LCPL.
RICHARD WILLIAM FISCHER
Born
on June 15, 1947
From MADISON, WISCONSIN
Missing In Action Jan. 8, 1968
in QUANG NAM, SOUTH VIETNAM
Status (in 1973): Missing
December 1978, he was declared dead/body not recovered
September 26, 2007 DNA from Richard Fischer's family
was found to match remains found in 1996
Panel
33E - - Line 84
Richard
William Fischer
LCpl.
Richard William Fischer served with the 3rd Battalion, 5th
Marines, Mike Company. His name stands proudly on the Mike 3/5 Wall of Honor.
Semper Fi, Brother Marine. We will never forget.
On
January 8, 1968, Lance Corporal Richard Fischer was with an M Co.
3/5 ambush team in Dien Ban District, south of Da Nang City, Quang
Nam Province. He left the ambush site and never returned. Despite
a massive manhunt by his fellow Marines, LCpl. Fischer was never found.
Rumors were heard of an American in that area being captured, but
no one could officially confirm it and Richard Fischer was officially
listed as Missing In Action. In December 1978, he was declared dead/body
not recovered.
Richard Fischer in front of Mike Co. "Weapons" sign
(picture
courtesy of Anne Fischer)
Richard
William Fischer
(picture
courtesy of Anne Fischer)
My
brother, Dick Fischer
My
name is Ann Fischer, the sister of Richard Fischer. His remains were
recovered from Viet Nam in 1996 but have remained unidentifiable until
technology was such that a very small sample of DNA could be tested.
My daughter and I were notified on September 26, 2007 that our DNA
was a match to those remains found in 1996. Praise be to God our nightmare
has finally ended. Thank you to all who have wore his MIA bracelet
so faithfully, I can not express my gratitude enough. We will be bringing
Dick home and celebrating his life November 19, 2007 in our hometown,
Madison, Wi.
According
to testimony of the villagers and the woman who enticed Dick away,
he was shot when he discovered that they (He and the two women) were
being followed by the Viet Cong. They hid Dick's body from the search
teams for about 3 days and then buried his body in a field that they
cultivated. Over the years the field flooded approximately 3 times,
each time bones would be unsurfaced. These were thrown into the river
that ran next to the field. One report did say the village chief had
his skull and jacket for a while but then got rid of it in the river.
All this information was gleaned years after the war when search teams
investigated "incidents of loss" all over Viet Nam. The
team came across the woman 20 years later as she entered a refugee
camp and the story she gave matched what the villagers had testified.
On one such visit to the village, some of the villagers showed the
team where Dick's burial had taken place. In 1996, the site was excavated.
15 pieces of bone and two buttons were discovered. When the team member
went to place 13 of the pieces into a baggie, they fell to dust. Two
small pieces remained intact. In 1996, the DNA testing required a
larger sample than what the team had retrieved so a positive ID has
not been possible until the technology had been improved.
Early
this spring the Defence Department, Marine Division, contacted my
daughter who then, contacted me. They asked us to supply a mitochondrial
DNA sample to compare to the sample from the remains. They were 99%
sure the bone fragments belonged to Dick but needed the sample to
make a certain determination and close his case. Both my daughter
and I sent our samples to be tested. The end of 39 years of uncertainty
was close at hand which made the waiting almost more than I could
bear at times. After months of waiting, last Tuesday I received the
call. Unfortunately, I was in class and turned off the phone quickly
and did not pick up the voice mail until it was too late to call.
I called early Wednesday morning (Sept. 26, 2007) and was told by
Casualty Officer Hattie Brown that the tests were a match. I started
to contact family and friends who contacted others and that is how
I came to write to you. I can bring my brother home, thanks be to
God!
The
Memorial/Funeral service for Dick is scheduled for November 19 at
11:00 a.m. with "visitation" or greetings at 10:00 a.m.
at Christ Presbyterian Church, 944 E. Gorham Street, Madison, Wisconsin
53703. Please do map quest as I am not able to think clearly enough
to give directions to anyone. One reason I chose that time is I have
the week off from school for Thanksgiving break. Another and more
personal reason is to redeem Thanksgiving for me. Our last family
gathering before Dick left for Viet Nam was Thanksgiving. During the
meal the adults started to question Dick's decision to go to Nam (he
probably never would have been shipped over except for his desire
to serve). An argument ensued with Dick storming out of the house.
I can bring my brother back home again which is cause for celebration
and the circle will be completed, thanks be to God!~Anne Fischer
*************************************************
Richard
William Fischer
(picture
courtesy of Anne Fischer)
Welcome
Home Marine
I have been waiting to greet you after all these years. See you in
November, my friend. Take care and enjoy your Liberty Call. Semper
Fi~Michael "Turk" Wears
