Vietnam MIA's remains return to rest in Troy
Airman's service today
By ELIZABETH WEILL-GREENBERG For the Tribune
WASHINGTON -- More than 30 years after he was reported missing after his plane was shot down over Vietnam, funeral service will be held for Lt. Col. Randolph Perry Jr. at 11:30 a.m. today at the Troy city cemetery.
Perry was an Air Force radar navigator when an enemy missile struck his B-52 on Dec. 20, 1972, according to Lt. Ken Hall of the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command, an organization based in Hawaii dedicated to finding and identifying missing-in-action service members from all conflicts.
Perry was one of six crewmembers, Hall said, adding that two survivors were taken prisoner and later released in 1973.
Remains were returned to U.S. authorities in 1985, but Perry's were not identified until Sept. 10, 2003, said Hall.
Ambrose Goudy, 67, who attended Troy High School with Perry said until then he had not given up hope that Perry would be found alive.
"Right up until they found his remains, he still seemed like a part of our big Air Force, and I was right along with him, like partners," he said.
Goudy, who retired from the Air Force in 1978, still has a Missing in Action bracelet bearing Perry's name and expects to attend Saturday's service.
There will be three teams from the Malmstrom Honor Guard participating in the funeral ceremony:
A pallbearer's team, six members who will carry the casket and fold the flag; a firing team, seven members and a leader who will fire a 21-gun volley.
Honor guard of two rifle bearers and flag bearers.
One bugler.
Col. Lawrence Jackson, 341st Security Forces Group Commander, will present the flag to the family.
Perry was born June 17, 1937, in California but moved with his family to Troy in 1939. He graduated from Troy High School in 1956.
He is survived by two sons and four grandchildren.
As of July, 19 Montana service members still are missing from the Vietnam War, said Hall, out of a national MIA total of about 1,800.
Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg is a reporter for Medill News Service.
©2004 Great Falls Tribune.