The Wall › Panel 17W › Washington › Luther Albert Lono
LUTHER ALBERT LONO
Lieutenant Colonel · U.S. Marine Corps
June 12, 1931 – September 29, 1969
Service recordLuther Albert Lono, of Tacoma, Washington, served as a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps. He was lost on September 29, 1969, in Laos, and was later declared dead. His name is inscribed on Panel 17W, Line 19 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
On the Wall
Panel 17W · Line 19
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. Marine Corps
- Rank
- Lieutenant Colonel (LTCOL)
- Service
- Regular
- Occupation
- Pilot Vma (Aw) (I), Frs Basic A-6 (7511)
- Unit (as recorded)
- VMA 242 MAG 11 1 MAW
- Born
- June 12, 1931
- Home of record
- Tacoma, Washington (Pierce County)
Casualty
- Date of loss
- September 29, 1969
- Country
- Laos
- Casualty type
- Hostile
- Category
- Declared Dead
- Circumstance
- Aircraft Crash — crew
- First reported
- Missing in action
Context · from the records
What was happening
Ten names on the Wall carry the date September 29, 1969. In September 1969, 664 Americans whose names are on the Wall died in the war.
He died in Laos while the air war over Laos was under way. From 1964 to 1973, U.S. aircraft bombed the Ho Chi Minh Trail and supported the war in northern Laos; many of the Americans lost over Laos were never recovered.
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
On the Wall
Also on Panel 17W, Line 19
- MICHAEL ALLEN PIACENTINOStaff Sergeant · September 28, 1969
- LAURENCE THOMAS MCDOWELLCorporal · September 29, 1969
- THOMAS JOHN PRICEPrivate First Class · September 29, 1969
- JOE RODRIGUEZPrivate First Class · September 29, 1969
From Tacoma
- LOUIE GENE FRITTSPrivate First Class · October 3, 1965
- JOHN SHAW SABINE IVCaptain · March 30, 1966
- EDGARDO CACERESLance Corporal · May 12, 1966
- HOWARD ANTHONY MESOYEDZGunnery Sergeant · June 2, 1966
- GARY RICHARD HOLTPrivate First Class · June 24, 1966
- JIMMY GENE BRAISPrivate First Class · August 10, 1966
- THOMAS MICHAEL MOORESeaman Apprentice · November 1, 1966
- RAY NIXONSergeant · February 26, 1967
- DONALD L PENDERSergeant · February 26, 1967
- MAX PAUL STARKELCaptain · March 23, 1967
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.