Cousin - Major Donald Gene 'Butch' Carr
February 10, 1994
I am the first cousin of Major Donald Gene Butch Carr and have been actively pursuing answers to this case for several years. However, I find it difficult to draw accurate conclusions because I am forced to deal with inaccurate information.
For example, according to Army records, Butch went missing July 6, 1971, while serving as an observer on an OV10. The plane was piloted by Lt.Dan Thomas, United States Air Force. According to the after action reports, the last radio contact was made at 1530 hours, and indicated inclement weather. That was the last anyone heard from Lt. Thomas and Butch. Again according to the after action reports, there were no witnesses to what happened; however, ground teams reported hearing a loud explosion shortly after 1530 on July 6th, 1971. The Air Force listed Lt. Thomas as Missing in Action. The Army first listed Butch as Missing because, according to documents contained in Butch's file...." there is no indication that [then] Captain Carr was over hostile territory." Gentlemen, Butch was operating in Laos.
Eventually, the Army listed Butch as Missing in Action stating that there was no indication of what happened to the OV10, Lt. Thomas and Captain Carr.
For 20 years we have searched for answers but none were forthcoming. Then, in the summer of 1991, because of a photograph brought out by Col. Jack Bailey of a man purported to be Donald Carr, we have been able, little by little, to piece together possibilities of what happened on that July Day in 1971.
As many of you know, the photo is now said to be of a German, and not of Donald Carr. At this point, whether the photo is of the German or Butch is irrelevant. What is relevant is that our Government is now in the process of trying to locate Butch's crash site. Unfortunately, a search of the are thought to be the crash site revealed nothing. It appeared that the Carr case was at a standstill.
That is until two weeks ago when a retired Air Force Lt. Col. provided me with information about Butch's disappearance that has not been made available to the family and apparently not to DIA. The truth about the mission seems to be that Butch was on an extraction mission, not a recon mission--that Thomas and Carr were not alone, but rather were accompanied by two helicopters, who saw the OV10 go through a "Sucker Hole", -- that the mission was in hostile territory, and - that the coordinates listed in the file may not be accurate.
Think of it, Gentlemen. Not only has our family been provided with inaccurate information, but the one agency tasked with locating crash sites also may hve spent many, many months following blind leads---leads provided not by crazed activists or "scam artists" but leads provided by the United States Army. The sad part of this is that somewhere in our Government are reports that could have saved all of us time, trouble, and heartache. It is unfortunate that not only do we have a lack of communication between our Government and family members, but between agencies within our government.
The Carr case, nor any other case, cannot be resolved when correct information is not forthcoming and makes me question how accurate reports of crash site findings can be. Do you wonder why family members do not believe findings presented by various agencies?
Gentlemen, now our Government has seen fit to lift the Trade Embargo, hiding under the veil of not releasing accurate information for security reasons is ludicrous.
Thank You.