POW/MIA Recognition Part 1

by John Stryker Meyer · September 15, 2017

One clear day in May 1968, Green Berets Glen O. Lane and Robert Owen, boarded a South Vietnamese Air Force H-34 helicopter along with four South Vietnamese team members and flew west from the top secret MACV-SOG FOB 1 base in Phu Bai near the China Sea, into a target in Laos where communist forces had amassed an estimated 45,000-50,000 troops moving supplies south on the Ho Chi Minh Trail and hunting SOG recon teams.

Lane was the team leader, code-named One-Zero of recon team code-named Spike Team Idaho. Owen, was the assistant team leader. In Owen’s case, he left N. Carolina on May 1, kissed his daughter good-bye and promised to be home for her next birthday in May 1969. Owen hitch-hiked across the country to Ft. Lewis, WA, in order to save money, which he mailed back to his wife. Being a combat veteran from previous tours of duty in Vietnam, he skipped in-country training, volunteered for SOG and was shipped to FOB 1 in Phu Bai. Lane was a highly-respected One-Zero who fought valiantly during the Korean War and earned the respect of fellow Green Berets at Phu Bai through his leadership skills as well as his ability to work with the indigenous team members on ST Idaho.

About John Stryker Meyer

Born Jan. 19, 1946, John Stryker Meyer entered the Army Dec. 1, 1966, completed basic training at Ft. Dix, N.J., advanced infantry training at Ft. Gordon, Ga., jump school at Ft. Benning, Ga., and graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course in Dec. 1967. He arrived at FOB 1 Phu Bai in May 1968, where he joined Spike Team Idaho, which transferred to Command & Control North, CCN in Da Nang, January 1969. In October 1969 he rejoined RT Idaho at CCN. That tour of duty ended suddenly in April 1970. Today he is a program director at the Veterans Affordable Housing Program, based in Orange, CA and joined the SOFREP team of correspondents in March 2015. He has written two non-fiction books on SOG secret wars: Across The Fence: The Secret War in Vietnam - Expanded Edition, and Co-Authored On The Ground: The Secret War in Vietnam with John E. Peters, a member of RT Rhode Island. Meyer's website is: www.sogchronicles.com.

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Pat G
Well God Bless the North Dakota Governor! That warmed my heart! If you see Sanmon around, I know he'd love to see that link. Thanks, Michelle.
Michelle B
I stumbled across this North Dakota Governor's order to fly the POW/MIA flags (while looking for something else today) and it warmed my heart after reading your sad comment: https://www.governor.nd.gov/news/burgum-orders-state-agencies-fly-powmia-flags
Micky M
I pray that Lane and Owen will be found and returned to the homeland that they so bravely fought for. Their families deserve closure. John, you are doing such wonderful work. What specifically can your readers do to help? Donations?, Contact our elected officials?....
Recon6
Thanks PG... this is one of the reasons we all need to encourage those who were there to write their stories, men like 'John Stryker Meyer' and also 'Jim West' et al... I know that so many men don't want to revisit such memories, however, if the stories aren't told they will disappear into the dust bin of history with the deaths of these Brave Warriors... realizing it's a bit of a 'Catch 22' (great book and movie btw)... but since this is no longer presented in school it should never be allowed to disappear...best...6
Recon6
JC... that's great news !! You'll find REP to be full of quality ppl willing to help with any issues you might have... glad you are here and let us know anytime if you require assistance....best....6