OFFICIAL STATUS: MISSING

CASE SUMMARY: SEE ATTACHED

RATIONALE FOR SELECTION: When last seen, Lt Peterson was alive uninjured, and crawling, behind his crashed AC-47 aircraft to take up a position to secure the aircraft. Friendly forces searched the site about 30 minutes after other crash survivors had been rescued, but they could find no trace of him. There is no evidence of this officer's death.

REFNO: 0267 19 Apr 76

(U) CASE SUMMARY

1. On 9 March 1966 Lt Delbert R. Peterson, co-pilot, Ssgt Robert E. Foster and SSgt [blank], gunners, Capt. William M.Collins, pilot, Ssgt [blank], flight engineer, and Capt. [blank] navigator, were the crew of an AC-47 aircraft, #44-76290, call sign SPOOKY 70), which departed Da Nang, South Vietnam, on a close air support mission over a Special Forces camp in the A-Shau Valley. While approaching the camp on a firing pass, the aircraft was hit by enemy ground fire, forcing the pilot to crash-land in the vicinity of grid coordinates YC 494 849, about five miles north of the camp. After the crash, a defensive perimeter was set up around the aircraft, as enemy fire was being received. About 20 minutes after the crash, radio contact was made with the pilot of an Army L-19 aircraft. That pilot was able to direct several AlE aircraft to the crash location to suppress the enemy fire. While the AlEs made attack passes over the area, Lt Peterson crawled into the underbrush at the rear of the aircraft to take up a position. He was uninjured, was wearing his survival jacket, and was carrying an M-16 rifle. About 20 to 30 minutes later the crew was informed by radio that rescue helicopters were enroute, and at about this time the enemy raked the entire right side of the downed aircraft with machine gun fire, killing SSgt Foster and Capt. Collins. The enemy fire was temporarily silenced by the AlEs, and after the firing, Capt. [blank] called out for Lt Peterson but received no response. SSgt [blank] attempted to crawl toward Lt Peterson's position, but was turned back by heavy enemy fire. (Ref 1)

2. After the rescue helicopters were brought in, Capt. [blank] and and SSgt [blank] both called out for Lt Peterson many times, but neither received a response. Capt. [blank] SSgt [blank] and SSgt [blank] were successfully rescued. Just after take-off, the immediate area around the crash site was searched, but Lt Peterson could not be seen. That evening and the following day, Special Forces personnel searched around the crash site and reported finding, (but not recovering), the bodies of Capt. Collins and SSgt Foster. They found no trace of Lt Peterson. (Ref 1)

3. In September 1973, at the request of JCRC, the U.S. Defense Attache Office in Saigon reviewed available aerial photography. Wreckage of two C-47's was analyzed at locations near the coordinates listed for this case; at (GC) YC 483 870 and at (GC) 498 836, but nothing was revealed for this case. On 2 May 1974 JCRC proposed to the U.S. Delegation, Four-Party joint Military Team that an operation be conducted at the site in an area controlled by the Communists (PRG). On 10 May 1974 the U.S. Delegation proposed to the communists that a U.S. Specialist Search Team visit the site to search for and recover any remains. No response was ever forthcoming from the Communists.

4. Capt. Collins and SSgt Foster are currently carried in the status of Dead, Body Not Recovered. Lt Peterson is currently carried in the status of Missing.

REFERENCE USED

1. RPT (U), HQ 6252 CSG (DPPA), w/statements, 14 Mar 66.

ASSOCIATED INDIVIDUALS

1. Delbert R. Peterson 0267-0-01

2. Robert E. Foster 0267-0-01

3. William M. Collins 0267-0-01