailbox Public
Affairs <dpaa.ncr.oc.mbx.public-affairs@mail.mil> Greetings, Captain Hall was accounted for in March, but his family only recently received their full briefing on his identification, which is why this release is going out now.
June 23, 2023 WASHINGTON—The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that U.S. Air Force Capt. Frederick M. Hall, 25, of Waynesville, North Carolina, reported missing during the Vietnam War, was accounted for March 23, 2023. On April 12, 1969, 1st Lt. Hall was the navigator on a F-4D Phantom II assigned to 390th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 336th Tactical Fighter Wing. Hall, his pilot, Colonel De Soto and another aircraft were returning from a cancelled strike mission near Quang Nam Province, Vietnam when both aircraft ascended into heavy cloud cover. The lead aircraft noticed Hall’s plane was not in sight and immediately began an aerial search without success. Hall was promoted to Captain while in a missing status. A search and rescue airborne mission were deployed and located Hall’s crash site, there were no signs of the crew; however due to the hostile activity in the area prevented a ground investigation of the site. In May 1995, a Joint Field Activity team located the crash site in the Giang District, Quang Nam Province and sent another joint team in July 1996 to recover evidence. A number of DPAA investigation and recovery efforts took place between 1998-2020, with a March 2021 recovery mission conducted by the host nation, finding possible osseous remains and material evidence. The remains were sent to the DPAA laboratory for identification. To identify Hall’s remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis and material evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), and autosomal DNA (auSTR) analysis. Hall’s name is recorded on the National Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., and the American Battle Monuments Commission’s Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, along with others who are unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for. Hall will be buried in Waynesville, North Carolina on Oct. 10, 2023. For family and funeral information, contact the Air Force Casualty Office at (800)-531-5803. DPAA is grateful to the government of Vietnam for their partnership in this mission. For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, find us on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or https://www.linkedin.com/company/defense-pow-mia-accounting-agency. Hall’s personnel profile can be viewed at https://dpaa-mil.sites.crmforce.mil/dpaaProfile?id=a0Jt0000000BTUcEAO.
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June 25, 2023 54 years later: Missing Vietnam pilot, North Carolina native accounted for - WSOC TV
— The Defense POW/MIA Accounting
Agency (DPAA) announced Saturday that U.S. Air Force Capt.
Frederick M. Hall, 25, of Waynesville, North Carolina is ...
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Dear All, BLUF: I'm reaching out to inform our WNC MOAA community about Capt. Frederick "Freddie" Hall, USAF, who was MIA in Vietnam for 54 years. His remains have been recovered and positively accounted for. Now the town of Waynesville, NC, his hometown, will be honoring his life, his sacrifice and service to his country on Tuesday, October 10th (more details below). Details - Paying Respects: open to the public. Sunday, October 8th: Hall's arrival will take place at Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport in South Carolina around 1:30 P.M., before escort back to his hometown via motorcade. Under normal conditions, the drive takes about two hours. Those who wish to welcome him home are encouraged to gather near Wells Funeral Home, in Waynesville.
Tuesday, October 10th: A memorial service will be held at Hall's church, First Presbyterian, 305 N. Main Street in Waynesville at 11:00 A.M. The memorial service is open to the public, but capacity is limited. At the conclusion of the memorial service, those who wish to pay their respects should line Main Street as the procession makes its way to Green Hill Cemetery, approximately one mile away. The procession will include a caisson and a riderless horse. Military honors graveside will be provide by an honor guard from Shaw AFB, SC. The graveside service will be open to the public, but parking can be a problem so plan ahead. After the graveside service, a reception will be held at Wells Funeral Home for family and family friends. The VFW and the American Legion will be hosting a reception at each location for all others.
I have attached maps to help with advanced planning and parking. Sincerely,
Donna Culp, Capt. USAF (Fmr) President, WNC MOAA 252-548-2265 Waynesville, NC
For more information about Capt. Hall and his service:
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01/2020
https://dpaa.secure.force.com/dpaaProfile?id=a0Jt0000000BTUcEAO
On April 12, 1969, an F-4D Phantom II (tail number 66-8766) took off as the wingman in a two-plane strike mission against targets near Da Nang, South Vietnam. During the mission, while flying through cloud cover, the Phantom crashed into a mountain ridge. Search and rescue efforts were launched, but there were no signs that either crew member survived the crash, and ground searches were prevented by heavy enemy presence in the area. Both men from the Phantom’s crew remain unaccounted-for.
First Lieutenant Fredrick Mervyn Hall, who joined the U.S. Air Force from North Carolina, was a member of the 390th Tactical Fighter Squadron. He was the navigator aboard the Phantom when it crashed on April 12, 1969, and he was lost in the incident, and his remains have not been recovered or identified. The Air Force posthumously promoted First Lieutenant Hall to the rank of Captain (Capt). Today, Captain Hall is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
Based on all information available, DPAA assessed the individual's case to be in the analytical category of Active Pursuit.
If you are a family member of this serviceman, DPAA can provide you with additional information and analysis of your case. Please contact your casualty office representative.
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