Missing in Southeast Asia
Recorded by
Service and Country of Loss
IMPORTANT UPDATE: As of early 2015, the Defense POW-Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) is now the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA). DPAA has changed the format used in reporting the current status of the effort to account for Americans missing in SEAsia.
Current Status of Unaccounted-for Americans Lost in the Vietnam War per DPAA reporting
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Information current as of: August 05, 2018
Note 1: Of the Americans missing in Vietnam (North and South), 470 are in a "non-recoverable" category. This means that as a result of rigorous investigation, we have conclusive evidence the individual perished, but do not believe it possible to recover his remains. On rare occasions, new leads can arise that bring a case back to an active status.
The following chart shows the Americans who remain missing in Southeast Asia divided by military service, country of loss, and status of investigation into loss incident. This data is taken from the Defense POW-Missing Personnel website.
On the DPMO website, click on the VIETNAM WAR tab. Then, look on the right side of the page for a salmon-colored box and click on the STATISTICS link. On the STATISTICS page you'll the last two years of statistical reports listed first followed by links to stats reports from previous years. Here's a link to DPMO page that lists their statistical reports for the Vietnam War:
http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo/vietnam/statistics/
As of early 2015, the Defense POW-Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) is now the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA). DPAA has changed the format used in reporting the current status of the effort to account for Americans missing in SEAsia. As a result, the chart below is NOT being updated by DPAA. The information in the chart below was current as of early 2016 but will no longer be updated (August 2016).
| Service | Country of loss * | Totals ** | ||||
| VN | VS | LA | CB | CH | ||
| Army | 10 | 409 | 73 | 23 | 0 | 515 |
| Navy | 254 | 82 | 17 | 0 | 7 | 360 |
| Marine Corps | 22 | 163 | 17 | 4 | 0 | 206 |
| Air Force | 1179 | 125 | 189 | 17 | 0 | 510 |
| Coast Guard | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Civilians | 1 | 19 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 31 |
|
Totals |
466 | 798 | 302 | 49 | 7 | 1,622** |
| Pursuit status *** | ||||||
| VN | VS | LA | CB | CH | ||
| Further pursuit | 212 | 495 | 270 | 41 | 4 | 1,028 |
| Deferred | 28 | 51 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 93 |
| No further pursuit | 226 | 252 | 13 | 7 | 3 | 501 |
|
Totals |
466 | 798 | 302 | 49 | 7 | 1,622 |
* Country of loss: VN = North Vietnam VS = South Vietnam LA = Laos CB = Cambodia CH = China
** Includes 468 who were lost at sea or overwater
*** Pursuit status refers to the current status of continuing analysis, research, or other investigation of a missing man's loss.
Further pursuit means that information collected and analyzed to date indicates that US investigators should continue to investigate this case, possibly even excavate a site. Deferred means that further investigation is necessary but that no action is being taken now; the investigation will become active later. No further pursuit means that all possible leads have been followed on this loss and no further action will be taken unless new information becomes available.
American Remains Identified Since 1973
Remains returned or repatriated from: Number Vietnam 711* China 3 ** Laos 273 Cambodia 41 Total 1,028 *** * Includes 34 remains that were on the Died in Captivity lists provided by the Vietnamese in 1973.
** Ashes of two men were returned by the Chinese. Their aircraft were shot down over North Vietnam but crashed across the border in China.
*** Remains of four men were recovered by indigenous personnel and returned to US custody: one from North Vietnam and three from Laos. They are included in the country count.
Information current as of: August 05, 2018
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