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Name: Name:
Ronald "L" Roehrich |
Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 01 April 1990 from one
or more of the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency
sources, correspondence with POW/MIA families, published sources,
interviews.
REMARKS:
SYNOPSIS: Lt.JG Warren
W. Boles was a pilot assigned to Fighter Squadron 114 onboard the
aircraft carrier USS KITTY HAWK. On January 18, 1968, he and his
radar intercept officer (RIO), Lt.JG Ron Roehrich launched in
their F4B Phantom fighter aircraft as the second plane of a
two-plane section. Their assigned mission was as Barrier Combat
Air Patrol Mission to protect friendly air and surface units in
the Gulf of Tonkin.
The two aircraft were launched independently and proceeded to
their assigned station separately. Enroute to the station, Boles
established radio contact with his airborne controller and was
immediately vectored to investigate an unidentified surface
contact in a threatening position in the Gulf. Boles descended
through a low overcast and positively identified the contact as a
non-hostile, cargo-type ship. Seconds later, radio and radar
contact were lost with Bole's aircraft.
Search and rescue helicopters were immediately sent to the scene
and confirmed, by a fuel slick and debris, that the aircraft had
crashed at sea. Although an exhaustive search was conducted, no
survivors were found. The weather at the scene was about 700 feet
overcast with low visibility and it was very dark.
Final analysis of the accident concluded that Boles apparently
became disoriented while visually tring to identify the surface
contact and flying on instruments and inadvertently collided with
the water. The Commanding Officer believed that Boles had no
warning of his impending crash and that his death was
instantaneous.
Boles and Roehrich appear to have perished in the unexplained
crash of their aircraft that January day in 1968. They are among
nearly 2500 Americans who remain missing or unaccounted for from
the Vietnam War. Thousands of refugee reports have been received
since the war ended which have convinced many authorities that
hundreds of these Americans are still alive. While Boles and
Roehrich may not be among them, one can imagine their cheerfully
accepting one more mission to help guard their flight to safety.
As long as
even one American remains alive, held against his will, we must
do everything possible to bring him home alive.
POW/MIA Data & Bios supplied by the P.O.W. NETWORK Skidmore, MO. USA