Wayne Leroy Thompson, a 32-year-old over-the-road truck driver from Kearney, Nebraska, vanished on March 31, 1976. He was last seen in Kearney; neither he nor his red 1967 Ford 300 pickup truck have been found. Thompson left all his personal belongings at home, and his family renewed the truck’s registration in 1977, apparently hoping he might still be using it.

Described as blond, green-eyed, about 5 feet 9 inches to 5 feet 11 inches and 150 to 160 pounds, Thompson had a healed leg fracture that could aid identification. He was last seen wearing a western-style shirt and cowboy boots. The Nebraska State Patrol maintains the investigation and his case is filed in NamUs, but no new leads or sightings have produced physical evidence.

What details do readers remember about Kearney in 1976 that might help explain where Wayne or his truck went?