Thank You, Colonel Russell

In 1993, as a member of Air Force ROTC Detachment 355, I and the rest of my class were given red, aluminum wrist bands inscribed with the name of a veteran missing in action, along with their service branch, and the date and location where they went MIA. Mine carried the name of Colonel Donald M. Russell and the scant information, “USAF 05 DEC 67 Laos”.

I wore Col Russel’s name on my wrist every day for a year, but I left ROTC, and eventually the band ended up packed away in a box of keepsakes and mementos.

I’d never given much thought to who Col Russell was, or the circumstances under which he went missing. I never expected to find out.