Capt Bruce Carlton Bessor

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

Refno: 1443

Other Personnel in Incident: Mike J. Scott (missing)

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.

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.

 Last name: BESSOR
First name: BRUCE CARLTON
Home of Record (official): FAIRFAX
State (official): VA
Date of Birth: Saturday, January 10, 1948
Sex: Male
Race: Caucasian
Marital Status: Single

--- Military ---

Branch: Army
Rank: CPT
Serial Number: 564822327
Component: Reserve
Pay grade: O3
MOS (Military Occupational Specialty code): 1980
Major Organization: 1st Aviation Bde

--- Action ---

Start of Tour: Tuesday, May 13, 1969
Date of Casualty: Wednesday, November 10, 1976
Age at time of loss: 28
Casualty type: (A3) Hostile, died while missing
Reason: Air loss - Crashed on land (Pilot - Fixed wing aircraft)
Country: Laos
Province: Unknown/Not Reported
The Wall: Panel 25W - Row 094

The Wall Memorial
1st Aviation Brigade

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