Wendell Reed Alcorn

I really should have done this post on September 20th. The 3rd Friday of September is always National POW/MIA Recognition Day. However, to be honest, it didn’t dawn on me to do a post about this until the other day. On my newsfeed I saw that my mother answered a question posed by a particular page asking “how many of you still have your POW/MIA bracelets?” To which I knew she had answered that she still had hers. I sent her a message asking if she ever looked the soldier up and she said that she did. Then I got the bright idea to do a post on him, especially when I found his story.

note: I am currently watching a documentary about the USS Enterprise on the Smithsonian channel called Carrier at War: The USS Enterprise.  It has been very informative.

 

My mother writes:

“In 1966 I had the opportunity to purchase a Vietnam POW or MIA bracelet. As I recall my POW bracelet was $2.00. Along with all POWs and MIAs, LCDR Wendell Alcorn, 12/22/1965, was the individual POW I prayed for and thought about every day. In 1973 the return of POWs was broadcast on TV, and I sat watching and listening for his name as each POW walked from planes back onto US soil. I knew he had to have returned, but somehow I missed hearing his name. Perhaps I merely missed hearing his name because I was sobbing with joy at their return.”

 

Photo courtesy of The Kittanning Paper, April 6, 2012.

 

Found at POW Network:

“When nuclear powered USS ENTERPRISE arrived on Yankee Station on December 2, 1965, she was the largest warship ever built. She brought with her not only an imposing physical presence, but also an impressive component of warplanes and the newest technology. Her air wing (CAG 9) consisted of
more than ninety aircraft. Among her attack squadrons were VA 36, VA 93, VA 76 and VA 94. She launched her opening combat strike against targets in North Vietnam on December 17, and by the end of her first week of combat operations, the ENTERPRISE had set a record of 165 combat sorties in a
single day, surpassing the KITTY HAWK’s 131. By the end of her first combat cruise, her air wing had flown over 13,000 combat sorties. The record had not been achieved without cost.

On December 22, the ENTERPRISE teamed with the carriers KITTY HAWK and TICONDEROGA in one of the war’s biggest strikes to date, with one hundred aircraft hitting the thermal power plant at Uong Bi located fifteen miles north-northeast of the city of Haiphong. This was the first industrial target authorized by the Johnson administration. The ENTERPRISE’s aircraft approached from the north and the KITTY HAWK/TICONDEROGA force from the south, leaving the plant in shambles. The day’s casualties were two A4Cs from the ENTERPRISE, an RA5C Vigilante, and an A6A Intruder — six Americans shot down.

One of the A4s was flown by LTJG Wendell R. Alcorn, a pilot from Attack Squadron 36 onboard the ENTERPRISE. Alcorn’s aircraft was shot down about 15 miles north-northeast of Haiphong and he was captured by the North Vietnamese. For the next 7 years, Alcorn was a "guest" in the Hanoi prison system. He was ultimately released in Operation Homecoming on Valentine’s Day, 1973.”

 

Also on POW Network:

“SOURCE: WE CAME HOME copyright 1977 Captain and Mrs. Frederic A Wyatt (USNR Ret), Barbara Powers Wyatt, Editor P.O.W. Publications, 10250 Moorpark St.,

Toluca Lake, CA 91602 Text is reproduced as found in the original publication (including date and spelling errors).

UPDATE – 03/97 by the P.O.W. NETWORK, Skidmore, MO

WENDELL R. ALCORN

Lieutenant Commander – United States Navy

Shot Down: December 22, 1965

Released: February 12, 1973

On 23 November 1939 I entered this world in a rural community near Snyderville, Pennsylvania, located in the western part of the state. I grew up in this community along with my older brother and younger sister. I remember well the many evenings that I would lie in our back yard watching the crossing contrails of the fighter aircraft practicing their tactics overhead. My future was being determined.

I attended high school in the nearby town of Dayton, Pennsylvania, graduating in 1957. My next destination was the Pennsylvania State University where I majored in forestry and was a member of the Delta Theta Sigma fraternity. I graduated from Penn State in 1961.

My life long dream of flying was finally fulfilled in October 1961 when the U.S. Navy accepted me into the flight training program. On 16 March 1962 I proudly accepted my commission and began flight training. On 14 June 1963 I became a qualified Naval Aviator. After a short tour at the NAVAL Justice School I arrived at Cecil Field, Florida where I joined my squadron, Attack Squadron 36, flying the A4 Skyhawk. Shortly after returning from a Mediterranean Cruise aboard "Saratoga," my squadron joined Air Group 9 aboard the USS Enterprise for a West Pac cruise. My first combat tour was cut short when on 22 December 1965 after twenty days and twenty-nine combat missions, I was shot down and captured in North Vietnam.

I was sustained during those long years in prison by my faith in God, faith in my government, and faith in my fellow countrymen. I knew I had not been nor would ever be forgotten. Upon my repatriation, I was overjoyed to find that these faiths which gave me so much help and comfort were not merely figments of my imagination, but were very true and real.

I thank you great American people for your support, your prayers and for your faith in me. God bless you all.”

According to Military Times, Mr. Alcorn was presented the following awards:  two Silver Stars, four Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross, and the Prisoner of War Medal.

An interesting side note:  I read a newspaper article about Mr. Alcorn written roughly 6 months after his return home that has his name as Ray Alcorn.  According to the article the name Ray is a nickname he got in the Navy when people guessed wrong what his middle initial stood for.  And it just stuck!

I would also like to take a second to mentions others from the USS Enterprise, as listed on the United States Navy website on their USS Enterprise Memorial Page:

Prisoners of War

LCDR Alfred Howard Agnew

LTJG Joseph Scott Mobley

LCDR Edwin Arthur Shuman III

LTJG Wendell Reed Alcorn

CDR James Alfred Mulligan

LTJG Bradley Edsel Smith

LTJG Frederick C. Baldock Jr.

CDR Gordon R. Nakagawa

LTJG Larry Howard Spencer

< p>LTJG Glenn Henri Daigle

LCDR Robert J. Naughton

LCDR William Robert Stark

LCDR Dale W. Doss

LT Giles R. Norrington

LT Richard G. Tangeman

LT Kenneth H. Higdon

LTJG Richard R. Ratzlaff

ENS Gary Lynn Thorton

LCDR Eugene Baker McDaniel

LTJG William Leonard Shankel

LCDR Phillip Allen Kientzler

 

Missing In Action

LCDR Kurt W. Barich

LTJG Meredith Carol Loughran

LTJG Charles E. Woodward

CDR Billie Jack Cartwright

LT Edward Frances "Sully" Sullivan

 

Died In Captivity

LTJG James Scott Graham

LT James Kelly Patterson

 

Killed In Action

LTJG Paul M. Artlip

LT Michael F. Haifley

LT John Douglas Prudhomme

LTJG Paul Victor Carlson

CDR Harley Hubert Hall

CDR Edgar Arthur Rawsthorne

LT Nicholas M. Carpenter

LT Arthur Sinclair Hill, Jr.

CDR Richard Rich

LT Ramey L. Carpenter

LTJG William F. Kohlrusch

LTJG James Thomas Ruffin

LT Frank Ray Compton

CDR Glenn Edward Kollmann

LCDR Thomas Edwin Scheurich

LCDR Henry A. Coons

ADJ1 Melvin Thomas Krech

CDR Peter W. Sherman

LT Edward Frank Gold

LTJG Richard Clive Lannom

LT Thomas Stegman

Maj Russell C. Goodman

LCDR Max Duane Lukenbach

LCDR John Bethel Tapp

CDR William Ronald Grayson

LTJG Donald Clay Maclaughlin, Jr.

LCDR John Mark Tiderman

LT John Gary Griffith

LCDR Paul W. Paine

CDR Danforth E. White

 

Killed in the Flight Deck Fire of January 14, 1969

FA Paul Akers

ASH3 Roger L. Holbrook

ABE3 Jacob J. Quintis

AN David M. Asbury

AN Dale L. Hunt

BM2 James C. Snipes

LTJG Carl D. Berghult

AOAN Donald R. Lacy

AN Russell J. Tyler

LTJG James H. Berry

ADJ3 Armando Limon

AN LaVerne R. VonFeldt

AO3 Richard W. Bovaird

AME3 Dennis E. Marks

AN Robert C. Ward Jr.

AE Patrick L. Bullington

ABH1 James P. Martineau

AN John R. Webster

AMS3 James R. Floyd Jr.

AOAN Joseph C. Mason

AMS2 Henry S. Yates, Jr.

AN Ernest L. Foster

AMH2 Dennis R. Milburn

AMS3 Jerome D. Yoakum

AN Delbert D. Girty

AN Joseph W. Oates

AEC Ronald E. Hay

LTJG Buddy D. Pyeatt

 

Killed in the Line of Duty While Serving Aboard ENTERPRISE (CVN 65)

CDR Robert Anderson

MM3 Micah Hill

LT Jack L. Pedersen

LCDR Kurt W. Barich

LT Arthur S. Hill

AA Barry E. Peterman

LTJG Darwin F. Ball

LCDR Jeff Hillard

MM2 Gregory S. Peters

LT Ronald R. Bradley

MM2 Darek T. Hutt

RIO David Hewitt Philo

AN John R. Burch

William Larry Johnson

RMC Larry M. Pope

CWO4 Brashear

CDR James M. Joyce

LTJG Charles Roy

Samuel Walter Clayman

ENS Joseph B. Kelly, Jr.

AN David Frank Sahr

AMS3 Edwin H. Clements

Robert Kelly

EM3 Charles J. Sanders

Clarence Cottle

LSCM Richard J. Kessler, Jr.

MM2 Jason M. Sheets

EM2 David D. Decker

Charles Henry Kruse

LCDR Robert J. Simonic

LTJG Brendan J. Duffy

TN Benjamin R. Lauretta

OSC Patrick C. Smith

LT Joseph Durmon

LTJG Meredith Loughran

AW2 David Stetrom

ATC Richard H. Edwards

AW1 Josheph R. Lucas

LCDR Paul A. Stokes

LTJG Steven Engeman

FA Joseph L. Lyrian, Jr.

LT Edward Frances Sullivan

CDR Lauren R. Everett

LTJG Edward L. Maas, Jr.

LCDR Martin J. Sullivan

ETR2 George M. Fasching

PO2 Marble

LT Edward P. Szeyller

AO1 Vincent Filpi

ENS David E. Martin

CDR Albert J. Thompson

Jesse Benton Forney, Jr.

MACM Steven D. Martin

AW1 Steve Voight

LCDR William A. Hall

LTJG Thomas L. Masten

ADC John E. Webb

DC3 Robert A. Hastings

FN Gary W. Menard

LT Robert Wood

LT James G. Hicks

AMSAN Brian S. Mullen

LTJG Charles E. Woodward

EM3 Michael Bowden

Eric Sauerborn

MA2 Robert F. Miner III

LCDR Robert F. Hansen

ATN3 James H. Dorrell