Donald Michael Lint

Donald Michael Lint grew up on the south side of Des Moines. As a young man he enjoyed playing baseball, bowling, and fishing. After high school Lint joined the Air Force. He dreamed of becoming a long-haul truck driver after completing his military service. He served as a weapons mechanic at Cannon Air Base, NM in 1969 before moving on to flight training. Airman Lint started his tour in Vietnam in December 1969 as a crewman aboard an AC-130 Gunship. In the early morning of April 22, 1970 Lint, along with 9 other crewman, set off on a mission to bomb the Ho Chi Minh trail over Laos. During the fourth airstrike the aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire. The plane caught fire and a few crewmen were able to parachute while others went down with the gunship. A sole survivor was rescued while others were missing in action. Airman Lint was initially reported as missing in action until 1978 when the Air Force relisted him as presumed killed. In 1995 Lint’s remains were recovered and identified via DNA testing. While missing, he was promoted to Senior Master Sergeant by the Air Force. The 22-year-old’s remains were buried in a group grave in the Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.