Edwin Lee Atterberry (1934 - 1969)

We will remember them - Lest we forget
Roll of Honor Military Showcase Profile

Lieutenant Colonel Ed Atterberry was Killed in Action in Vietnam during The Vietnam War.

Lieutenant Colonel Ed Atterberry was A Prisoner of War for 646 days during the Vietnam War.

Biography

Lieutenant Colonel Ed Atterberry served in the United States Air Force in the Vietnam War
Service started: July 1955
Unit(s): 17th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron
Service ended: May 1969

Birth

Lt Col Edwin Lee Atterberry, son of Zachary Lee Atterberry and Marjorie Myrle Beldsoe, was born on 3 March 1934 in Klondike, Delta County, Texas, United States. ^[1] Ed graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in Dallas, Texas.^[2]

Marriage

He was married according to the Government Casualty Report.^[3]

Military Service

He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserve on 11 November 1952 and entered the Aviation Cadet Program of the United States Air Force on 5 July 1955. He received his commission as a 2nd Lieutenant and awarded his pilot wings at Bryan Air Force Base, Texas, on 13 October 1956.

By October 1957 he had completed training for the F-84 Thunderstreak Combat Crew Training and also Reconnaissance training before he served as an RF-84 Thunderflash pilot with the 302nd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron at Sembach Air Base in West Germany and then on to Laon Air Base in Laon, Aisle, France from October 1957 to May 1959.

While still at Laon, he switched to the RF-101 Voodoo as a pilot with the 17th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron from June 1959 to November 1960. He returned to the United States to fly the RF-101 with the 29th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron at Shaw Air Force Base near Sumter, South Carolina from November 1960 to November 1962. While there, he flew reconnaissance missions over Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962.

In November 1962 he returned to fly with the 17th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron at Laon Air Base in France until February 1964. He served on the staff of the 66th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing there from February 1964 to November 1965.

Ed was trained in the RF-4 Phantom II with the 10th and 11th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadrons at Mountain Home Air Force Base near Mountain Home, Elmore, Idaho from November 1965 to October 1966. He went on temporary duty to Southeast Asia. On 12 August 1967, Captain Edwin Atterberry and Captain Thomas V. Parrott were on a reconnaissance mission over Ha Bac Province, North Vietnam. ^[4]

The aircraft was hit by enemy fire and the men were forced to eject over North Vietnam. Both men were captured that day and moved into the Hanoi prison system. ^[5]

A Prisoner of War from 12 August 1967 to 18 May 1969.^{[6] [7]}

After a year of planning, he escaped from the North Vietnamese POW camp with another prisoner, John A. Dramesi. The two went through the roof and traveled about three miles in over 12 hours, but they were recaptured. The North Vietnamese proceeded to brutally torture and beat Atterberry to death. All of which they later denied. Dramesi told of the terrible torture and it seems they went too far with Atterberry. The Vietnamese told the other Prisoners of War that Atterberry died of an "unusual disease." After the attempted escape, the entire camp was put through torture sessions. At the end of that episode, the senior American officers outlawed further attempts at escape until they were officially taken off of hold, which they never were. The officers felt it was the only way to ensure the survival of the men in their command. According to Colonel Richard Dutton, Edwin Atterberry was seen by other Prisoners of War as he was removed from his cell "...in a bloody mess".

Honors

:His Air Force Cross Citation: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Section 8742, Title 10, United States Code, awards the Air Force Cross to Lieutenant Colonel Edwin L. Atterberry for extraordinary heroism in military operations against an opposing armed force as a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam from 11 May 1969 to 14 May 1969. On 11 May 1969, Colonel Atterberry escaped from the North Vietnamese prison camp known as "The Zoo" and was recaptured twelve hours later. He was subjected to brutal torture for confessions pertaining to camp leadership, organization, and details of his escape plans. He was last seen by other prisoners of war on 14 May 1969, and the North Vietnamese later reported that Colonel Atterberry had died. Through his extraordinary heroism and aggressiveness in the face of the enemy, and in the dedication of his service to his country, Colonel Atterberry reflected the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

1. Air Force Cross
2. Silver Star Medal
3. Legion of Merit
4. Distinguished Flying Cross with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters and V Device
5. Bronze Star Medal with V Device
6. Purple Heart with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster
7. Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters

The full ribbon set is available here.

Death and Burial

After Major Atterberry and Major John Dramesi had broken out of the "Zoo", an annex prison to the "Hilton", they were captured the day after their escape and Atterberry was tortured and beaten to death. Dramasi, who survived, said that he remembers being severely tortured and beaten for 30 days after he was recaptured. As soon as Major Atterberry was returned to the camp from his escape, another prisoner, United States Air Force Colonel Norman C. Gaddis, reported that they knew Atterberry was in good health because the other prisoner shook his hand when he was returned from capture. They knew he was in good health until the Vietnamese took him away. The Vietnamese simply reported that Atterberry had died in prison. All of this information has been given on several occasions to members of Congress and various bodies.

Ed's remains were returned to the United States on 13 March 1974. He was buried at the Restland Memorial Park, Dallas, Dallas, Texas. He is to be found in the Field of Honor. On the Vietnam Memorial, you can find him on Panel 24E, Line 102. Find A Grave: Memorial #9928446 ^[8]

Sources

• Texas Birth Certificate for Edwin Atterberry. 1903-1935," database with images, FamilySearch TXBirths: accessed 21 October 2015), Edwin Lee Atterberry, 03 Mar 1934; citing , Delta, Texas, United States, certificate 19672, Bureau of Vital Statistics. State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,283,522.
• 1950 U.S. School Yearbooks for Woodrow Wilson High School in Dallas, Texas showing Ed as part of the R.O.T.C.
• POW Network. [2]
• New Castle News, New Castle, Pennsylvania, "POWs Telling Torture Stories", 30 March 1973. ^[9]
• Associated Press, Name Card Index to AP Stories, 1905-1990 for Major Edwin Lee Atterberry. He was a salesman for Texas Wholesale. Page 56.
• 1968 U.S. City Directory in Dallas, Texas for his parents, Z. Lee and Marjorie M. Atterberry
• Nevada State Journal, 23 December 1970. "North Vietnam Releases Prisoners' Names."
• News article from AP in various newspapers. Title "Ranking Senior Officer, First Freed American Tells Story: Prison Horrors Unfold". ^[10]
• Veteran Tributes. Entire profile [found] here.
• Ruston Daily Leader, Ruston, Louisiana on 23 December 1970, page 8 entitled: List of U.S. Prisoners in North Vietnam. They are broken down by state of record (not birth). Ed is in the no town listed section, death date of 18 May 1969.

Footnotes

1. ↑ TX, Birth Certificates
2. ↑ Crusader Yearbook
3. ↑ US Vietnam War Cas
4. ↑ Something to remember about the tactical reconnaissance squadrons is that they were, as they so succinctly put it, Alone, Unarmed, and scared to death. (Not exactly the words of the pilots in the third part, but cleaner.) They were sent in over enemy territory in unarmed, usually unescorted, aircraft to look over what our people with bombs and guns had accomplished many times in just an hour before they flew. They were as often as not met by very angry people. The odds of them being shot down were huge and yet they went and did their jobs for their country. It has since been proven that our government actually notified the enemy beforehand that these airplanes were coming. At the end of his life, United States Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara openly admitted doing this and it is well documented in his tell all book ( I hate to even mention it, but it's called In Retrospect--The Tragedy and Lessons of Vietnam.) where he tries to purge his conscience.
5. ↑ Vet Trib
6. ↑ NAM POW List
7. ↑ Vet Trib
8. ↑ FAG
9. ↑ One of hundreds of available stories published, after the last men left Hanoi, that mentions the brutal murder of Ed Atterberry who was tortured to death by the prison interrogator.
10. ↑ To read entire article go here [1] This article talks about what happened to men like Atterberry who tried to escape.

Acknowledgement s