On April 6, 1966, LTC James W. GATES, pilot, and Capt. John W. LaFAYETTE, observer, departed Hue/Phu Bai airfield at 1540 hours in an OV1A Mohawk (serial #63-1377) as number 2 aircraft on a visual reconnaissance mission over Laos.   Number one aircraft was an OV1A flown by Capt. Harry DUENSING and observer SP5 Larry JOHNSON.

At about 1648 hours, the U.S. Air Force airborne command post, Hillsborough, received a mayday from the two OV1 aircraft, and dispatched two FAC in the area for an immediate search for the two downed air crews.   At 1730 hours, the air crews were on the ground about 1 kilometer apart.   One of the FAC's established radio contact with both crews, who reported that they were all okay.

DUENSING's aircraft had been hit by enemy ground fire, and GATES and LaFAYETTE began flying cover for the other crew.   GATES' plane was hit immediately.   All four men safely ejected from their planes in the vicinity of 502-Charlie and were in radio contact with air cover.   DUENSING and JOHNSON were evacuated safely, and radio contact continued for 1 1/2 hours before contact was lost with GATES and LaFAYETTE.   Their last transmission reported that they were being surrounded by Viet Cong.   It is believed that both men were captured.

When 591 American prisoners were released in 1973, GATES and LaFAYETTE were not among them.   In fact, the Vietnamese deny any knowledge of the two.   They are among nearly 2500 Americans who did not come home from Southeast Asia at the end of the war.   Unlike the MIAs of other wars, many of these men can be accounted for.   Tragically, nearly 6000 reports of Americans still in captivity in Southeast Asia have been received by the U.S., yet freedom for them seems beyond our grasp.

Men like GATES and LaFAYETTE went to Indochina in our name.   What must they be thinking of us now?

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