VIETNAM POW/MIA BIO: MILLINER, William Patrick - Kentucky From: Margaret Bates Date: Mon 12 Mar 2001 MILLINER, WILLIAM PATRICK Name: William Patrick Milliner Rank/Branch: W1/US Army Unit: Troop B, 7th Squadron, 1st Cavalry, 164th Aviation Group Date of Birth: 12 June 1950 Home City of Record: Louisville KY Date of Loss: 06 March 1971 Country of Loss: Laos Loss Coordinates: 164204N 1063359E (XD670470) Status (in 1973): Missing In Action Category: 1 Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: AH1G Other Personnel in Incident: John F. Hummel (missing) Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project (919/527-8079) 15 June 1991 from one or more of the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews. Copyright 1991 Homecoming II Project. REMARKS: SYNOPSIS: On March 6, 1971, WO John F. Hummel, aircraft commander, and WO William P. Milliner, co-pilot, were flying an AH1G Cobra helicopter gunship (serial #67-15464 and call-sign Choice Writer 25) as the wingman in a flight of two helicopters returning from a mission providing gun support for an extraction of a downed aircrew consisting of 7 U.S. personnel in Laos. While in route, the weather turned hazy. At about 2000 hours, the lead aircraft, Writer 28, notified his troop's forward operation at Khe Sanh, South Vietnam, that both gunships were planning to use a ground control approach (GCA). The lead aircraft tried to radio Hummel for him to obtain his own GCA, because he knew the two aircraft would have difficulty staying together in the approaching haze. However, Hummel did not answer the radio call. The lead gunship contacted the Khe Sanh GCA and was told to climb to 5000 feet and make a left 360 degree turn to a heading of 020 degrees. The wingman was still with the lead aircraft at this time, but no radio contact could be established with him. Shortly after, the GCA control informed the lead aircraft to turn to a heading of 070 degrees at 4000 feet. After a descending turn was initiated, WO Hummel's aircraft passed over the top of the lead aircraft. This separation occurred in the clear, and then the flight leader entered the cloud layer so no further visual sighting of WO Hummel's aircraft occurred. The lead aircraft landed safely. Search and rescue efforts were begun for Hummel and Milliner, but had negative results. Hummel and Milliner were listed Missing in Action. Some years later, the Defense Intelligence Agency "rated" missing persons in Southeast Asia according to the degree of suspected enemy knowledge, using a scale of 1 to 5. Hummel and Milliner were classified "Category 1", meaning the U.S. had reliable information that the enemy knew the fate of Hummel and Milliner. Category 1 does not suggest whether an individual was alive or dead at the time this knowledge was obtained. A confusing aspect of the records of Hummel and Milliner is that the Defense Department classifies their loss as "non-hostile" although initial military reports clearly state the mission was combat-related. This information also does not seem to correlate with known enemy knowledge of their fates. On March 11, 1971, an AP report from Hong Kong quoted the Viet Cong as saying they had captured alive two pilots of a U.S. Army helicopter shot down Monday near Khe Sanh. The announcement had been made over Viet Cong Liberation Radio. The Defense Department informed the Milliner family this report related to another pair of downed pilots. Later in 1971, John Hummel's mother called the Milliners from Texas. She said NBC News had broadcast a film of helicopter pilots being held prisoner. She said she didn't know what Bill Milliner looked like, but she had seen her own son on the screen. When Mrs. Milliner tried to view the film in Kentucky, she was referred to NBC New York. Someone there informed her the film had been "withdrawn" by the U.S. Government and made classified information. Further attempts to track down the film resulted in the NBC's statement that the only film on file that clearly showed American POWs had been released in January 1971 and may have been made as early as 1968. He denied any film of the Vietnam War was ever taken away by the government. A report was received through U.S. intelligence sources of a sighting of three U.S. POWs in southern Laos in mid-June, 1971. The report, received by the Milliner family in August 1978 as a result of filing a request for all information under the Freedom of Information Act, had been referred to the CIA by Department of Defense for review in 1972. Although the Defense Department was holding the report in Hummel and Milliner's files, DIA stated the reports correlated to Francis G. Thornton and Frederick L. Elbert, two POWs who were moved through Laos prior to arriving in North Vietnam in June 1971. Both men were released from Hanoi in 1973. A report was received in February 1987 from a Vietnamese source who claimed to have heard of a person who recovered the remains of three Americans, and presented a piece of paper containing service numbers and a bank credit card number. The data on the paper related to 1Lt. Leonard E. Dornak, USMC, and WO John F. Hummel, USA. Dornak had been killed in a CH53A helicopter crash on January 8, 1968 and his remains recovered and returned to the U.S. for a group burial (indicating that the remains were probably incomplete and possibly unidentifiable). No analysis was made on the credibility of the possibility that Hummel's remains had been found other than to state the source was disappointed when he learned he would not be paid for the information he had brought. The source agreed to provide further information, but "declined to bring any bone fragments out of Vietnam" fearing complications in his leaving the country. He agreed, however, to present the identification information indicated on the paper. [See also April 1990 and October 1990 reports on Hummel later in this summary.] A source report was received in 1989 from a Thai businessman who relayed hearsay information that "Milliner Wicctamp 401745001" was alive and a prisoner of war in Laos. 401745001 is Milliner's social security number and the number which would appear on his dog tags. This report was relayed with the message that "Milliner" could be brought to freedom in exchange for a $2.4 million reward which has been offered in Southeast Asia by several U.S. Congressmen. Although the report was received in October, 1989, it was not until January, 1990, that an official evaluation was made, and not until February 6, 1991 that the report was forwarded by the Department of the Army to the Milliner family. Enclosed with the report was a "fact sheet" warning of the bogus "dog tag" reports coming out of Southeast Asia. The Department of the Army clearly believed the report to be worthless. By February, 1990, the Milliner family was afraid the trail to the source of the information was cold. Any hope they had in trying to help their son's would-be liberators collect the privately-offered reward were gone. In mid-March, 1990, the USG summary of another report was sent to the Milliner family - this one dealing with a source who knew of a number of Americans who had died shortly after seven helicopters crashed on March 27, 1971, at Hill 500 in Savannakhet Province, Laos. Although there were several helicopters downed within a few nautical miles of this area in this general time frame, there was no day on which seven were shot down at one location. Therefore, according to the Defense Intelligence Agency, the report could not be correlated to any specific incident. Hummel and Milliner were lost approximately 6 nautical miles from the location in the report. The actual report, sanitized, was not sent to the Milliner family until October 10, 1990. On April 4, 1990, the Milliner family was sent a narrative which told of a young Amerasian man who, convinced Milliner was his natural father, had traveled throughout Laos looking for his crash site. The young man visited the U.S. Embassy at Vientiane on September 19, 1989 bearing Milliner's dog tag. He added that he had finally found the crash site, and that a small amount of remains, including at least one reasonably long bone fragment were being held in the town of Muong Khong in southeastern Saravane Province, Laos. Since the source could not specifically locate the crash site, and stated that he had found the crash site of a fixed-wing aircraft (not a helicopter), the story was discounted as a fabrication and it was assumed the dog tag was a fake. On April 23, 1990, Hummel's original U.S. military identification card, MACV currency control card, and Bank Americard, together with some bone fragments, were brought to a USG representative. The source refused to turn over the cards, but gave the remains to the representative, who in turn sent them to the U.S. Army's Central Identification Laboratory for analysis. The source, according to a USG report, tried to strike a bargain for the cards. The report stated that the Vietnamese national had been the source of previous dog tag reports on Hummel, and added that "based on the fact that WO1 Hummel has been the subject of several other dog tag reports in the past, it is doubtful that the source actually possesses his remains." On June 26, 1990, the Department of the Army forwarded a sanitized report to Milliner's family that again indicated a group of individuals wanted to bring Milliner to freedom in exchange for the reward. The source brought with him a photo of what he claimed was an American POW in captivity. He hoped to authenticate the photograph in order for his "contacts" to collect the reward. In August, 1990, the Milliner family was informed that the reference to the photograph was not meant for them - that in the sanitized portion of the June 26 report, the source had stated that the photograph was of another American POW, not Milliner. The previously-sanitized portion of the June 26 report was the explanatory information about the photo. Enclosed with the letter of August 1990 was another copy of the report with the previously-sanitized portions visible. The photo in question was also sent to the Milliner family, with remarks that the man did not appear to be a captive. The Caucasian in the photo was smiling, carrying a smile (smiling) Lao girl, and appeared to be in good physical condition. It was later learned that the source was "turned away" with regard to the reward, and told that the U.S. does not offer money for information POWs or MIAs and not to "be too quick to believe everything he hears." One of the originators of the reward, former U.C. Congressman Billy Hendon, filed a complaint in October 1990 against JCRC for negligence in pursuing any lead that might result in the release of an American POW -- whether or not the reward was sanction (which it is not) by the U.S. Government. It was Hendon's position that the USG should refer inquiries to the Congressmen who are offering the reward in a timely fashion instead of unilaterally ignoring the fact that there existed a well-publicized, and quite legitimate offer by private U.S. citizens. In October, 1990, the Milliner family was forwarded a rubbing of Milliner's dog tag which was allegedly obtained by a Vietnamese in a refugee camp. Also in October 1990, JCRC Hawaii forwarded a report received the previous month from a source that claimed to have located a crash site in Quang Tri Province, Vietnam, with remains nearby. A torn uniform and a large number of bones and fragments were scattered a short distance from the crash site. The source said he examined the torn uniform and discovered a bank card from the Midland Bank of Midland, Texas, another card of indeterminate type, and the military identification card of John F. Hummel. He collected all of these items, and all the remains he could find, including several teeth, and took them back to his house, where in 1990, they were being kept by his wife. The source gave the interviewer a photocopy of the Hummel identification card, and promised more information from the other cards as soon as his wife responded to his written request to send it. Although the photocopy showed a photograph above the name "Hummel, John" which Hummel's family positively identified, Hummel's correct social security number of 464748161, and fingerprints, the interviewer believed the information given was too sketchy to persuade anyone that the source had recovered the remains himself. In all, five separate sources had claimed to have this information, and had claimed to have remains recovered from different areas. On January 24, 1991, the Milliner family was informed that a Lao citizen had brought a list of 13 Americans whom he said were missing to Nong Khai, Thailand. The only name left unsanitized on the report sent to the Milliner's was "MILUNLT LUAMP, 401745001" - again, Milliner's correct social security number. [Note: the distortion in the name is not uncommon given the difference in alphabets; names are frequently seen in what appear to be strange forms in refugee reports.] The source provided no further details, but indicated that if the USG was interested, more information could be made available. The U.S. Government never doubted that Hummel and Milliner could be accounted for, alive or dead. They had proof that the Vietnamese had first-hand information on their fates. Like Billy Hendon, many Americans are outraged that the U.S. Government does not seem to be following every lead that would result in the return of a fallen American serviceman. Even more distressing are the hundreds of first-hand live sighting reports that have yet to be resolved. In May, 1991, the former head of DIA's special office on POW/MIA affairs testified before Congress that reports were not being adequately researched or followed up in a timely fashion. Further, he said the notion that the issue of an accounting for POW/MIAs being the "highest national priority" was a "travesty" and that efforts were reduced to "digging a few holes" looking for remains, while live-sighting reports were largely ignored or debunked. It is unclear why the USG would not welcome the efforts of private citizens to "buy" a live POW from Southeast Asian citizens on a strict COD basis. It seems an ideal solution to a difficult problem - unless, as some charge, the USG is not interested in the return of American POWs and would prefer the issue simply "go away." Nearly 600 Americans were lost in Laos during the war in Vietnam. Although the Pathet Lao stated on several occasions that they held "tens of tens" of American prisoners, Laos was not included in the negotiations ending American involvement in the war, and the U.S. has never negotiated for the freedom of these men since that time. Consequently, not one American held in Laos has ever been released. No one saw Hummel and Milliner die after their aircraft disappeared into the clouds. As participants in missions over Laos, which were often classified and dangerous, they were undoubtedly warned that they could be killed or captured. They may not have dreamed they would be abandoned. William P. Milliner and John F. Hummel were promoted to the rank of Chief Warrant Officer during the period they were maintained Missing in Action. Milliner's father, Joseph Milliner, a B-24 pilot, was a prisoner of war in an Italian prison camp for two months, and following Germany's overrun of Italy, spent the remainder of World War II in a German prison camp. ***************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free genealogical information on the Internet, data may be freely used for personal research and by non-commercial entities as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may not be reproduced in any format or presentation by other organizations or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for profit or any form of presentation, must obtain the written consent of the file submitter, or his legal representative and then contact the listed USGENWEB archivist with proof of this consent. 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