List of United States servicemembers and civilians missing in action during the Vietnam War (1970–71)

This article is a list of US MIAs of the Vietnam War in the period from 1969 to 1971. 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.

1970 Date missing Surname, First name(s) Rank Service Unit Operation/Battle Name Location Circumstances of loss Recovery status January 2 Fryar, Bruce C Lieutenant US Navy VA-196, Operation Steel Tiger Laos, Khammouane Province Pilot of A-6A #152937 hit by enemy fire on a bombing run, both crewmen ejected and a pararescueman confirmed he was dead but was unable to recover the body. The remains of the Bombardier/navigator LTJG Nicholas Brooks were returned in 1982 Presumptive finding of death January 2 Lindstrom, Ronnie G 1st Lieutenant USAF 25th Tactical Fighter Squadron Operation Steel Tiger Laos, Savannakhet Province Weapons system operator on F-4D #66‑8784 hit by enemy fire, no ejection observed Presumptive finding of death January 2 West, John T Captain USAF 25th Tactical Fighter Squadron Operation Steel Tiger Laos, Savannakhet Province Pilot of F-4D #66‑8784 hit by enemy fire, no ejection observed Presumptive finding of death January 5 Burnes, Robert W 1st Lieutenant USMC VMFA-542 Operation Steel Tiger Laos, Savannakhet Province Radar intercept officer on F-4B #152281 hit by enemy fire, no ejection observed Killed in action, body not recovered January 5 Robinson, Larry W Major USMC H&MS-11 Operation Steel Tiger Laos, Savannakhet Province Pilot of F-4B #152281 hit by enemy fire, no ejection observed Killed in action, body not recovered January 7 Hoff, Michael G Lieutenant Commander US Navy VA-86, Operation Steel Tiger Laos, Savannakhet Province His A-7A #153231 was hit by enemy fire on a strafing run, no ejection observed Presumptive finding of death January 7 Ochab, Robert Captain USAF 390th Tactical Fighter Squadron South Vietnam, Quang Nam Province Pilot of F-4E #67‑0357 that crashed during a low-level training flight, the weapons system operator 1LT Campbell survived Killed in action, body not recovered January 11 Chorlins, Richard D 1st Lieutenant USAF 602d Special Operations Squadron Operation Steel Tiger Laos, Khammouane Province His A-1H was hit by enemy fire on a night interdiction mission Listed as killed in action, body not recovered until 17 January 2015 when he was accounted for January 13 Tubbs, Glenn E Specialist 5 US Army CCS, MACV-SOG South Vietnam, Gia Lai Province Drowned while crossing the Tonlé San river on a long range reconnaissance patrol Presumptive finding of death January 28 Anderson, Gregory L Sergeant USAF Detachment 9, 600th Photo Squadron Operation Steel Tiger Laos, Khammouane Province Aerial photographer on HH-53B #66-14434 Jolly Green 71, shot down on a rescue mission by a MiG-21 flown by Vu Ngoc Dinh Killed in action, body not recovered January 28 Leeser, Leonard C Captain USAF 40th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron Operation Steel Tiger Laos, Khammouane Province Copilot of HH-53B #66-14434 Jolly Green 71, shot down on a rescue mission Killed in action, body not recovered January 28 Pruett, William D Senior Master Sergeant USAF 40th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron Operation Steel Tiger Laos, Khammouane Province Pararescueman on HH-53B #66-14434 Jolly Green 71, shot down on a rescue mission Killed in action, body not recovered January 28 Shinn, William C Staff Sergeant USAF 40th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron Operation Steel Tiger Laos, Khammouane Province Flight engineer on HH-53B #66-14434 Jolly Green 71, shot down on a rescue mission Killed in action, body not recovered January 28 Sutton, William C Master Sergeant USAF 40th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron Operation Steel Tiger Laos, Khammouane Province Pararescueman on HH-53B #66-14434 Jolly Green 71, shot down on a rescue mission Killed in action, body not recovered February 5 Lyon, James M Captain US Army HHC, 2nd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division South Vietnam, Quang Nam Province Pilot of UH-1H #68-16441 that crashed on a flight from Hue to Phu Bai. He was severely injured in the crash and the entire crew was captured by enemy forces. He was killed by one of the guards and buried near the crash site. The remaining crew members Capt. John W. Parsels, SP5 Tom Y. Kobashigawa and SP4 Daniel Hefel were released in 1973 Died in captivity, remains not returned February 5 Stephenson, Richard C Lieutenant US Navy VA-93, USS Ranger North Vietnam, Gulf of Tonkin His A-7B #154391crashed into the sea on launch Killed in action, body not recovered February 12 Bradshaw, Robert S 1st Lieutenant USMC VMFA-122 South Vietnam, South China Sea Pilot of F-4B #151454 that crashed at sea offshore of Quang Tri Province Killed in action, body not recovered February 12 Breeding, Michael H 1st Lieutenant USMC VMFA-122 South Vietnam, South China Sea Radar intercept operator on F-4B #151454 that crashed at sea offshore of Quang Tri Province Killed in action, body not recovered February 18 Gillen, Thomas E Major USAF 435th Tactical Fighter Squadron Operation Barrel Roll Laos, Xiangkhouang Province Pilot of F-4D #66‑7526 shot down on a bombing mission. The weapons system operator Capt Robert S Dotson ejected successfully and was rescued Presumptive finding of death February 20 Moore, Scott F Aviation Maintenance Administrationman 3rd Class US Navy HC-7 South Vietnam, South China Sea Crewman on SH-3A #149908 that crashed at sea Killed in action, body not recovered February 28 Boyle, William Sergeant First Class US Army CCC, MACV-SOG Laos, Attapeu Province Passenger on ARVN CH-34 #55-4324 hit by an enemy rocket, exploded and caught fire. No recoverable remains Killed in action, body not recovered March 2 McVey, Lavoy D Captain USMC C Company, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion South Vietnam, Quang Nam Province Fell from a hoist while being lowered to search for 2LT David Skibbe Killed in action, body not recovered March 2 Skibbe, David W 2nd Lieutenant USMC 1st Reconnaissance Battalion South Vietnam, Quang Nam Province Wounded during an ambush he was being extracted by a CH-46D of HMM-263 when the hoist broke and he fell to the ground. His body could not be located due to strong enemy presence Killed in action, body not recovered March 4 Parker, John J Lieutenant US Navy VA-86, USS Coral Sea North Vietnam, South China Sea His A-7A #153136 crashed into the sea immediately after launch Killed in action, body not recovered March 5 Rosenbach, Robert P Captain USAF 308th Tactical Fighter Squadron South Vietnam, South China Sea His F-100D crashed at sea offshore of Tuy Hoa Air Base while returning from a night bombing mission Presumptive finding of death March 7 Gates, Albert H Captain USMC HMM-263 South Vietnam, South China Sea Pilot of CH-46D #154808 that crashed at sea offshore of Danang Killed in action, body not recovered March 9 Cotten, Larry W 1st Lieutenant USAF 4th Tactical Fighter Squadron Operation Steel Tiger Laos, Attapeu Province Weapons system operator on F-4E #67‑0282 hit by enemy fire and crashed Killed in action, body not recovered March 9 Terla, Lothar G Captain USAF 4th Tactical Fighter Squadron Operation Steel Tiger Laos, Attapeu Province Pilot of F-4E #67‑0282 hit by enemy fire and crashed Killed in action, body not recovered March 9 Parcels, Rex L Lieutenant (LTJG) US Navy VF-21, USS Ranger North Vietnam, Gulf of Tonkin Radar intercept officer on F-4J #155775 that disappeared on an air combat patrol Killed in action, body not recovered March 9 Schoeppner, Leonard J Lieutenant US Navy VF-21, USS Ranger North Vietnam, Gulf of Tonkin Pilot of F-4J #155775 that disappeared on an air combat patrol Killed in action, body not recovered March 9 Robinson, Edward Specialist 6 US Army 175th Radio Research Company South Vietnam, Con Dao Drowned while swimming Killed in action, body not recovered March 12 Scull, Gary B 2nd Lieutenant US Army Advisory Team 3, MACV Advisers South Vietnam, Quang Tri Province Adviser assigned to the ARVN 2nd Regiment, disappeared when the ARVN position at the Khe Gio Bridge was overrun by enemy forces Presumptive finding of death March 13 Pugh, Dennis G 1st Lieutenant USAF 25th Tactical Fighter Squadron Operation Steel Tiger Laos, Khammouane Province Weapons system operator on F-4D #66‑8696 shot down on a FAC mission, both crewmen ejected successfully and he radioed for ordnance to be dropped on his position as he was surrounded by enemy forces. The pilot Capt Richard Rash was rescued Presumptive finding of death March 19 Ayers, Darrell E Staff Sergeant USMC 1st Force Reconnaissance Company South Vietnam, Quang Nam Province Killed while on patrol, his body could not be recovered Killed in action, body not recovered March 21 Gonzales, David Sergeant USMC HML-167 Laos, Xekong Province Gunner on UH-1E #152427 shot down on a covert Prairie Fire insertion mission. The pilot 1LT Larry Parsons survived and was rescued 19 days later, while the copilot 1LT Robert Castle was killed and his remains were recovered Killed in action, body not recovered March 21 Underwood, Thomas W Staff Sergeant USMC HML-167 Laos, Xekong Province Crew chief on UH-1E #152427 shot down on a covert insertion mission Killed in action, body not recovered March 26 Allen, Henry L 1st Lieutenant USAF Detachment 1 (Udorn), 56th Special Operations Wing Laos, Savannakhet Province Pilot of O-1G that disappeared on a familiarisation flight. The remains of the copilot Maj. Richard G. Elzinga were identified in July 2011 Presumptive finding of death April 4 Young, Jeffrey J Private First Class US Army 1st Battalion, 61st Infantry Regiment South Vietnam, Quang Tri Province Killed in action, his body disappeared on its way to graves registration Killed in action, body not recovered April 5 Cropper, Curtis H Lieutenant US Navy VF-151, USS Coral Sea North Vietnam, Gulf of Tonkin Radar Intercept Officer on F-4B #152325 that caught fire and crashed while returning from a combat air patrol mission, both crewmen ejected successfully but he drowned before SAR forces could arrive Killed in action, body not recovered April 6 Brassfield, Andrew T Staff Sergeant US Army RT Missouri, CCN, MACV-SOG Laos, Savannakhet Province Killed during an ambush his body could not be recovered as his team evaded the enemy Killed in action, body not recovered April 6 Flynn, Sean L Civilian Time magazine Cambodia, Svay Rieng Province Photojournalist captured while motorcycling down Highway One, believed to have been executed by the Khmer Rouge in 1971Bass, Thomas A., The Spy Who Loved Us: The Vietnam War and Pham Xuan An's Dangerous Game p. 187, (PublicAffairs: 2009) Accessed Via Google Books June 21, 2009Page, Tim, Derailed in Uncle Ho's Victory Garden: Return to Vietnam and Cambodia p. 171 (Scribner: August 2, 1999) Accessed via Amazon's LOOK INSIDE feature June 21, 2009 Prisoner April 6 Stone, Dana Civilian CBS News Cambodia, Svay Rieng Province Photojournalist captured while motorcycling down Highway One, believed to have been executed by the Khmer Rouge in 1971