GRAUERT, HANS HUBERT

Name: Hans Hubert Grauert
Rank/Branch: O2/US Navy
Unit: USS CONSTELLATION
Date of Birth: 31 August 1942
Home City of Record: Rochester NY
Date of Loss: 03 November 1967
Country of Loss: South Vietnam/Over Water
Loss Coordinates: 18128N 1071800E (YF423865)
Status (in 1973): Killed/Body Not Recovered
Category: 5
Acft/Vehicle/Ground: KA3B
Refno: 0889

Other Personnel In Incident: Peter H. Krusi (missing); Richard W. Sanifer
(killed, body recovered)

Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 15 October 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 1998.

REMARKS: ON CONSTELLATION - CRSH ON TAKEOFF

SYNOPSIS: LCdr. Peter H. Krusi, pilot; LtJg. Hans H. Grauert, co-pilot; and
Lt. Richard W. Sanifer, crewman, launched from the USS CONSTELLATION on
November 3, 1967 in their KA3B tanker about 1900 hours in support of a
combat mission. Their responsibility was to circle outside the combat area
for accompanying fighter jets to return to their area for refueling.

Upon takeoff, the tanker crashed, and all aboard were killed. Subsequent
searches yielded the body of Richard Sanifer, but the bodies of the rest of
the crew were not located. Krusi and Grauert were placed in the category of
Killed/Body Not Recovered. There is no hope that their remains can be
recovered.

The crew of the KA3B lost on November 3, 1967 are listed with honor among
the missing because no remains were found. Their cases seem quite clear. For
others who are listed missing, resolution is not as simple. Many were known
to have survived their loss incident. Quite a few were in radio contact with
search teams and describing an advancing enemy. Some were photographed or
recorded in captivity. Others simply vanished without a trace.

Reports continue to mount that we abandoned hundreds of Americans to the
enemy when we left Southeast Asia. While the crew of the KA3B may not be
among them, one can imagine their proud willingness to fly one more mission
to make sure their freedom flights have the fuel to bring them to safety.