Missing, not forgotten....

REMARKS: SYNOPSIS: On May 13, 1969, 1Lt. Bruce Bessor, pilot, and SFC Mike J. Scott, observer were flying on an O1G aircraft (serial #51-16959) on a radio relay mission for a Special Forces reconnaissance team in the area of the Vietnam/Laos border. SFC Scott was assigned to Command and Control Central, MACV-SOG (Military Assistance Command, Vietnam Studies and Observation Group).MACV-SOG was a joint service high command unconventional warfare task force engaged in highly classified operations throughout Southeast Asia. The 5th Special Forces channeled personnel into MACV-SOG (although it was not aSpecial Forces group) through Special Operations Augmentation (SOA), which provided their "cover" while under secret orders to MACV-SOG. The teams performed deep penetration missions of strategic reconnaissance and interdiction which were called, depending on the time frame, "Shining Brass" or "Prairie Fire"missions. At about 0800 hours, when the recon team had radio contact with 1Lt. Bessor's aircraft, they heard aircraft engine noise southwest of their positionfollowed by 15 rounds of 37mm fire and engine sputtering but no sound of crash, then a large volume of rifle fire from the same direction. The reconnaissance team then lost radio contact with the aircraft. Search aircraft attempted to enter into the suspected crash control site, but cloud cover and enemy fire prevented them from doing so. On May 18, the area was visually searched, but nothing was found. Bessor and Scott were declared Missing in Action. They are among nearly 600 Americans still missing in Laos. In the early 1970's the Pathet Lao stated on a number of occasions that they held "tens of tens" of American prisoners and that those captured in Laoswould also be released from Laos. Unfortunately, that release never occurred,because the U.S. did not include Laos in the negotiations which brought American involvement in the war to an end. The country of Laos was bombed by U.S.forces for several months following the Peace Accords in January 1973, and Laos steadfastly refused to talk about releasing our POWs until we discontinued bombing in their country. Consequently, no American held in Laos was ever returned. By 1989, these "tensof tens" apparently have been forgotten. The U.S. has negotiated with the samegovernment entity which declared it held American POWs and has agreed to buildclinics and help improve relations with Laos. If, as thousands of reports indicate, Americans are still alive in Indochina as captives, then the U.S. iscollaborating in signing their death warrants.