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| U. S. Army 145th Aviation Battalion 74th Aviation Company |
Pilot 1st Lt. Lynn Ragle Huddleston, 74th Aviation Company (MIA / KIA) Ralls, TX Observer SSgt Stephen J. Geist (MIA / KIA) Philadelphia, PA MIA September 26, 1967 Aircraft History Built by Cessna as TL-19D. Constructors Number 23533. Delivered to the U. S. Army as O-1D Bird Dog serial number 55-4692. No known nickname or nose art. Mission History On September 26, 1967 took off from Ninh Thanh Airfield at 9:10am piloted by Lt. Lynn Huddleston with passenger-observer SP4 Stephen Geist on a visual reconnaissance mission over Tay Ninh Province in south Vietnam. At 10:30am, this aircraft made the last transmission with the pilot reporting their position as "west of Minh Thanh". When this aircraft failed to return it was officially declared Missing In Action (MIA). Memorials Both were officially declared dead the day of the mission. Both earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. Both are memorialized at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) on the courts of the missing, court B. Huddleston also has a memorial marker at Ralls Cemetery in Ralls, TX. Geist also has a memorial marker at Andersonville National Cemetery. Relatives Susie Stephens References USAF Serial Number Search Results - Cessna TL-19D Bird Dog 55-4692 DPAA - Personnel File - Cpt Lynn Ragle Huddleston DPAA - Personnel File - SSG Stephen Jonathan Geist POW Network - Huddleston, Lynn Ragle POW Network - Geist, Stephen Jonathan Task Force Omega - Huddleston, Lynn Ragle Task Force Omega - Geist, Stephen Jonathan "Steve" American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Lynn Ragle Huddleston "Captain Huddleston was a member of 74th Aviation Company, 145th Aviation Battalion. On September 26, 1967, he was the pilot of a Cessna Bird Dog Observation Aircraft (O-1A) on a visual reconnaissance of the Minh Than area. On his last radio call he was near the Cambodian border just north of Minh Thanh, South Vietnam. He was declared Missing in Action. His remains were not recovered. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial" American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Stephen Jonathan Geist "Staff Sergeant Geist was a member of Detachment A-334, 5th Special Forces Group. On September 26, 1967, he was the observer in a Cessna Bird Dog Observation Aircraft (O-1A) just north of Minh Thanh, South Vietnam, when contact was lost. His remains were not recovered. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial" FindAGrave - Lynn Ragle Huddleston (photo, memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - Sgt Stephen J. Geist (memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - Sgt Stephen Jonathan Geist (photo, courts of the missing photo) Thanks to Susie Stephens for additional information Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated August 28, 2023 |
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