Text File

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.

North Vietnam John F. O'Grady (0641)

On April 10, 1967, Major O'Grady was the pilot of an F-105D, one in a flight of four F-105s on an armed reconnaissance mission over the Mu Gia Pass, North Vietnam. He was apparently hit by hostile ground fire and radioed he was preparing to exit the aircraft. His parachute was seen in the air and on the ground. There was no beeper and no radio contact after ejection. His aircraft impact point was not observed. Major O'Grady was initially declared missing in action.

On April 11, 1967, Radio Hanoi broadcast a reference to the shoot down of a U.S. aircraft in Quang Binh Province on April 10, 1967. Major O'Grady's aircraft was the only one lost on that day. Mrs. O'Grady later traveled to Paris and spoke with North Vietnamese representatives who informed her that her husband was not a prisoner of war.

In January 1991 a U.S. field team examined Vietnamese archives which indicated an American F-105 was shot down on April 10, 1967, by elements of the 280th Air Defense Regiment in the area where Major O'Grady was downed. The information provided stated the body of the pilot was recovered and buried along Route 12. The U.S. field team interviewed five witnesses, three of whom provided hearsay information concerning the shoot down and the death of the pilot shortly after capture. Two other witnesses provided first hand accounts of his capture in Tuyen Hoa District, Quang Binh Province, his turnover to a Vietnam People's Army engineer unit and hearsay that he later died. His death was said to have occurred on April 11th which was at variance with the documents which said death occurred on April 10th. An examination of a possible burial site proved negative.

In February 1992, U.S. investigators located the identity card, Geneva Convention Card and Restricted Area Access Badge belonging to Major O'Grady. They were also able to interview a former senior officer from the 280th Air Defense Regiment. From available information Major O'Grady was wounded when captured by local village militia and died four hours later.

North Vietnam John S. Hamilton (0644)

See Vessey Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

South Vietnam Thomas A. Mangino Paul A. Hasenbeck David M. Winters Daniel R. Nidds (0646)

See Vessey Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

South Vietnam Roger D. Hamilton (0647)

See Vessey Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

North Vietnam Michael J. Estocin (0656)

See Vessey Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

North Vietnam Roger M. Netherland (0677)

See Vessey Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

South Vietnam Carlos Ashlock (0678)

See Vessey Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

Cambodia Joe L. Delong (0689)

See Vessey Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

North Vietnam James K. Patterson (0691)

On May 19, 1967, Lieutenant Patterson and Lieutenant Commander Eugene B. McDaniel were the crew of an A-6A, one in a flight of six aircraft on a combat mission against the Van Dien repair facility five miles south of Hanoi. There was a warning of a missile launch and an explosion near their aircraft. Both crewmen ejected and two good chutes were seen. Voice contact was established with both on the ground and Lieutenant Patterson reported he had a badly broken leg. A rescue mission was not possible due to the high hostile threat in the area.

Contact with those on the ground continued until May 22nd when it was lost. Both were believed to have been captured. Commander McDaniel returned alive during Operation Homecoming.

Commander McDaniel believed that Lieutenant Patterson had been captured. He heard from an interrogator that Patterson had been injured but was all right. Patterson's name was heard in the prison communications system according to one returnee but he was not confirmed alive in the prison system. His identity card was reported in a newspaper in 1967.

Lieutenant Patterson was not accounted for during Operation Homecoming. In April 1974 he was declared dead/body not recovered.

In December 1985 Vietnam returned the identity and Geneva Convention cards of Lieutenant Patterson. In December 1990, a U.S. field team in Vietnam located documents and interviewed witnesses associated with this loss. One pilot was described captured the morning after their aircraft was shot down. That accurately describes the time of capture of Commander McDaniel. The team was also told that the second airman was shot to death by militia on the fourth day after the shoot down and was buried nearby. His remains were said to have been dug up by animals. The team did not excavate any purported grave site.

South Vietnam Walter F. Wrobleski (0703)

See Vessey Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

North Vietnam Kenneth F. Backus Elton L. Perrine (0706)

See Vessey Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

South Vietnam Brian K. McGar Joseph E. Fitzgerald John E. Jakovac (0715)

See Vessey 135 Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

South Vietnam Di Reyes Ibanez (0723)

See Vessey 135 Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

South Vietnam Robert L. Platt, Jr. (0728)

See Vessey 135 Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

Laos Leo E. Seymour (0750)

On July 3, 1967, Staff Sergeant Seymour was team leader of Team Texas, a joint U.S./Vietnamese patrol on a covert cross border mission into Attopeu Province, Laos, opposite Kontum Province, South Vietnam. They were discovered and engaged by a People's Army of Vietnam force. The team split up but when it was reassembled, SSG Seymour could not be found. U.S. search and rescue aircraft supporting the recovery of the team's survivors reported seeing one man who was to the rear of the team, was wearing green fatigue clothing and raised his weapon at them. He was shot and killed by the rescue aircraft who concluded he was a North Vietnamese.

In April 1970 a North Vietnamese Army prisoner reported having seen a U.S. POW at way station 20 in Quang Binh Province. The American was a fluent Vietnamese linguist. U.S. intelligence files contain this report as conceivably correlating to SSG Seymour; however, this correlates with the time when former U.S. Marine Corps Private Robert Garwood, fluent in Vietnamese, could have transversed the area after being taken from South Vietnam to North Vietnam.

SSG Seymour was initially declared missing. He was not reported alive in the northern Vietnamese prison system and his remains have not been repatriated. In April 1976 he was declared dead/body not recovered.

North Vietnam Ronald N. Sittner (0804) Charles Lane, Jr. (0805)

See Vessey 135 Discrepancy Cases for case summary.