Vietnam War
| Unit | 1043rd Radar Evaluation Squadron |
|---|---|
| Rank | Lieutenant Colonel U.S. Air Force |
| Entered Service From | El Reno Oklahoma |
| Date of Death | March 11 1968 |
| Status | Recovered |
| Memorialized |
Courts of the Missing
Court
A
Honolulu Memorial |
Notes
Lieutenant Colonel Blanton was a member of Headquarters, U.S. Air Force. In early 1967, he volunteered for a sensitive assignment named Project Heavy Green and was assigned to the 1043rd Radar Evaluation Squadron, 7th Air Force. He was placed on temporary duty with Lockheed Aircraft to establish a secret radar site, called Lima Site 85, located on a mountain called Phou Pha Thi near the town of Sam Neua, Laos. He was assisted by 19 other airmen. They spent three months of gathering valuable information. On March 11, 1968, the communists launched an attack on the unarmed site and overran it. Six of the wounded were rescued by a helicopter. LTC Blanton's name is permanently inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial. His remains have been recovered and identified.
