The Wall › Panel 1W › Alabama › Charles M Earnest
CHARLES M EARNEST
Commander · U.S. Navy
October 8, 1934 – November 28, 1972
Service recordCharles M Earnest, of Opelika, Alabama, served as a Commander in the U.S. Navy. He died on November 28, 1972, in North Vietnam, at age 38. His name is inscribed on Panel 1W, Line 92 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
On the Wall
Panel 1W · Line 92
Names are inscribed in the order of loss, starting at Panel 1E at the apex and ending at Panel 1W. At the Memorial, find the panel number at the base and count down from the top line.
Remember
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Service
- Branch
- U.S. Navy
- Rank
- Commander (CDR)
- Service
- Regular
- Occupation
- Url Pilot (1310)
- Unit (as recorded)
- USS SARATOGA CVA 60
- Born
- October 8, 1934
- Home of record
- Opelika, Alabama (Lee County)
Casualty
- Date of death
- November 28, 1972
- Age
- 38
- Country
- North Vietnam
- Casualty type
- Non-hostile
- Category
- Accident
- Circumstance
- Aircraft Crash — crew
- Remains
- Not recovered as of the 2008 DoD record
Context · from the records
What was happening
Three names on the Wall carry the date November 28, 1972. In November 1972, 21 Americans whose names are on the Wall died in the war.
The record places this loss in North Vietnam, outside South Vietnam — most often the sign of an air crew lost over the North or the Ho Chi Minh Trail.
His remains had not been recovered when the 2008 record was compiled. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency continues to search for Americans still missing from the war; families can find case information through dpaa.mil.
Read the history
Also on Panel 1W, Line 92
- JOHN W RYONMaster Sergeant · November 21, 1972
- RONALD DEAN STAFFORDCaptain · November 21, 1972
- CALVIN B TIBBETTCaptain · November 21, 1972
- WALTER HENRY TRISKOMajor · November 27, 1972
From Opelika
- CHARLES EARNEST HOODPrivate · October 25, 1967
- BROADUS DALE HILYERPrivate First Class · February 24, 1968
- ERNEST AUSTIN BAKER JRCorporal · May 21, 1968
- JOSEPH HAYDEN KENNEYSecond Lieutenant · June 24, 1969
- DAVID WILLARD SMITHPrivate First Class · September 21, 1969
- DONNIE STEPHEN BARTLETTPrivate First Class · March 11, 1970
- HOWARD LANIER WILLIAMSONSpecialist Four · June 3, 1970
- MILTON CHARLES HUNTERSpecialist Four · October 31, 1972
Source. U.S. Department of Defense, Defense Casualty Analysis System, Vietnam Conflict Extract Data File (as of April 29, 2008), Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Record Group 330, National Archives (NAID 2240992). Panel and line as recorded in that file. This page presents the official record and its historical context; no biography has been written for him yet. See something wrong? Report a correction.