REPORTED DEATH OF A U.S. PILOT IN THAI NGUYEN CITY, BAC THAI PROVINCE, N ORTH V

Created: 11/9/1972

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

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MEMORANDUM

SUDJKCT: Reported Death. Pilot in Thai Nguyen City, Bac Thai Province, North Vietnam

SOURCE: An experienced Vietnamese Interrogator at the National Interrogation Center, fromf ' "

lougfcB^Wwas

cooperative during Interrogation and appeared to be of above-average intelligence, his reportinghas not been established. He obtainednformation from personal observation andwith staff members at the Dong Hy District dispensary.

1. At about MOO hoursanhit by North Vietnamese anti-aircraft fire during aon the Thai NguyenSteel Complex in Thai Nguyen City, BacNorth Vietnam. The pilot bailed outed andand landed nearn .Ung Luol Hamlet, ThinhDong Hy District, Bac Thai Province. IJ^wasfound twowith both Sis legs severed abov- the

he lost his legs in tho aircraft ^during ejection. He was still wearing his grey flight suit and white helmet when he was found.

The pilot wa* evacuated to the Dong Hy District dispensary where he was treated for hisespite the doctor's effortslood transfusion, heat0 hours. The doctor spoke to him In broken English before he died and learned that'he was an Atr Force Major of Australian origin. Dispensary officials confiscated his belongings, exceptold ring and silver wrist watch on his left hand and wristold chain and cross around his neck. His body was placedarge wooden coffin and buried near the dispensaryill The grave, markedooden cross, was the only one in the area. The dispensary was subsequently moved because of the bombings in the area, but the giavo was still there as of about0 and the mound appeared to have been enlarged.

The pilotaucasian. He was aboutears old, heavy set,ilos, and was probably an estimated0 meters tall. ongj straight nose and short, curly blond hair. His face was slightly round and clean shaven and hehort, thick neck. During the twentypilot In the dispensary, he appeared pale and exhaustedesult of the bleeding from his wounds.nd/Z/ l(f;

Vl/fUm^wat shown the( photographs of personnel captured and missing in SEA and Identified Photoonas closely resembling the dead pilot, although he said that the dead pilot looked older than he did in the photo. Tho Joint Personnel Recovery Center (JPRC) has seen the information In this report and has evaluated It as follows: "The correlation of this report with JPRC records revealed that during the time frame mentioned, one VIircraft was downed in th* location given by source. The aircraft was piloted by Captain Joseph J. Karlns,SAF, and was downedurface-to-air missile (SAM) at0 hours local time. Captala* seen ejecting from his era it and the deployment of his chute was observed. The color of his chute was red and white. He seemed to be unconscious during his descent because he did not hold on to the risers of his chule a*ormal during descent. The three main points of interest are A) the time of day mentioned by source Is very close to the lime of the incident; B) source stated that the color of tho chute was red and white, which correlates with the statement of Captain Karin' wlngmanj and C) the subject did not establish voice contact during descent and seemed to be unconscious, which I* Indicative of Injury. Currently, Captain Karin* Is carried as Missing in Actlsn by his

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