Airman killed in Vietnam laid to rest at Fort Logan

Airman killed in Vietnam laid to rest at Fort Logan

(EXCERPT) Written by: Chip Yost, 9NEWS Investigative Reporter created:
10/18/2003 6:17:25 PM updated: 10/19/2003 8:59:09 AM

DENVER - He was shot down over Vietnam more than 32 years ago. On
Saturday, an Air Force navigator from Colorado was laid to rest at
Fort Logan cemetery in Denver.

Capt. Mark Danielson was officially declared dead in 1973 but his
remains weren't found for another 20 years.

Danielson's daughter, Lisa, was only 3 when he was shot down over a
valley in south Vietnam. Growing up, about the only way she had to
remember him, were stories her family told her and letters her father
sent home from the war.

These letters are a window for Lisa Corboy to see a father she hardly
knew. Danielson wrote Lisa's mother nearly three times a day from
Vietnam.

I was 3 years old and didn't really know Dad so it's nice to know
(him) from that perspective, said Corboy.

But in June of 1972, his letters stopped coming. Letters from the Air
Force and later the president - replaced them.

Danielson and more than a dozen others were shot down in an AC-130a
aircraft during a reconnaissance mission. Three men survived - but
Danielson and the others were presumed dead. It would be 20 years
before anyone knew for sure.

My grandmother was a feisty woman - she would carry the torch that he
was still alive, said Corboy.

In 1993, Danielsons remains were found. Afterwards, he and the other
crewmembers were given a burial at Arlington National Cemetery.

On Saturday, he was also given one in his home state - at Fort Logan.
Tom Quinlan - a college friend - and now a deacon - spoke at the
service.

I started wearing his MIA bracelet in 1972 and I've worn it for 31
years, said Quinlan.

Danielson was a 1961 graduate of Rangley High School and went on to
attend Colorado State and the University of Northern Colo...

U.S. and friendly nation laws prohibit fully reproducing
copyrighted material. In abidance with our laws this report
cannot be provided in its entirety. However, you can read it
in full today, 19 Oct 2003, at the following URL. (COMBINE
the following lines into your web browser.) The
subject/content of this report is not necessarily the
viewpoint of the distributing Library. This report is provided
for your information and discussion.

http://www.9news.com/storyfull.aspx?storyid=19948

---------------------------
Otis Willie
Associate Librarian
The American War Library
http://www.americanwarlibrary.com