Text File

South Vietnam Ronald L. Holtzman Kenneth Goff Richard Schell Richard M. Allard (0811)

On August 24, 1967, a helicopter from the 119th Assault Helicopter Company, 52nd Combat Aviation Battalion, 4th Infantry Division, with nine men on board was returning on low level flight to the Division's base. While flying down the Dak Bla River at an altitude of thirty feet, the helicopter began to turn around to check out a sighting of unidentified persons along the river bank but was apparently caught in a downdraft and crashed into the river. Four on board were rescued and the body of another solider was recovered later.

Specialist Fourth Class Holtzman was in contact with the pilot after the crash but was swept away in the swift moving ten foot deep river and was later declared dead/body not recovered. The remaining three were declared missing. The area the men were declared missing was searched by Special Forces personnel from Forward Operating Base 2 but without success. A later search of the area on December 26, 1969, found the river ten feet higher than when the aircraft first crashed into the river.

In 1970 Sergeant Allard's next of kin advised the U.S. Army that a CBS film showing U.S. POWs included one individual she believed to be her son. Still photographs from the film were of poor quality and could neither prove nor disprove her statements.

Early in 1972 Sergeant Allard's next of kin advised the U.S. Army she had received a telephone call shortly after her son's disappearance and only one word was spoken but the next of kin believed it was Sergeant Allard calling from Phnom Penh, Cambodia. She visited Phnom Penh and Vientiane, Laos in late January-early February 1972 and upon her return to the U.S. stated she had seen her son at a Viet Cong prison in Phnom Penh, insisting her son's status be changed to POW.

The U.S. Army's investigation of the next of kin's allegations led to a determination that the underground prison at the pagoda which was the site of the alleged sighting was at the historical center of Phnom Penh, open to the public and tourists, and the site of various cultural and religious events. Based on this and other inconsistencies and implausibilities, the U.S. Army concluded the sighting had not taken case as alleged by the next of kin. The next of kin's allegations, sparked by assistance from Rev. Lindstrom of the Save The Pueblo Committee, received national news in the New Hampshire Sunday News, New York Times, the NBC Today Show, Reader's Digest, and other media. An individual that the next-of-kin asserted could verify her story was located in Costa Rica and that individual denied having seen any POWs.

In March 1974, Sergeant Allard was declared dead/body not recovered based on a presumptive finding of death.

North Vietnam William G. Bennett (0825)

On September 2, 1967, Major Bennett was the pilot of an F-105D aircraft in a flight of four F-105 aircraft on a combat mission over Quang Binh Province. He crashed while pulling up from a strafing run and his aircraft exploded upon impact. The crash site is in a remote area approximately 40 kilometers west of Dong Hoi in Bo Trach District. His aircraft was seen to impact onto the eastern slope of a steep karst in a pocket between two such formations. Other flight members observing the crash made several passes over the crash site without seeing any survivor. There was no chute seen and an extensive electronic search failed to detect any electronic beeper.

Major Bennett was initially declared missing in action. He was declared dead/body not recovered, in May 1973. Returning U.S. POWs did not report observing him alive in the Vietnamese prison system and had no information on his fate.

North Vietnam Donald W. Downing Paul D. Raymond (0829)

On September 5, 1967, Captain Downing and First Lieutenant Raymond were the crew in an F-4C, one of a flight of two aircraft on a night armed reconnaissance mission. The other aircraft observed a fireball descending toward the ground into an area 45 kilometers south-southeast of Dong Hoi, Quang Binh Province. There was no response to radio calls. An orbit of the area failed to disclose any parachutes or beepers. The crew was declared missing in action.

U.S. intelligence received a report from an ethnic Khmer in December 1971 of the sighting of a U.S. POW in November 1970 at a prison on the northern edge of Ha Dong City, Ha Dong Province, also described as near Ba Vi Mountain. He identified one of the POWs as similar to Captain Downing.

Captain Downing was declared dead/body not recovered, in November 1973. Neither airman was reported alive by returning U.S. POWs.

Laos John W. Armstrong (0833)

On November 9, 1967, Lieutenant Colonel Armstrong and Lieutenant Lance P. Sijan were the crew on board a camouflaged F-4C, one in a flight of two aircraft on a combat operation over Khammouane Province. On their second pass over the target area, a ford in the area of Ban Laboy, their aircraft went through an estimated 60 rounds of 37mm antiaircraft barrage fire. Their aircraft burst into flames, climbed to approximately 9000 feet and then began to descend on a 15-20 second controlled flight before it crashed approximately one kilometer from Route 912. There was burning throughout the night from the wreckage which landed in a sparsely populated karst area. There were no chute or beepers seen but something appeared to fall from the aircraft. On November 11, 1967, SAR forces established contact with Lieutenant Sijan who was alive on the ground, had a broken leg, and had not had any contact with Colonel Armstrong. Lieutenant Sijan was never rescued but successfully evaded for 46 days before being captured by People's Army of Vietnam forces. He was taken to Hanoi where he died in captivity on January 22, 1968. While in captivity he related his belief that one of their bombs and exploded immediately upon release and this was the reason for their crash. Also, he believed Colonel Armstrong was killed prior to ejection from the explosion of his aircraft's bomb. Lieutenant Sijan was listed as having died in captivity and his remains were repatriated in March 1974.

Colonel Armstrong was not accounted for during Operation Homecoming and returning U.S. POWs had no information on his precise fate. In June 1974 he was declared dead/body not recovered, based on a presumptive finding of death.

In February 1978, the Joint Casualty Resolution Center in Thailand received a report from a refugee in Thailand about four U.S. POWs captured in Sam Neua, Laos, and last seen alive in 1977. The source supplied Colonel Armstrong's name and stated he was one of the POWs. The individual was removed from the refugee camp by Thai authorities and JCRC was unable to reestablish contact with the source.

In October 1983, a U.S. citizen reported he had obtained personal effects of Lieutenant Sijan from a former Lao Army colonel operating with a self-claimed Lao resistance force from the area of Nakhon Phanom, Thailand. In November 1984 another U.S. citizen and POW/MIA hunter provided the U.S. government with information about case 0833 and the recovery of a personal ring which was allegedly passed to the National Security Council officer responsible for the POW/MIA issue. In November 1991, U.S. investigators in Vietnam obtained access to an 84 page listing of U.S. aircraft losses in People's Army Military Region 4. Page 48 contained an aircraft shoot down correlating to this incident.

South Vietnam Kenneth L. Plumadore (0839)

See Vessey 135 Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

Laos Richard D. Applehans George W. Clarke, Jr. (0862)

Clarke and Applehans were reported lost in an RF4C while on a reconnaissance mission which was planned for the area of the Demilitarized Zone separating Vinh Linh Special Zone, North Vietnam and Quang Tri Province, South Vietnam. They checked in prior to receiving clearance to attack their assigned target. This was the last contact with the crew which never returned from its mission and was reported lost over Quang Binh Province, North Vietnam. The aircraft's wreckage was not located and there was no beeper. In May 1975 it was determined that the aircraft had crashed in Laos.

In 1968 Clarke's status was changed to POW based on information from a U.S. POW repatriated on February 16, 1968 which indicated Clarke was alive and in captivity. During Operation Homecoming it was determined that this report was erroneous and hearsay information which was a misidentification. Clarke was declared killed in action, body not recovered, in November 1973. Applehans was declared killed in action, body not recovered, in April 1978.

Other than the one misidentification, there is no evidence that either individual was seen alive in the northern Vietnamese prison system and their remains have not yet been repatriated.

South Vietnam Paul L. Fitzgerald, Jr. Olin Hargrove (0867)

See Vessey 135 Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

North Vietnam James E. Dooley (0872)

On October 22, 1967, Dooley was the pilot of an A-4E on a combat mission over Hai Phong. He was hit by hostile fire while pulling off from an attack on the Hai Phong railroad yard. Witnesses observed the aircraft begin a gradual descent and crash into the water about a mile offshore. Search and rescue aircraft could not locate any sign of a survivor. He was initially reported missing in action. After Operation Homecoming he was declared dead, remains not recoverable.

Returning U.S. POWs reported either seeing Dooley's name on a wall or heard he was a prisoner. Returning U.S. POWs were unable to report having seen him alive in prison.

North Vietnam Richard C. Clark (0873)

On October 24, 1967, Lieutenant JG Clark, radar intercept operator, and the pilot, Commander Charles R. Gillespie, were the crew in an F-4B from the U.S.S. Coral Sea on a MIGCAP mission over North Vietnam. Their aircraft was hit by an SA-2 surface to air missile while approximately 15 miles west of Hanoi, both aircraft engines were set on fire and there was a fire below the radar interceptor operator's cockpit. Commander Gillespie ejected and was captured. He was repatriated during Operation Homecoming and stated that he never saw Lieutenant Clark eject and had no knowledge that Clark survived their shoot down.

One beeper was heard and one individual was seen on the ground by SAR aircraft in the area. However, two Americans reached the ground alive, Commander Gillespie and Lieutenant Frishman, a crew member of another aircraft downed and whom Commander Gillespie believed he saw coming down in a parachute at the same time he was landing.

On October 24, 1967, the Vietnam News Agency reported that eight U.S. aircraft were shot down that day in the Hanoi, Hai Phong, Vinh Phuc area. The report did not say which specific aircraft were shot down and whether anyone had been captured.

Returning U.S. POWs were unable to provide any information about Lieutenant Clark's precise fate. In November 1973 he was declared killed in action, body not recovered based on a presumptive finding of death.

In September 1988, a U.S. team in Vietnam traveled to Tam Dao mountain and interviewed witnesses concerning this loss incident and the capture of an unidentified pilot. Information provided to the team, including the presence of People's Republic of China troops in the area, correlated to the capture of Major Gillespie. In December 1990 another team visited the area and located an F-4 crash site probably associated with this incident. In January 1991 Vietnam repatriated remains it identified as those of Lieutenant Clark, together with fragments of parachute rigging and aircraft parts. The bone fragment could not be correlated to him.

North Vietnam James S, Morgan (0903) Kelly F. Cook James A. Crew (0904)

See Vessey 135 Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

North Vietnam Herbert O. Brennan Douglas C. Condit (0928)

See Vessey 135 Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

South Vietnam Michael Millner (0930)

See Vessey 135 Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

Laos Gary H. Fors (0947)

On December 22, 1967, Captain Fors and First Lieutenant Guy K. Lashlee were the crewmen on an F-4B in a flight of two aircraft over Laos. Just having released their bombs during a second pass over the target, their aircraft was hit by hostile 37mm antiaircraft fire and crashed east of Route 99, eight miles inside Saravan Province. The crew of the second aircraft reported Captain Fors and Lieutenant Lashlee had ejected safely but no one had any radio contact with him. Lieutenant Lashlee was rescued but Captain Fors could not be located by search and rescue aircraft driven off by extremely heavy ground fire. Lieutenant Lashlee reported he did not see Captain Fors chute deploy and had no contact with him. He landed fifty meters from his aircraft's point of impact. He believed Captain Fors had died in the aircraft's fireball.

During the war the next of kin of Captain Fors identified him in a North Vietnamese photograph. After Operation Homecoming it was determined this had been a misidentification.

Captain Fors was not seen alive in the northern Vietnamese prison system and his remains have not been repatriated. He was declared missing at the time of his loss and in August 1980 was declared killed in action, body not recovered.

North Vietnam Roger B. Innes Leonard M Lee (0952)

See Vessey 135 Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

North Vietnam Edwin N. Osborne Charles P. Claxton Gerald G. VanBuren Donald E. Fisher Gordon J. Wenaas Frank C. Parker, III Jack McCrary Wayne A. Eckley Edward J. Darcy James R. Williams Gean P. Clapper (0954)

In the early morning hours of December 29, 1967, a camouflaged C- 130E departed on a single aircraft flight for a classified operational mission over North Vietnam. The last contact with the aircraft was at 0430 hours when the aircraft was in extreme northwestern North Vietnam over a mountainous an densely forested area 13 miles northwest of the town of Lai Chau. The aircraft did not return from its mission and bad weather in the area hampered search efforts. A two week search over the aircraft's flight path failed to disclose any evidence of the crew of the aircraft and the crew was declared missing.

In November 1970, the co-chair of a private group, Cora Weiss, passed a letter to State Department officials from Vietnam which stated that Osborne, McCrary and Darcy had never been detained in the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.

Returning U.S. POWs had no information on the precise fate of any of the 11 crewmen missing from the C-130E. After Operation Homecoming they were declared killed in action, body not recovered, based on a presumptive finding of death.

Laos Dennis C. Hamilton Sheldon D. Schultz Ernest F. Briggs, Jr. John T. Gallagher James D. Williamson (0967)

On January 5, 1968, a UH-1D with a four man crew from the 176th Aviation Co., 14th Aviation Bn., Americal Division, and one member of the 5th Special Forces Command and Control Detachment was west of Khe Sanh, South Vietnam, providing support to the insertion of U.S. led cross-border forces into the Prairie Fire operational area of Laos. While approaching a landing zone in Savannakhet Province, the helicopter was hit by 37mm anti-aircraft fire. It began a nose low vertical dive from an altitude of 4000 feet and no one was seen to eject before it impacted on the ground and burst into fire with flames reaching a height of 20 feet. There were no radio transmissions or beepers from the crew or passenger after impact and the five men on board the helicopter were declared missing in action. Intense groundfire precluded any entry into the crash site until four days when a ground team was successfully inserted. The team was unable to locate any evidence of the crew and no evidence anyone had survived.

In December 1971 the CIA forwarded a report to DIA about the sighting of American POWs in Laos. One report described four Americans said to have been captured in South Vietnam as passing through a way-station on the Ho Chi Minh Trail in mid-1970, Commo- Liaison Station 12, approximately 25 kilometers southwest of Tchepone, Savannakhet Province. The source pointed out a photograph of Williamson as resembling one of the four Americans. Another report described two captured pilots at Commo-Liaison Station 12 early in 1969 approximately 15 kilometers northwest of Muong Phine. These reports were placed in the file of those associated with this loss incident.

Williamson was considered by other returnees as a "no show" in the northern Vietnamese prison system and U.S. POWs returned during Operation Homecoming had no information that anyone had survived into captivity. However, one returnee reported having seen a statement with the name Williamson on it. After Operation Homecoming the five men in this incident were declared dead/body not recovered, based on a presumptive finding of death.

In 1974, a report was received about the sighting of aircraft wreckage in Laos. The report was placed in the files of this and one other incident in the same general area. In another report, a Vietnamese refugee stated that two bodies were burned up in the crash of a Cobra helicopter and that report was also placed in the files of those associated with the two loss incidents in this general area.

North Vietnam Ralph E. Foulks, Jr. (0968)

On January 5, 1968, Lieutenant Foulks was in one of two aircraft in a flight on a night strike mission over Ninh Binh Province, North Vietnam. His aircraft disappeared while on this mission and there was no known crash site, no radio transmission, no beeper and no parachute. He was initially reported missing in action and in November 1973 was declared dead/body not recovered.

During the war there were various reports of U.S. aircraft downed in this area, often with reports of multiple crews or reports of sightings correlated to other known incidents. Lieutenant Foulks remains were repatriated by Vietnam on December 15, 1988. According to Vietnam, Lieutenant Foulks died on January 5, 1968 when his aircraft was hit over Ninh Binh Province. The pilot disintegrated with his aircraft. His Geneva Convention card was recovered but it was later lost.

South Vietnam Derri Sykes Richard R. Rehe (0976)

On January 9, 1968, Privates First Class Rehe and Sykes were members of the 3rd Battalion, 196th Light Infantry Brigade, Americal Division, searching for missing unit personnel in Quang Tin Province. Their unit was ambushed by People's Army of Vietnam forces and they became separated from their unit. Both soldiers were reportedly wounded at the time, each hit up to four times in the chest and shoulder by hostile fire. Both servicemen were declared missing in action.

The majority of missing Division servicemen captured on January 8th and 9th were evacuated to a People's Army Military Region 5 POW camp. However, PFC Rehe, completely debilitated, was left behind in a village on the night of January 9th and was never seen again by surviving POWs. PFC Sykes was left behind in a bunker on January 9th and was believed by returning POWs to have died there of severe blood loss.

Both servicemen were categorized as missing in action until released U.S. POWs captured at the time confirmed that although seriously wounded, they had in fact survived into captivity but never reached the Military Region 5 POW camp. One returnee stated he was told by one of his captors that PFC Rehe and Sykes had both died on January 9, 1968. After Operation Homecoming they were declared dead/body not recovered, based on a presumptive finding of death.

Joint U.S./Vietnamese investigations in Vietnam located and interviewed individuals with knowledge of the fate of members of the Americal Division captured on January 8-9, 1968. Interviews during September 1992 of former Military Region 5 prison camp officials provided information on the fate of those who survived to reach the prison. Witnesses testified that the precise location of all graves was recorded after January 1973 and that 21 sets of remains of those who died at the prison were recovered washed, and bagged at the end of 1978 or early 1979 and then sent to "higher headquarters." Included in these remains were those of a West German man and woman who died in captivity. Remains of those captured at the same time as PFC's Rehe and Sykes who reached the prison camp alive, were repatriated in August 1985.

South Vietnam Richard W. Fischer (0977)

See Vessey 135 Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

Laos James D. Cohron (0984)

On January 12, 1968, Staff Sergeant Cohron was a member of Team Indiana, a U.S. led covert cross border reconnaissance team on a mission inside Laos at a point along the border between Savannakhet and Saravan Provinces. The team was ambushed. After the engagement SSG Cohron and two Vietnamese team members could not be located and were declared missing. One of the two Vietnamese was later located and rescued alive but he could not shed any light on the fate of SSG Cohron. A ground search of the area by Team Santa Fe on January 15, 1968, located the area where SSG Cohron was last seen but there was no sign of him.

SSG Cohron was initially reported missing at a classified location, later acknowledged as Laos. He was not reported alive in the northern Vietnamese prison system and his remains have not yet been repatriated. SSG Cohron was declared dead/body not recovered, in July 1978.

The Defense Intelligence Agency has determined that the ambush of Team Indiana appears to correlate to a combat action of the People's Army of Viet Nam Dong Nai Regiment. The Regiment captured an American who was interrogated by an interpreter from the People's Army of Vietnam 304th Infantry Division. DIA has concluded that this information indicates SSG Cohron was probably captured alive. No further information has been obtained concerning SSG Cohron's fate.

South Vietnam William D. Johnson (0997)

See Vessey 135 Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

North Vietnam James A. Ketterer Tilden S. Holley (0998)

On January 20, 1968, Captain Holley and First Lieutenant Ketterer were the crew in an F-4C, one of a flight of two aircraft over Quang Khe, Quang Binh Province. Their aircraft was hit by hostile antiaircraft fire and crashed. The crew was not seen to eject but a weak electronic beacon was heard for several seconds after the crash. Both crewmen were initially declared missing in action.

One returning U.S. POW reported hearing the name "Holley" on Hanoi Radio while at the Hanoi Hilton. Another returning U.S. POW stated he saw the name "Holley" or "Holly" on a list of people confined at the prison in late 1972 or early 1973. There was no reference to the name Ketterer. No returning U.S. POW reported seeing either alive in the Vietnamese prison system.

Captain Holley was declared dead/body not recovered in June 1978.

North Vietnam Michael Dunn Norman E. Eidsmoe (1004)

See Vessey 135 Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

Cambodia Charles E. White (1006)

On January 29, 1968, Sergeant First Class White was a member of a covert cross border operations reconnaissance team from Forward Base 2 (FOB 2) in South Vietnam. His team was inserted into Ratanakiri Province in extreme northeastern Cambodia and three kilometers inside Cambodia from Attopeu Province, Laos. His team engaged hostile forces. While being extracted by helicopter, Sergeant White fell from a rope harness approximately 200 feet into a tall bamboo thicket. A ground team searching the area on January 31, 1968, found what appeared to be evidence of where he landed and the area appeared to have been searched by hostile forces. There was no sign of Sergeant White and no grave. He was initially declared missing in action in the Republic of Vietnam. On February 23, 1968, his commanding officer wrote to his mother that Sergeant White became missing while under heavy hostile fire near Khe Sanh in South Vietnam although his circumstances of loss were falsified until they were declassified in 1973.

Returning U.S. POWs were not able to provide any information concerning his fate and he was not reported alive in the Vietnamese or Cambodian prison system. His case was among others passed to Khmer representatives at the United Nations in December 1975. The representative stated there were no American prisoners in Cambodia and the Cambodian government had no information about any missing Americans. On April 6, 1978, Sergeant White was declared dead/body not recovered.

South Vietnam Vernon Z. Johns (1028)

On February 3, 1968, Private First Class Johns was an armored personnel carrier commander with the 25th Infantry Division's 4th Mechanized Battalion, 23rd Infantry, when his unit was engaged by hostile forces in Binh Duong Province. He was last seen manning a .50 calibre heavy machine gun while under attack from small arms and rocket propelled grenade fire. He was last seen jumping from his vehicle while wounded. His unit broke contact with the hostile force and PFC Johns was declared missing. There was an initial report that he was evacuated but this was later found to be erroneous.

In 1969, U.S. intelligence received a report of the sighting of a U.S. POW who appeared to resemble PFC Johns. Other reports received about two Americans killed and buried in the area where PFC Johns was last known when his unit was in combat.

Returning U.S. POWs had no information regarding PFC John's precise fate. In July 1978 he was declared killed in action, body not recovered, based on a presumptive finding of death.

In 1988, U.S. investigators in Vietnam interviewed witnesses who stated that PFC Johns was killed in battle and buried the next day.

One witness stated his remains had been recovered in 1987 and the Vietnamese Office for Seeing Missing Americans had taken custody of his remains. On April 27, 1989, Vietnam repatriated remains identified as those of PFC Johns and they were subsequently identified as his.

South Vietnam Harvey G. Brande Kenneth Hanna James W. Holt Charles W. Lindewald, Jr. James L. Moreland William G. McMurray, Jr. Daniel R. Phillips (1040)

On February 7, 1968, eight U.S. Army Special Forces NCOs from Detachment A-1, Company C, 5th Special Forces Group, were declared missing when their Lang Vei base in Thua Thien Province was overrun by Vietnam People's Army forces. Sergeant Moreland had a head wound and was in a state of shock when last seen.

One of eight missing men, Dennis R. Thompson, was captured and survived to be released from North Vietnam in March 1973. During his debriefing he related that Thompson, Holt, and Phillips were last known alive at Lang Vei before he lost contact with them. Neither he nor any other returnee was able to provide information on the eventual fate of the seven missing servicemen and they were not known to have survived into captivity.

The seven missing Special Forces men were initially declared missing. After Operation Homecoming they were all declared dead/body not recovered, based on a presumptive finding of death.

South Vietnam Alan W. Gunn Wade L. Groth Harry W. Brown Jerry L Roe (1046)

See Vessey 135 Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

North Vietnam Robert M. Elliott (1049)

On February 14, 1968, Captain Elliott's aircraft was hit by an enemy surface to surface missile while conducting a bombing mission against a railroad bridge in the area of Hanoi Municipality. There was no beeper and there was the sighting of a possible parachute. However, there was haze in the target area and visibility was poor.

During the war a People's Army of Vietnam soldier described the shoot down of an American aircraft over Ha Tay, a suburb of Hanoi. The shoot down location compared favorably to the loss incident of Captain Elliott. One airman was reportedly captured. Captain Elliott was initially reported as missing in action. In June 1979 he was declared dead/body not recovered.

Captain Elliott's identity card was turned over to U.S. officials on April 6, 1988 together with a small quantity of skeletal remains, also reportedly belonging to Captain Elliott. The remains were insufficient for positive identification and correlation to Captain Elliott.

Laos John F. Hartzheim Paul Lloyd Milius (1062)

On February 27, 1968, Commander Milius was the pilot of an OP-2E aircraft on an armed reconnaissance flight over the Steel Tiger operational area in the vicinity of the Ban Karai Pass leading from North Vietnam into Khammouane Province, Laos. The aircraft was hit by an exploding projectile. Five crewmen exited the rear of the aircraft. Surviving crew members reported Commander Milius, although wounded, was last seen flying the aircraft and with the nose section in flames, but they believe he was able to bail out. Another crew member, Petty Officer John F. Hartzheim, was reported by survivors as either dying or dead at the time the aircraft crashed in Khammouane Province. A search effort on February 29th, Operation Texas Crest, failed to locate Commander Milius.

In August 1968 a People's Army of Vietnam defector in South Vietnam reported that during infiltration his unit captured a U.S. colonel with a survival radio. The approximately time of the capture was March 1968 but the precise location was not pinpointed. This report exists in Commander Milius' file as possibly correlating to him.

Neither individual was ever reported alive in the northern Vietnamese prison system and neither of their remains has been repatriated. Both have been declared dead/body not recovered.

In January 1985 a Lao refugee turned over a human bone and other material from an aircraft crash site in Laos which may have related to the crash site of Commander Milius' aircraft. The remains were determined to be human but no further identification was possible. In December 1986 another lao refugee offered remains and a dog tag allegedly belonging to Petty Officer Hartzheim.

North Vietnam Gilbert S. Palmer, Jr. Thomas T. Wright (1063)

On February 27, 1968, Major Palmer and Captain Wright were the crew in an RF-4C launched from Udorn Air Base, Thailand, on a single aircraft photo mission over Quang Binh Province, North Vietnam. There were routine communications in route and the last contact with them was when they were given target clearance. There was no further contact with the two crewmen and they were declared missing in action.

In 1970, DIA received a report about the sighting of an American in a jeep at the Hanoi Public Security Office. This report was placed in Captain Wright's file. In July 1971, a report was received from a People's Army of Vietnam defector describing the sighting of an American POW. The report pertained to four U.S. POWs in Nghe An Province in July 1970 reportedly shot down during 1965-1967. The individual was given a polygraph test, and the examiner offered his view that he believed the story. DIA felt at the time that the report might correlate to Captain Wright. DIA reevaluated the report in 1978 and based on information then available concluded the report did not pertain to Captain Wright. One returnee reported seeing a black American in jungle fatigues at a temporary prison camp in Quang Binh Province in late May or early June 1968. His sighting of the individual was for approximately 30 seconds. The returnee selected a photograph of Captain Wright as one of several possible correlations.

Returning U.S. POWs were unable to describe the final fate of the two missing crewmen and after Operation Homecoming they were declared killed in action, body not recovered, based on a presumptive finding of death.

South Vietnam Robert W. Hunt (1065)

See Vessey 135 Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

South Vietnam James E. Hamm (1086)

See Vessey 135 Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

Laos Peter D. Hesford Aubrey E. Stowers, Jr. (1100)

On March 21, 1968, First Lieutenant Hesford and First Lieutenant Stowers were the crewmen in an F-4D, one of a flight of two aircraft on a night strike mission over Laos. A forward air controller illuminated three trucks on a road and a second forward air controller made passes in the target area, drawing heavy automatic weapons fire.

The crew radioed they were "rolling in" and that was their last transmission. Other aircraft observed 37mm anti-aircraft fire and then a large explosion and fireball. A search of the area failed to locate any survivors. There were no chutes and no beepers. Both airmen were initially declared missing.

On September 17, 1968, the Pathet Lao spokesman in Vientiane, Laos, Soth Phetrasy, stated that Lieutenant Hesford had been captured.

Lieutenant Hesford was declared dead/body not recovered, in June 1978. Lieutenant Stowers was declared dead/body not recovered, in October 1979. Neither individual was identified alive in the Lao or Vietnamese prison system.

In April 1989, U.S. intelligence received a report of the recovery of remains with dog tag information associated with Lieutenant Stowers. No remains were actually provided.

Laos Charles G. Huston George R. Brown Alan L. Boyer (1108)

On March 28, 1968, Sergeants Huston, Brown and Boyer were leading Team Asp, a covert cross border reconnaissance patrol operating from Forward Base (FOB) 4, an element of the 5th Special Forces Group Command and Control Detachment based in South Vietnam. They were on a mission in an area twenty kilometers northeast of the town of Tchepone, Savannakhet Province, Laos, when they came under heavy enemy fire and called for an extraction. The helicopter withdrew under heavy fire and was unable to recover Sergeants Brown and Huston. Sergeant Boyer was the last recovered and while holding onto a rope ladder and it together with its mount broke away from the recovery helicopter and he fell to the ground.

A ground search of the area on April 1, 1968, failed to show any sign of the three missing patrol members. They were declared missing at a classified location which was later acknowledged to be Laos. None of these individuals was reported alive in the northern Vietnamese prison system and none of their remains has been repatriated. All three were initially reported missing and later declared dead/body not recovered.

In August 1984 a Lao refugee reported three Americans were killed in a People's Army of Vietnam ambush in the area of Team Asp's engagement. The bodies were reportedly buried in the area.

South Vietnam Walter A. Cichon (1112)

See Vessey 135 Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

South Vietnam John W. Held (1131)

See Vessey 135 Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

South Vietnam Philip R. Shafer Arthur J. Lord Charles W. Willard Michael R. Werdehoff (1132)

On April 19, 1968, Specialist 4th Class Shafer was crew chief on a CH-54 helicopter carrying a bulldozer to Landing Zone Tiger located in the A Shau Valley, Thua Thien Province, South Vietnam. Other crew members included Captain Lord (aircraft commander), CW3 Willard (pilot), and Specialist 6th Class Werdehoff (flight engineer). Approximately 1.5 kilometers from the landing zone eyewitnesses reported an explosion in the cockpit of the helicopter which caught fire and crashed at the base of a cliff, exploding. There were no signs of survivors.

The crew was initially reported missing in action and after the war was declared dead/body not recovered. Returning U.S. POWs were unable to provide any information on their fate.

North Vietnam Jeffrey L. Harris Bobby G. Vinson Woodrow W. Parker, II (1141)

On April 24, 1968, Lieutenant Colonel Vinson and First Lieutenant Parker were the crewmen in an F-4D, one of two F-4 on a combat mission over Bo Trach District, Quang Binh Province. They were preparing to drop flares while the other aircraft remained above them. They were last known descending to a lower altitude when a large fireball was observed on the ground. There were no parachutes seen and neither beepers or other communications from the crew. Both crewmen were initially reported as missing in action.

In December 1972 a former member of the Vietnam People's Army reported an American F-4, one of two dropping flares over Quang Binh Province, was hit by anti-aircraft fire and crashed. Both crewmen were reportedly killed in their aircraft. Their bodies were recovered from the crash site and buried nearby.

A JCRC field investigation in Vietnam during April 1990 located witnesses who described the crash of a U.S. jet aircraft and the recovery of human remains from the crash site which appeared to correlate to this case. A document provided by Vietnamese officials to the Joint Casualty Resolution Center during a field investigation in Vietnam during January-February 1991 described the shoot down of an aircraft and death of the crewmen which appeared to correlate to this loss incident.

North Vietnam Robert D. Avery Thomas D. Clem (1156)

On May 3, 1968, Avery and Clem were the crew in an A-6A on an armed reconnaissance mission over North Vietnam providing support to U.S. Air Force operations along Route Package 1. Radar contact was lost with the aircraft when it was approximately 10 kilometers northwest of the coastal town of Dong Hoi and six kilometers southeast of the district seat of Bo Trach in Quang Binh Province. SAR forces were unable to locate any sign of the crew which was declared missing.

Returning U.S. POWs were unable to provide any information on the eventual fate of the crew. After Operation Homecoming they were declared killed in action, body not recovered, based on a presumptive finding of death.

In January 1991, a U.S. team in Vietnam visited Bo Trach District and reviewed archival documents. One document listed the downing of an A-6A on May 3, 1968 in which both crewmen died. In July 1991, U.S. researchers at the Military Region IV museum in Vinh City obtained access to an archival list of gravesites of Americans who died there during the war. One entry listed Robert D. Avery as buried in Quang Ninh District from an F-105 downed on April 15, 1968. In January 1992, a Region IV air defense record listed an A- 6A downed on May 3, 1968 with both crewmen dead. In December 1992, a copy of the list of burial sites was turned over by Vietnam to Senator John Kerry, Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs.

South Vietnam Frederick J. Ransbottom (1171)

On May 12, 1968, Lieutenant Ransbottom was a member of the Americal Division and was last seen at an observation post at the Kham Duc Special Forces camp and engaging hostile forces. He last reported shooting at hostile forces as they were entering his bunker. The Kham Duc post was eventually overrun and eight individuals at Observation Post 2 could not be located following the withdrawal. The remains of six others were located later. Ransbottom and others at Observation Post 2 were declared missing.

Ransbottom was not accounted for during Operation Homecoming and returning U.S. POWs were unable to provide any information about his fate. In May 1979, Ransbottom was declared dead/body not recovered.

North Vietnam Joseph E. Davies Glen D. McCubbin (1182)

On May 19, 1968, Captain Davies and First Lieutenant McCubbin were the crew in an F-4B from Ubon Air Base, Thailand and leader of a flight of two aircraft on a night armed reconnaissance mission over Bo Trach District, Quang Binh Province. The number two aircraft in the flight expended its ordnance and departed to return to Ubon. The number two aircraft's crew reported seeing three explosions on the ground and believed Captain Davies' aircraft had dropped its ordnance and would be joining them on the return flight to Ubon. Captain Davies' aircraft never returned from the mission and the crew was declared missing in action. A beeper and voice transmission from the general area of a search for them was later determine not to be either Captain Davies or Lieutenant McCubbin but someone else.

Returning U.S. POWs were unable to provide any information concerning the specific fate of Captain Davies and Lieutenant McCubbin. After Operation Homecoming both crewmen were declared dead/body not recovered, based on a presumptive finding of death.

In December 1988, a joint U.S./Vietnamese team visited Bo Trach District and interviewed witnesses concerning this incident. Witnesses described the crash of an aircraft correlating to this incident which included the wartime recovery of human remains from the crash site. One witness described the recovery of two dog tags of Davies.

In August 1991 the crash site was excavated and biologic evidence was recovered and returned to the U.S. for Analysis. In October 1991, U.S. investigators forwarded information from Bo Trach District combat records recording the downing of an F-4C on May 18, 1968, and the death of two crewmen. This record was believed associated with this loss incident.

Laos John Q. Adam Jerry L. Chambers Calvin C. Glover Thomas E. Knebel William H. Mason William T. McPhail Thomas B. Mitchell Gary Pate Melvin D. Rash (1187)

On May 22, 1968, a camouflaged C-130 departed Ubon with a crew of eight and one passenger from Nakhon Phanom Air Base on a routine night flare mission over Saravan Province. The last contact with the aircraft was a 2055. Fifteen minutes later another aircraft's crew observed a large fire on the ground in a mountainous area with heavy jungle foliage but were driven off by hostile anti-aircraft fire. Airborne search aircraft and night photography could not confirm the fire to be associated with an aircraft crash site but were of the view the circular fire resembled that of a crashed aircraft. The crew was declared missing. There was no evidence of any parachutes or beepers and no mayday calls.

Returning U.S. POWs were unable to provide any information about the eventual fate of the crew. After Operation Homecoming they were declared killed in action, body not recovered, based on a presumptive finding of death.

In June 1989, a source turned in the drawing of an identity card and restricted area access card with the name of Gary Pate. In August 1989, a Vietnamese source provided dog tag information from a member of an ethnic minority residing in South Laos together with a photograph reportedly showing human remains at an unknown location. In May 1991 a source in Thailand reported dog tag information associated with Pate. The source stated he had received the information from a central Vietnamese who located the dog tag while looking for incense wood near Hue City, South Vietnam, and had instructed the source to provide the information to the U.S. government upon his arrival in Bangkok. In October 1991, U.S. investigators in Vietnam were provided dog tag information and a bone fragment reportedly of Gary Pate. The Vietnam resident turning over the material to U.S. investigators stated he was an intermediary acting for others.

South Vietnam Walter R. Schmidt, Jr. (1205)

See Vessey 135 Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

North Vietnam Edward R. Silver Bruce E. Lawrence (1222)

On July 5, 1968, Major Silver and First Lieutenant Lawrence were the crew of an F-4C on a night armed reconnaissance mission over North Vietnam. Their aircraft was hit by hostile anti-aircraft fire. Their wingman observed their aircraft turn into a large fireball with streaks of fire trailing out of the bottom, followed by a second smaller explosion. There were no parachutes observed and no beepers heard. Intense hostile fire prevented a daylight search of the area. Both airmen were declared missing in action. During Operation Homecoming, a returning POW reported seeing a propaganda film which included the showing of a body in a flight suit. The returnee was "almost positive" the name strip on the suit was "Silver."

No returning U.S. POW was able to report either of the missing crewmen in captivity. Both were later declared killed in action, body not recovered, based on a presumptive finding of death.

North Vietnam David S. Greiling (1234)

On July 24, 1968, Lieutenant Commander Greiling was the pilot of an A-7A on a night combat mission over North Vietnam. His wingman observed him fly into a mountain and saw his aircraft explode on impact. There was no parachute seen. Other aircraft in the mission bombed the site of the crash, thinking it was the target. Villagers reported finding disintegrated remains several days later.

During the war, a photograph of Commander Greiling's identity card was located in the Seaman's Club in Hai Phong in July 1969. This led to his eventual reclassification from missing to POW.

Returning U.S. POWs were unable to provide any information on Commander Greiling's eventual fate. In September 1973 he was declared killed in action, body not recovered, based on a presumptive finding of death.

A recent joint U.S/Vietnamese investigation of Major Greiling's crash site led to the recovery of evidence of an A-7A crash. The recovered material, including parts of the ejection seat, indicated the pilot did not eject prior to the crash.

North Vietnam William J. Thompson Joseph S. Ross (1243)

On August 1, 1968, Major Thompson and First Lieutenant Ross were the crew of an F-4D, one in a flight of two aircraft from Da Nang Air Base, South Vietnam. Their wingman observed the flight leader drop flares which illuminated a group of trucks on the ground and Major Thompson rolled in on the target. The wingman next observed an explosion on the ground within 100 feet of the target and it was evident that Major Thompson's aircraft had impacted and exploded in an area approximately 47 kilometers southwest of the coastal city of Dong Hoi and 1500 meters northeast of the village of Ban Katoi. There were no chutes or beepers noted in the ten minutes the wingman orbited the burning wreckage. Both crewmen were declared missing in action.

On March 30, 1973, a returning U.S. POW reported he saw the name "Ross" written on a wall at the "Heartbreak" POW camp in Hanoi. In 1978, a U.S. Air Force compendium of names providing by returning U.S. POWs correlated the name "Ross" to First Lieutenant Joseph S. Ross. However, the source of the names and its meaning was never determined, no returning U.S. POWs had any knowledge of the fate of the two crewmen, and they were never reported alive in the northern Vietnamese prison system. After Operation Homecoming, both airmen were declared dead/body not recovered, based on a presumptive finding of death.

In January 1992, the Defense Department provided a preliminary analysis of Vietnamese list of combat air defense operations in Quang Binh Province. Included in the list was a reference to the shoot down on August 1, 1968, of an F-4 aircraft.

South Vietnam Donald R. Fowler Steven M. Hastings Peter J. Russell William Fernan (1244)

See Vessey 135 Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

North Vietnam Terrin D. Hicks (1248)

On August 15, 1968, Captains Terrin D. Hicks and Joseph F. Shanahan departed Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base in an RF-4C on a solo photo reconnaissance mission over North Vietnam. About 0805 hours, the last radar contact was made with Capt Hicks' aircraft. The plane was hit by enemy ground fire and lost in an area approximately 12 kilometers southwest of Quang Khe, Quang Binh Province. Captains Hicks and Shanahan ejected successfully and descended by parachute but were not recovered. Both airmen were declared missing in action.

Captain Shanahan was captured and incarcerated in North Vietnam. During his Homecoming debriefing, he related he saw Captain Hicks' parachute on the ground and heard Captain Hicks make a "Mayday" call on his survival radio. Captain Hicks was alive on the ground at this time. Captain Shanahan landed in the backyard of a village hut and was immediately captured. As Captain Shanahan was led away, he heard continuous small arms fire from the direction where Captain Hicks had landed. Approximately 10 minutes later, Captain Shanahan was given Captain Hicks' boots to wears as his boots had been taken from him after his capture. Later, an interrogator told Captain Shanahan that Captain Hicks was alive and being treated in the Dong Hoi hospital for a broken leg. Captain Shanahan said he had personal reservations about the truthfulness of this statement.

During the November 1985 JCRC technical meeting in Hanoi, Vietnamese officials passed Captain Hicks military identification card and Geneva Convention card to U.S. officials. The Vietnamese stated that Captain Hicks' remains were no longer recoverable.

On December 4, 1985, Vietnam released seven sets of remains to US custody. Vietnamese officials associated one set of remains with Captain Hicks but none of the seven sets of remains could be identified as his.

On June 17 and 21, 1989, a joint U.S./Vietnamese investigation team conducted an investigation of the reported crash of an American aircraft in Cu Nam village, Bo Trach District, Binh Tri Thien (formerly Quang Binh) Province. According to the witness interviewed, an RF-4C aircraft was shot down over the village in the fifth Lunar month of 1968. Both pilots ejected; one was captured immediately, the other was shot to death when he resisted capture, and he was buried near where he fell. The team surveyed the burial location and used a metal detector to attempt to locate the specific burial site, but was not successful. On 5 May 1990 a second Joint team travelled to Cu Nam village to discuss excavation of Capt Hicks burial site. The village officials claimed not to know if the repatriated remains which could not be identified as those of Captain Hicks had been taken from the reported burial site and they were unable to locate the site. Three other possible burial locations were suggested from Quang Binh Province records.

South Vietnam Humberto Acosta-Rosario (1258)

See Vessey 135 Discrepancy Cases for case summary.

South Vietnam Dallas R. Pridemore (1274)

See Vessey 135 Discrepancy Cases for case summary.