Unclaimed

[RetPara]

I have read a LOT on POW/MIAs over the years. This is a story about the purported finding of MSG John Robertson who was reported KIA/BNR in Laos.

There has not been anything as credible as this in a number of years. While it is highly probable to be a hoax or fraud of some kind.... What if it's not?

Profile from the Virtual Wall
John Hartley Robertson
ON THE WALL: Panel 64E Line 8
PERSONAL DATA:
Home of Record Birmingham, AL
Date of birth: 10/25/1936
This page Copyright© 1997-2013 www.VirtualWall.org
MILITARY DATA:
Service: Army of the United States
Grade at loss: E7
Rank: Master Sergeant
Note: Promoted while in MIA status
ID No: 417461354
MOS: 11G50: Infantry Senior Sergeant
Length Service: **
Unit: FOB-1, CCN, MACV-SOG, 5TH SF GROUP, USARV
CASUALTY DATA:
Start Tour: Not Recorded
Incident Date: 05/20/1968
Casualty Date: 04/28/1976
Age at Loss: 39 (based on date declared dead)
Location: , Laos
Remains: Body not recovered
Casualty Type: Hostile, died while missing
Casualty Reason: Helicopter - Noncrew
Casualty Detail: Air loss or crash over land


http://www.thestar.com/entertainmen...vietnam_veteran_left_behind_for_44_years.html

 

[Marauder06]

Robertson’s story seems unbelievable.

Yep.

 

[Teufel]

We have an organization that is entirely devoted to tracking down the remains of MIA personnel since the end of the Vietnam war. It's called JPAC, formerly known as CILHI. There have been investigation and recovery teams all over Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and other countries around the world for the last forty years. It is highly unlikely that a legitimate living POW would have escaped discovery until some documentary film maker went into country. He doesn't speak English anymore? Sounds pretty far fetched to me.

 

[AWP]

http://www.macvsog.cc/john_hartly_rob.htm

Sorry that the information concerning John Hartley Robertson (JHR) flying around the net for the past days, has become confusing.
According to persons in the USG, working in Phnom Phen, the Caucasian depicted in the photo has been proven not to be JHR, but to be a French citizen, long time in Cambodia, with a Vietnamese wife, and several children. Proof was produced by a DNA sample, more than one year back.
On receiving a message via email, for a solid contact, from the USG, with this info, who received this from his USG organization in Cambodia, I have become convinced that the brothers Faunce (Joseph and Thomas) are being duped by this Caucasian, whose language is pidgin English and Viet.
I did speak to Joseph Faunce on 25 Feb, prior to his departure / return to Cambodia that very day. These Faunce lads seem thoroughly convinced (that) they have JHR, but those USG personnel on the ground, who have taken DNA from this same man (according to the info I received) are certain this man is a fraud. I wish this was not true; however, it surely seems to be true.
Ex-POW (Mark Smith) in a message I received on 28 Feb and shown below, is convinced this Caucasian male is a fraud, having dealt with him 18 years back.
In talking to Mary Shantag, who, with her husband, operate the info@pownetwork.org

in searching out those making false claims, agree with Mark Smith, that his Caucasian male in Cambodia, is attempting to fraud the USG. The USG has completed several actions involved with this man (according to info I have received)

I regret (that) the Faunce brothers, and several other fine American citizens, are taken in by these actions. I surely regret that the real JHR is not alive, for I worked in the same project as did this fine man.​

​

 

[RetPara]

Thanks Freefalling. Cambodia has been the nest of countless MIA scams.

 

[AWP]

De nada.

While I genuinely believe that we left men behind (not counting those sent to China or Russia), I don't think any survived past the 80's.

 

[Marauder06]

The writeup about him read like the Nigerian Gold scam of POWs/MIAs.