Vietnam Veteran Missing in Action, Family Gets Answers
By: Caroline Tucker
Updated: June 17, 2012
Air Force Colonel Joseph Christiano's plane went down in Laos in 1965 when his mission was diverted.
He was on board with five others.
For years, his family didn't know what happened, all they knew is that he was listed at MIA.
Then this April, the family got a phone call that remains and some artifacts had been found in the spot where they think his plane went down.
Colonel Christiano's daughter, Barbara Annechino, says she was told the plane was shot down and it exploded on impact because of a bomb on board.
Some teeth and artifacts like a ring and helmet liner were found but nothing that could be linked to a single man.
But it's evidence that they've wanted for years.
"The promise has been kept . And that is pretty much all that we asked all these years that they keep their promise and continue to look," said Barbara Annechino, daughter.
The items and remains found at the Laos crash site were brought back to the U.S.
They will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery on July 9 with full military honors.
The Christiano family will be attending.
