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| Name: | Gregory John Crossman |
| Rank/Branch: | O2/US Air Force |
| Unit: | 497th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Ubon Airbase, Thailand |
| Date of Birth (DOB): | 09 August 1941 |
| Home City of Record: | Sturgis, MI |
| Loss Date: | 25 April 1968 |
| Country of Loss: | North Vietnam |
| Loss Coordinates: | 173400N 1061800E (XE371435) |
| Status (in 1973): | Missing In Action |
| Category: | 2 |
| Acft/Vehicle/Ground: | F4D |
| Refno: | 1144 |
| Other Personnel in Incident: | Albert C. Mitchell (missing) |
| Source: | Compiled from one or more of the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews. Updated by the P.O.W. NETWORK in 1998. |
| Remarks: | |
| Synopsis: | |
| Gregory Crossman believed there was a purpose in going to Vietnam. After graduating from Western Michigan University, he entered the Air Force, and subsequently received pilot training and his wings.
Crossman began a distinguished flying career. In January 1968, he was cited for "superior airmanship and devotion to duty" for knocking out a supply route and destroying a truck convoy near North Vietnam's Mu Gia Pass without benefit of flares or moonlight. In February, 1968, Crossman was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for what the Air Force called one of the most important air strikes in a high-risk area of North Vietnam. On April 25, 1968 the plane on which he was "back seater" to Col. Albert Mitchell when the two departed Ubon Airbase in Thailand on a daring radar raid over one of the most active surface to air missile (SAM) sites in North Vietnam, dodging heavy anti-aircraft fire as they partially knocked out a Soviet fighter plane base along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. The aircraft disappeared without a trace when it broke formation to veer over a truck convoy heading for the key North Vietnamese supply route. Although there is strong indication that the Vietnamese know what happened to Mitchell and Crossman, they deny knowledge of their fates. The last known location of the aircraft was about 5 miles northwest of the city of Dong Ha in Quang Binh Province, North Vietnam. Mounting evidence indicates that Americans are still alive being held prisoner of war in Southeast Asia. The Vietnamese pledged to return all prisoners of war and provide the fullest possible accounting of the missing in the peace accords signed in 1973. They have not done either. The United States government pledged that the POW/MIA issue is of "highest national priority" but has not achieved results indicative of such a priority. Crossman, Mitchell and the nearly 2500 Americans who remain unaccounted for in Southeast Asia deserve our best efforts to bring them home, not our empty words. |
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All Biographical and loss information on POWs provided by OpJC have been supplied by Chuck and Mary Schantag of POWNET. Please check with POWNET regularly for updates. |
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GREGORY JOHN CROSSMAN
MAJ - O4 - Air Force - Reserve 36 year old Single, Caucasian, Male Date of Birth - Aug 09, 1941 From - STURGIS, MICHIGAN His tour of duty began on Apr 25, 1968 Casualty was on May 09, 1978 in NORTH VIETNAM Hostile, died while missing FIXED WING - CREW AIR LOSS, CRASH ON LAND Body was not recovered Religion - PRESBYTERIAN Panel 52E - - Line 4 |
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| Source: The VietNam Veterans' Memorial Wall Page.
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