Lawrence "Larry" Barbay

Larry Barbay was born on October 17, 1934, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant through the Air Force ROTC program at Louisiana Tech on May 28, 1956, and went on active duty beginning February 13, 1957. Lieutenant Barbay completed Undergraduate Navigator Training at Ellington AFB, Texas, in March 1958, followed by Electronic Warfare Officer (EWO) training at Keesler AFB, Mississippi, from March to November 1958. His first assignment was as an EWO flying RB-66 Destroyer reconnaissance aircraft with the 11th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron at Yokota AB, Japan, from November 1958 to January 1960, followed by service with the 6091st Reconnaissance Squadron at Yokota AB from January 1960 to July 1962. Captain Barbay next completed B-52 Stratofortress Combat Crew Training, and he then served as a B-52 EWO with the 334th Bomb Squadron at Biggs AFB, Texas, until February 1966. He deployed to Southeast Asia in February 1966, and served as an EWO on EB-66 aircraft with the 41st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron at Takhli Royal Thai AFB, Thailand, from February 1966 until he was forced to eject over North Vietnam and was taken as a Prisoner of War on July 20, 1966.