Name: Bruce Carleton Bessor
Rank/Branch: O2/US Army
Unit: 219th Aviation Company, 17th Aviation Group, 1st Aviation Brigade
Date of Birth: 10 January 1948 (Arlington VA)
Home City of Record: Fairfax VA
Date of Loss: 13 May 1969
Country of Loss: Laos
Loss Coordinates: 152330N 1073600E (YC787037)
Status (in 1973): Missing In Action
Category: 4
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: O1G
Other Personnel in Incident:
Mike J. Scott (missing)
REMARKS:
SYNOPSIS:
On May 13, 1969, 1Lt. Bruce Bessor, pilot, and SFC Mike J. Scott,
observer were flying on an O1G aircraft (serial #51-16959) on a radio relay
mission for a Special Forces reconnaissance team in the area of the
Vietnam/Laos border. SFC Scott was assigned to Command and Control Central,
MACV-SOG (Military Assistance Command, Vietnam Studies and Observation Group).
MACV-SOG was a joint service high command unconventional warfare task force
engaged in highly classified operations throughout Southeast Asia. The 5th
Special Forces channeled personnel into MACV-SOG (although it was not a Special
Forces group) through Special Operations Augmentation (SOA), which provided
their "cover" while under secret orders to MACV-SOG. The teams performed deep
penetration missions of strategic reconnaissance and interdiction which were
called, depending on the time frame, "Shining Brass" or "Prairie Fire" missions.
At about 0800 hours, when the recon team had radio contact with 1Lt. Bessor's aircraft, they heard aircraft engine noise southwest of their position followed by 15 rounds of 37mm fire and engine sputtering but no sound of crash, then a large volume of rifle fire from the same direction. The reconnaissance team then lost radio contact with the aircraft.
Search aircraft attempted to enter into the suspected crash control site, but cloud cover and enemy fire prevented them from doing so. On May 18, the area was visually searched, but nothing was found. Bessor and Scott were declared Missing in Action. They are among nearly 600 Americans still missing in Laos.
In the early 1970's the Pathet Lao stated on a number of occasions that they held "tens of tens" of American prisoners and that those captured in Laos would also be released from Laos. Unfortunately, that release never occurred, because the U.S. did not include Laos in the negotiations which brought American involvement in the war to an end. The country of Laos was bombed by U.S. forces for several months following the Peace Accords in January 1973, and Laos steadfastly refused to talk about releasing our POWs until we discontinued bombing in their country.
Consequently, no American held in Laos was ever returned. By 1989, these "tens of tens" apparently have been forgotten. The U.S. has negotiated with the same government entity which declared it held American POWs and has agreed to build clinics and help improve relations with Laos. If, as thousands of reports indicate, Americans are still alive in Indochina as captives, then the U.S. is collaborating in signing their death warrants.
