On July 13, 1968, an F-4B Phantom II (bureau number 150650) with two crew members took off on a strike mission against targets near Khe Sanh, Quang Tri Province, South Vietnam. Friendly ground forces and the other aircraft on the mission observed this aircraft catch fire during its attack run on a suspected enemy position. No crew members were seen ejecting, and the aircraft crashed near enemy positions in the vicinity of grid coordinates XD 835 345. Neither crew member's remains were recovered.

First Lieutenant Leonard Adrian Bird entered the U.S. Marine Corps from Delaware and was a member of the Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 115, Marine Air Group 13, 1st Marine Air Wing. He was the radar interceptor officer aboard this Phantom when it crashed on July 13, 1968, and he was lost with the aircraft. Attempts to locate or identify his remains following the incident have been unsuccessful, and he is still unaccounted-for. Today, First Lieutenant Bird 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.