Personnel In Incident: Terry L. Beck; Richard W. Bell; Michael L. Bowman;
Frank Bytheway; Rolando C. Dayao; Donald C. Dean; Herbert H. Dilger; Carl J.
Ellerd; James J. Fowler; Roy G. Fowler; Leonardo M. Gan; Paul E. Gore;
William D. Gorsuch; Rayford J. Hill; Delvin L. Kohler; Howard M. Koslosky;
Robert B. Leonard; Richard A. Livingston; Ronald W. Montgomery; William R.
Moore; Paul K. Moser; Kenneth M. Prentice; Fidel G. Salazar; Keavin L.
Terrell; Michael J. Tye; Reynaldo R. Viado (all missing)
 Category: 5
 
 
 
 

Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 01 April 1990 from one or more of
the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence
with POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews. Updated by the P.O.W.
NETWORK 1998.

REMARKS:

SYNOPSIS: On October 2, 1969, a C2A "Greyhound" cargo aircraft from Reserve
Cargo Squadron 50 departed Cubi Point Naval Air Station, Republic of the
Philippines on a shuttle flight to various aircraft carriers in the Gulf of
Tonkin in Vietnam, including the USS CONSTELLATION, the USS WALKER, the USS
HAMMER, and the USS LONG BEACH.

The flight crew onboard the aircraft, assigned to Fleet Support Squadron 50
based in Atsugi Naval Air Station, Japan, included the pilot, Lt. Herbert H.
Dilger; co-pilot, Lt. Richard A. Livingston; air crewman, Petty Officer 3rd
Class Paul K. Moser; aircraft captain, Petty Officer 3rd Class Michael J.
Tye; and loadmaster-trainee, Petty Officer 3rd Class Rayford J. Hill. Most
of the twenty passengers appear to be bound for the USS CONSTELLATION, but
one was bound for the USS LONG BEACH, one of the four Philippine citizens
onboard was headed for the USS HAMMER, and two to the USS WALKER.

The aircraft was inbound to the CONSTITUTION and made communication at about
0600 hours, reporting that operations were normal. When communicatons were
established with the Carrier Air Control, control was passed to the Marshall
controller (Approach Control). The carrier's radar continued tracking the
aircraft until approximately 0655, at which time radar contact was lost at
about 10 nautical miles from the CONSTELLATION.

Helicopter search and rescue efforts were immediately initiated from the
ship. The helicopter began sighting an oil slick and debris. A few pieces of
aircraft were recovered, and analysis of this debris indicated that the
aircraft was in a relatively high speed nose down, right wing down impact
with the water or had a possible right wing failure before impact. There was
no sign of survivors, nor were any bodies recovered.

The crew and passengers onboard the C2 which went down on October 2, 1969
were all declared Killed/Body Not Recovered. There is very little hope that
they will ever be found. They are listed with honor among the missing
because no remains were ever located to repatriate to their homeland.

For many of the missing, however, solutions are not so simple. Several were
photographed in captivity, but never returned. Others were alive and well
the last they were seen awaiting rescue. Still others described their
imminent captures. For the families of these men, the years have passed
heartbreakingly slow.

Since the war ended, nearly 10,000 reports relating to Americans missing in
Southeast Asia have been received by the U.S. Government. Many officials who
have reviewed this largely classified information are convinced that
hundreds of Americans are still alive as captives in Southeast Asia. It's
time we brought our men home.
 

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