Man Arrested Who Went Awol From Air Force 45 Years Ago

[Satanica]

http://www.ocala.com/news/20170321/man-arrested-who-went-awol-from-air-force-45-years-ago

[....]
Linley Benson Lemburg, 75, was found living with his wife by a Marion County Sheriff's Office deputy in the 7800 block of Southwest Fifth Place under the alias William Michael Robertson.
[....]
The Air Force had been searching for Lemburg since he went AWOL — or absent without leave — in 1972.

Military officials asked the MCSO for their assistance in finding Lemburg and through their investigation were able to find him at his new home.

Lemburg was transported to the MCSO evidence division where their latent print examiners got his fingerprints. The fingerprints were compared to prints already on file with the U.S. Air Force from his enlistment and they matched.
[....]
A military spokesman told the Star-Banner that they're still trying to sort the information and at this time cannot comment.

Air Force officials were not the only ones trying to figure out what to say.

Lemburg's neighbors, who live in a quiet 55 and over subdivision called The Falls, which is near West Port High School, were shocked, surprised and dumbfounded about hearing the news about one of their own.
[....]

 

[Anubis]

Linley Benson Lemburg, 75, was found living with his wife by a Marion County Sheriff's Office deputy in the 7800 block of Southwest Fifth Place under the alias William Michael Robertson.
[....]
The Air Force had been searching for Lemburg since he went AWOL — or absent without leave — in 1972.

Curious how much time and resource went into this "search". Though I'll bet he's relieved to be able to let go of that part of his past now.

 

[cubby]

I remember way back in the stone age, about 1964 or so, my step dad was arrested for being AWOL from the National Guard. The kids, me and my brother had been left in the car, while he and mama went into a store, seems like 5 minutes later, a bunch of guys in uniforms come dragging him out in handcuffs. I might have been 5, but I remember.

But really what can they do to a 75 year old man? Put him in the brig? Hell, he might like that.

 

[lithiumgirl]

So the guy was a soldier at some point ... ditches his post ... and all this time never becomes on of the train wreck vets we hear about sometimes and these guys through him in jail. Okay its policy but I seriously hope they give this guy a break and let him get back home to his wife.

 

[Just my luck sucks]

You know a military budget is bloated when they can spend 45 years looking for some guy. Wish the current commander in thief would take a 45 year hike.

 

[Caligirl90]

Am I the only one who doesn't care about this guy? I mean, he didn't take secret intel to our enemies, or even our allies. He didn't defect to another country. Nothing! He had a family and chilled out from what it looks like. Slap on the wrist, dishonorable discharge, whatever. But all this find him and lock him up crap is too much in my opinion. It's not like he ditched people depending on him in a war zone leaving them to die or something crazy. But with the military, they just like to slam everyone as hard as they can. They have yet to figure out circumstances matter.

 

[Keepalowprofile]

Whew.... the world is safe again.

 

[Pete Bondurant]

What sort of gutless worm goes AWOL from the Air Force...in the 1970s?

 

[Satanica]

What sort of gutless worm goes AWOL from the Air Force...in the 1970s?

That's one reason I'm hesitant to give him a pass. Unless you were flying a chopper, and I believe those were flown by other branches, AF was definitely the safer choice. Some men went ahead and joined the AF to avoid being drafted into the infantry.