POW's Prayer
By Jean Ray and L. Vancil
Father, Your own Son was a prisoner. Condemned, he died for us. Victorious, He returned to bring us the gift of life everlasting. Comfort us now in our longing for the return of the Prisoners Of War and those Missing In Action.
Help Us Father; Inspire us to remove the obstacles. Give courage to those who know the truth to speak out. Grant wisdom to the negotiators, and compassion to the jailors. Inspire the media to speak out as loudly as they have in the past. Protect those who seek in secret and help them to succeed. Show us the tools to do Your will. Guard and bless those in captivity, their families, and those who work for their release. Let them come home soon. Thank you Father. Amen.
Name: Christos Constantine Bogiages, Jr.
Rank/Branch: O4/US Air Force
Unit: 357th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Takhli Airbase, Thailand
Date of Birth: 30 March 1934
Home City of Record: Clearwater FL
Date of Loss: 02 March 1969
Country of Loss: Laos
Loss Coordinates: 192300N 1030900E (UG056443)
Status (in 1973): Missing in Action
Category: 2
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: F105D
Refno: 1397
Other Personnel in Incident: (none missing)
Source: Compiled from one or more of the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews. Updated by the P.O.W. NETWORK in 1998.
SYNOPSIS: The Plain of Jars region of Laos was long been controlled by the communist Pathet Lao and a continual effort was made by the secret CIA-directed force of some 30,000 indigenous tribesmen to strengthen anti-communist strongholds there. The U.S. committed hundreds of millions of dollars to the secret war effort in Laos. Details of this operation were not released to Congress and the American public until August 1971.
On March 2, 1969, Maj. Christos C. Bogiages, Jr. was sent on a mission over the Plain of Jars in Laos in an F105D Thunderchief. The "Thud" flew more missions against North Vietnam than any other U.S. aircraft, but it also suffered more losses, partially due to its vulnerability, which was constantly under revision. Maj. Bogiages aircraft went down in Xiangkhoang Province, Laos, about 5 miles southwest of the city of Ban Na Mai.
According to 1989 public information from the U.S. Air Force, Maj. Bogiages' aircraft was hit by hostile fire and crashed. No parachute was seen, and no emergency radio beeper signals were heard. According to information given to his family at the time, Maj. Bogiages survived the crash of his aircraft. His family waited for the war to end, understanding that he could have been captured, either by the Pathet Lao or the North Vietnamese.
Throughout the war, names of hundreds of Americans held by the North Vietnamese became known to the U.S. The Pathet Lao stated on a number of occasions that they also held "tens of tens" of Americans, but that they would be released only from Laos. The names of only a few of these men held in Laos were known.
When peace agreements were signed, Secretary of State Henry Kissinger informed the families of the men prisoner and missing that their men would soon come home. When asked specifically if the agreements included all countries (Vietnam, Cambodia, China and Laos), Kissinger replied, "What do you think took us so long."
When 591 American prisoners were released in the spring of 1973, it became evident that Kissinger had lied to the families. No prisoners held by the Chinese, Laos or Cambodians were released. Kissinger had not negotiated for these men.
In Laos alone, nearly 600 Americans are Prisoner of War or Missing in Action. Since 1975, nearly 10,000 reports relating to Americans still missing in Southeast Asia, convincing many authorities that hundreds of Americans are still held in captivity. Christos Bogiages could be among them. It's time we brought our men home.
PLEASE WRITE OR CONTACT YOU LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND TELL THEM HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS PRACTICE AND TELL THEM TO:
U.S. Senate Listings
U.S.House Listings
President of the United States
Vice-President of the United States
First Lady
Florida POW/MIA
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