JOHNSON, DALE ALONZO
Name: Dale Alonzo Johnson Rank/Branch: O4/US Air Force Unit: (unknown, per USAF) Date of Birth: 17 September 1929 Home City of Record: Elizabethton TN Date of Loss: 27 October 1966 Country of Loss: North Vietnam Loss Coordinates: 173659N 1062757E (XE556501) Status (in 1973): Killed/Body Not Recovered Category: 3 Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: F105D Refno: 0507 Other Personnel in Incident: (none missing)
Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 01 September 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 - see sourcec below.
REMARKS:
SYNOPSIS: The F105 Thunderchief ("Thud"), in its various versions, flew more missions against North Vietnam than any other U.S. aircraft. It also suffered more losses, partially due to its vulnerability, which was constantly under revision. The versatile aircraft was also credited with downing 25 Russian MiGs.
Maj. Dale A. Johnson was the pilot of an F105D aircraft on a combat mission over North Vietnam on October 27, 1966. While his aircraft was in a dive to make a bombing run near the city of Quang Khe, it burst into flames and began to break up in the air. No parachute was seen and no emergency radio beeper signals were heard. Others in the flight felt certain Johnson went down with the plane and could not have survived.
Dale A. Johnson is listed among the missing because his remains were never recovered. Others who are missing do not have such clear-cut cases. Some were known captives; some were photographed as they were led by their guards. Some were in radio contact with search teams, while others simply disappeared.
Since the war ended, over 250,000 interviews have been conducted with those who claim to know about Americans still alive in Southeast Asia, and several million documents have been studied. U.S. Government experts cannot seem to agree whether Americans are there alive or not. Detractors say it would be far too politically difficult to bring the men they believe to be alive home, and the U.S. is content to negotiate for remains.
Well over 1000 first-hand, eye-witness reports of American prisoners still alive in Southeast Asia have been received by 1990. Most of them are still classified. If, as the U.S. seems to believe, the men are all dead, why the secrecy after so many years? If the men are alive, why are they not home?
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From: "cindy buck" <cwbuck@chartertn.net> Subject: Major Dale A Johnson Date: Tue, 21 Jan 2003 16:47:04 -0500
It has been brought to my attention that when my uncles F105 was hit, he ejected and the parachute beeper was heard. Rescap was called and searched for two hours for Major Johnson. His parachute was seen stuck in trees. This information came from a pilot flying along side my uncle at the time of the incident. No one knows if my uncle was killed, the body was never found. The pilot that reported this is Retired Brig. Gen. Ken Bell, USAF.
Thank you
Cynthia W. Buck