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Jack and Gladys Fleckenstein, Larry's stepfather and mother.
This 1990 photo purports to show Air Force Colonel John Robertson, left, Air Force Major Albro Lundy, Jr., and Navy Lieutenant Larry Stevens, right. They all are missing as a result of the war in Vietnam. |
| L/CDR Larry James Stevens, USNR | ACFT: A-4C Skyhawk | DOL: February 14, 1969 | STATUS: KIA/BNR |
As told by: Gladys and Jack Fleckenstein - Larry's mother and stepfather
Background
L/CDR Larry James Stevens, a US Navy pilot, was shot down near Tchepone, Laos, on Valentine's Day 1969. Flying an A-4C Skyhawk and operating from the carrier USS Coral Sea, Larry was wingman in a two plane flight. The flight was assigned a ground target of a group of trucks carrying ammunition and supplies to North Vietnam forces fighting in South Vietnam. While in their bombing run, both planes were hit by anti-aircraft fire from ground batteries. The flight leader, L/CDR Meehan, managed to regain control of his damaged plane -fly out to sea and eject safely, being picked up by helicopter.
Larry's plane was seen to impact the ground by air crews of two other US planes in the vicinity. Larry made no radio transmission after his plane was hit -nor was there any sign of a parachute. However, a few seconds after Larry's plane crashed, a five to ten second beeper signal was picked up by the other US planes in the area and was assumed to come from Larry. Subsequent visual and electronic sweeps of the area failed to pick up any sign of Larry or his plane.
In his official report of the incident, Larry's squadron commander put forth the strong possibility that Larry could well have survived the crash, and in which case almost certainly would have been taken prisoner. No other information concerning the crash incident or capture of L/CDR Larry J. Stevens has been received by his family
Larry was born and reared in Southern California, attending primary schools in the area. As a Boy Scout he was awarded the Order of the Arrow. He attended Cleveland High School in Reseda, California. Larry was a good student, he served as co-editor of the high school newspaper. He represented Cleveland High as a member of Boy's State. An excellent athlete, he competed in football, baseball, and track. At one time he was considered one of the finer hurdlers in Southern California -but reoccurring leg injuries prevented his further athletic development.
Larry loved to fly and joined the Navy because he felt the Navy's training was the best. Official Navy efficiency reports indicate Larry was an excellent pilot and possessed superior leadership qualities.
Larry had married approximately 10 months prior to his incident and had no children. In addition to his parents, Larry has two brothers, both of whom live in Southern California. He has four nephews and a niece, only seeing one of these before his incident. His fate, like that of the 2,477 other unaccounted for American servicemen in Southeast Asia remains unknown.
What's Happened Since
At the time of this writing, Larry has been missing for over half his life span. He was 27 in February 1969 at the time of his shoot-down.
During these years since his shoot-down NOTHING his parents have read, been told, or studied, from any source -government or private- has led them to expect that Larry perished in his incident or may not be alive today. In fact the complete reverse is true. All the evidence points to Larry being alive, still restrained in Southeast Asia as perhaps hundreds of other American service personnel are.
Jack and Gladys comment: USG policy officially declared all non-returnees dead. They call it "KIA-BNR" (Killed In Action - Body Not Recovered). What a perfect solution to a tradition and policy oriented bureaucracy to whom the appearance of a live POW would be catastrophic. If they're all dead there can be no problem, can there? Simple, isn't it? If anyone asks about a POW the reply is "Killed In Action." No proof is necessary. And under current law (we're fighting to have the law changed and strengthened) a single bureaucrat is authorized to make this determination. He doesn't have to look at the man's file. All he needs is the passage of time. And should the man or his remains show up, they're still covered. "Well, we told you his body was not recovered." No mention that they don't even need or want to look. Moreover, they refuse to consider the possibility of the existence of a live POW. Any such report must be a "scam" or a "hoax" and doesn't merit further investigation. That is official policy of the only section of the USG tasked to investigate, account for, and determine the fate of these heroic American fighting men and women so far abandoned by their government. Yet, these same men and women were sent to fight "under orders" from the same USG.
On November 8, 1990 -21 years and nine months after Larry's shoot-down new information surfaced. For the first time Larry's name showed up in an official USG live sighting report along with another serviceman. Within 72 hours, aided by a small group of POW/MIA activists, we were able to contact the source of the live sighting report in Orange County, California. In less than a week the team was in Bangkok, Thailand, backed by three million US dollars in a Thai bank, attempting to locate and 'buy' Larry, the other serviceman, and any other missing Americans they could find out of the country. The effort was too late with the men reported to have been moved back into the POW prison system. Later the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) officials admitted they had 'sat on' this evidence for seven months. Imagine the possible outcome had DIA -with their almost limitless resources- pressed on as vigorously as the families did! In lock-step with 'policy' that says "there are no live American POWs in Southeast Asia" they sat on the information and did nothing.
Broken Record
Gladys and Jack report a common experience family members run into when they pursue information concerning their missing loved one. After several incidents of live sighting reports a common theme emerges as outlined in the following illustration:
One or more sources show up at a border refugee camp (in Thailand, Cambodia, or wherever) at an American Embassy or a Stoney Beach (US Intelligence) office. They claim knowledge of and/or evidence regarding a reported American POW. Frequently they have name(s), photos, some biographical or historical data about the man (perhaps a copy of a letter supposedly written or dictated by the POW). Frequently there will be a question about a reward (money or help with immigration to the US for the source and/or his family). The report is written up by the 'Reporting Officer' (RO). Any names mentioned in the report are checked against the "Bright Lights" database to determine if any names could be legitimate POW/MIAs or if they are just "scams." All names, addresses, etc., that could identify the sources are "sanitized." The report, along with supporting data is classified and forwarded to Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO) in Washington, D.C. Later, the family of the man or men named by the sources MAY be sent a bare bones notice outlining the fact that their missing man's name has surfaced, but ordinarily the families do not receive copies of the photos, biographical data, or other items mentioned in the report. On one occasion we requested this additional information -and we got it- however, it took 13 months to get to us! In a more recent incident our request was made 7 to 8 months ago, re-requested half a dozen times and we're still waiting to receive the information from DPMO.
Of the 60 to 70 or more alleged photos we have received from USG or private sources, reportedly of Larry, the majority are admittedly "phony." We are convinced they do not pertain to Larry. Only two photos, in our opinion, are considered to be critical evidence. The first is the "Three Man Photo" which we received from a private source in 1990. It's surprise appearance revived public interest in the POW/MIA issue and is still a viable piece of evidence today. Even more importantly, in early 1991, a photo was smuggled out of Southeast Asia by a private group. This photo (which we call the "blue shirt photo") along with pre-shootdown photos of Larry were submitted to four nationally renowned forensic anthropologists for analysis. All four experts, after comprehensive analysis, stated to us (two verbally, two in signed written reports) "The man in the photo does not merely look like Larry Stevens, he is Larry Stevens." Gladys and I feel this type of evidence far exceeds and outweighs any USG statement of "We think it's a hoax."
Information taken from The POW/MIA Families Internet Home Page
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"There's one thing the Department of Defense just can't shake," Jack Fleckenstein, Lt. Larry Stevens' stepfather; told us. "There are three men in that photo, and there are three families all saying, Those are our men.' The families have had the photo subjected to every kind of analysis available, and so has the government. If they had found anything to disprove our identification they would have come down with everything, instead of all this mealy mouth insinuation with all these irrelevant side issues. If the government had put out haft the effort to locate and return our guys as they have to discredit this evidence, they might be home by now."
This unwavering certainty by so many of the people who knew them best argues strongly for the authenticity of all three of the photos. These are not hysterical family members desperately grasping at any straw in the wind. They are people of amazingly strong character and mental toughness who have endured years of agony, frustration and sorrow over the uncertain plight of their loved ones. Many of them had finally accepted the government's verdict that their father, son, husband, or brother was dead. They would not lightly entertain false hopes. They would not reopen those painful chapters they had laid to rest without the most convincing evidence...
Excerpt from They Deserve to Come Home by William F. Jasper
