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Vanbendengom

JAMES VAN BENDEGOM Former (POW - MIA) (SYNOPSIS BELOW))

Kenosha, Wisconsin

 

 POW

PERSONAL
 Last Name: Van Bendegom
 First Name: James
 Middle Name: Lee
 Home of Record (official): Kenosha
 State (official): WI
 Date of Birth: Sunday, 28 November 1948
 Sex: Male
 Race: Caucasian
 Marital Status: Single
   

MILITARY
 Branch: Army  
 Rank: Staff Sergeant
 Serial Number: 294500350
 Component: Selective Service  
 Pay grade: Promotion as indicated: During “missing” period E-3, then as an E-6 when declared dead   
 MOS: 11B10 (Infantryman)  
 Awards: Prisoner of War Medal; Purple Heart; Combat Infantry Badge
 Unit: Bravo Company  
     

ACTION - VISIT POW PAGE FOR DETAILS
 Start of Tour: Unknown  
 Date of Casualty:

Wounded/captured 12 July 1967, died 31 July 1967
 Age at time of loss: 18  
 Casualty type: (A4) Hostile, died while captured  
 Reason: Unknown / Not reported (MIA for 47 years until remains positively identified in 2014)
 Country: South Vietnam  
 Province: Pleiku  
 Location: YA 850131  
 The Wall: Panel 23E - Row 065  
     
Return to Casualty Page

PLAY WATCH video of graveside services. READ article and view photos, CLICK HERE

SYNOPSIS:

On July 12, 1967, SP4 Martin S. Frank, PFC Nathan B. Henry, Sgt. Cordine McMurray, PFC Stanley A. Newell, PFC Richard R. Perricone, SP4 James F. Schiele and PFC James L. Van Bendegom, all members of Company B, 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry, 4th Infantry Division, were conducting a search and destroy mission along the Cambodian border when their position was overrun by the Viet Cong. With the exception of Schiele, all the men were captured. The U.S. Army notes that Schiele and Van Bendegom were captured by the North Vietnamese, while the others, apparently, were captured by Viet Cong

PFC Van Bendegom was also wounded in the engagement, and was seen alive by other Americans captured in the same battle about one week after his capture at a communist field hospital in Cambodia, not far from his capture location. One of the released Americans was later told by the commanding North Vietnamese officer at his prison camp in Cambodia that SP4 Van Bendegom had died of his wounds. Van Bendegom was categorized as a Prisoner of War.

In late 2014 his remains were positively identified through DNA testing.On Veterans Day, November11, 2014 he was laid-to-rest in his home town of Kenosha, WIsconsin with full military honors. Hundreds of mourners attended his funeral.