KALIL, TANOS E.

Name: Tanos E. Kalil
Rank/Branch: U.S. Civilian
Unit:
Date of Birth: 08 August 1929
Home City of Record:
Date of Loss: 08 February 1969
Country of Loss: South Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 104936N 1065628E (YS126965)
Status (in 1973): Prisoner of War
Category: 1
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: Auto
Refno: 1375

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 2020.

Other Personnel In Incident: John J. Fritz; James A. Newingham (both released)

REMARKS: 690613 DIC; ON PRG LIST

SYNOPSIS: Tanos E. Kalil, John J. Fritz and James A. Newingham were three
U.S. civilians captured by Viet Cong forces on February 8, 1969 in Bien Hoa
Province, South Vietnam. The three were held together as captives.

In 1973 Operation Homecoming occurred and 591 Americans were released by the
Vietnamese. Two of those lucky Americans were John Fritz and James
Newingham. John Fritz told of having been tortured and repeatedly thrown in
a pit with snakes and scorpions. Being held in South Vietnam and Cambodia
had its own horrors. Fritz and Newingham were lucky to be alive.

The two also told of Tanos Kalil's fate. In April 1969, they reported, Kalil
fell ill with kidney problems. Because of poor medical attention and even
poorer diet, the illness grew more serious and he ultimately died in June
1969 and was buried near camp.

The Provisional Revolutionary Government (PRG) listed Tanos Kalil as a
prisoner who had died while in captivity. They did not return his remains to
U.S. control. For over 20 years, the U.S. has been unable to bargain for
even those Americans known to have been held captive and now are deceased.
Many consider this an outrage.

Even more outrageous, certainly, is the mounting evidence that hundreds of
Americans are still alive in Southeast Asia. While Vietnam and the U.S. hold
talks which focus on the only remaining barrier to normalized relations
being Vietnamese occupation of Cambodia, families of the nearly 2500 missing
men stand by in helpless horror.

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                                                                                    [ssrep6.txt 02/09/93]


South Vietnam            Tanos E. Kalil
                             (1375)

On February 8, 1969, Mr. Kalil and two other civilian technical
representatives, James A. Newington and John J. Fritz, all under
contract to the U.S. Army's 34th General Support Group, were
traveling in a convoy in the area of the town of Long Thanh in Dong
Nai Province.  Their convoy was ambushed by Vietnamese communist
forces, and the three were captured.

Mr. Kalil was listed as a prisoner at the time of Operation
Homecoming.  The Provisional Revolutionary Government reported he
had died in captivity on June 13, 1969.  His remains have not yet
been repatriated.

Mr. Newington and Mr. Fritz returned alive from captivity.  They
reported that Mr. Kalil was extremely ill and incoherent in June
1969 as a result of a kidney problem.  On June 10, he was given
four injections by camp staff; it appeared that he died after those
injections.  He was removed from the prison.  Guards later returned
and removed all Mr. Kalil's belongings.  They said he was merely
being taken to a hospital and was not dead.


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01/2020

https://dpaa.secure.force.com/dpaaProfile?id=a0Jt0000000KYkbEAG

CIVILIAN TANOS E KALIL

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Mr. Tanos Kalil of Mississippi was employed as a mechanic by Leer Siegler Incorporated. On February 8, 1969, he was riding in a three vehicle convoy en route to his work site at Long Than North, Dong Ngai Province, Republic of Vietnam. As the convoy headed south on Highway 15, it was ambushed by Viet Cong approximately a mile and a half from Bearcat Road in the vicinity of (GC) YS 126 965. Several occupants of the vehicles were killed, and Mr. Kalil and two others were captured and imprisoned. When Mr. Kalil's two fellow prisoners were released in 1973, they reported that Mr. Kalil died of kidney disease while a prisoner of the Viet Cong. His remains have not been recovered.

Based on all information available, DPAA assessed the individual's case to be in the analytical category of Active Pursuit.

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