Smith 324 Compelling Cases - Part 1

Laos Eugene H. Debruin
(0018)

On September 5, 1963, an Air America C-47 transport on which Mr. Debruin was a "kicker" was shot down by hostile ground fire over Savannakhet Province. It crashed approximately twenty two kilometers northeast of Muang Phine. Eugene Debruin and four non- U.S. crewmen parachuted out and were captured. According to the Pathet Lao, the remaining two American civilian crewmen who were not reported to have bailed out died in the crash. On May 31, 1966, the Pathet Lao spokesman in Vientiane, Soth Phetrasy, confirmed that Mr. Debruin was alive and in captivity.

Information from an American escapee and a Thai captured with Mr. Debruin recounted Mr. Debruin's capture and prison chronology through July 3, 1966, the last time they knew Mr. Debruin to be alive with them in Khammouane Province. Accounts of the prison escape include information that four of the seven prison guards were killed during the escape attempt. One Thai who escaped and was recaptured was not killed after recapture.

A photograph of Mr. Debruin was later obtained by Air America in May 1969 and showed Mr. Debruin in captivity circa 1965. A credit card and other information concerning the dead pilot was later obtained through private sources.

On September 25, 1982, Pathet Lao Colonel Khamla Keuphithoune told a visiting National League of Families delegation that Eugene Debruin was killed attempting to escape from captivity.

Information has surfaced from American POW hunters throughout the last half of the 1980s and into 1991, as well as from Lao and Thai residents of Thailand, which asserts that Mr. Debruin is still alive in Laos and living freely with a Lao wife and children in Khammouane Province. The Debruin case is well known in the private POW/MIA community due to extensive efforts and informational leaflets distributed by Mr. Debruin's brother who for many years has attempted to recover his brother. The Joint Task Force Full Accounting has received information regarding Mr. Debruin's grave site and is currently planning to excavate it.

South Vietnam Kurt C. McDonald
Edward R. Dodge
(0051)

See Vessey 135 Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

North Vietnam Edward A. Dickson
(0053)

On February 7, 1965, Lieutenant Dickson was the pilot of an A-4 on a combat mission over Bo Trach District, Quang Binh Province. His aircraft was hit by hostile ground fire and he headed out to sea. He was observed by other U.S. aircraft crew to eject from his aircraft but his parachute was not seen to deploy. He was declared dead/body not recovered, based on a presumptive finding of death.

On March 17, 1968, an issue of the Vietnam Courier carried a photograph of a beach grave site reportedly containing the remains of Lieutenant Dickson. A wartime Associated Press wirephoto depicted a body reportedly of Lieutenant Dickson and listed personal artifacts of his which had been recovered. A number of U.S. POWs returning from captivity in North Vietnam described a North Vietnamese movie they had been shown which contained a sequence reportedly showing the recovery of Lieutenant Dickson's remains from the water and the grave site where his remains were interred.

In August 1985, Vietnam turned over Lieutenant Dickson's Geneva Convention Card and Identity Card. In January 1991, a U.S. team in Vietnam examined a document listing the wartime combat operations in Bo Trach District which referred to the downing of a U.S. aircraft with one airman on February 7, 1965.

In January and July 1991, a U.S. team obtained substantially similar information from the People's Army of Vietnam Military Region IV museum.

South Vietnam James H. McLean
(0054)

See Vessey 135 Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

Laos Arthur D. Baker
James W. Lewis
(0070)

On April 7, 1965, Baker and James were crewmen on a B-57B, one in a flight of four aircraft on an interdiction mission launched from Bien Hoa Air Base, South Vietnam and with its target in Xieng Khouang Province, Laos. The crew was last seen descending through thin overcast toward the target area and it never reappeared. Extensive search and rescue efforts through April 12th failed to locate either the aircraft or its crew.

On April 14, 1965, the New China News Agency reported the shoot down of a B-57 approximately three miles north-northeast of the town of Khang Khay. This was described as the first B-57 shoot down of an aircraft launched from South Vietnam.

Both crewmen were initially reported missing in action in South Vietnam while on a classified mission. Their loss location was later changed to Laos. There was limited wartime reporting about U.S. aircraft losses in the general area the crewmen were last reported but they could not be correlated to this specific incident. U.S. intelligence continues to receive information which may correlate to this shoot down but provides no positive information on the fate of the crewmen.

In January 1974 Major Baker's next-of-kin requested his case review go forward and he was declared killed in action, body not recovered, in January 1974. Lewis was declared dead/body not recovered, in April 1982. Returning POWs were unable to provide any information on the fate of these two servicemen.

Laos Charles E. Shelton
(0079)

On April 29, 1965, Captain Shelton was the leader in a flight of two reconnaissance aircraft over Laos. Due to bad weather in their primary target area, Captain Shelton turned to the next target near Sam Neua City, Sam Neua Province. His aircraft was hit by hostile fire while at 3000 feet and lining up on his target. He ejected with a good chute and the other aircraft overhead was in contact with him by radio. Inclement weather delayed any possible recovery attempt until May 1. Search and rescue efforts on 2-3 May were negative. A U.S. controlled team was inserted into the area on May 3 and learned from local villagers that Captain Shelton was last seen hanging in a tree. Similar teams continued to search for him through February 1966 but with negative results.

After his shoot down, Pathet Lao ralliers reported hearing about the capture of an American correlating to the capture of Captain Shelton. He reportedly died in a cave in Vieng Xai, east of Sam Neua town, and near another POW, Captain Hrdlicka.

In September 1982 a Pathet Lao security official, Colonel Khamla, stated that Captain Shelton died in captivity in 1968 and was buried near his place of imprisonment. His grave was described as obliterated by a U.S. air strike.

The Joint Task Force investigated the purported grave site in April 1992 and was unable to locate any remains.

Colonel Shelton is still carried in a POW status.

Laos David L. Hrdlicka
(0084)

On May 18, 1965, Captain Hrdlicka was piloting the lead aircraft in a flight of four F-105D on an interdiction/bombing mission in Houa Phan Province, Laos, previously known as Sam Neua Province. His aircraft was hit by hostile fire and he was seen to bail out, land safely and was later reported by villagers living near his landing point in the custody of Pathet Lao communist forces. A May 24 Pathet Lao radio broadcast announced his capture. A July 26 broadcast by Pathet Lao radio broadcast a post-capture tape recording made by Captain Hrdlicka.

Captain Hrdlicka was listed by the Department of Defense as a POW at the time of the Paris Peace Accords but was later declared to have died in captivity, body not recovered. Wartime reports from Pathet Lao defectors placed Captain Hrdlicka in a cave in the Vieng Xai area of Sam Neua Province through at least 1966.

On September 25, 1982, National League of POW/MIA Families visitors were told by a Lao security official, Colonel Khamla, that Captain Hrdlicka had died in 1968 of natural causes exacerbated by malnutrition and while imprisoned in a cave in Sam Neua. Colonel Khamla stated he was buried nearby but his grave was destroyed by U.S. bombing. Photocopied personal documents belonging to Captain Hrdlicka were passed to the U.S. by the Lao in February 1988. A private citizen visiting Laos in September 1989 was provided the photocopy of a document which apparently also belonged to Captain Hrdlicka. A photograph of Captain Hrdlicka after capture is in the Lao museum.

Captain Hrdlicka's purported grave site was investigated by the Joint Task Force Full Accounting in April 1992. Witnesses were interviewed who described Captain Hrdlicka's burial there in 1968. No remains were located. Efforts continue to locate Captain Hrdlicka's remains.

South Vietnam Charles A. Dale
David S. Demmon
(0094)

See Vessey 135 Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

South Vietnam Walter L. Hall
Bruce G. Johnson
Fred M. Owen
Robert L. Curlee
Donald R. Saegaert
Joseph J. Compa, Jr.
Craig L. Hagen
(0096)

See Vessey 135 Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

South Vietnam John R. Schumann
(0099)

On June 16, 1965, Captain Schumann was serving as the advisor to the Cai Be District Chief, Dinh Tuong Province when he was seen captured by Viet Cong forces. In July 1965, elements of the South Vietnamese Army's 7th Infantry Division captured Viet Cong documents in Dinh Tuong Province which included a photograph of Captain Schumann in captivity. In December 1965, three American POWs released by the Viet Cong confirmed Captain Schumann was in captivity and was still alive. In October 1967, a photograph of Captain Schumann in captivity appeared in the Soviet "Red Army" newspaper in Moscow.

Based on information from American POWs released during Operation Homecoming at the town of Loc Ninh in South Vietnam, Captain Schumann was taken to Tay Ninh Province and held with other Americans. In 1966 he became very ill, suffering from pneumonia and with malfunctioning kidneys. He was with other American POWs when he died at 1330 hours early in July 1966. His body was removed and buried at an unknown location.

Captain Schumann was declared dead/body not recovered, in March 1967. He was listed by the Provisional Revolutionary Government as having died in captivity on July 6, 1966. His remains have not yet been recovered.

During October-November 1992, U.S. investigators with a joint U.S./Vietnamese team in Vietnam located and interviewed a former guard and interpreter at the People's Army of Vietnam B-2 Theater of Operations B-20 prison camp which had confined U.S. POWs. Both sources described Captain Schumann's death at prison camp B-20. The investigators determined the prison camp was leveled and converted into farm land after April 1975 with the result that any facility locations and burial sites can no longer be located.

South Vietnam Richard C. Bram
John F. Dingwall
(0108)

See Vessey Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

South Vietnam Fred Taylor
Henry J. Gallant
(0109)

See Vessey Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

North Vietnam Walter Kosko
(0114)

On July 27, 1965, Captain Kosko was the pilot of an F-105D, one in a flight of four aircraft from Takhli Air Base, Thailand, on a bombing mission over Phu Tho Province, North Vietnam. There was intense anti-aircraft fire directed at the flight. Following an explosion near his aircraft, Captain Kosko reported he was hit and there was smoke in his cockpit. He later ejected and other flight members observed a fully deployed chute and survival gear. There was no beeper or voice contact with him after his ejection.

Captain Kosko was seen to land in the Black River. A search of the river disclosed an inflated life raft which was empty and no evidence of the pilot. On July 27th and 28th, Radio Hanoi reported eight U.S. aircraft shot down on July 27, 1965 and stated that pilots had been taken into custody from shoot downs in Ha Tay Province. Captain Kosko landed on the border of Ha Tay and Vinh Phu.

Captain Kosko was initially declared missing. Returning U.S. POWs were unable to provide any information concerning his fate. In November 1977 he was declared dead/body not recovered, based on a presumptive finding of death.

U.S. investigators in Vietnam in 1988 and 1990 visited the area of Captain Kosko's loss. Vietnamese officials stated that Captain Kosko's life raft was recovered during the war. One witness stated it was used as a fishing boat in the local river until it deteriorated and was discarded. U.S. investigators were told Captain Kosko had indeed landed in the Black River, had never reappeared after going under water, and they believed he drowned in the river.

North Vietnam Fredric M. Mellor
(0124)

On August 13, 1965, Captain Mellor was the pilot of an RF-101 and the flight leader in a flight of two aircraft over Son La Province. His aircraft was hit by hostile ground fire, his radio became inoperative and the second aircraft could see a fire in the nose of Captain Mellor's aircraft but he maintained control of it. With the second aircraft now in the lead, Captain Mellor suddenly disappeared from sight.

Another aircraft arrived on the scene, an RF-101, and the new aircraft was able to establish radio and beeper contact with Captain Mellor who had parachuted out and was alive on the ground. Rescue helicopters were called but when they arrived later they were unable to establish contact with and locate Captain Mellor.

Captain Mellor was reported missing and in December 1977 was declared dead/body not recovered. Returning U.S. POWs were unable to provide any information on his precise fate.

In February 1991, U.S. investigators in Vietnam interviewed witnesses to the downing of a U.S. aircraft corresponding to the loss incident of Captain Mellor. The witnesses stated that the pilot ejected safely and was able to evade for half a day. Late on the afternoon he was located by local militia. The pilot opened fire on them and they returned the fire, wounding the pilot. He was captured but later died, apparently of blood loss. No remains could be located by the U.S. investigators.

North Vietnam James Branch
Eugene M. Jewell
(0135)

On September 4, 1965 Captain Branch and First Lieutenant Jewell were the crew in an F-4C aircraft on a strafing mission in Nghe An Province. They had just completed a strike on the target when another air crew observed a secondary explosion but later determined it was Captain Branch's aircraft which had crashed. No survivors were seen, no parachutes were seen and no beepers were heard. Returning U.S. POWs heard the pilot was killed when he flew into a hill. His wingman believed no possibility of survival.

Both airmen were initially declared missing. After Operation Homecoming they were declared dead/body not recovered.

North Vietnam Charles J. Scharf
Martin J. Massucci
(0158)

See Vessey Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

North Vietnam Dean A. Pogreba
(0162)

On October 5, 1965, Major Pogreba was the pilot of an F-105D, the lead in a flight of four aircraft on a strike mission over North Vietnam. There was heavy anti-aircraft fire over the target area in Lang Son Province and rain showers in the target area intermittently obscured it.

After completing his bombing mission through dense cloud cover, Major Pogreba was last seen rolling off the target, still an area of heavy anti-aircraft fire and from which three surface to air missiles were launched. He radioed he was departing the area on the prebriefed exit route. The members of the flight also used the prebriefed exit route and maintained radio silence until reaching the coast. Major Pogreba never arrived and was declared missing. Visual and electronic search failed to disclose any evidence of either him or his aircraft.

Returning U.S. POWs were unable to provide any information on Major Pogreba's precise fate. However, one returnee offered his view that while in prison in North Vietnam, "it was thought that Major Pogreba was down in China" but no one knew the origin of this story. Major Pogreba was not identified alive in captivity by any returning U.S. POW and in November 1977 he was declared killed in action, body not recovered, based on a presumptive finding of death.

In February 1991, retired U.S. General Tom Lacy told Major Pogreba's next of kin that he had spoken with Major Pogreba and knew where he was. General Lacy said Major Pogreba was downed over China and he, General Lacy, had made two failed attempts to rescue him.

According to a next of kin, the People's Republic of China stated that an F-105 had strayed into Chinese air space. The available record documents that on October 6, 1965, Radios Hanoi and Beijing reported U.S. aircraft were shot down in certain areas of North Vietnam and pilots captured on October 5th. No names of any captured pilots were given and the areas in which aircraft were reported shot down did not correlate to an area where Major Pogreba was operating when declared missing.

On October 5, 1965, the People's Republic of China announced that four U.S. aircraft had intruded into Chinese air space over Kwangsi Province on that date and one had been shot down. There was no mention of the type of aircraft involved. Although Pogreba was last known to be approximately 40 nautical miles from Kwangsi Province and was lost on that date, two other aircraft were also shot down on October 5th, crashed inside North Vietnam and approximately 30 miles from China, and in the general area where Pogreba was lost which was not known to be in Chinese air space.

In 1985, China acknowledged it had deployed over 300,000 of its forces in northern Vietnam during the war years, many of whom were in the northern tier of provinces which included the area where Pogreba was lost. Chinese units included various anti-aircraft forces.

North Vietnam George C. McCleary
(0183)

On November 5, 1965, Lieutenant Colonel McCleary was the pilot of an F-105, the flight leader of a flight of four aircraft on a SAM suppression mission over North Vietnam. A surface to air missile was launched and exploded approximately 20 feet from his aircraft. His aircraft burst into flames, pitched nose up, and began shedding pieces. The canopy was observed to separate before the aircraft disappeared into overcast tail first but his wingman couldn't determine if he was able to eject from the aircraft. No search and rescue mission was possible due to the extremely hostile ground environment and Colonel McCleary was declared missing in action.

In 1968 a People's Army of Vietnam soldier provided information on U.S. POWs at a Hanoi prison correlating to Hoa Lo Prison, also called the Hanoi Hilton. He identified a photograph of Colonel McCleary as similar to that of an American at Hoa Lo Prison. In 1977 the Defense Intelligence Agency reversed its previous correlation and concluded the soldier's report was erroneous.

In August 1972, DIA received a report about an F-105 shot down by a MIG-17 circa October 1966. One good parachute was seen. This report was placed in Colonel McCleary's file.

Two returnees identified LTC McCleary as one of the men in a photograph of U.S. POWs at the 1969 Christmas event staged for U.S. POWs. DIA later positively identified everyone at the event and concluded the returnee's initial conclusions were a case of misidentification.

In November 1973, Colonel McCleary was declared dead/body not recovered, based on a presumptive finding of death. In July 1988, Vietnam turned over remains at Hanoi which it stated were those of Colonel McCleary. In May 1991 they were identified as his.

North Vietnam George I. Mims, Jr.
(0213)

See Vessey Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

Laos Don C. Wood
(0233)

On January 16, 1966, Captain Wood was one of a flight of five F-105 aircraft on a mission over Xieng Khouang Province, Laos. Captain wood was the pilot of an F-105D on a photo reconnaissance mission. While over the target and with flight members receiving 37mm antiaircraft fire on their passes over the target, Captain Wood's flight leader determined Captain Wood was not present with the remainder of the flight. The flight members searched a thirty mile radius from their target and were unable to locate either him or his crash site. Searches for him continued for the next three months and were unsuccessful. He was initially declared missing in action.

On January 18, 1966, Radio Beijing announced that a U.S. aircraft was shot down over Laos on January 16, 1966. A Pathet Lao radio broadcast also mentioned the shoot down of an aircraft and reported an airmen was seen parachuting down.

A Pathet Lao source interrogated in Laos in 1974 described the recovery of a U.S. airman who fell from an aircraft hit by antiaircraft fire from the area from the area of the Pathet Lao Regional Headquarters at Phou Kout. The airman reportedly died shortly after capture. This incident was placed in Captain Wood's file as possibly correlating to him due to the loss location. A Lao propaganda film obtained in January 1977 showed the identity card of Captain Wood together with blood chits, revolvers, helmets and other items which appeared undamaged.

In March 1980, Captain Wood was declared dead/body not recovered. His remains have not been repatriated. He was never reported by returning U.S. POWs to be alive in the Lao or Vietnamese prison system.

South Vietnam James T. Egan
(0235)

See Vessey Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

Vietnam Cecil J. Hodgson
Frank N. Badolati
Ronald T. Terry
(0242)

See Vessey Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

South Vietnam James L. Carter
Wilbur R. Brown
Edward M. Parsley
Therman M. Waller
(0248)

On February 3, 1966, a C-123 with a four man crew departed the Khe Sanh Special Forces camp on a twenty five minute supply shuttle flight to Dong Ha, Quang Tri Province. Four local nationals may also have been on the aircraft. The aircraft never reached its destination and there was no radio contact with either it or its crew. A search of the area failed to result in any evidence of either the crew or the aircraft. Local intelligence assets were used in an attempt to obtain information but nothing was learned. A total of 25 sorties lasting 74 hours over mountainous jungle, including the use of photo missions, failed to locate any evidence of the aircraft.

The four airmen were declared missing. Returning U.S. POWs had no information on their precise fate. The crewmen were declared dead/body not recovered, on different dates between June 1974 and January 1978, and based on a presumptive finding of death.

Laos Russell P. Hunter, Jr.
Ernest Kiefel, Jr.
(0250)

On February 10, 1966, Captains Hunter and Kiefel were the crew of a B-57B escorting a C-130 flareship on a night strike mission over Laos. While in the target area eight miles east southeast of Tchepone, Captain Hunter radioed he was hit and would eject after his canopy went. No ejection was seen. Three minutes later the C- 130 pilot reported a white glare on the ground and later a ten second beeper in the area of the aircraft impact point. Another beeper was heard later but it could not be correlated to a member of this downed crew. Search and rescue aircraft located the aircraft wreckage but found no sign of the crew.

Both initially were reported missing and declared killed in action, body not recovered, in January 1979. Neither individual was ever seen in the northern Vietnamese prison system and their remains have not been repatriated.

Laos Oscar Mauterer
(0253)

On February 15, 1966, Major Mauterer was the pilot of an A1E in a flight of aircraft providing cover for an 01E aircraft operating south of the Mu Gia Pass over Khammouane Province, Laos. During strikes on the target, Major Mauterer radioed he was on fire and bailing out. A good chute was seen and there was voice contact with him on the ground. Forward air controllers drew heavy ground fire while flying over his position. Search and rescue aircraft were unable to see him an hour later when they arrived to effect his rescue and there were signals other than his beeper on the emergency communications channel.

A U.S. controlled ground team inserted into the area reported on February 20th having heard from villagers that an American, correlated to Major Mauterer, was captured by elements of the People's Army of Vietnam. Another wartime report indicated Lao villagers had carried him from the area on orders of the Vietnam People's Army.

Major Mauterer was not seen alive in the northern Vietnamese prison system and his remains have not been repatriated. He was initially declared missing and was declared killed in action, body not recovered in December 1977.

South Vietnam Donald S. Newton
(0258)

See Vessey Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

South Vietnam William M. Collins
Delbert R. Peterson
Robert E. Foster
(0267)

See Vessey Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

North Vietnam Peter J. Stewart
Martin R. Scott
(0274)

On March 15, 1966, Lieutenant Colonel Stewart and Captain Scott were the crew in an F-4C, one in a flight of two over Lai Chau Province. Approaching the target area, their flight leader spotted two trucks. Fifteen seconds later there was a large orange explosion on the ground and their was no response from Colonel Stewart's aircraft. An aerial search of the area failed to locate any survivors and there were no parachute or beepers. However, a red double star flare was seen approximately two minutes after the crash but the wingman was unable to investigate it thoroughly due to extremely hostile ground fire. No SAR mission was possible due to the extremely hostile conditions in the crash site area. Both airmen were declared missing in action.

Returning U.S. POWs had no information on the precise fate of the two airmen. Colonel Stewart and Captain Scott were declared killed in action, body not recovered, based on a presumptive finding of death in January 1980 and January 1979, respectively.

Laos David H. Holmes
(0275)

On March 15, 1966, Captain Holmes was the pilot of an 01E flying from Khe Sanh, South Vietnam on a forward air control mission over Highway 9 in Savannakhet Province, Laos. He radioed he was hit by hostile ground fire and made what appeared to be a controlled landing not far from Tchepone and within one mile of a hostile antiaircraft battery. Another forward air controller flying overhead reported seeing Captain Holmes' body motionless in the cockpit for 30 minutes after the crash and reported the aircraft completely intact. Search and rescue arriving on the scene after the departure of the FAC reported finding an aircraft which had been totally destroyed to the extent that it could not be identified as to aircraft type. U.S. air strikes later destroyed the antiaircraft battery near Captain Holmes crash site.

A ground search of the crash site on March 16 located his aircraft but no evidence of Captain Holmes. Emergency radio signals were heard on March 20-21 coming from the type of radio used by Captain Holmes but the absence of proper radio procedures suggested his radio had been captured and was being used by his captors. One hearsay report received in 1974 and indicating a pilot was captured during the war might have referred to Captain Holmes.

Captain Holmes was not seen alive in the northern Vietnamese prison system and his remains have not been repatriated. He was initially declared missing and was declared killed in action, body not recovered in November 1978.

North Vietnam Everett A. McPherson
Brent E. Davis
(0279)

On March 18, 1966, First Lieutenants McPherson and Davis were the crew on board an EF-10B, one in a flight of two aircraft on an electronic counter-measures mission in support of an air strike approximately 10 miles west of Thanh Hoa City, Thanh Hoa Province. Their flight received 85mm anti-aircraft fire during the mission. There was an explosion in their aircraft while at an altitude of 26,000 feet and over neighboring Nghe An Province. They were believed to have been hit and downed by enemy surface to air missile. A SAR mission over the area produced negative results.

Both airmen were initially declared missing in action. Returning U.S. POWs had no information on their fate. Both airmen were initially declared dead/body not recovered, based on a presumptive finding of death.

In December 1988, Vietnamese officials acknowledge having knowledge of their loss incident.

Laos James W. Gates
John W. Lafayette
(0297)

On April 6, 1966, Captains Gates and Lafayette departed Phu Bai, South Vietnam in an OV1 in a flight of two aircraft for a reconnaissance mission over Laos. A "Mayday" was heard from both OV1 aircraft, and wreckage was found 30 kilometers inside Laos near Route 922 in Saravan Province. A forward air controller reported seeing all four alive on the ground and both aircrews reported they were all right. The FAC described the area of their shoot down as containing track vehicle marks, trucks and engineer equipment.

Radio contact was lost with Captains Gates and Lafayette after they reported Vietnamese communist forces closing in on them. The other crew was rescued.

Captains Gates and Lafayette were not seen alive in the northern Vietnamese prison system and their remains have not been repatriated. They were initially declared missing and declared killed in action, body not recovered in October 1977.

China William A. Glasson, Jr.
Larry M. Jordan
Reuben B. Harris
(0299)

On April 12, 1966, there were four crewmen on board a KA-38 on a 700 mile over water flight from Cubi Point, Republic of the Philippines to the U.S.S. Kitty Hawk in the Gulf of Tonkin. The flight duration was to be one hour and fifty minutes. The aircraft never reached its destination and the crew were declared missing. A search and rescue mission failed to locate any evidence of either the aircraft or its crew. Returning U.S. military detainees captured during the war and held by China had no information that any of the crew survived into captivity.

The 7th Air Force received an intelligence report that People's Republic of China forces had shot down an aircraft at 1345 hours on the day the four KA-38 crewmen were lost. U.S. Naval intelligence obtained a copy of a television film broadcast by Beijing Television which showed the wreckage of a U.S. aircraft and the helmet of the bombardier/navigator. Lieutenant JG Jordan was the bombardier/navigator. The aircraft reportedly crashed on the Leichow Peninsula in Guangdong Province.

On April 12, 1975, the People's Republic of China acknowledged it had the remains of one of the crewmen, PR2 Kenneth W. Pugh but no information about the other crewmen. China returned two sets of remains to American Red Cross representatives in Hong Kong on April 15, 1975. One set of remains was identified as Kenneth W. Pugh. In March 1976, the Joint Casualty Resolution Center took action leading to a change in loss location from over water to lost over China.

In a June 1980 letter to Congressman Ben Gillman, the People's Republic of China stated that Harris and Jordan had died but Harris' remains were lost at sea and Chinese officials were unable to locate Jordan's remains. The Chinese had no information on Glasson's fate.

North Vietnam William R. Tromp
(0304)

See Vessey Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

North Vietnam Lee A. Adams
(0307)

On April 19, 1966, First Lieutenant Adams was the pilot of an F- 105D, one in a flight of four on a combat mission over Quang Binh Province. Lieutenant Adams was cleared to attack two trucks on a road and made a strafing pass in a 25 degree dive angle as he fired on the target. His aircraft was observed by other flight members to crash in the area and the aircraft was completely destroyed on impact. There was no chute or beeper and no search effort was launched.

In June 1966, Lieutenant Adams was declared killed in action, body not recovered. Returning U.S. POWs had no information on his precise fate.

U.S. investigators recently in Vietnam obtained access to records listing wartime air defense operations in Quang Binh Province. The records of Bo Trach District recorded the reported shoot down of an F-105 in the Nam Trach area on April 18, 1966. There were no aircraft losses in the area on this date but this report was believed related to another entry on April 19th where neighboring Cu Nam militia also claimed shooting down an F-105 aircraft. These reports were believed to correlate to this loss incident.

In November 1992, U.S. investigators obtained access to wartime photographs relating to U.S. air operations in Vietnam. Including in the photographs is one identified by Vietnam as a photograph of a body identified as that of Lieutenant Adams together with aircraft wreckage.

Laos William F. Mullen
(0323)

On April 29, 1966, an A-4E attack bomber piloted by Captain Mullen was one in a flight of three aircraft over Khammouane Province on a mission in the Steel Tiger mission area.

His aircraft was observed by his flight leader and another flight airman being hit by a burst of anti-aircraft fire while in an area of dense high cyclic rate of anti-aircraft fire which struck his aircraft in the aft of center line. A forward air controller last observed him 4-5 miles north of the target area flying into cloud cover in the area of Route 9128 while continuing on a northern heading and emitting smoke.

During one of the 26 search and rescue sorties, a search aircraft received a strong beeper signal five nautical miles northeast of the target area. There was no reply from search aircraft attempts to have the source of the beeper signal respond. The signal was then lost but one hour later started again at five minute intervals. When the SAR force approached the ground area of the signals, they were hit by hostile ground fire on each pass over the area from which the signal was emanating. There were no signals in the area on April 29th. The loss location was initially reported as classified and in September 1973 was recorded as Laos.

Mullen was initially reported as missing in action. Returning U.S. POWs were unable to provide any information on his precise fate. In May 1976 he was declared dead/body not recovered, based on a presumptive finding of death.

South Vietnam Jimmy M. Malone
(0326)

See Vessey Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

South Vietnam Bennie Lee Dexter
(0333)

See Vessey Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

Laos Lavern G. Reilly
George Jensen
Marshall L. Tapp
James A. Preston
George W. Thompson
James E. Williams
Kenneth D. McKenney
William L. Madison
(0339)

On May 15, 1966, Major Lavern Reilly was an observer on an AC-47D aircraft, one of eight crewmen on an armed/visual reconnaissance mission in the Steel Tiger operational area of Savannakhet Province, Laos. It failed to return from its mission. A search and rescue on May 16, 1966, was negative.

On June 7, 1966, a Pathet Lao radio broadcast described U.S. aircraft shot down over Central or South Laos and included in its list a reference to a C-47 which had been shot down on May 15 with eight Americans killed.

None of those on the aircraft were ever reported in the northern Vietnamese or Pathet Lao prison system. All were initially declared mission and after the end of the war were declared dead/body not recovered. None of their remains have been repatriated.

Laos Ralph C. Balcom
(0340)

On May 15, 1966, Captain Balcom was the pilot of an F-105D, one in a flight of three aircraft on an armed reconnaissance mission over North Vietnam. The flight was unable to strike their primary target due to cloud cover and they dropped their ordnance on Route 1A. Captain Balcom radioed after dropping his ordnance that he was heading for home and was last seen climbing through cloud cover and heading west in the direction of Laos. He was never seen again. Captain Balcom was reported missing in action.

A search of the area failed to produce any evidence of either him or his aircraft. One flight member reported hearing a beeper for a short time but search and rescue aircraft did not hear it.

Pathet Lao radio reported downing an F-105 on May 15, 1966. Captain Balcom's aircraft was the only F-105 loss on that date and the Pathet Lao report was tentatively correlated to him.

Captain Balcom was initially reported lost over North Vietnam. Returning POWs had no information on his precise fate. After Operation Homecoming, a Joint Casualty Resolution Center review of Captain Balcom's flight led to a correction in his country of loss to be Laos. Part of the basis for this conclusion was due to the Pathet Lao broadcast. In December 1977 Captain Balcom was declared dead/body not recovered, based on a presumptive finding of death.

South Vietnam Louis Buckley, Jr.
(0344)

See Vessey Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

North Vietnam Martin W. Steen
(0349)

On May 31, 1966, Captain Steen was the pilot of an F-105D, one in a flight of four aircraft on an armed reconnaissance mission over Van Chan District, Nghia Lo Province. He radioed he'd been hit by hostile fire while over the target, was unable to control his aircraft and was going to eject. Other flight members observed his canopy separate, saw him eject, there was a good chute, and he apparently landed in mountainous terrain along a 3000 foot ridge line.

Search and rescue forces were alerted and a pararescue specialist lowered to the area where Captain Steen's aircraft had touched down, found it snagged in the trees with the harness approximately 30 feet off the ground, with no trace of Captain Steen, and with the pararescue specialist unable to determine if the parachute reached the ground. Captain Steen was declared missing in action.

In December 1969, a People's Army of Vietnam soldier reported a U.S. pilot had been captured near Highway 6 in Son La Province and the soldier had escorted the pilot to Son La City. This report related to an incident which occurred in a neighboring province but was thought to possibly correlate to Steen for reasons which are unclear.

In February 1973, a returning U.S. POW described how, after his own capture, he'd been shown an ejection sheet and a sketch of a pilot with the name "Pheebee" followed by a five digit number. The Vietnamese captor indicated through sign language the pilot had been killed on impact. Since the eyes in the drawing were open, the returnee speculated the individual might be alive and the picture resembled Captain Steen.

No returning POWs had any information on Captain Steen's precise fate. In January 1974 he was declared dead/body not recovered, based on a presumptive finding of death.

In December 1983, Vietnamese officials returned the military identity card of Captain Steen. Later, a next of kin became aware that a pistol and watch was available for purchase through private channels and these were believed to have belonged to Captain Steen.

In December 1990, a joint U.S./Vietnamese team visited Yen Bai Town and gained access to a Nghia Lo Province document which criticized local militia for not capturing the pilot of a downed aircraft. The location and date of the incident correlated to the loss incident of Captain Steen. Investigators interviewed witnesses who stated that two aircraft were downed on May 31st over Van Chan District and described one incident which correlated to the loss of Captain Steen. The witnesses stated that the pilot had died on May 31, 1966, but it was not until four days later that they found a decomposing body which was covered up with a parachute. The body was buried in a remote forested area and the remains were later consumed by animals.

Laos Theodore E. Kryszak
Russell D. Martin
Harding E. Smith
Harold E. Mullins
Ervin Warren
Luther L. Rose
(0354)

On June 19, 1968, an AC-47 aircraft departed Ubon Air Base, Thailand, on an armed reconnaissance mission over South Laos. At 2125 hours the crew reported their aircraft was on fire and a fire could be seen in the right wing root. Fire soon engulfed the entire right side of the aircraft and burning pieces began to fall away from it. The order was given to bail out and that was the last transmission from the aircraft's crew.

The aircraft, still on fire, continued in a straight level flight for approximately 5-10 seconds before turning nose over and crashing in a high angle dive, impacting 30 miles northeast of Tchepone. There was no hostile ground fire observed at the time. There were no parachutes observed and no emergency beepers. An airborne search and rescue force located the tail assembly of the aircraft but no evidence of the crew or that any survived. The crew was declared missing in action.

On September 13, 1968, the Pathet Lao news service reporting that Harding Eugene Smith was shot down on June 3, 1968 when his aircraft was bombing a Pathet Lao controller area of Laos.

The crew was not accounted for by the Pathet Lao during Operation Homecoming and returning U.S. POWs has no knowledge of their eventual fate. The crew members were declared dead/body not recovered, based on a presumptive finding of death on separate dates between June 1974 and January 1979.

Laos Warren P. Smith
(0370)

On June 22, 1966, Captain Smith was the pilot of an 01F when his aircraft was hit by heavy automatic weapons fire. He radioed his wingman, another 01F, that his aircraft was on fire. His wingman observed him land in what appeared to be a controlled landing at a point 45 kilometers northwest of Tchepone and south of Route 911 in Savannakhet Province, Laos. His wingman overflew the crash site and later recounted he saw Captain Smith slumped in the cockpit. Captain Smith did not respond to repeated calls on the radio. One hour later search and rescue forces arrived and determined that Captain Smith was no longer in the aircraft. The SAR mission was discontinued due to heavy enemy small arms fire from the area.

Captain Smith was initially declared missing. He was not reported alive in the northern Vietnamese prison system and his remains have not been repatriated. In January 1974 he was declared dead/body not recovered.

South Vietnam William Ellis, Jr.
(0372)

See Vessey Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

Over water Charles W. Marik
(0374)

On June 25, 1966, Lieutenant JG Marik and Lieutenant Commander Richard M. Weber, pilot, were the crew of an A-6A from the U.S.S. Constellation on a combat mission against the Hoi Thuong Barracks, a coastal target in northern Vietnam. Their aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire in the tail section during a bombing run on the target and the pilot found the aircraft was not responding to control. Both crewmen bailed out and the pilot was in contact with Lieutenant Marik while descending but did not observe him actually land in the water. The pilot landed in the water approximately 3-5 miles from the beach in the South China Sea. After landing he shouted for Lieutenant JG Marik and fired his weapon into the air but never received a response. An airborne SAR force rescued Commander Weber but was unable to locate any trace of Marik after a four hour search.

Lieutenant JG Marik was declared missing in action. Returning U.S. POWs had no information on his precise fate. In May 1973 he was declared killed in action, body not recovered, based on a presumptive finding of death.

South Vietnam Robert H. Gage
(0381)

See Vessey Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

North Vietnam Roosevelt Hestle, Jr.
Charles E. Morgan
(0386)

See Vessey Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

North Vietnam George H. Wilkins
(0391)

On July 11, 1966, Lieutenant Commander Wilkins was the pilot of an A-4 and flight leader in a flight of two aircraft from the U.S.S. Constellation on a mission over Nghe An Province. His wingman later reported Commander Wilkins had fired 20mm cannon fire during his target run beneath flares and in an area of heavy 37mm anti- aircraft fire. His aircraft crashed into an area 25 kilometers north of the port city of Vinh, exploding into a large fireball. There was no evidence of any survivor and no electronic beeper. He was declared killed in action, body not recovered, in July 1966. Returning U.S. POWs had no information on his precise fate.

In December 1988, Vietnamese officials acknowledged having some knowledge about Commander Wilkins. In December 1992, U.S. investigators in Vietnam reviewed a list of air defense operations in the People's Army of Vietnam Military Region 4. Entry 300 recorded the shoot down of an AD-4 on July 11, 1966 by elements of the 15th and 21st Battalions. One crewman died. The Joint Task Force concluded this entry may correlate to Commander Wilkins's loss incident.

North Vietnam Bernard Conklin
Robert E. Hoskinson
Galileo F. Bossio
Vincent A. Chiarello
John M. Mamiya
Herbert A. Smith
James S. Hall
(0407)

On July 29, 1966, an RC-47D with seven men on board and associated with the 630th Combat Support Group at Udorn Air Base, Thailand, was on an operational mission under the code name Project Dogpatch. The aircrew radioed that it was under attack by hostile aircraft and was being forced down. It was believed last located 10-20 miles south of Sam Neua City, Sam Neua Province, Laos. An airborne search effort to locate the missing aircraft and crew proved negative and they were declared missing in action.

At the direction of the U.S. Ambassador in Vientiane, Laos, there was no report made of the full details on this mission and the evidence it was shot down by hostile MIG aircraft. At the direction of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (International Security Affairs), basic mission information was declassified in April 1972. In January 1976 the loss location of the aircraft was changed from Laos to North Vietnam based on a reanalysis of the aircraft's flight path and all available intelligence information.

In February 1971, a former member of the Vietnam People's Army reported that MIG jet aircraft had shot down a U.S. aircraft over Mai Chau District, Hoa Binh Province, in June or July 1967. He described seeing two good parachutes and saw the pilots whom he later heard had committed suicide. U.S intelligence concluded this report might correlate to the missing RC-47D and its crew. In a later intelligence report, a source reported MIG-17 jet aircraft shot down an unidentified jet aircraft in Moc Chau District, Son La Province. One crew member, the pilot, reportedly bailed out and died the next day. Bodies of five others were located and buried. This report was placed in the file of those associated with this loss incident.

Returning U.S. POWs had no information on the eventual fate of the crew. After Operation Homecoming, they were declared dead body not recovered based on a presumptive finding of death.

On March 2, 1988, Vietnam turned over identity cards of five of the missing crewmen; Bossio, Hoskinson, Conklin, DiTomasso, and Chiarello. Remains were also turned over and Vietnam linked the remains to the those whose identity cards were turned over. U.S. pathologists examined the remains and confirmed the remains returned were those of James S. Hall, Bernard Conklin, Vincent A. Chiarello, John M. Mamiya, and Herbert A. Smith. In November 1988, a joint U.S./Vietnamese team visited the area of the crash site near Route 6 in Thanh Hoa Province. Witnesses testified about bodies found in the area after the incident. One survivor suffering second degree burns was reportedly located and taken to Mai Chau district hospital where he died the following day. No evidence could be located of the crash site itself. One witness also stated five bodies of crewmen from this incident had been recovered by the Ministry of Defense five years earlier.

North Vietnam David J. Allinson
(0425)

On August 12, 1966, Captain Allinson was the pilot of the lead F- 105D in a flight of four aircraft on an armed reconnaissance mission over Yen Bai Province. After striking a petroleum storage area the flight leader led the flight against ground targets of opportunity on a road in the area of the strike target. During this mission Captain Allinson's aircraft was hit by hostile ground fire. He ejected from his damaged aircraft and his wingman saw him land in trees. However, there was no beeper and no voice contact with him and a 40 minute search of the area failed to locate him.

Captain Allinson was initially declared missing in action. Returning U.S. POWs had no information that he was seen alive in captivity and were unable to describe his precise fate. In November 1974 he was declared killed in action, body not recovered, based on a presumptive finding of death.

In November 1969, a People's Army of Vietnam defector selected a photograph of Captain Allinson as one of four individuals who resembled one of two American POWs brought to the Hanoi anti- aircraft headquarters. One of the individuals he identified was correlated by DIA to an American POW who returned alive. This led to identification of the second individual as an American POW who was also repatriated and neither individual was Captain Allinson.

In November 1985, Vietnam provided evidence about Captain Allinson. During an April 1991 Congressional delegation to Vietnam headed by Senator John Kerry, the delegation received information about a wartime shoot down which might correlate to Captain Allinson's loss incident.

South Vietnam Robert L. Babula
Dennis R. Carter
Robert C. Borton
John L. Bodenschatz
(0439)

See Vessey Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

North Vietnam Hubert C. Nichols,Jr.
(0443)

On September 1, 1966, Nichols was scrambled from Thailand on a search and rescue mission over Bo Trach District, Quang Binh, the flight leader in a flight of two aircraft. While over the target area he began to receive hostile antiaircraft fire. His wingman was hit and turned back. He never saw Nichols after that point.

A Navy pilot later reported observing a crashed and burning aircraft in the area Nichols was believed lost. A search and rescue mission was launched but was unable to locate any signs of life or any beeper. There was heavy antiaircraft in the area.

On September 6, 1966, Radio Hanoi announced the shoot down of a number of aircraft on September 1, 1966. Only two aircraft were lost on that date, Major Nichols' aircraft and Major Norman Schmidt's aircraft. Major Schmidt was captured and died in captivity. His remains were repatriated in March 1974. Major Schmidt had been the object of Major Nichols search and rescue mission.

Major Nichols was initially declared missing in action. In March 1978 he was declared dead/body not recovered. He was not confirmed alive in the northern Vietnamese prison system.

A U.S. team in Vietnam recently reviewed documents which recorded the shoot down of an aircraft and the apparent death of the pilot. The date and location appear to correlate to this incident.

South Vietnam Lawrence B. Tatum
(0453)

See Vessey Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

North Vietnam John L. Robertson
(0459)

See Vessey Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

North Vietnam Clifton E. Cushman
(0471)

On September 25, 1966, Captain Cushman was the pilot of an F-105 in a flight of three aircraft on a mission over North Vietnam. His aircraft was hit by hostile fire and broke into pieces. His ejection seat appeared to come out of the debris and a beeper was heard but no chute was seen.

In April 1972 a U.S. Air Force interrogator debriefed a former member of the Vietnam People's Army who stated that he saw a pilot land in the area where Cushman was reported to have landed. The airman was bleeding heavily from a head wound. He later died and his body was buried by villagers. This report was initially correlated by the Defense Intelligence Agency to a different incident but in August 1981 was reevaluated and correlated to a sighting of Captain Cushman. Information was received by the U.S. Government that a French news agency had specifically referenced Cushman by name as having been killed but no news article with such information could ever be located.

Captain Cushman was initially reported missing in action and later declared dead/body not recovered. He was not seen alive in the northern Vietnamese prison system by returning U.S. POWs.

In November 1989 Vietnamese officials stated that Cushman died in the crash of his aircraft. In April 1992 the Joint Casualty Resolution Center heard from witnesses in Lang Son Province that Cushman died of a bullet wound after landing. His remains were buried and the burial site was later washed away.

North Vietnam William R. Andrews
(0482)

On October 5, 1966, Major Andrews and First Lieutenant Edward W. Garland were the crew of an F-4C, one in a flight of four F-4 providing escort to two RB-66. Their flight received warning of hostile MIG aircraft. Thirty seconds after a second such alert their aircraft was hit by hostile fire, there was a violent explosion in their tail, and their fire warning lights lit. Both crewmen ejected and two good chutes were seen prior to the aircraft's crash in Muong La District, Son La Province.

Search and rescue forces located Major Andrews standing beside his parachute on their first pass over the area. On a later pass by another aircraft he could not be located. Major Garland established radio contact with the search and rescue forces but his last transmission was "I'm hit, I'm losing consciousness."

The search and rescue forces located Lieutenant Garland and he was rescued. During his post-recovery debriefing he stated he was in contact on the ground with Major Andrews but didn't know his precise location. At one point he heard voices and the sound of small arms fire but didn't see anyone.

Following the shoot down, a People's Army of Vietnam unit reported two crewmen had bailed one and one more had been captured. In a later report, a unit stated that the captured pilot had not yet recovered and in a later report a unit stated "the pilot died." Another report on October 9th apparently referred to U.S. aircraft attacked but there was seeming confusion about how many had been captured and the condition of their health.

In July 1972, Secretary of Defense Laird referred to the case of Captain Andrews as of one 14 cases where the Defense Department knew he had been captured and North Vietnam had refused to provide any information about him.

U.S. POWs repatriated during Operation Homecoming were unable to provide any information about his precise fate. After Operation Homecoming he was declared dead/body not recovered, based on a presumptive finding of death.

In August 1985, Vietnamese officials turned over Major Andrews' identity card to U.S. officials in Vietnam. In March 1990, a joint U.S./Vietnamese team in Son La Province investigated Major Andrews loss incident. They received information that the pilot was killed during a rescue attempt and documents about the incident were at the Son La Museum. In December 1990, Vietnam repatriated remains said to be of Major Andrews. They were returned to the U.S. and identified as his remains.

Over water James A. Beene
(0483)

On October 5, 1966, Lieutenant JG Beene was the flight leader and pilot of an A-1 section aircraft from the U.S.S. Oriskany on an armed reconnaissance mission over the coastal area of North Vietnam between Cape Mui Ron and Thanh Hoa. While in an area 15 miles south of Hon Mat Island, Lieutenant Beene entered the base of thick cumulus clouds and never emerged. An oil slick was later sighted on the ocean which might have come from submerged leaking fuel tanks but no aircraft debris was located.

A SAR effort was unable to locate any specific trace of Lieutenant Beene, and he was declared missing. His name was provided to Vietnamese officials in Paris in October 1971, but no information was received in return.

Returning U.S. POWs were unable to provide any information about his precise fate. In February 1976 he was declared killed in action, body not recovered.

Over water Stephen H. Adams
Ralph N. Angstadt
Lawrence Clark
John H. S. Long
Robert L. Hill
Inzar W. Rackley, Jr.
John R. Shoneck
(0496)

On October 18, 1966, a HU-16B aircraft disappeared while on a search and rescue patrol north of the Demilitarized Zone. It was last known returning to its home base at Da Nang while located 35 miles off the coast of North Vietnam. It never arrived at Da Nang, and the crew was declared missing. In October 1975 this case was concluded to be a non-recoverable case and the crew was declared dead, body not recoverable.

South Vietnam Michael L. Burke
Leonard J. Lewandowski, Jr.
Richard E. Mishuk
(0497)

On October 19, 1966, U.S. Marine Corps privates Burke, Lewandowski, and Mishuk were swimming in the ocean at the mouth of a river at the Cua Viet estuary. They were gone from their unit for three hours, never returned, and were declared missing. Returning U.S. POWs had no information on their precise fate and after Operation Homecoming they were declared dead/body not recovered, based on a presumptive finding of death.

North Vietnam Harry S. Edwards
(0500)

On October 29, 1966, Lieutenant JG Edwards was the pilot of an A-4C when he was hit by hostile antiaircraft fire and his aircraft crashed southwest of Nam Dinh City, Ha Nam Ninh Province. There was no chute sighted and no beeper heard. He was initially declared missing in action. He was declared dead/body not recovered, in April 1974.

Wartime information was received about a crash in this area from which remains were removed to Vu Ban District. A Vietnam People's Army defector reported hearing from a woman with an antiaircraft unit at the Chuoi Bridge. She described that in February 1967 a U.S. aircraft was shot down and crashed. They were only able to find the pilot's legs. This report was believed to be extremely similar to the loss of Lieutenant Edwards.

In November 1988, Vietnam repatriated remains that it asserted were those of Lieutenant Edwards. In February 1989, those remains were proven to be those of Commander Charles E. Barrett.

Laos Allan D. Pittmann
(0524)

On November 16, 1966, Airman Second Class Allan Pittmann was a passenger on an A1G aircraft flight from Nha Trang, South Vietnam, to Udorn Air Base, Thailand. The aircraft was hit by hostile ground fire, its engine lost power and the aircraft crashed in Savannakhet Province, Laos. The pilot and co-pilot both bailed out and were rescued 90 minutes later. During their post-recovery debrief they reported that Airman Pittmann had also bailed out and they last observed him alive on the ground.

Royal Lao Army and U.S. led irregular forces mounted a sweep on the area on November 17 and again on November 18 in a directed effort to recover Airman Pittmann. They located an enemy dispensary in the general area of his disappearance. A villager just escaped from Lao communist captivity contacted friendly forces on November 22 and stated that he was told by a Pathet Lao battalion commander than an individual correlating to Pittmann was captured on the 17th and was shot to death by the "VC."

Airman Pittmann was not reported alive in the northern Vietnamese prison system and his remains have not yet been repatriated. He was initially reported missing in action. He was declared dead/body not recovered, in April 1978.

North Vietnam Burris N. Begley
(0542)

On December 5, 1966, Major Begley was the pilot of an F-105, one in a flight of four aircraft on a combat mission over North Vietnam. Their flight was attacked by hostile MIG-17 aircraft while en route to the targets and Major Begley's aircraft was hit by hostile fire. Another flight member observed his aircraft apparently hit in the tail: debris and his drag chute were seen falling away from his F- 105.

Major Begley reported he was losing power and altitude and would be heading across the Red River. He later reported he would be ejecting, but aerial combat between the F-105 and MIG-17 aircraft prevented U.S pilots from tracking Major Begley. His aircraft crashed in Phu Tho Province, south of the Red River, and approximately 15 miles from the river town of Yen Bai. There was no chute observed and no radio or beeper signals.

Major Begley was declared missing in action. Returning U.S. POWs had no information on his precise fate. In April 1978 he was declared killed in action, body not recovered, based on a presumptive finding of death.

In November 1974, U.S. intelligence received a report from a People's Army of Vietnam defector describing the shoot down of a U.S. aircraft and the landing and capture of a pilot in Phu Ninh District circa January 1967. DIA concluded that this report might correlate to one of three U.S. airmen lost in this area, one of whom was Major Begley. Another report from a former People's Army soldier described the downing of a U.S. jet in Phu Tho Province circa November 1966 and the source reported human remains at the crash site. This report was also placed on Major Begley's file.

In November 1986, Vietnam repatriated remains it asserted were those of Major Begley. U.S. officials determined that there were insufficient remains for biological identification and they could not be correlated to Major Begley.

Laos Roy R. Kubley
Lloyd F. Walmer
Harvey Mulhauser
Ronald K. Miyazaki
Howard L. Barden
(0587)

On January 31, 1967, a UC-123B with a crew of five was engaged in a defoliation mission over Laos, the lead in a flight of three C- 123 escorted by two A-1E aircraft. The C-123 was hit by hostile groundfire, flipped inverted and crashed approximately 13 kilometers south of the town of Tchepone, Savannakhet Province. There was no evidence of any survivors after the crash. In February 1967 the UC-123B crew was declared killed in action, body not recovered.

In August 26, 1992, a joint U.S./Lao team surveyed the aircraft's reported crash site. Witnesses and wreckage appeared to correlate the site to this loss incident but there were no remains or personal effects discovered. One witness reported having seen burned bone fragments on the scene but none were found during the joint team's visit.

North Vietnam Allan P. Collamore
Donald E. Thompson
(0590)

On the night of February 4, 1967, Lieutenants Collamore and Thompson were the crew of an F-4B launched from the U.S.S. Kitty Hawk on a pitch black night assigned a mission against coastal targets of opportunity in Nam Ha Province, North Vietnam. While over the coastal strip, the other F-4B aircraft in their flight dropped flares over moving light on a road but the flares failed to ignite. The F-4B turned, made another flare drop, reported "flares away," and this was acknowledged by Lieutenant Collamore's crew. These flares also failed to ignite as the F-4B turned east and out over the coast. Approximately one minute later came an explosion on the ground in the area of the moving ground lights and efforts to raise Lieutenant's Collamore and Thompson were unsuccessful. No parachutes were seen due to the darkness, and no electronic beepers were detected during the search and rescue effort over the loss area.

Both airmen were initially reported missing in action. Returning U.S. POWs had no information on their precise fate. Several years after Operation Homecoming they were declared dead/body not recovered.

In February 1973 a People's Army of Vietnam soldier reported that in February 1967 he saw an aircraft crash in his native village in Hai Hau District and close to the coast. Remains of two crewmen were reportedly buried at the crash site. In October 1977 the Defense Intelligence Agency reevaluated this report to be a possible correlation to this loss incident. After 1975 a refugee from Vietnam reported being told by a People's Army soldier in 1977 of two graves with U.S. remains in Ninh Province. This report was placed in the files of those involved in this loss incident. Another refugee from Vietnam reported being told of a remains burial side in Phat Diem District, Ham Ha Province, associated with a June 1967 loss incident and this report was also placed in those involved in loss incidents in this general area.

Laos Ralph L. Carlock
(0606)

On March 4, 1967, Major Carlock departed Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base in an F-105D on an armed reconnaissance mission over Laos. While attacking a truck, the flight leader saw Major Carlock's aircraft hit by enemy fire in the lower center of the fuselage and began to burn. The flight leader radioed Major Carlock to bail out but did not receive a response. The aircraft crashed in the area of Nong Het, Xieng Khouang Province, just inside Laos from Nghe An Province, North Vietnam, and with no evidence Major Carlock had parachuted from the aircraft prior to the crash. Forty minutes later there was a weak beeper from the vicinity of the crash site but it was believed to be a result of fire at the crash site and was not pilot activated. Major Carlock was declared missing in action.

On March 5, 1967, the pro-communist Patriotic Neutralist radio station news service reported its forces in Long Met District, Vientiane Province, had shot down a U.S. F-105 aircraft and captured the pilot. U.S. intelligence concluded at the time that this report may have been partially derived from the loss of Major Carlock's aircraft which crashed in Xieng Khouang Province and not in Vientiane Province and the report was not believed to represent a truthful statement that the pilot had been captured.

Returning U.S. POWs had no information on the precise fate of Major Carlock. After Operation Homecoming Major Carlock was declared dead/body not recovered, based on a presumptive finding of death.

In June 1986, the Joint Casualty Resolution Center received information from a source who described the crash of an aircraft similar to an F-105 in Xieng Khouang Province which had occurred in either 1971 of 1972. Two airmen reportedly died in the crash. In September 1988, JCRC received another report from another source describing a wartime F-105 crash near Nong Het. The pilot reportedly bailed out at low altitude and died when he hit the ground. The body was buried by local villagers accompanied by Vietnamese advisory personnel. These reports were placed in Major Carlock's file due to the correlation to his loss location and the possibility they may have correlated to his loss incident.

In October 1990, JCRC received another report from another source describing the October 1967 shoot down of a U.S. aircraft near Nong Het. The pilot bailed out and the source was told the pilot was captured by North Vietnamese Army forces. Due to a number of U.S. aircraft losses in the area of this reported shoot down, some of which involved unaccounted for airmen, no specific correlation could be made to a particular missing airman and the report was placed in the files of airmen unaccounted for in the None Het area.

South Vietnam Burt C. Small
(0607)

See Vessey Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

North Vietnam James E. Plowman
John C. Ellison
(0629)

On March 24, 1967, Commander Ellison and Lieutenant JG plowman were the number three aircraft in a flight of four on a combat strike mission against the Bac Giang Thermal Power Plant. Nothing further was heard from them after they reported "bombs away." Two hostile surface to air missile launches were reported in the area before radio and radar contact was lost while they were exiting the strike area and flying low between the mountains. Both crewmen were declared missing in action when they failed to rejoin their flight.

On March 26, 1967, Radio Beijing reported in its English language program with a March 26th Hanoi dateline that one American aircraft had been shot down on March 24th over Ha Bac Province. U.S. Naval intelligence received a report believed associated with this loss incident in which it placed "low confidence" that one or two were killed. In May 1968, another report was received which referenced two Americans seen outside Tran Phu Prison in Hai Phong City in mid-1967. The similarity in the physical description of the two captives and that of the two airmen lost in this incident led to this report being placed in both their file for reference purposes. One of Lieutenant Plowman's next of kin believed Plowman was one of those seen near Tran Phu Prison. After Operation Homecoming DIA determined this report correlated to U.S. POWs who were repatriated alive.

Neither crewman was accounted for during Operation Homecoming. However, one returnee reported having been shown a picture of 10 or 12 U.S. POWs being paraded and was positive that Lieutenant Commander Ellison was in the front row of the U.S. POWs. DIA later determined the scene described by the U.S. POW returnee referred to a notorious July 6, 1966, public exhibition of U.S. POWs marched through Hanoi streets, an incident which occurred prior to the loss of Commander Ellison, and those forced to march in this spectacle were all identified. During the war, Commander Ellison's next-of- kin reviewed then as yet unidentified photographs of U.S. POWs and believed one was of her husband. It was later confirmed to be a photograph of Major Berg who returned alive. An early releasee also reported learning of the name Buzz Ellison while in the North Vietnamese prison system but returnees during Operation Homecoming had no knowledge he was alive in captivity. This was one of approximately 350 names the early releasee provided based on names written on toilet paper without any context for these names. In another report, a returnee stated he had seen Commander Ellison's name etched into a tree near a wartime prison referred to by U.S. POWs as Dogpatch.

In March 1992, Commander Ellison's personal effects and metal items were repatriated by Vietnam.