Francis Edward Visconti – Major, United States Marine Corps

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Francis Edward Visconti was born on October 16, 1934 and joined the Armed Forces while in Syracuse, New York.

He served in the United States Marine Corps, HMM 362 MAG 36 1 MAW, and attained the rank of Major.

Francis Edward Visconti is listed as Missing in Action.

There is a “In Memory Of” stone placed in Arlington National Cemetery in remembrance of Major Visconti.

SYNOPSIS:

On November 22, 1965, Captain Francis E. Visconti was the pilot of a  UH34D helicopter flying with other aircraft on a combat mission in South  Vietnam. Bad weather forced Visconti’s aircraft out to sea about halfway between Chu Lai and Quang Ngai, and he was separated from the rest of the group.

Also onboard the aircraft were Captain Richard A. Miller, Corporal Thomas E. Douglas, and Corporal Victor J. Pirker, all from the same unit. The helicopter went down and all four Marines were classified Missing in Action. The casualty is listed as battle related, which means the aircraft was probably hit by enemy fire. The U.S. believes that the Vietnamese could account for the four men.

There has been no word of any of the crew of that ill-fated chopper since that  day. The Vietnamese have denied any knowledge of them.

Evidence mounts that Americans are still alive in Southeast Asia. There have  been hundreds of eye-witnesses who have said they personally saw them. It is not known whether any of the crew of the UH34 helicopter survived and are among those said to be alive and still held prisoner, but someone’s brother, son,  husband, or father is alive. We owe them our very best effort to bring them home.

Richard A. Miller and Francis E. Visconti were promoted to the rank of Major,  Thomas E. Douglas and Edward C. Upner to the rank of Staff Sergeant during the period they were maintained missing.

My husband, Major Francis E. Visconti, USMC, has a bronze plaque, in his honor at Arlington Cemetary. My husband remains in an “UN-Accounted For, Body NOT Recovered,” status since 22 November 1965.
Semper Fidelis, SEMPER…
Jan Visconti

Name: Francis Edward Visconti

Rank/Branch: O3/US Marine Corps
Unit: HMM 362, MAG 36
Date of Birth: 16 November 1934
Home City of Record: Syracuse New York
Date of Loss: 22 November 1965
Country of Loss: South Vietnam
Status (in 1973): Missing In Action
Other Personnel In Incident: Thomas E. Douglas; Richard A. Miller; Victor J. Pirker (all missing)

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Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 15 October 1990 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 2002 with information and corrections provided by Mrs. Jan Visconti.

REMARKS:

SYNOPSIS: On November 22, 1965, Capt. Francis E. Visconti was the pilot of a UH34D helicopter “wing” on then Capt Sandy Gidonese (deceased) in sections of 2 helicopters each on the 3rd hop that night on a combat mission in South
Vietnam. Bad weather forced Visconti’s aircraft out to sea about halfway between Chu Lai and Dan Nang, (Quang Ngai province} and he was separated from the rest of the group. Also onboard the aircraft were Capt. Richard A. Miller, Cpl. Thomas E. Douglas, and Cpl. Victor J. Pirker, all from the same unit. The helicopter went down and all four Marines were classified Missing in Action. The casualty is listed as battle related, which means the aircraft was probably
hit by enemy fire. The U.S. believes that the Vietnamese could account for the four men.

There has been no word of any of the crew of that ill-fated chopper since that day. The Vietnamese have denied any knowledge of them.

Evidence mounts that Americans are still alive in Southeast Asia. There have been hundreds of eye-witnesses who have said they personally saw them. It is not known whether any of the crew of the UH34 helicopter survived and are
among those said to be alive and still held prisoner, but someone’s brother, son, husband, or father is alive. We owe them our very best effort to bring them home.

Richard A. Miller and Francis E. Visconti were promoted to the rank of Major, Thomas E. Douglas and Victor J. Pirker to the rank of Staff Sergeant during the period they were maintained missing.

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