CDR Thomas C. Kolstad of Parkville, Minnesota was listed as Missing in Action while flying reconnaissance missions over Hanoi when his aircraft had been hit by hostile fire. His family on the Iron Range wondered about their son and brother during the 11 years Kolstad was missing in action from the Vietnam War. He was an an outdoorsman who grew to love flying, had joined the United States Navy in 1955. The Kolstad family, which included six brothers and one sister, grew up close in a small home near Virginia. On October 24, 1966, his family learned from a Western Union telegram that,of Tom's missing in action status. There was no news about whether he was alive or dead, and there would be no news for more than a decade. Tom was 31. The waiting and wondering, the unknowing of it, was awful. His mother had kept every letter Tom had written. She suspected something like this was going to happen.
Searchers finally found Tom's remains in 1977. He was among the first wave of Vietnam soldiers whose remains were recovered and brought home after the war ended. Tom is honored on Panel 11E, Line 98 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Searchers finally found Tom's remains in 1977. He was among the first wave of Vietnam soldiers whose remains were recovered and brought home after the war ended. Tom is honored on Panel 11E, Line 98 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
CDR Thomas C. Kolstad of Parkville, Minnesota was listed as Missing in Action while flying reconnaissance missions over Hanoi when his aircraft had been hit by hostile fire. His family on the Iron Range wondered about their son and brother during the 11 years Kolstad was missing in action from the Vietnam War. He was an an outdoorsman who grew to love flying, had joined the United States Navy in 1955. The Kolstad family, which included six brothers and one sister, grew up close in a small home near Virginia. On October 24, 1966, his family learned from a Western Union telegram that,of Tom's missing in action status. There was no news about whether he was alive or dead, and there would be no news for more than a decade. Tom was 31. The waiting and wondering, the unknowing of it, was awful. His mother had kept every letter Tom had written. She suspected something like this was going to happen.
Searchers finally found Tom's remains in 1977. He was among the first wave of Vietnam soldiers whose remains were recovered and brought home after the war ended. Tom is honored on Panel 11E, Line 98 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Searchers finally found Tom's remains in 1977. He was among the first wave of Vietnam soldiers whose remains were recovered and brought home after the war ended. Tom is honored on Panel 11E, Line 98 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Family Members
Siblings
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Records on Ancestry
Advertisement
