News-Info-Alerts

To: ALL

From: Andi Wolos & Bob Necci
(POW-MIA InterNetwork)

Re: DPMO Update

Date: February 04, 1998

Defense POW/MIA Weekly Update

REMAINS OF U.S. SERVICEMEN FROM SOUTHEAST ASIA IDENTIFIED

The remains of two American servicemen previously unaccounted-for from Southeast Asia have been identified and will be returned to their families for burial in the United States.

They are identified as Col. Paul G. Underwood, of Goldsboro, N.C.; and Capt. Donald B. Bloodworth, of San Diego, Cal., both U.S. Air Force.

On March 16, 1966, Col. Underwood was leading a strike mission over Lai Chau Province, Vietnam. As he released his payload, he reported that his F-105 Thunderchief was on fire. Col. UnderwoodÍs wingman reported observing the F-105 crash but he saw no parachute.

In 1994 and 1995, joint U.S-Vietnamese search teams interviewed local villagers and investigated a suspected crash site believed to be that of Col. Underwood. In 1996, the crash site was excavated and human remains, pilot-related artifacts, and personal effects, including Col. UnderwoodÍs military identification tags were recovered. The remains were repatriated to the U.S. ArmyÍs Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii and identified as those belonging to Col. Underwood.

On July 24, 1970, Capt. Bloodworth and his pilot were flying an F-4D aircraft as escort on an armed, night reconnaissance mission over Laos. The pilot radioed that he had lost sight of the markers indicating the target location. That was the last contact received from the crew.

Joint U.S.-Lao teams investigated this incident twice in 1991 and 1993. In 1991, the teams surveyed the site, and in 1993, excavated a suspected crash site recovering aircraft wreckage and human remains. These remains were repatriated and subsequently identified as Capt. BloodworthÍs. His crewmate is still unaccounted-for.

With the identification of these two servicemen, 2,097 Americans remain unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War.