I have adopted a POW/MIA. I think that it's just awful that we don't have our men and wowen back home from the Vietnam War. So as my way to try to bring them home I have Adopted Cpt. David Roscoe Smith of the US Army. He is from the great state of Ohio. My hope is that somewhere out there someone will know something that could help discover the where abouts of David Smith or what really happened to him. I do not know him or any member of his family, although I wish them Peace from not knowing what happened to their loved one so long ago. May God bless the Smith family one and all. |
This is his story as far as the government knows: |
SMITH, DAVID ROSCOE Name: David Roscoe Smith Rank/Branch: O3/US Army Unit: Command Aircraft Company, 210th Aviation Battalion, 12th Aviation Group, 1st Aviation Brigade Date of Birth: 02 November 1939 Home City of Record: Dayton OH Date of Loss: 16 March 1969 Country of Loss: South Vietham Loss Coordinates: 161357N 1074448E (YC936965) Status (in 1973): Missing In Action Category: 4 Acft/Vehicle/Ground: U21A Refno: 1407 Other Personnel In Incident: Raymond E. Bobe; Marvin L. Foster; Charles R. Barnes; Michael L. Batt (all missing) REMARKS: Source: Compiled from one or more of the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews. Updated by the P.O.W. NETWORK in 2001 with material from the Library of Congress and Lew Schmidt. SYNOPSIS: On 16 March 1969, Captain Charles Barnes, co-pilot and Captain David R. Smith, aircraft commander were aboard a U21A aircraft which departed Long Trahn, North Army Airfield, South Vietnam. The aircraft made two stops, one at Long Binh and the other at Qui Nhon. At Qui Nohn the plane picked up the following passengers: SP4 Michael Batt, Major Marvin L. Foster and PFC Raymond Bobe. The aircraft resumed its journey north toward Hue/Phu Bai where it was scheduled to land. During this portion of the mission, the aircraft was required to revert from visual to instrument flight rules because of the low cloud ceilings, poor visability and rain showers in the area. The aircraft was picked up by radio and radar; however contact was lost during the approach pattern. After loss of contact, all standard emergency radio frequencies were utilized, but radio contact with the aircraft could not be regained. Da Nang Air/Sea rescue was also notified, but initial efforts were limited to a communications search because of the bad weather. The aircraft was never located. Based on a replotted flight plan, the indicated last known location for this aircraft was approximately one kilometer west of Truoi Mountain, Quang Nam Da Nang (formerly Tuan Thien Province) Province, South Vietnam. The U21 is a medium-sized aircraft, built to hold 8 or 10 passengers and crew. The U-21A was a fixed-wing, twin-reciprocating-engined Beech Aircraft airplane, the military version of the civilian Beech Queen Air aircraft. It was used mainly by the Army, to a lesser extent by the Air Force, generally used for VIP or commutes rather than surveillance or combat support missions. Batt's photograph was selected as a known prisoner from the JCRC photo album of those missing, but the U.S. Government states that it is unknown why the source selected Batt's photo. Returning POWs did not indicate that any of the crew or passengers had been held with them in their prison system. When 591 Americans were released from Vietnamese prisons in 1973, high-ranking military officials were shocked that "hundreds" who were expected to be released were not. Examination of intelligence reports suggest that there was more than one prison "system" in Vietnam. Those prisoners who were released were maintained in the same systems. If the missing men aboard the U21A were captured and kept in another system, the POWs who returned would not know it. Now, nearly 20 years later, men like these are all but forgotten except by friends, family and fellow veterans. The U.S. "priority" placed on determining their fates pales in comparison to the results it has achieved. Since the U21 A was lost, nearly 10,000 reports have been received by the U.S. relating to Americans still missing in Southeast Asia. Many authorities believe that hundreds remain alive, waiting for their country to come for them. Whether the men aboard the U21A are among them is not known. What is certain, however, is that we, as a nation, are guilty of the abandonment of nearly 2500 of our best and most courageous men. We cannot forget, and must do everything in our power to bring these men home. In 1988, "material" was provided the United States Government that correlated with Captain Barnes. Additionally, the area where this "material" was reportedly found (Hue) generally correlates with the last known location of Captain Barnes' aircraft. Some reports label this a "dog tag" report, while others mention remains. As of 1999, the crew and all the passengers remain unaccounted for, listed as presumed dead/body not recovered. |
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