TANNER, CHARLES NELS

RIP - 06/11/2015

Name: Charles Nels Tanner Rank/Branch: O4/United States Navy, pilot Unit: VF 154 Date of Birth:  October 20, 1932, Mount Carmel, Tennessee. Home City of Record: Covington TN Date of Loss: 09 October 1966 Country of Loss: North Vietnam Loss Coordinates: 203100N 1055000E Status (in 1973): Returnee Category: Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: F4B #152993 Missions: 125 Incident No: 0490

Official pre-capture photo

Other Personnel in Incident: Ross Terry, returnee

Source: Compiled by P.O.W. NETWORK March 1997 from one or more of the
following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with
POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews.  2023

REMARKS: 730304 RELEASED  BY DRV

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Charles Tanner retired from the United States Navy as a Captain.

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June 12, 2015

It is with great sadness that I must tell you that my old and faithful
cellmate of many years passed away in Tallahassee, FL last night (11 Jun).
He had suffered for over ten years with throat cancer and was recently
moved from his home in Covington, TN to be near his daughter in
Tallahassee.  His wife, Sara Ann, called me this morning with the news.  I
will forward the details regarding his funeral when they get firmed up, but
it will occur in Covington, TN.  You might recall that Nels spoofed his
captors with the name of his squadron CO, Ben Casey . . . a mythical TV
star of that time.

His funeral will be on Tuesday, 16 June 2015, in Covington, TN. 
Visitation at 1300; church service at 1400; reception afterwards. 
Church and cemetery are located at 4600 Mt. Carmel Road in Covington.

God bless him . . . he got me through some rough times.
Best,
Bob Shumaker

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http://www.covingtonleader.com/hero-of-vietnam-war-cmdr-nels-tanner-dies-cms-3216

Hero of Vietnam War, Cmdr. Nels Tanner, dies

By Brian Blackley, Publisher Published: June 12, 2015        THE LEADER, COVINGTON TN

Cmdr. Charles Nels Tanner, 82, a hero of the Vietnam War and Covington,
Tenn., native, who endured torture at the hands of the Vietcong in the
dreaded Hanoi Hilton during his six and a half years of captivity, died
today in Florida....

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