Rank/Branch: E6/US Army Special Forces Unit: Command & Control Central, MACV-SOG, 5th Special Forces Group Date of Birth: 23 August 1938 (Ridley Park, PA) Home City of Record: Pulaski, NY Date of Loss: 19 October 1970 Country of Loss: Laos Loss of Coordinates: 143500N 1072530E Status (in 1973): Missing in Action Category: 2 Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: Ground Other personnel in incident: (none missing) |
In Vietnam, Peter J. Wilson was assigned to MACV-SOG (Military Assistance Command, Vietnam Studies and Observation Group). MACV-SOG wasa joint service high command unconventional warfare task force engaged inhighly classified operations throughout Southeast Asia. The 5th Special Forces channeled personnel into MACV-SOG (although it was not a Special Forcesgroup) through Special Operations Augmentation (SOA), which provided their"cover" while under secret orders to MACV-SOG. The teams performed deeppenetration missions of strategic reconnaissance and interdiction which were called, depending on the time frame, "Shining Brass" or "Prairie Fire" missions. On October 19, 1970, SSgt. Wilson was the team leader of a long range reconnaissance patrol (LRRP) that made contact with a numericallysuperior enemy force in the tri-border of Laos southwest of Ben Het. After thefourth contact with the enemy, Wilson directed Sgt. John M. Baker to the frontof the patrol and told him to continue to the east if the column was split. Atthat time, Wilson was covering the rear of the patrol and assisting a wounded indigenous soldier, Djuit. The patrol abandoned the battlefield with theenemy in hot pursuit. Later, Baker heard Wilson transmit, "May Day, May Day"on his emergency radio and the sounds of a firefight from the direction of the separated patrol element. This was the last word of Peter Joe Wilson. An intense air search was made for 3 days without success. Wilson wasnever found, and is listed among nearly 600 Americans missing in Laos.Although the Pathet Lao stated on several occasions that they held "tens of tens" of American prisoners, not one American was ever released that was held inLaos. Laos was not part of the peace agreements ending American involvement in Southeast Asia, and the U.S. has never negotiated for these prisonerssince that time. For every insertion like Wilson's that was detected and stopped, dozensof other commando teams safely slipped past NVA lines to strike a widerange of targets and collect vital information. The number of MACV-SOG missions conducted with Special Forces reconnaissance teams into Laos andCambodia was 452 in 1969. It was the most sustained American campaign of raiding,sabotage and intelligence gathering waged on foreign soil in U.S. militaryhistory. MACV-SOG's teams earned a global reputation as one of the most combateffective deep penetration forces ever raised. The missions Wilson and others were assigned were exceedingly dangerousand of strategic importance. The men who were put into such situations knew the chances of their recovery if captured was slim to none. They quitenaturally assumed that their freedom would come by the end of the war. For 591Americans, freedom did come at the end of the war. For another 2500, however,freedom has never come. |
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Rank/Branch: O3/US Air Force Unit: (probably) 355th Combat Support Group, Takhli AB TH Date of Birth: 21 April 1938 Home City of Record: Syracuse NY Date of Loss: 11 March 1967 Country of Loss: North Vietnam Loss Coordinates: 213300N 1055000E (WJ862830) Status (in 1973): Missing in Action Category: 2 Acft/Vehicle/Ground: F105D Other Personnel in Incident: James E. Hiteshew; Charles E. Greene (bothreleased POWs); (both at close proximity on same day) Joseph was a pilot of a F105 Thunderbird ("Thud"). The F105 flew more missions against north vietnam than any other U.S. Aircraft. It also suffered more loss, partially due to its vulnerability, which was constantly under revision. On March 11, 1967 Joseph was declared missing in action. Joseph Karins was promoted to the rank of Major during the period he was missing and is now accounted for. His remains were returned to the U.S. on April 6, 1988. My prayers and thoughts are with you, Joseph!! |
Thanks to Ron Fleisher for the graphics of Remember, Lest we forget, Women in the Military, Bring them home & Only in America. |
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