With the April 3 internment of the remains of Air National Guard Maj. Perry H. Jefferson at Arlington National Cemetery, all of the Colorado National Guardsmen missing in action from the Vietnam War have been laid to rest, reports TSgt. Mike Smith of the National Guard Bureau. The Defense POW/Missing Personnel Officeidentified Jefferson’s remains last year. He was flying on an O-1 Bird Dog on April 3, 1969, that never returned to base; a three-day search found no trace and further searches were called off because of hostile action in the area.
Airmen basic rarely go on to become four-star generals, but one who did retired last week after a 42 year career that saw him rise from a lowly slick-sleeve to the head of one of the Air Force’s most important major commands.