RAITT, ALBERT ★ 27 JUN 27 - AUG 65 CURRY, GEORGE ★ 2 OCT 45 - 1 AUG 66 GUNDAKER, FRANK ★ 14 JAN 34 - 1 AUG 66 KOMMENDANT, AADO ★ 9 AUG 41 - 1 AUG 66 MAHER, EDWARD ★ 4 APR 47 - 2 AUG 68 GRAHAM, BARRY ★ 1 MAR 39 - 3 AUG 70 GRANGER, WILLIE ★ 30 DEC 46 - 3 AUG 68 SANTORO, RONALD ★ 9 JAN 49 - 3 AUG 68 SCHNABOLK, HOWARD ★ 22 AUG 43 - 3 AUG 67 SPRUILL, OVELL ★ 20 AUG 46 - 4 AUG 70 ANDERSON, MARCUS ★ 2 JAN 47 - 6 AUG 68 BARBEE, JOHN ★ 19 JUL 44 - 6 AUG 68 CRIKELAIR, JOHN ★ 12 MAY 45 - 6 AUG 69 MCCAULEY, DENNIS ★ 9 OCT 43 - 6 AUG 67 VICHOSKY, WALTER ★ 18 OCT 47 - 6 AUG 71 BRUNO, EDWARD ★ 2 JAN 48 - 7 AUG 69 DE JESUS-COLON, JOSE ★ 9 JAN 45 - 7 AUG 68 HEIN, ANTHONY ★ 26 JUL 46 - 7 AUG 68 CORBIN, DONALD ★ 16 NOV 46 - 8 AUG 66 IVES, RICHARD ★ 13 JAN 46 - 8 AUG 66 KISIELEWSKI, JOHN ★ 19 MAY 49 - 8 AUG 70 NORDMAN, ERIC ★ 28 SEP 42 - 8 AUG 66 OVAITT, RICHARD ★ 12 MAY 47 - 8 AUG 68 VON BISCHOFFSHAUSEN, ROBERT ★ 4 MAY 48 - 8 AUG 68 ELLIOTT, ROBERT ★ 31 AUG 45 - 9 AUG 70 NICKENS, CECIL ★ 19 SEP 47 - 9 AUG 67 HESSON, JOSEPH ★ 22 FEB 49 - 10 AUG 69 ROBBINS, RONALD ★ 9 MAR 48 - 11 AUG 69 GREEN, LEO ★ 7 FEB 49 - 12 AUG 69 HAYES, JEREMIAH ★ 19 JUL 47 - 12 AUG 69 MCMANUS, ROBERT ★ 30 JAN 47 - 12 AUG 68 PARTON, CARL ★ 5 JUL 31 - 12 AUG 69 DEL GUIDICE, GREGORY ★ 1 JUL 49 - 13 AUG 69 DELUCA, GEORGE ★ 11 FEB 28 - 13 AUG 65 DOWD, JOHN ★ 23 SEP 31 - 13 AUG 69 MILLAN, RICHARD ★ 2 DEC 50 - 13 AUG 69 BILLERO, MICHAEL ★ 11 JAN 44 - 14 AUG 66 BULMER, ROBERT ★ 29 NOV 47 - 14 AUG 68 MANTHEY, BARRY ★ 5 JAN 48 - 14 AUG 68 SINIBALDI, MICHAEL ★ 1 OCT 49 - 14 AUG 68 BRANNON, HARRY ★ 9 MAY 36 - 15 AUG 66 DICKERSON, DOUGLAS ★ 23 OCT 48 - 15 AUG 67 FONT, MANUEL ★ 18 AUG 46 - 15 AUG 66 KOLAS, ROBERT ★ 21 MAY 47 - 15 AUG 67 LEONARDIS, STEPHEN ★ 15 JAN 44 - 16 AUG 68 GOODING, WILLIAM ★ 8 DEC 48 - 17 AUG 69 HARGER, DON ★ 13 FEB 39 - 17 AUG 67 MACK, FRANCIS ★ 21 NOV 41 - 17 AUG 66 MAIURO, JOSEPH ★ 16 NOV 47 - 17 AUG 67 MILLER, EDWARD ★ 3 NOV 48 - 17 AUG 68 FIRTH, THOMAS ★ 3 NOV 44 - 18 AUG 65 HOLLAND, CHARLES ★ 27 JUL 39 - 18 AUG 67 IANNUZZI, CHARLES ★ 26 SEP 45 - 18 AUG 65 ASHNAULT, RAYMOND ★ 17 APR 48 - 19 AUG 69 COLLINS, THEOTHIS ★ 27 SEP 49 - 19 AUG 68 GIACOBBE, ANGELO ★ 28 JUL 48 - 19 AUG 68 LANGFORD, ALVIN ★ 24 APR 48 - 19 AUG 68 MOBUS, JOSEPH ★ 17 MAR 48 - 19 AUG 69 MORGAN, BRUCE ★ 27 OCT 51 - 19 AUG 71 SEXTON, LEONARD ★ 26 SEP 47 - 19 AUG 68 SOLOMON, ROBERT ★ 8 AUG 49 - 19 AUG 69 VIGGIANO, ROBERT ★ 15 JUN 47 - 19 AUG 67 COYLE, JAMES ★ 14 MAY 39 - 20 AUG 64 DROZDZ, STANISLAW ★ 14 JUN 49 - 20 AUG 69 KYLE, THOMAS ★ 10 DEC 46 - 20 AUG 66 MORRIS, DANIEL ★ 9 JAN 47 - 20 AUG 66 MUSSELMAN, JOSEPH ★ 3 JAN 46 - 20 AUG 69 NESTOR, FRANK ★ 5 MAR 48 - 20 AUG 69 BUSCH, THOMAS ★ 10 FEB 49 - 21 AUG 69 CARNEY, GEORGE ★ 9 APR 47 - 21 AUG 68 REAMER, DONALD ★ 3 SEP 46 - 21 AUG 68 WEST, EDWARD ★ 19 NOV 46 - 21 AUG 68 MIONE, ANTHONY ★ 23 MAR 49 - 22 AUG 69 TRUEX, GLENN ★ 13 SEP 50 - 22 AUG 69 WORSHINSKI, ROBERT ★ 2 JUN 47 - 22 AUG 68 CHEADLE, HAROLD ★ 7 MAY 44 - 23 AUG 68 GURDCILANI, BORIS ★ 29 MAY 50 - 23 AUG 69 HILL, EUGENE ★ 18 MAY 48 - 23 AUG 68 KINSLER, FREDERICK ★ 18 JUL 49 - 23 AUG 69 MCBRIDE, CLAUDE ★ 19 MAY 36 - 23 AUG 63 SECOR, GILBERT ★ 6 JAN 32 - 23 AUG 68 WHITING, JUSTIN ★ 10 JAN 43 - 23 AUG 69 ABERNATHY, DANIEL ★ 1 NOV 46 - 24 AUG 68 DOLAN, JIMMY ★ 28 FEB 51 - 24 AUG 69 FOSTER, STEVEN ★ 6 MAR 48 - 24 AUG 68 HEINZE, KELLY ★ 17 MAR 28 - 24 AUG 65 KOVACH, PETER ★ 4 SEP 48 - 24 AUG 68 PETRICK, FRANK ★ 11 SEP 46 - 24 AUG 67 PFEFFERLE, WARREN ★ 26 JAN 44 - 24 AUG 65 RIDGE, WILLIAM ★ 11 OCT 49 - 24 AUG 69 GRAY, EDWARD ★ 7 MAR 49 - 25 AUG 68 JENSEN, GARY ★ 22 APR 49 - 25 AUG 70 LAWRENCE, MICHAEL ★ 8 JAN 50 - 25 AUG 69 MILAN, GEORGE ★ 30 MAR 45 - 25 AUG 67 PETRACCO, ROBERT ★ 9 MAY 49 - 25 AUG 68 SMITH, FORTUNE ★ 28 JUL 32 - 25 AUG 66 CANNITO, DENNIS ★ 4 MAR 48 - 26 AUG 69 CURTIN, JOHN ★ 25 DEC 45 - 26 AUG 68 GIRTANNER, JULES ★ 9 JUN 35 - 26 AUG 66 HETZEL, NORMAN ★ 4 OCT 48 - 26 AUG 69 LEHEW, DONALD ★ 19 JUL 34 - 26 AUG 66 MURNER, PETER ★ 13 MAY 45 - 26 AUG 68 VENNIK, ROBERT ★ 19 JAN 46 - 26 AUG 71 ALBERTS, FRANCIS ★ 13 MAY 38 - 27 AUG 66 BARNHART, JACK ★ 23 MAR 48 - 27 AUG 68 WICKWARD, WILLIAM ★ 23 APR 33 - 27 AUG 69 BELL, LARRY ★ 16 APR 47 - 28 AUG 69 CHARD, SALUM ★ 4 DEC 49 - 28 AUG 69 DEGENAARS, BRADLEY ★ 14 JUN 44 - 28 AUG 68 MADDEN, PAUL ★ 19 FEB 45 - 28 AUG 66 MANGANELLO, ANTHONY ★ 17 MAY 47 - 28 AUG 68 GRAF, ALBERT ★ 8 SEP 44 - 29 AUG 69 MUSER, LOUIS ★ 16 JUN 47 - 29 AUG 67 DALTON, JAMES ★ 11 JUL 47 - 30 AUG 68 GRAU, ANTONIO ★ 7 DEC 50 - 30 AUG 70 MAGLIARO, CHARLES ★ 14 OCT 47 - 30 AUG 67 MORGAN, ROBERT ★ 19 MAY 47 - 30 AUG 67 HEFFRON, JAMES ★ 1 JAN 46 - 31 AUG 66 STEPHAN, RICHARD ★ 7 OCT 31 - 31 AUG 60 RAITT, ALBERT ★ 27 JUN 27 - AUG 65 CURRY, GEORGE ★ 2 OCT 45 - 1 AUG 66 GUNDAKER, FRANK ★ 14 JAN 34 - 1 AUG 66 KOMMENDANT, AADO ★ 9 AUG 41 - 1 AUG 66 MAHER, EDWARD ★ 4 APR 47 - 2 AUG 68 GRAHAM, BARRY ★ 1 MAR 39 - 3 AUG 70 GRANGER, WILLIE ★ 30 DEC 46 - 3 AUG 68 SANTORO, RONALD ★ 9 JAN 49 - 3 AUG 68 SCHNABOLK, HOWARD ★ 22 AUG 43 - 3 AUG 67 SPRUILL, OVELL ★ 20 AUG 46 - 4 AUG 70 ANDERSON, MARCUS ★ 2 JAN 47 - 6 AUG 68 BARBEE, JOHN ★ 19 JUL 44 - 6 AUG 68 CRIKELAIR, JOHN ★ 12 MAY 45 - 6 AUG 69 MCCAULEY, DENNIS ★ 9 OCT 43 - 6 AUG 67 VICHOSKY, WALTER ★ 18 OCT 47 - 6 AUG 71 BRUNO, EDWARD ★ 2 JAN 48 - 7 AUG 69 DE JESUS-COLON, JOSE ★ 9 JAN 45 - 7 AUG 68 HEIN, ANTHONY ★ 26 JUL 46 - 7 AUG 68 CORBIN, DONALD ★ 16 NOV 46 - 8 AUG 66 IVES, RICHARD ★ 13 JAN 46 - 8 AUG 66 KISIELEWSKI, JOHN ★ 19 MAY 49 - 8 AUG 70 NORDMAN, ERIC ★ 28 SEP 42 - 8 AUG 66 OVAITT, RICHARD ★ 12 MAY 47 - 8 AUG 68 VON BISCHOFFSHAUSEN, ROBERT ★ 4 MAY 48 - 8 AUG 68 ELLIOTT, ROBERT ★ 31 AUG 45 - 9 AUG 70 NICKENS, CECIL ★ 19 SEP 47 - 9 AUG 67 HESSON, JOSEPH ★ 22 FEB 49 - 10 AUG 69 ROBBINS, RONALD ★ 9 MAR 48 - 11 AUG 69 GREEN, LEO ★ 7 FEB 49 - 12 AUG 69 HAYES, JEREMIAH ★ 19 JUL 47 - 12 AUG 69 MCMANUS, ROBERT ★ 30 JAN 47 - 12 AUG 68 PARTON, CARL ★ 5 JUL 31 - 12 AUG 69 DEL GUIDICE, GREGORY ★ 1 JUL 49 - 13 AUG 69 DELUCA, GEORGE ★ 11 FEB 28 - 13 AUG 65 DOWD, JOHN ★ 23 SEP 31 - 13 AUG 69 MILLAN, RICHARD ★ 2 DEC 50 - 13 AUG 69 BILLERO, MICHAEL ★ 11 JAN 44 - 14 AUG 66 BULMER, ROBERT ★ 29 NOV 47 - 14 AUG 68 MANTHEY, BARRY ★ 5 JAN 48 - 14 AUG 68 SINIBALDI, MICHAEL ★ 1 OCT 49 - 14 AUG 68 BRANNON, HARRY ★ 9 MAY 36 - 15 AUG 66 DICKERSON, DOUGLAS ★ 23 OCT 48 - 15 AUG 67 FONT, MANUEL ★ 18 AUG 46 - 15 AUG 66 KOLAS, ROBERT ★ 21 MAY 47 - 15 AUG 67 LEONARDIS, STEPHEN ★ 15 JAN 44 - 16 AUG 68 GOODING, WILLIAM ★ 8 DEC 48 - 17 AUG 69 HARGER, DON ★ 13 FEB 39 - 17 AUG 67 MACK, FRANCIS ★ 21 NOV 41 - 17 AUG 66 MAIURO, JOSEPH ★ 16 NOV 47 - 17 AUG 67 MILLER, EDWARD ★ 3 NOV 48 - 17 AUG 68 FIRTH, THOMAS ★ 3 NOV 44 - 18 AUG 65 HOLLAND, CHARLES ★ 27 JUL 39 - 18 AUG 67 IANNUZZI, CHARLES ★ 26 SEP 45 - 18 AUG 65 ASHNAULT, RAYMOND ★ 17 APR 48 - 19 AUG 69 COLLINS, THEOTHIS ★ 27 SEP 49 - 19 AUG 68 GIACOBBE, ANGELO ★ 28 JUL 48 - 19 AUG 68 LANGFORD, ALVIN ★ 24 APR 48 - 19 AUG 68 MOBUS, JOSEPH ★ 17 MAR 48 - 19 AUG 69 MORGAN, BRUCE ★ 27 OCT 51 - 19 AUG 71 SEXTON, LEONARD ★ 26 SEP 47 - 19 AUG 68 SOLOMON, ROBERT ★ 8 AUG 49 - 19 AUG 69 VIGGIANO, ROBERT ★ 15 JUN 47 - 19 AUG 67 COYLE, JAMES ★ 14 MAY 39 - 20 AUG 64 DROZDZ, STANISLAW ★ 14 JUN 49 - 20 AUG 69 KYLE, THOMAS ★ 10 DEC 46 - 20 AUG 66 MORRIS, DANIEL ★ 9 JAN 47 - 20 AUG 66 MUSSELMAN, JOSEPH ★ 3 JAN 46 - 20 AUG 69 NESTOR, FRANK ★ 5 MAR 48 - 20 AUG 69 BUSCH, THOMAS ★ 10 FEB 49 - 21 AUG 69 CARNEY, GEORGE ★ 9 APR 47 - 21 AUG 68 REAMER, DONALD ★ 3 SEP 46 - 21 AUG 68 WEST, EDWARD ★ 19 NOV 46 - 21 AUG 68 MIONE, ANTHONY ★ 23 MAR 49 - 22 AUG 69 TRUEX, GLENN ★ 13 SEP 50 - 22 AUG 69 WORSHINSKI, ROBERT ★ 2 JUN 47 - 22 AUG 68 CHEADLE, HAROLD ★ 7 MAY 44 - 23 AUG 68 GURDCILANI, BORIS ★ 29 MAY 50 - 23 AUG 69 HILL, EUGENE ★ 18 MAY 48 - 23 AUG 68 KINSLER, FREDERICK ★ 18 JUL 49 - 23 AUG 69 MCBRIDE, CLAUDE ★ 19 MAY 36 - 23 AUG 63 SECOR, GILBERT ★ 6 JAN 32 - 23 AUG 68 WHITING, JUSTIN ★ 10 JAN 43 - 23 AUG 69 ABERNATHY, DANIEL ★ 1 NOV 46 - 24 AUG 68 DOLAN, JIMMY ★ 28 FEB 51 - 24 AUG 69 FOSTER, STEVEN ★ 6 MAR 48 - 24 AUG 68 HEINZE, KELLY ★ 17 MAR 28 - 24 AUG 65 KOVACH, PETER ★ 4 SEP 48 - 24 AUG 68 PETRICK, FRANK ★ 11 SEP 46 - 24 AUG 67 PFEFFERLE, WARREN ★ 26 JAN 44 - 24 AUG 65 RIDGE, WILLIAM ★ 11 OCT 49 - 24 AUG 69 GRAY, EDWARD ★ 7 MAR 49 - 25 AUG 68 JENSEN, GARY ★ 22 APR 49 - 25 AUG 70 LAWRENCE, MICHAEL ★ 8 JAN 50 - 25 AUG 69 MILAN, GEORGE ★ 30 MAR 45 - 25 AUG 67 PETRACCO, ROBERT ★ 9 MAY 49 - 25 AUG 68 SMITH, FORTUNE ★ 28 JUL 32 - 25 AUG 66 CANNITO, DENNIS ★ 4 MAR 48 - 26 AUG 69 CURTIN, JOHN ★ 25 DEC 45 - 26 AUG 68 GIRTANNER, JULES ★ 9 JUN 35 - 26 AUG 66 HETZEL, NORMAN ★ 4 OCT 48 - 26 AUG 69 LEHEW, DONALD ★ 19 JUL 34 - 26 AUG 66 MURNER, PETER ★ 13 MAY 45 - 26 AUG 68 VENNIK, ROBERT ★ 19 JAN 46 - 26 AUG 71 ALBERTS, FRANCIS ★ 13 MAY 38 - 27 AUG 66 BARNHART, JACK ★ 23 MAR 48 - 27 AUG 68 WICKWARD, WILLIAM ★ 23 APR 33 - 27 AUG 69 BELL, LARRY ★ 16 APR 47 - 28 AUG 69 CHARD, SALUM ★ 4 DEC 49 - 28 AUG 69 DEGENAARS, BRADLEY ★ 14 JUN 44 - 28 AUG 68 MADDEN, PAUL ★ 19 FEB 45 - 28 AUG 66 MANGANELLO, ANTHONY ★ 17 MAY 47 - 28 AUG 68 GRAF, ALBERT ★ 8 SEP 44 - 29 AUG 69 MUSER, LOUIS ★ 16 JUN 47 - 29 AUG 67 DALTON, JAMES ★ 11 JUL 47 - 30 AUG 68 GRAU, ANTONIO ★ 7 DEC 50 - 30 AUG 70 MAGLIARO, CHARLES ★ 14 OCT 47 - 30 AUG 67 MORGAN, ROBERT ★ 19 MAY 47 - 30 AUG 67 HEFFRON, JAMES ★ 1 JAN 46 - 31 AUG 66 STEPHAN, RICHARD ★ 7 OCT 31 - 31 AUG 60

Stephen Rusch - Captain

Hometown:
Lambertville
D.O.B.:
July 28, 1943
County:
Hunterdon
Rank:
Captain
Branch:
Air Force
Date of Casualty:

March 7, 1972

Casualty Status:
Missing In Action
Country of Incident:
Laos

Stephen Arthur Rusch was born on July 28, 1943, to Hugh and Cynthia Rusch. His home of record was Lambertville, NJ. Stephen grew up in West Amwell, NJ. Stephen had one sister, Cynthia. His father was an inventor and vice president of Opinion Research Corp. in Princeton, NJ. Stephen graduated from the Hun School of Princeton Township. In high school, Stephen was a lifeguard at Pretty Brook Tennis Club.

Stephen was characterized as an accomplished musician. He played guitar and banjo and sang and composed folk songs. On weekends, he played gigs at coffee houses in New Jersey and Greenwich Village, NY. He was attending Drew University when he met his future wife, Judy. They were both studying math.

He served in the US Air Force as a Captain (CAPT) in the 4th Tactical Fighter Squadron. Rusch was a weapons systems operator.

On March 7, 1972, Rusch was the weapons system officer in an F-4E Phanton II aircraft attacking enemy targets in Salavan Province, Laos. The plane was number two aircraft in the flight of two. When Rusch’s aircraft was cleared to begin its second run over enemy targets, the flight leader of the number one aircraft lost sight of Rusch’s plane and observed enemy ground fire followed by a large explosion. An immediate search was begun, but all attempts to establish radio contact and later search efforts were unsuccessful. He was listed as missing in action.

Rusch was survived by two daughters, Sharon and Rebecca, and his ex-wife, Judy.

During the summer of 2007, human remains were found in the wreckage of an airplane in the Salavan Province. These were positively identified as Rusch’s. He was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, DC.

Synopsis (from the POW Network) as to the circumstances behind being listed as MIA:
On March 7, 1972, Captain Rusch was on an operational mission over Laos, serving as co-pilot, when his F-4E Phantom aircraft was observed to impact the ground while making a run on a target. No parachutes were seen and no beepers were heard. The loss occurred about 25 miles east of Ban Toumlan in Saravane Province, Laos. Captain Rusch was declared missing in action and listed as unaccounted for in Southeast Asia.

Sources: Newspaper clippings, POW Network and NJVVMF.
12/17/2024

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