Albin Earl Lucki

Name:	Albin Earl Lucki
Rank/Branch:	O3 / US Air Force
Unit:	8th TFW, Ubon RTAFB
Date of Birth:	27 February 1944
Home City of Record:	Salt Lake City, Utah
Date of Loss:	23 April 1970
Country of Loss:	Laos
Loss Coordinates:	170900N 1060500E (XD122982)
Status (in 1973):	Missing In Action
Category:	2
Acft/Vehicle/Ground:	F-4D 66-7639
Other Personnel In Incident:	Robert A. Gomez (missing)

By the spring of 1970, the North Vietnamese had established substantial missile and
AAA sites as well as logistic facilities near Barthelemy pass, Ban Karai pass and in
a sector north of the DMZ. The passes were of special concern, as U.S. fighters
headed into Vietnam from Thailand were frequently routed through them. Efforts
were continually being made to clear these areas, as well as the infamous Ho Chi
Minh Trail, used extensively as a supply route by the North Vietnamese.

On April 23, 1Lt. Robert A. Gomez was the pilot and and Capt. Albin E. Lucki the
bombardier/navigator of an F4D Phantom fighter/bomber sent on a mission which
took them near the Ban Karai pass. During the mission, the aircraft was shot down
and both men were declared missing in action. They joined what eventually became
nearly 600 Americans lost in Laos.

In 1973, when American prisoners were released, the families of those men lost in
Laos were shocked to find that not one man had been released from Laos, although
they had been told negotiations had included them. Many knew their man had
survived, some had evidence of captivity.

There has been no negotiated release of prisoners from Laos since the war ended.
The nearly 600 Americans are still there, and tragically, reports continue to be
received that some are still alive as captives. Gomez and Lucki could be among
them. It's long past time we brought our men home.

During the period he was maintained missing, Robert A. Gomez was promoted to
the rank of Captain. Albin E. Lucki graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in
1965.

Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project (919/527-8079) 15 March 1991 from one
or more of the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources,
correspondence with POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews.
Copyright 1991 Homecoming II Project.