Lam Son 719 was a large-scale offensive against enemy
communications lines which was conducted in that part of Laos adjacent to
the two northern provinces of South Vietnam. The South Vietnamese would
provide and command ground forces, while U.S. forces would furnish airlift
and supporting fire.
Phase I, renamed Operation Dewey Canyon II, involved an
armored attack by the U.S. from Vandegrift base camp toward Khe Sanh,
while the ARVN moved into position for the attack across the Laotian
border. Phase II began with an ARVN helicopter assault and armored brigade
thrust along Route 9 into Laos. ARVN ground troops were transported by
American helicopters, while U.S. Air Force provided cover strikes around
the landing zones.
During one of these maneuvers, W1 Jon E. Reid was was
flying a UH1C helicopter (serial #66-700) with a crew of three - 1Lt.
David M. May, co-pilot, SP5 Randall L. Johnson, crew chief, and SP4 Robert
J. Acalotto, door gunner - on a mission providing gun cover for an
emergency re-supply mission about 20 miles southeast of Sepone, Laos. The
aircraft was hit by hostile fire and crashed.
When the helicopter landed, it was upright on its
skids, with the tail boom broken off and the right aft burning. Witnesses
stated that it was certainly a "survivable crash."
Two people were seen exiting the aircraft on the right
side, running towards nearby trees. Witnesses noted that the left pilot
door was jettisoned and that both forward seats were empty. Several
attempts were made to rescue the downed crew, but were unsuccessful
because of heavy enemy fire. The 1st ARVN Division was to
assist in a ground rescue attempt, but the tactical situation changed
before the infantry could reach the area, and the unit had to be pulled
out. No contact with the crew was ever established after the crash.
According to information received by his family, John
Reid was known to have been captured and was seen alive by other U.S. POWs
in March of that same year, again in May and once in June. Whether the
rest of the crew was captured is unknown. When the POWs were released in
1973, Reid was not among them, nor was the rest of the crew. The communist
governments of Southeast Asia claim no knowledge of the fate of the crew
of the UH1C that went down February 20, 1971.
Proof of the deaths of May, Reid, Acalotto and
Johnson was never found. No remains came home; none was released from
prison camp. They were not blown up, nor did they sink to the bottom of
the ocean. Someone knows what happened to them.
Were it not for thousands of reports relating to
Americans still held captive in Southeast Asia today, the families of the
UH1C helicopter crew might be able to believe their men died with their
aircraft. But until proof exists that they died, or they are brought home
alive, they will wonder and wait.
How long must they wait before we bring our men
home?
David M. May was promoted to the rank of Captain, Jon
E. Reid to the rank of Chief Warrant Officer, Randolph L. Johnson to the
rank of Sergeant First Class, and Robert J. Acalotto to the rank of
Staff Sergeant during the period they were maintained missing.
|
Honored on the Vietnam
Veterans Memorial:
Panel 05W - - Line 122
|
The VietNam Veterans'
Memorial Wall Page
Incidental Information:
Click Here
to view a queried report of messages and files
concerning Robert J. Acalotto from the POW/MIA Database at the Library of Congress's Federal Research Division. (Links will open in New Browser Window).
You can run queries on Acalotto, Robert to view the messages.
SSgt Acalotto is
currently maintained on the Defense Intelligence Agency's "Last
Known Alive" roster, last dated February 7, 1996. Reference
Number 1708.
Did you serve with this
HERO? Is he Family, an old friend, or a High School Sweetheart?
Is there something special you would like to share about Robert -- If so,
I would like to hear about it and post it on this page!! Please send me an
e-mail
