SWANSON, JON EDWARD
Name: Jon Edward Swanson
Rank/Branch: O3/US Army
Unit: Troop B, 1st Battalion, 9th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division
Date of Birth: 01 May 1942 (San Antonio TX)
Home City of Record: Denver CO
Date of Loss: 26 February 1971
Country of Loss: Cambodia
Loss Coordinates: 115938N 1055053E (WU923259)
Status (in 1973): Killed/Body Not Recovered
Category: 2
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: OH6A
Refno: 1709
Source: Compiled from one or more of the following: raw data from U.S.
Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA families, published
sources, interviews. Updated by the P.O.W. NETWORK in 1998.
Other Personnel in Incident: Larry G. Harrison (missing)
REMARKS:
SYNOPSIS: Jon Swanson was the pilot of an OH6A with Larry Harrison as
observer on a visual reconnaissance mission, while providing close air
support to an ambushed ARVN convoy in Kampong Cham Province, Cambodia.
When the aircraft was flying at a low altitude marking enemy positions, it
came under fire from two machine guns and was seen to burst into flames and
crash. Another helicopter landed near the site, but was forced to take off
when it came under heavy enemy fire. Repeated attempts by both ARVN ground
troops and U.S. helicopters to reach the downed helicopter were thwarted by
enemy fire.
On February 27, U.S. helicopters returned to the area and saw what they
believed to be two remains near the crash site. As late as March 7, the
remains were observed near the crash site, but could not be recovered due to
enemy fire.
It was a common practice for communist troops to leave "bait" to lure other
aircraft hoping to rescue downed aircrews into a hostile area. Because of
the enemy presence in the area of the downed aircraft, it is possible that
the bodies of Swanson and Harrison were used in this manner. Regardless, the
U.S. Government believes that the enemy knows the fate of the two.
Fifteen years after the war ended, the Cambodian government let it be known
that they had the remains of nearly 100 Americans. Unfortunately, the U.S.
has no diplomatic relations with Cambodia and would not officially respond.
Although several U.S. Congressmen have attempted to recover the remains of
these Americans, the government of Cambodia clearly wishes an official
request from the U.S. Government, which it is unwilling to give.
It is not thought that Americans captured by the Cambodian communists were
allowed to survive, but were instead executed. As Vietnamese troops also
coursed through Cambodia, as in Laos, however, a significant number of these
downed pilots and crew might have been captured by the Vietnamese, thus
escaping the post-war holocost caused by the Pol Pot regime in Cambodia.
The governments of Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam have been less than
forthcoming in response to reports that they still hold American prisoners.
The U.S. has been unwilling or unable to obtain the freedom of any living
prisoners since the war ended.
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