BOSILJEVAC, MICHAEL JOSEPH Remains returned September 1987
Name: Michael Joseph Bosiljevac Rank/Branch: O3/US Air Force Unit: 17th Wild Weasels, 388th Tactical Fighter Wing, Korat RTAFB Date of Birth: 09 October 1945 Home City of Record: Omaha NE Date of Loss: 29 September 1972 Country of Loss: North Vietnam Loss Coordinates: 210200N 1052200E (WJ380256) Status (in 1973): Missing In Action Status in 2003: Died in Captivity - See remarks below. Category: 2 Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: F105G Refno: 1930 Other Personnel In Incident: James W. O'Neil (released POW)
Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 01 April 1990 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 2003.
REMARKS: GD CHUT-CAPTURED-CRWM REL PW; BEEPER-VOICE CONT-CROW-01 ALPHA/BETA-PER RED CROWN
SYNOPSIS: Lt.Col. James W. O'Neil was the pilot and Capt. Michael J. Bosiljevac the EWO (Electronic Warfare Officer) of an F105G jet fighter which was shot down by a Soviet SAM (Surface to Air Missile) on September 29, 1972. Both Bosiljevac and O'Neil ejected successfully, and landed 23 miles southwest of Hanoi. Radio Hanoi/Moscow/Cuba reported the capture of both "pilots" alive (FIBIS) on 29 September 1972. O'Neil was subsequently transferred to Hoa Lo (the "Hanoi Hilton") and repatriated March 29, 1973.
Upon his release, O'Neil stated that he had observed Bosiljevac in the parachute, and that Bosiljevac had manually cut the parachute risers for control and deployed his survival kit for landing. On about the fifth day of his confinement O'Neil asked an English-speaking turnkey about Bosiljevac. The turnkey later returned and said, "He is alive, well, uninjured, and luckier than you."
Repeated USG, as well as family, inquiries met with little response from the DRV/SRV. In fact, the Socialists Republic of Vietnam (SRV) wrote to the family of Mike Bosiljevac and claimed to have "no knowledge of Mr. Michael Joseph Bosiljevac," and further stated that "they no longer hold prisoners within Vietnam."
Yet, on September 21, 1987, the government of Vietnam provided Bosiljevac's name and his remains were returned to USG control on September 24, 1987. The Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii (CILHI) released the remains for a second opinion in January of 1988, and final identification occurred in January 1988. Bosiljevac's remains were returned to Omaha, Nebraska for burial on February 10, 1988.
On August 1, 1989, Mike Bosiljevac's records were corrected to reflect that he Died in Captivity. While this correction does not define the total duration of his captivity, it stands as a matter of record.
Michael J. Bosiljevac was promoted to the rank of Major as a posthumous award.
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11/28/2003
Hi,
Recently I contacted the Assistant Sec Def for POW/MIA and requested that information that was incorrect about Major Michael Bosiljevac be corrected to properly reflect that he died in Captivity. I carefully prepared irrefutable data to send, and courtesy copied Senator Lugar and Bayh, since I live in Indiana now.
In the believe it or not category they changed it to reflect that he did die in captivity.
A couple of years ago, the Moving Wall was at Offutt AFB, and they were giving out information that he died in a "crash", and they said it was information from DOD. At least one person told me that I had to be lying-wow what a blow.
I never could get the Wall in D.C. to give me the courtesy of a reply, and the Moving Wall-same. They just go by what they were given from DOD.
If you happen to know the name of the group that stands the watch at the Wall in D.C., I would like to get it.
It will be interesting to see if the information is changed that they receive.
Thanks as ever for the wonderful work that all of you do. God Bless.
Warm regards,
Kay Bosiljevac
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