Name: Walter Kosko
SYNOPSIS:
On July 27, 1965, Captain Kosko was the pilot of an F-105D, one in a
flight
of four aircraft from Takhli Air Base, Thailand, on a bombing mission
over
Phu Tho Province, North Vietnam. There was intense anti-aircraft fire
directed at the flight. Following an explosion near his aircraft,
Captain
Kosko reported he was hit and there was smoke in his cockpit. He later
ejected and other flight members observed a fully deployed chute and
survival gear. There was no beeper or voice contact with him after his
ejection.
Captain Kosko was seen to land in the Black River. A search of the river
disclosed an inflated life raft which was empty and no evidence of the
pilot. On July 27th and 28th, Radio Hanoi reported eight U.S. aircraft
shot
down on July 27, 1965 and stated that pilots had been taken into custody
from shoot downs in Ha Tay Province. Captain Kosko landed on the border
of
Ha Tay and Vinh Phu.
Captain Kosko was initially declared missing. Returning U.S. POWs were
unable to provide any information concerning his fate. In November 1977
he
was declared dead/body not recovered, based on a presumptive finding of
death.
U.S. investigators in Vietnam in 1988 and 1990 visited the area of
Captain
Kosko's loss. Vietnamese officials stated that Captain Kosko's life raft
was recovered during the war. One witness stated it was used as a
fishing
boat in the local river until it deteriorated and was discarded. U.S.
investigators were told Captain Kosko had indeed landed in the Black
River,
had never reappeared after going under water, and they believed he
drowned
in the river.
Rank/Branch: USAF, O3
Unit:
Date of Birth: 01 December 30
Home City of Record: Columbia, VA
Date of Loss: 27 July 65
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 210400N 1051800E
Status (in 1973): Missing
Category: 2
Acft/Vehicle/Ground: F105D
Remarks: Ejected-no beep voice srch neg-j
Other Personnel In Incident:
Source: Compiled by THE P.O.W. NETWORK 02 February 93 from the following
published sources - POW/MIA's -- Report of the Select Committee on
POW/MIA
Affairs United States Senate -- January 13, 1993.
"The Senate Select Committee staff has prepared case summaries for the priority cases that the Administration is now investigating. These provide the facts about each case, describe the circumstances under which the individual was lost, and detail the information learned since the date of loss. Information in the case summaries is limited to information from casualty files, does not include any judgments by Committee staff, and attempts to relate essential facts. The Committee acknowledges that POW/MIAs' primary next-of- kin know their family members' cases in more comprehensive detail than summarized here and recognizes the limitations that the report format imposes on these summaries."
I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to keep pushing this issue inside the Beltway... The need to get specific answers is more important now than ever before. If still alive, some MIAs are now in their 70s...They don't have much time left. We have to demand the answers from the bureaucrats and keep standing on their necks (figuratively speaking) until they get the message that THEY work for US and that we are serious about getting these long overdue responses. Diplomatic considerations aside... We can no longer allow questionable protocols established by pseudo-aristocratic armchair strategists, to determine or influence the fate of the men who were in the trenches while the diplomats were sharing sherry and canapes and talking about "Their Plans" for the future of SE Asia.
Information on POWs/MIAs made available through the Patriotism and dedication of some fine and honorable Americans: Scope Systems - 76 Cranbrook Road. Suite #203. - Hunt Valley. MD, 21030
To obtain EMail addresses for the Senate, Congress and Whitehouse go to:
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Another remarkable site is one of an 11 year old Angel who never even set foot on American soil. She not only put up a page, she also started a major project for an organization of Kids on the Net called KeyPals International. Her MIA page is at [http://www.geocities.com/~angelicdevil/mia.html] but don't miss her Bring Grandpa Home at [http://www.worldkids.net/clubs/kci/projects/Bring.html]. If you don't come away from there without a lump in your throat, you were not paying attention.
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This
POW/MIA Ring
site |
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If you would like to adopt a MIA, please click on the bracelet and visit Gunny. Thank you.
