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PFC Charles Dennis Chomel USMC
Air Force Major General Mark Pillar, a Vietnam Veteran presents the folded flag to the Chomel family. Columbus Indiana Mayor Fred Armstrong a Vietnam Veteran and high school classmate of Dennis Chomel spoke at the dedication. Many of Dennis' classmates attended. A special memorial dedication was held Monday May 29, 2006 at the Columbus, Indiana POW-MIA Plaza in honor of Dennis Chomel who has been MIA since June 11, 1967. Dennis is the only MIA still listed from Bartholomew County, Indiana from the Vietnam War. The photo on the right was taken just days before his death. This list of names is of those from Bartholomew County, Indiana who had either been held as prisoners of war or are currently listed as missing in action from the wars of the 20th Century. This list was compiled from contacts with individuals and family members as well as the archives of The Republic Newspaper, thanks to Harry McCawley. The names are inscribed in bricks placed in the POW-MIA Plaza across the street from the Bartholomew County Memorial for Veterans, Columbus, Indiana. Vietnam War Dennis Chomel, Vietnam MIA since June 11, 1967
PFC Charles Dennis Chomel, U.S. Marine Corps, age 19, date of birth 8/23/1947, date of casualty 6/11/1967 location of casualty Quang Tri Province South Vietnam. Dennis graduated from Columbus High School in 1965 and attended electronics school in Louisville and worked at the Kroger store before enlisting in the Marine Corps. A member of St. Columba Church, he was in Vietnam for 10 weeks when he was listed as missing in action June 11, 1967. His death was confirmed about a month later. He and 10 other Marines were aboard a helicopter when it crashed near Dong Ha while trying to place reconnaissance personnel. To this date his body has not been recovered, and he remains on the missing in action list. Charles' name is inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Panel 21E Row 87. Korean War
Forrest "Bob" Burns, MIA Korean War reported to have been killed in a mine field near Sungyang-ni Province North Korea.
U.S. Army Sergeant Virgil Lee Phillips, 24, MIA Korean War remains recovered by Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command in Unsan near North Korea's border with China in May 2005 and identification confirmed through DNA comparisons January 2008. On November 2, 1950 Company K 8th Calvary Regiment was overrun leaving hundreds, including Virgil Phillips behind enemy lines and he was considered missing in action. Phillips was operating in Unsan, North Korea near a bend in the Kurong River known as the Camel's Head. Parts of two Chinese divisions struck the 1st Cavalry Division's lines collapsing the perimeter and forcing a withdrawal. Phillips' battalion was surrounded and he was one of more than 350 servicemen unaccounted for from the battle. Sgt. Phillips lived in Columbus, Indiana as a child and young man in the late 1930s and early 1940s, was laid to rest April 18, 2008 in Loogootee, Indiana next to the son he never saw. He was buried with full military honors provided by a United States Army Honor Guard from Fort Knox Kentucky. Virgil also served during WWII. He was considered MIA for 57 years. Identification was made possible through the work of Cathy Jo (Phillips) Bryant, of Columbus, Indiana, who was Virgil Phillips' niece. Robert E. Miller, Korea POW (Died in Captivity) Robert Hilycord, Korea POW 16 months World War II William J. Weisner, WWII POW 9 months Virgil E. Brown, WWII POW 7 months Charles H. Lesle, WWII POW 11 months Cecil Key, WWII POW 18 month Kenneth L. Allison, WWII POW 2 months Harry Boegaholz, Jr, WWII POW 16 months Walter H. Oyer, WWII POW 10 months
Gustav Potthoff, WWII POW 42 months (longest held as WWII POW pictured above, then and now) An Emmy winning PBS documentary was produced about Gus' recollections as a survivor of the Japanese slave labor camp responsible for building of the notorious Bridge over the River Kawi. "Lest We Forget" was broadcast for the first time in December 2006 on WFYI TV Indianapolis, produced by Kim Hood Jacobs. Since it received an Emmy it was picked up by over one hundred PBS TV stations for broadcast. The "Lest We Forget" DVD is available at the Atterbury-Bakalar Air Museum. The museum staff raised the funds needed to produce this documentary. H. Robert Swartwood, WWII POW 21 months Bill Schonfeld, WWII POW 11 months J. Thomas Bunch, WWII POW 19 months Roy Weibel, WWII POW 37 months Melvin Collis, WWII POW 15 months Sherman Skaggs, WWII POW 27 months Donald Klipsch, WWII POW 28 months Ray W. Patterson, WWII POW 40 months John E. Hamilton, WWII POW 6 months Ralph Blair, WWII POW 27 months Robert H. Green, WWII POW 20 months Wilber L. Horn, WWII POW 5 months Marshall E. Patterson, WWII POW 24 months Floyd E. Huntsman, WWII POW 5 months W. Deryl Johnson, WWII POW 8 months Ralph Lynn, WWII POW 4 months Morris H. Thomas, WWII POW 14 months Richard Thayer, WWII POW 12 months Arthur L. Fleetwood, WWII POW 9 months Eunice J. Conrad, WWII POW 9 months George Wall, WWII POW 7 months John E. Clements, WWII POW 8 months Hurley Miller, WWII POW 7 months Lee D. Crabtree, WWII POW 21 months Jack Trowbridge, WWII POW 20 months John C. Guthrie, WWII POW 8 months Luther D. Johnson, WWII POW 7 months Lawrence C. Powell, WWII POW 4 months James A. Hall, WWII POW 15 months Raymond Shown, WWII POW 4 months
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Send your questions or comments about this web site or
the museum to:
lakegc@aol.com Atterbury-Bakalar Air Museum
4742 Ray Boll Boulevard Columbus, Indiana 47203
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POW
MIA "Lest We Forget"
