Airman missing from Vietnam War is identified Published April 6, 2009 WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- The remains of a U.S. Airman, missing in action from the Vietnam War, were identified recently and have been buried with full military honors, said officials from the Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office. Lt. Col. Earl P. Hopper Jr., from Phoenix, was buried April 3 at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona in Phoenix. On Jan. 10, 1968, Colonel Hopper and Capt. Keith Hall were flying an F-4D Phantom near Hanoi, North Vietnam, as part of a four-ship MiG combat air patrol. Before they reached the target, an enemy surface-to-air missile exploded slightly below their aircraft. Captain Hall radioed that he and Colonel Hopper were ejecting. He told Colonel Hopper to eject, but when he heard no response, he repeated "Earl get out!" Colonel Hopper replied, "I've pulled on it and it (the ejection seat) did not go," followed by "you go!" Captain Hall then pulled on his primary ejection handle but it failed to initiate, forcing him to use the alternate to successfully eject. After landing, Captain Hall was captured and held as a prisoner of war until 1973, but Colonel Hopper was unable to get out of the aircraft. Between 1993 and 1998, officials from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command conducted three joint investigations and five excavations at the crash site in Son La Province, west of Hanoi. The team interviewed four informants who had knowledge of the site. The excavations recovered numerous skeletal fragments and crew-related items which were ultimately used in the forensic identification process. Among other forensic tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists used extensive dental comparisons in the identification of the remains. For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO Web site at www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169/1420. Comment on this story (comments may be published on Air Force Link) View the comments/letters page