In Honor Of Corporal John C. Keiper and Captain Harry M. Ravenna III

	Name: Keiper, John Charles Rank: Corporal/E-4 Branch: United States Marine Corps Unit: HAMS 16, MAG 16 Date of Birth: 18 September 1945 Home of Record: Renovo, Pennsylvania Date of Loss: 15 November 1966 Country of Loss: South Vietnam Loss Coordinates: 162535N 1074619E (ZD150045) Status: Missing In Action Category*: 3 - Doubtful Knowledge Aircraft: U6A, Serial No. 541723 Other Personnel Involved in Incident: Harry M. Ravenna (missing) Bio: "Chuck" Keiper was born in Pittston, Pennsylvania. He graduated from St. Joseph's High School in Renovo, Pennsylvania, and was a member of St. Joseph's Church. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in March 1963, and was sent to Vietnam in 1966.


	Name: Ravenna, Harry M. III Rank: Captain/O-3 Branch: United States Army Unit: 138th Aviation Co., 224th USASA Bn., USASA Group, Vietnam Date of Birth: 29 September 1937 Home of Record: San Antonio, Texas Date of Loss: 15 November 1966 Country of Loss: South Vietnam Loss Coordinates: 162535N 1074619E (ZD150045) Status: Missing In Action Category: 4 - Unknown Knowledge Aircraft: U6A, Serial No. 541723 Other Personnel Involved in Incident: John C. Keiper (missing) Bio: Harry Ravenna was born near Houston, Texas, and moved to San Antonio while he was still a youngster. He graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1955 and St. Mary's University in 1960. After enlisting in the Army, he attended Officer's Training School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma,and was sent to Vietnam in 1966. Category refers to Degree of Information - Enemy Knowledge of POW/MIA

Synopsis of Incident:

Capt. Ravenna was assigned to the 138th Aviation Company, 224th U.S. Army Security Agency Battalion (Aviation), U.S. Army Security Agency Group, Vietnam. All missions of this agency were highly classified during the war, and secret cover designations (Radio Research Units) were used instead of the actual unit designations on station lists and reports. The 138th was based at Da Nang.

Cpl. Keiper was assigned to Heavy Attack Maintance Squadron 16, Marine Air Group 16, in Dong Ha, where he assisted in the maintenance of aircraft temporarily based there. His role on this mission is unclear from public record.

On 15 November 1966, Capt. Ravenna (pilot) and Cpl. Keiper (passenger) were flying a U6A aircraft on a routine mission from Dong Ha to Da Nang. Ravenna filed a Visual Flight Rules (VFR) flight plan, but ran into poor weather conditions. He radioed Dong Ha and requested radar guidance. At 1430 hours, he passed into Da Nang airfield radio control and radioed, "Lonely Ranger 723, heading 125, 3000 feet, estimating Da Nang at 40, request radar. Presently on instruments."

Having trouble bringing him onto radar screen, Da Nang instructed Ravenna to activate his transponder. This did not improve radar contact, so they asked his location, which he gave as 45 nautical miles from Dong Ha. Da Nang instructed him to recontact Dong Ha, believing he was out of Da Nang range and still in that of Dong Ha. Ravenna acknowledged the transmission, and radio contact was broken and never resumed.

Ravenna and Keiper were last believed to be in South Vietnam about halfway between Da Nang and the city of Hue. Later investigation concluded that on his present course, had it been followed, Ravenna's aircraft would have impacted with the side of a mountain in that vicinity. The hostile threat in the area prevented an extensive search, and all efforts to discover the fate of Ravenna and Keiper have failed.

Keiper and Ravenna are among nearly 2,500 Americans who did not return from the war in Vietnam. Today, thousands of reports have been received by the U.S. Government that indicate that men are alive still, held in captivity in Southeast Asia. Thus far, official policy is to state that "conclusive proof" is not yet available. Detractors state that proof is in hand, but the will to act on that proof does not exist. As long as even ONE American is alive, held against his will, we must do everything in our power to achieve his release.

Source: POW Network - Biographies on POW/MIA from the Vietnam Conflict

Please e-mail me if you have any additional information about Corporal Keiper or
Captain Ravenna, or if you have any comments about this page.

Go to Captain John W. Consolvo's, Jr.'s Page

Go to SFC Guillory, Lt Lemmons and Capt McKittrick's Page

Go to LCpl Padilla's Page

Go to Main POW/MIA page

Click here to view letters I have written on behalf on my adopted POW/MIAs.


		This page was created in honor of Corporal John C. Keiper, U.S. Marine Corps and Captain Harry M. Ravenna, U.S. Army
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