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Henry Paul Brauner
Lieutenant Colonel
16TH SPECIAL OPS SQDN, 8TH TAC FTR WING, 7TH AF United States Air Force Franklin Park, New Jersey January 26, 1936 to July 25, 1978 (Incident Date March 29, 1972) HENRY P BRAUNER is on the Wall at Panel W2, Line 121 |
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7 August 2003
Dear Major Brauner,
My name is Cadet Major Brian Jensen and I am a member of Civil Air Patrol - United States Air Force Auxiliary. I never got the opportunity to know you for I was not even a thought when you were serving this great nation. However, 3 years ago I got my first POW/MIA bracelet and then I started getting more and more involved. Eventually, I was paired up with you through Operation Just Cause and I have had your picture up on my website for the last three years. Since I never knew you, I wanted to ensure that I say thank you properly for all that you have done for this great country. I want you to know that wherever you are, we will bring you home! Urah Sir! |
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11 August 2003
My Dad Lieutenant Colonel Henry Paul Brauner
We have a picture of my dad, I'm guessing at the age of about 7 years old, sitting in front of an airplane with his brother. I know one thing about my dad: he loved to fly and lived to do so. It was his passion; not just a job of obedience to his country and the people above him.
He went to Rutgers College in Princeton, New Jersey, where he wanted to learn all he could about the Air Force and enter into the Air Force as a Lieutenant. With an IQ of 161, he was smart enough to decide that he did not want to start his career where most people start, at the bottom of the totem pole. He worked hard to reach the level where he was when he died for our country. I heard that he was asked to fly for the president prior to his death. Although he was honored to be asked to do such a thing, he chose rather to continue navigating for the Air Force. He meant the world to his family, who loved him very much. This made his death very hard on all of us, in different ways. (As we are all different and handle things differently) I am his oldest daughter, Cyndi Lyn Woods, who was daddy's girl. I always had to be close to him when he was home, as I missed him and longed for him to be home. I sat on his lap, whenever I could. He played with us children, often bucking us off, as though he were a horse!! We have a picture of him as a teenager, riding a horse. He liked to joke around with us, but we sometimes were not sure he was joking, because he could be so serious. These are just a few of the things that I know about my Dad, as I knew him in the ten years I had him. Dad's death was very hard for my Mom. She was very emotional and did not like to talk about it. My dad liked to write and to write poetry. I will have to find one of his poems and put it on this web site. I too, like to write poetry, and enjoy writing. Perhaps a trait I got from my Dad. I've written a poem about my dad that I hope to add to this site. Yes, his death was hard on all of us. He was only considered Missing In Action ( M.I.A. ), after his right wing had gotten blown off. The chance of survival was very slim, although the Air Force left you with the thought that he may still be alive. That meant he could be a Prisoner Of War (P.O.W. ). After 7 years, in 1979 they considered him to be Killed In Action (K.I.A.). It did not matter that the terminology had changed, for we were always hopeful that he was alive. I have even a greater hope, now, for I have found out that he was raised in a Christian home. I hope to see him in Heaven when I die. I often, as a child, and occasionally as an adult, had a recurring dream of him returning home. Stranger, was to realize that my sister, Kris E. Holsey had a similar dream. I have been able to hear about his younger days through family, and stay in touch with his surviving brother and sister. I would like to fill in the missing pieces of the puzzle picture of my Dad. I hope to make a creative album to remember him by!!
In His Honor,
From His Eldest Daughter, Cyndi Lyn Woods Note or correction, my dad's last known address was not in New Jersey when he died, it was in California.
Photo courtesy of his daughter,
Cyndi Lyn Woods 13 Jun 2005
Many years after my dad's death, I finally went to go see the Wall. What an amazing place, filled with so many names of people who died, all fighting for our freedom. I then on our way home visited a church that I really like called, Shenandoah Bible Baptist Church. And Lord willing, I hope some day to make that my home church. As I could see the Wall whenever I felt like it, seeing as no remains were found, there is no grave where I could visit.
God Bless All Who Visit Here,
Henry Paul Brauner's Eldest Daughter, Cyndi Lyn Woods E-Mail will be forwarded by the Webmaster@VirtualWall.org |
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17 Jan 2005
Dear Cyndi, What a blessing it was to find this site. I've had Henry P. Brauner's POW/MIA bracelet since around 1973. At first, I often
felt that he would return home to his family, and as recently as 2 years ago, I found out this was not the case. When I went to the
Vietnam Memorial in Washington DC, I was incredibly sad to see his name on the Wall, as well as the thousands of others who paid the
untimate price for freedom. The quote "Freedom is not free" is no more relevant than on this Wall.
So, after having a life-changing experience with another Vietnam Veteran at the Wall (whom I did not know) I decided then and there, I wanted to find "my soldier's" family. After calling every Brauner in New Jersey, to no avail, and after my local paper did an article on my bracelet, my search brought me here. Strangers in New Jersey and in my hometown has been so kind to help me with my quest. Cyndi, I read your letter about your Dad. I can't imagine how it would be growing up without him. He and your entire family were casualties of war. And for this, I am truly sorry. I would be so very honored if you would contact me. I have contacted this website and gave them my information, but I thought that this is another way that I might reach you. My e-mail is: rpreston1973@yahoo.com. I await your response and will continue to hold you and your Dad close to my thoughts. |
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Henry Paul Brauner was born at Middlesex General Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey, to Henry and Gertrude Brauner. He was raised in Milltown, until 1951, when the family moved to Franklin Park. Henry had one brother and two sisters. He attended South River High School and Princeton High School. His hobbies were model airplanes, fresh water fishing, skiing, track, Glee Club and playing the violin. He was on the cross country track team at both schools. Henry graduated from Rutgers University in 1957, with a degree in English. Henry loved his '28 Ford which had a rumble seat. This was a family car which his folks gave to him when he attended Rutgers. He painted the car yellow. The inside he recovered with leopard skins. It became the lead car in all the parades while Henry attended Rutgers. His brother, Ron, still has it in Indiana, and keeps it as a family heirloom. Henry entered the United States Air Force on June 5, 1957. From November 1957 to January 1959, he studied flight training with the 3306 Pilot Training School at Bainbridge Air Force Base in Georgia and the 3640 Pilot Training Squadron at Laredo Air Force Base, CA. In May 1959, he was promoted to First Lieutenant (1LT). Upon graduation from flying school, Henry was assigned to the 20th Air Transport Squadron at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, as the navigator of a C-124 aircraft. In May 1962, Henry was reassigned overseas to the 67th Air Rescue Squadron at Prestwick Air Station in Scotland as a navigator. In October 1962, he was promoted to Captain (CAPT). In June 1965, he was assigned to McClellan Air Force Base in California. Henry attended several schools to advance his career, (Aircrew Refresher Course and Airborne Sensor Interpretation Course.) In November 1968, he was promoted to Major. In March and April, Henry took courses in AC-130A aircraft navigation and jungle survival. Upon graduation from this course, he was assigned to South East Asia as the navigator on an AC-130A gunship. By this time, he was married to Gloria Radar, who was also in the Air Force and had two daughters, Cindy and Kristen. On the night of March 29, 1972, an AC-130A Hercules "Spectre" gunship (tail number 55-0044) of the 16th Special Operations Squadron departed Ubon Airfield, Thailand, on a night reconnaissance mission over supply routes used by North Vietnamese forces in Laos. The AC-130 was accompanied by a section of F-4 Phantoms. At approximately 0300, while attacking a convoy approximately 56 miles east of Savannakhet in southern Laos, the AC-130 was hit by a Surface to Air Missile (SAM). A few seconds later the AC-130A impacted the ground on the east side of a jungle covered mountain and was consumed by secondary explosions. As one of the F-4D escorts flew low over the burning wreckage, he was unable see any sign of survivors. However, several minutes later emergency beeper signals were heard by the F-4D escorts and another AC-130A gunship operating nearby ("Spectre 10") and his escorts. No voice contact was established with any of the downed aircrew. At 0350 hours, a "Nail" Forward Air Controller (FAC) arrived on station to cover the crash site area and control the search and rescue (SAR) efforts that were immediately initiated. He did not hear emergency beepers, nor was he able to locate any signs of survivors. SAR efforts were terminated at 1830 hours on 30 March 1972 when no trace of the downed crew was found. All 14 crewmen were listed Missing in Action:
The local area papers in April 1972 reported the incident similar to this one: 
On 29 July 1973, the Central New Jersey Home News, New Brunswick, New Jersey reported the following: 
On 2 April 1976, the Central New Jersey Home News, New Brunswick, New Jersey reported the following: 
On 24 February 1985, the following photo and article appeared in the Central New Jersey Home News. 
A May 1985 article appearing in a Thai newspaper stated that the bodies of Simmons and Wanzel were among 5 bodies brought to the base camp of Lao Liberation forces. The U.S. and Laos excavated this aircraft's crash site in February 1986. The teams recovered a limited number of human bone fragments, personal effects, and large pieces of plane wreckage. It was later announced by the U.S. Government that the remains of Castillo, Halpin, Ramsower, Simmons, Todd, Paulson, Pearce, Wanzel and Smith had been positively identified from these bone fragments. In a previous excavation at Pakse, Laos in 1985, remains recovered were positively identified as the 13 crew members, although independent examiners later proved that only 2 of those identifications were scientifically possible. The U.S. Government has acknowledged the errors made in identification on two of the men, but these two individuals are still considered "accounted for".
Additional information is available on the POW Network and Task Force Omega sites. On 15 June 2010, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC, now DPAA) announced the following: The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of 14 U.S. servicemen, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and will be returned to their families for burial with full military honors. (The names were as listed above). All were U.S. Air Force. Remains that could not be individually identified are included in a group which will be buried together Thursday, June 17, in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C. The individually-identified remains of several of the airmen were previously returned to their families for burial. Brauner received the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with two Bronze Service Stars, the National Defense Service Medal, the Air Force Longevity Award with 2 Oak Leaf clusters, the Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Award, the Combat Readiness Medal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster, the Distinguished Flying Cross with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster, the Purple Heart, the Air Medal with 4th through 11th Oak Leaf Clusters, the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award and the Vietnam Service Medal with 2 Bronze Service Stars. He was also posthumously promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel (LTC). There is a memorial at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ, dedicated to the graduates who were killed or missing in action from the Vietnam War. Brauner's name is listed among those missing. LTC Brauner was survived by his wife Gloria Madeline (Rader) Brauner (1939-1994), daughters Cyndi and Kris, mother Gertrude E Brauner (1911-1996), and father Henry W Brauner (1903-1987). He was preceded in death by a son, Robert Brauner (1964-1964) who died from complications of premature birth when CPT Brauner was assigned to the 67th Air Rescue Squadron, 1631st Air Base Group (MATS), Prestwick Airport, Scotland. LTC Brauner is memorialized with the group burial in Arlington National Cemetery. 
- - The Virtual Wall, March 12, 2020
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