"Glory to God: Our POW/MIA"

My family has adopted an American Hero! Name: Gregg Hartness Rank/Branch: 03/US Air Force Unit: Date of Birth: 18 April 1937 Home City of Record: Dallas, TX (born in Detroit, MI) Date of Loss: 26 November 1968 Country of Loss: Laos Loss Coordinates: 160129N 1064201E Status: (in 1973): Missing in Action Category: 2 Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: 02A Other Personnel in Incident: (co-pilot rescued)

Synopsis: Maj. Gregg Hartness and his co-pilot departed DA Nang airbase, South Vietnam in their 02A aircraft for a night visual reconnaissance mission over Southern Laos at 0300 hours on November 26, 1968.

At 0413, as they flew over the rugged, jungle-covered mountainous area, the aircraft suddenly received a hit from an unknown source in the aft section. Hartness uncontrollably. The co-pilot successfully bailed out at 6000 feet and was rescued a few hours later. Although he saw no parachute, the co-pilot believes that Hartness could have ejected without his seeing him in the darkness.

At 0700 hours, an emergency signal was picked up from a point 28 miles Northeast of Saravane, Laos. Search and rescue located the downed co-pilot and rescued him. Recovery was difficult because of the heavy jungle growth on the steep hill he was on. No attempt was made to approach the aircraft because it was still smoldering and had unexploded ordnance aboard, and there were hostile forces in the area. No further emergency transmissions were detected, and the search was terminated.

Hartness is among nearly 600 Americans who were lost in Laos. Many survived to reach the ground and radio that they were being surrounded. A few were photographed in captivity. Countless others have been described in rallier and refuge reports. The Pathet Lao stated on several occasions that they held "tens of tens" of American prisoners, yet not a single man held in Laos was ever released or negotiated for.