ROGERS, CHARLES EDWARD

Name: Charles Edward Rogers
Rank/Branch: O4/US Air Force
Unit: 1st Air Commando Squadron
Date of Birth: 16 November 1928
Home City of Record: Gary IN
Date of Loss: 04 May 1967
Country of Loss: Laos
Loss Coordinates: 144358N 1064758E
Status (in 1973): Killed/Body Not Recovered
Category: 2
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: A1E
Refno: 0668
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 1999. Information provided by a  family member. 2020

REMARKS:

SYNOPSIS: The Douglas A1 Skyraider ("Spad") is a highly maneuverable,
propeller driven aircraft designed as a multipurpose attack bomber or
utility aircraft. The A1 was first used by the Air Force in its Tactical Air
Command to equip the first Air Commando Group engaged in counterinsurgency
operations in South Vietnam.

Maj. Charles E. Rogers was the pilot of an A1E which was on an ordnance
delivery mission on May 4, 1967. When Rogers' aircraft was about 10 miles
south of the city of Attopeu, it was struck by hostile fire causing it to
crash and explode. Two days later, unspecified information was receive by
the Department of the Air Force which led to a determination that Rogers
died at the time of the incident.

Rogers is listed among the missing because his body was never recovered. He
is among nearly 600 Americans who were lost in Laos during U.S. involvement
in Southeast Asia. Although the Pathet Lao stated on several occasions they
held "tens of tens" of American prisoners, Laos was not included in the
agreements ending American involvement in the war, and the U.S. has not
negotiated for the freedom of these men since that day. Consequently, not
one American held in Laos has ever been released.

Nearly 2500 Americans remain missing or otherwise unaccounted for in
Vietnam. Since the war ended, over 10,000 reports concerning missing
Americans in Southeast Asia have been received by the U.S. Government. Many
experts are completely convinced that hundreds of Americans are still held
captive. Are we doing enough to bring these men home?

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02/2020

https://dpaa.secure.force.com/dpaaProfile?id=a0Jt0000000KY9XEAW

MAJ CHARLES EDWARD ROGERS

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Major Charles Edward Rogers entered the U.S. Air Force from Indiana and was a member of the 1st Air Commando Squadron. On May 4, 1967, he was the pilot of a single-seat A1-E Skyraider (tail number 52-132638, call sign "Hobo 21") that was the lead aircraft in a flight of two that took off from Pleiku Air Base, South Vietnam, on a combat mission over Laos. When the flight was ten miles south of Attopeu, Maj Rogers' Skyraider was hit by enemy ground fire, causing it to crash and explode on impact. His wingman witnessed the crash and did not report seeing a parachute or hearing a rescue beeper following the crash. Attempts to locate Maj Rogers following the incident have been unsuccessful. Today, Major Rogers is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

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

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