OBSERVATION OF THE KILLING OF ONE AND CAPTURE OF ANOTHER U.S. AIR FORCE OFFICER

Created: 12/12/1972

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

2

MEMORANDUM

SUBJECT; Observation of the Killing of Ono and Capture Oi. Air Force'Officer in Kirth Vietnam8

1. Athours one afternoon In earlyawvfour FlOS'a,'flying over Ba Don Town, QuangTrach North Vietnamoming from

the direction of the South China Sea. The jeti flaw over the town information and the lead jet bombed the Ba Don Bridge, Ba Donits first pass, the lead Jet was hit by anti-aircraft fire fromj around the town end broke into three piecesir.two pilots bail out. Ono pilotlue parachute ard thoorange

pilot with Ihc blueidcd in an artilleryand wa* immediately captured by artillerymen. Ta

ar when it passed him heading in the direction of Chiang Trach District Town.

pilot with the orange parachute foilomb craterrice paddy cast of Ha Don Town.orth Vietnamese girl hadin the crater and when she saw the pilot she panicked andrun. For an unknown reason, the pilot liilled the girl with.histhis time, the militiamenearby village. Including the brotherdead girl, surrounded the pilot. When the brother of the deadthat his sister had been killed by the pilot, he became enraged,of the other militiamen to the crater, and killed the pilot bytwice. The pilot was pulled out of the crator by thesaid the pilot had been shot in the head and chest and his entirecovered with blood. He had long brown hair,ale complexion. Heark blue flight suitleather boots.nd HI After the jet was shot down, seversl

AD 6's and an unidentified jet flew around the area until, dark, butnot open

he above information was coordinated with the JPRC which made the following comments: "The incident described in this report correlates with an Incidentlight of's on8 In the general area mentioned by Source. Tho number two aircraft went intrike on its target. Other flight members nover saw It come out. Beepers were heard, but no chutes were observed and no voice contact was made. Several months later, the North Vietnamese Government released he name of one of the crew members. The other one is still carriedissing-in-Action status. The description of the man allegedly killed matches quite well that of Captain William E. Powell, United States Air .Force (USAF) Captain Powell is stilllsslng-in-Action 'status. Captain Arthur T. Hoffson,onfirmed prlsondr of the North VietnameseZ'SX was shown the Joim Personnel Recovery Center (JPRC) album of missing and captured pcrsonnol In South-cast Asiabut he could not identify any of tho men.

Original document.

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