TUCCI, ROBERT LEON

Name: Robert Leon Tucci
Rank/Branch: O3/US Air Force
Unit: 13th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Udorn Airfield, Thailand
Date of Birth: 29 July 1942
Home City of Record: Detroit MI
Date of Loss: 12 November 1969
Country of Loss: Laos
Loss Coordinates: 172100N 1054200E (WE735183)
Status (in 1973): Missing IN Action
Category: 2
Acft/Vehicle/Ground: F4D
Refno: 1519

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.

Other Personnel in Incident: James E. Dennany (missing)

SYNOPSIS: In the latter months of 1969, there was considerable controversy
in the United States over the "secret war" in Laos. U.S. Forces had been
flying over Laos in order to break up North Vietnamese sanctuaries and
supply routes. Senator Fulbright revealed in late October that, contrary to
official statements to the contrary, we had conducted substantial ground
operations as well. The matter of fighting in Laos became very sensitive.
U.S. planes dropped an enormous number of bombs in Laos against the
Vietnamese.

Capt. Robert L. Tucci was the pilot, and Maj. James E. Dennany the co-pilot
of an F4D Phantom fighter jet dispatched from Udorn Airfield in Thailand on
November 12, 1969. The two were assigned an operational mission over Laos.
Tucci had been in the Air Force since March 17, 1967. On his first tour of
duty in Vietnam, Tucci had flown 181 missions from Da Nang Airfield in South
Vietnam. Tucci and Dennany were assigned to the 13th Tactical Fighter
Squadron at Udorn.

At a point near Mahaxay village in Khammouane Province, about 30 miles east
of Nakhon Phanom, the aircraft flown by Tucci and Dennany was struck by
hostile fire and seen to crash and explode on impact. No parachutes were
observed and no emergency beeper signals were heard. Tucci and Dennany were
not heard from again.

Tucci and Dennany are among nearly 600 Americans who disappeared in Laos.
Through the war years, the Pathet Lao made public statements that they held
"tens of tens" of American prisoners, but they would only be released from
Laos. They wished to negotiate the end of American bombing in their country.

When Henry Kissinger negotiated the peace, he did not include the country of
Laos in the agreements. U.S. bombing in Laos continued. When 591 Americans
were released from communist prisons in Southeast Asia, not one man who had
been held in Laos was released.

Since the war ended, no agreement has been struck with Laos which would
release American prisoners of war. These men were abandoned by the country
they proudly served. As the years have passed, nearly 10,000 reports have
been received concerning Americans missing in Southeast Asia. Many
authorities believe there are hundreds still alive.

There is no proof that Tucci and Dennany are dead. They could be among those
said to be alive. If so, what must they be thinking of their country? It's
time we brought our men home.

Robert Tucci graduated from the University of Texas.

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