On 27 March 1969, Raymond Czerwiec and Gail Kerns were riflemen with A Company, 3rd Battalion, 12th Infantry and on a reconnaissance mission in Kontum Province, South Vietnam when their Platoon came under hostile weapons fire and were forced to withdraw with a number of people missing, including Raymond Czerwiec and Gail Kerns.

An attempt to re-enter the area that afternoon was unsuccessful. Another attempt was made on the 28th but it was also unsuccessful. Air strikes and artillery fire were placed into the enemy area for two days.

On 30 March, Company A attacked the enemy again, and was again forced to withdraw leaving people behind, including SP4 Clarence A. Latimer, who was a rifleman with the company and had been severely wounded during the attempt.

Two long range reconnaissance patrols (LRRP) were sent back into the area a week later to recover the bodies of the missing. Sweeps were made of the area for two days, but no remains were found. Clarence Latimer was declared "Missing In Action" as were Raymond Czerwiec and Gail Kerns.

On 3 March 1973 several 4th Infantry Division POWs, including Gail Kerns, were released by the North Vietnamese. He had been held in South Vietnam, and moved to Hanoi prior to his release. No word had ever gotten out to the U.S. that Gail Kerns had been captured. Kerns was not conscious when he was captured, and did not know the fate of Raymond Czerwiec, nor did he have any information regarding Clarence Latimer.

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