List of United States servicemembers and civilians missing in action during the Vietnam War (1961–1965)

This article is a list of US MIAs of the Vietnam War in the period 1961–1965. In 1973, the United States listed 2,646 Americans as unaccounted for from the entire Vietnam War. By October 2022, 1,582 Americans remained unaccounted for, of which 1,004 were classified as further pursuit, 488 as non-recoverable and 90 as deferred.

1961 Date missing Surname, First name(s) Rank Service Unit Operation/Battle Name Location Circumstances of loss Recovery statusJanuary 13 Duffy, Charles J Civilian Laos, Vientiane Civilian with the US mission in Vientiane captured by Pathet Lao while hunting north of Vientiane. He is believed to have died in captivity in 1962 Presumptive finding of deathMarch 23 Bankowski, Alfons A Staff sergeant USAF 314th Air Division Laos, Xiangkhouang Province Flight Engineer on Douglas SC-47 Skytrain (Tail number 44-76330) shot down by Pathet Lao while on an intelligence gathering flight, only one passenger was captured by the Pathet Lao and returned following the International Agreement on the Neutrality of Laos. The remains of four of the seven missing passengers were recovered in 1991. Killed in action, body not recoveredMarch 23 Weitkamp, Edgar W Warrant officer US Army Army Attaché Office, American Embassy, Laos Laos, Xiangkhouang Province Passenger on Douglas SC-47 Skytrain (Tail number 44-76330) shot down by Pathet Lao while on an intelligence gathering flight Killed in action, body not recoveredMarch 23 Weston, Oscar B First lieutenant USAF 314th Air Division Laos, Xiangkhouang Province Co Pilot on Douglas SC-47 Skytrain (Tail number 44-76330) shot down by Pathet Lao while on an intelligence gathering flight Killed in action, body not recoveredApril 22 Biber, Gerald M Sergeant US Army FFT-59, B Company, 7th Special Forces Group (United States), MAAG Laos Operation White Star Laos, Vang Vieng Training adviser to the Royal Lao Army, presumed killed in a Pathet Lao ambushRochester, p. 36 Killed in action, body not recoveredApril 22 Bischoff, John M Sergeant first class US Army FFT-59, B Company, 7th Special Forces Group, MAAG Laos Operation White Star Laos, Vang Vieng Training adviser to the Royal Lao Army, presumed killed in a Pathet Lao ambush Killed in action, body not recoveredApril 22 Moon, Walter H Captain US Army FFT-59, B Company, 7th Special Forces Group, MAAG Laos Operation White Star Laos, Vang Vieng Training adviser to the Royal Lao Army, captured in a Pathet Lao ambush and executed on 22 July 1961Rochester, p. 42 Died in captivity, remains not returned

1962 Date missing Surname, First name(s) Rank Service Unit Operation/Battle Name Location Circumstances of loss Recovery statusMay 30 Gerber, Daniel A Civilian South Vietnam, Ban Me Thuot One of three Christian missionaries abducted by the Vietcong from the Ban Me Thuot Leprosarium Unaccounted forMay 30 Mitchell, Archie E Civilian South Vietnam, Ban Me Thuot One of three Christian missionaries abducted by the Vietcong from the Ban Me Thuot Leprosarium Unaccounted forMay 30 Vietti, Eleanor A Civilian South Vietnam, Ban Me Thuot One of three Christian missionaries abducted by the Vietcong from the Ban Me Thuot Leprosarium Unaccounted forJuly 14 Blewett, Alan L Civilian Bird and Sons Laos, Vientiane Bird and Sons Camair Twin Navion aircraft, tail number N229 disappeared on a flight from Vientiane to Pak Sane Presumptive finding of deathJuly 14 Parks, Raymond F Staff Sergeant US Army 7th Special Forces Group Operation White Star Laos, Vientiane Bird and Son Camair Twin Navion aircraft, tail number N229 disappeared on a flight from Vientiane to Pak Sane Presumptive finding of deathAugust 28 Simpson, Robert L Captain USAF 6th Fighter Squadron (Commando) South Vietnam, Bạc Liêu Province, Sóc Trăng Killed when his T-28B (Tail number 53-8376) was hit by ground fire on a close air support mission Killed in action, body not recoveredOctober 6 Anderson, Thomas E Corporal USMC HMM-163 South Vietnam, Quảng Nam Province Crew chief on a UH-34D Seahorse (Bureau Number 145790) which crashed due to mechanical failure Killed in action, body not recovered

1963 Date missing Surname, First name(s) Rank Service Unit Operation/Battle Name Location Circumstances of loss Recovery statusSeptember 5 DeBruin, Eugene H Civilian Air America Laos, Tchepone His C-46 Commando (Tail number 0317) aircraft was hit by ground fire and crashed, the crew parachuted to safety and were captured by the Pathet Lao. Escaped Pathet Lao prison camp with Dieter Dengler, Duane W. Martin and others on 29 June 1966, last seen alive on that date. Unaccounted forNovember 24 Cody, Howard R Captain USAF 1st Air Commando Squadron South Vietnam, Cà Mau B-26 Invander (Tail number 44-35703) hit by ground fire and crashed, bodies of two other crewmen recovered Killed in action, body not recoveredOctober 29 Versace, Humbert R Captain US Army Detachment A-23 5th Special Forces Group South Vietnam, An Xuyen Province Captured by Vietcong while leading a CIDG patrol. On 28 September 1965, "Liberation Radio" announced the execution of Versace and MSGT Kenneth Roraback on 26 September in retaliation for the deaths of three Vietcong in Da Nang Died in captivity, remains not returnedNovember 24 Roraback, Kenneth M Master sergeant US Army Detachment A-21 5th Special Forces Group South Vietnam, Hậu Nghĩa Province One of four Americans captured by Vietcong in attack on Hiep Hoa Special Forces Camp. On 28 September 1965, "Liberation Radio" announced the execution of Roraback and Special Forces Captain Humbert Versace on 26 September in retaliation for the deaths of three Vietcong in Da Nang Died in captivity, remains not returnedDecember 6 Hill, Richard D Airman first class USAF 21st Armament & Electronics Maintenance Squadron South Vietnam, Kien Hoa Province Crewman on RB-26L Invander (Tail number 44-35782), shot down on a photo-reconnaissance mission, bodies of two other crewmen recovered Killed in action, body not recoveredDecember 6 Gorton, Thomas F Captain USAF 1st Air Commando Squadron South Vietnam, Kien Hoa Province Navigator of RB-26L Invander (Tail number 44-35782), shot down on a photo-reconnaissance mission, bodies of two other crewmen recovered Killed in action, body not recoveredDecember 12 Angell, Marshall J Sergeant US Army 611th Transportation Company South Vietnam, Dinh Tuong Province Flight Engineer aboard a CH-37B Mojave (Tail number 55-00672) on a mission to recover a downed OV-1 Mohawk, The crew was attempting to sling-load the downed aircraft when the CH-37 was shot down, crashed and burned Killed in action, body not recovered

1964 Date missing Surname, First name(s) Rank Service Unit Operation/Battle Name Location Circumstances of loss Recovery statusJanuary 14 Hickman, Vincent J Captain USAF 1st Air Commando Squadron South Vietnam, Đồng Nai Province Navigator on B-26B Invader (Tail number 44-35566), shot down while conducting air strike Killed in action, body not recoveredJanuary 14 Mitchell, Carl B Major USAF 1st Air Commando Squadron South Vietnam, Đồng Nai Province Pilot of B-26B Invader (Tail number 44-35566), shot down while conducting air strike Killed in action, body not recoveredJanuary 18 Metoyer, Bryford G First lieutenant USAF UTT Helicopter Company, 145th Aviation Battalion South Vietnam, Kien Hoa Province Pilot of a UH-1B Iroquois (Tail number 62-01880) gunship hit by ground fire and ditched at sea, three other crewmen recovered Killed in action, body not recoveredJanuary 18 Straley, John L Private first class US Army UTT Helicopter Company, 145th Aviation Battalion South Vietnam, Kien Hoa Province Crewman on a UH-1B Iroquois (Tail number 62-01880) hit by ground fire and ditched at sea, three other crewmen recovered Killed in action, body not recoveredMarch 26 Whitesides, Richard L Captain USAF 19th Tactical Air Support Squadron South Vietnam, Quảng Trị Province Pilot of an O-1F Bird Dog shot down near the Quảng Trị Special Forces Camp. The passenger, Captain Floyd James Thompson was captured Listed as killed in action, body not recovered until 21 October 2014 when his remains were identifiedJune 19 Ledbetter, Thomas I Captain US Army Detachment A-133, 5th Special Forces Group South Vietnam, Tây Ninh Province Ambushed while leading a Montagnard patrol, last seen wounded Killed in action, body not recoveredJune 19 Talley, James L Corporal US Army Detachment A-133, 5th Special Forces Group South Vietnam, Tây Ninh Province Ambushed while leading a Montagnard patrol Killed in action, body not recoveredOctober 2 Walker, Kenneth E Captain USAF 1st Air Commando Squadron South Vietnam, Sóc Trăng His A-1E Skyraider (Tail number 52-132654) crashed while conducting a napalm attack at the mouth of the Mekong River Killed in action, body not recoveredOctober 24 Woods, Lawrence Staff sergeant US Army Headquarters Company, 5th Special Forces Group South Vietnam, Quang Duc Province Passenger on a C-123B Provider (Tail number 55-4549) shot down on aerial resupply mission near the South Vietnam-Cambodia border. No parachutes were seen to leave the aircraft as it crashed. Remains of the other seven passengers and crew recovered Listed as killed in action, body not recovered until 27 September 2013 when his remains were identifiedNovember 6 Dawson, Daniel G First lieutenant US Army 145th Aviation Battalion South Vietnam, Biên Hòa Province Pilot of on O-1F Bird Dog (Tail number 57-2782) flying a visual reconnaissance mission with a South Vietnamese observer. The aircraft was not heard from after takeoff Killed in action, body not recoveredNovember 13 Bloom, Darl R Captain USMC VMCJ-1 South Vietnam, Da Nang His RF-8A Crusader (Bureau number 146679) collided with US Navy A-4C Skyhawk (bureau number 149570) "Lt(jg) James Herman Knollmueller (Survived)" and crashed into the sea Killed in action, body not recoveredNovember 21 Nipper, David Lance corporal USMC 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion South Vietnam, Bình Định Province Crew on UH-34D Choctaw (Bureau number 150234) that crashed at sea Killed in action, body not recoveredDecember 11 Tadios, Leonard M Sergeant US Army SD-5891, HQ, MACV South Vietnam, Phong Dinh Province Adviser to Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN), captured and died of disease/malnutritionRochester, p. 73-74 Died in captivity, remains not returnedDecember 22 Parks, Joe Sergeant first class US Army SD-5891, HQ, MACV South Vietnam, Vĩnh Bình province Adviser to an ARVN unit captured in an ambush near Khanh Hung and died in 1967 of disease/malnutrition Died in captivity, remains not returnedDecember 29 Bennett, Harold G Corporal US Army BDQ Team TD-33, MACV Advisory Team 95 South Vietnam, Phước Tuy Province Adviser to an ARVN unit, captured in an ambush and reported executed in June 1965 in retaliation for the execution of a Vietcong Died in captivity, remains not returnedDecember 31 Cook, Donald G Captain USMC 3rd Marine Division South Vietnam, Phước Tuy Province Advisor to the 4th Battalion of the South Vietnamese marines, captured and reported to have died from Malaria on 8 December 1967 Died in captivity, remains not returnedDecember 31 Dodge, Edward R Sergeant first class US Army Detachment C-1, 5th Special Forces Group South Vietnam, Quảng Nam Province Passenger in an O-1F Bird Dog (Tail number 57-2823) that crashed near Da Nang Presumptive finding of deathDecember 31 McDonald, Kurt C Captain USAF 336th Tactical Fighter Squadron on temporary duty to 2nd Air Division South Vietnam, Quảng Nam Province Pilot of an O-1F Bird Dog (Tail number 57-2823) that crashed near Da Nang Presumptive finding of death

1965