| EDGAR A. RAWSTHORNE | |
|---|---|
| Location on the Wall: | Panel 04E - Line 45 |
| Age at Loss: | 40 |
| Race: | Caucasian |
| Sex: | Male |
| Date of Birth: | 03 Oct, 1925 |
| Home of Record: | Miramar, CA |
| Religion: | unknown |
| Marital Status: | unknown |
| Branch: | Navy |
| Length of Service: | 4 years |
| Grade: | 05 |
| Rank: | CDR |
| ID Number: | |
| Unit: | USS Enterprise |
| MOS: | Fixed Wing Pilot |
| Date of Loss: | 29 Dec, 1965 |
| Country of Loss: | LZ, Laos |
| Loss Coordinates: | 173512N 1053652E (WE652444) |
| Status: | Body Not Recovered |
| Type of Loss: | Hostile, died missing |
| Reason: | Air Loss, Crash on Land |
| Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: | F4B |
| Incident Ref. #: | 0225 |
Other info:
Cdr. Edgar A. Rawsthorne was the pilot of an F4 which flew from the air wing onboard the ENTERPRISE, and on December 29, 1965, he was assigned a combat mission which would take him through the Mu Gia Pass into Laos. His bombardier/navigator on the aircraft that day was Lt. Arthur S. Hill, Jr.
The Mu Gia Pass was one of several passageways through the mountainous border of Vietnam and Laos. U.S. aircraft flew through them regularly, and many were lost. The return ratio of men lost in and around the passes is far lower than that of those men lost in more populous areas, even though both were shot down by the same enemy and the same weapons. This is partly due to the extremely rugged terrain and resulting difficulty in recovery.
Just west of the pass, Rawsthorne’s aircraft was hit by enemy fire and crashed. It was not believed that either of the men onboard survived the crash of the plane. Both were declared Killed in Action, Body Not Recovered.
.
Source: POW NETWORK