Data Sources - Air Force Manual No. 200-25A, Department of the Air Force, Washington, October 16, 1961 page 1. Sanitized copy. National Archives KOREAN Conflict Casualty File (KCCF) 1950-1954.
03/92 -- Korea, and the men yet to be accounted for -- the "official list" -- is a list of U.S. servicemen known to have been
held as prisoners of war by the red Chinese and North Koreans from the Korean War
but not released or accounted for by the communists, as released on May 27,
1957 at a hearing of the House Subcommittee on the Far East and Pacific by the Department
of Defense.
The lists, the printed minutes of the May 27, 1957 hearing and the
"sense of congress" resolution were subsequently buried in the
archives. The original list had 450 names compiled from American POWS who were
repatriated by the Reds, as well as from photographs released by the Reds, Chinese
radio propaganda broadcasts, and letters written home by captured men. The "revised" list was narrowed down in august of 1961 to 389 men, and
all were arbitrarily declared dead by the military services, the USG still
lists them as "unaccounted for".
Names and ranks only were released at the time, and printed in "The
Spotlight" on August 27, 1979, along with the above information and background.
Further information has been compiled by the P.O.W. Network from the Hawaii POW/MIA
Korean Memorial records, National Archives documentation, and public United
States Air Force documentation, and changes made to the original published
information. (FEBRUARY 1992)
William Haskett is listed on the "HONOR ROLL OF FORGOTTEN AMERICANS" yet is noted as having died "while missing" by the National Archive.
03/12/2021
- KOREAN WAR
- UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
- Unaccounted For
Captain William Thomas Haskett, who joined the U.S. Air Force from Virginia, was assigned to the 16th Communications Squadron with temporary duty to the 67th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, 18th Fighter-Bomber Group. Approximately one hour before noon on April 14, 1951, he departed Pusan West Air Base piloting an F-51 Mustang (tail number 44-74401, callsign Wild West How 1). The briefed mission was an armed reconnaissance operation searching for targets of opportunity in an area between Sariwon and Chisong-ni, Korea. As the flight approached Sansan-ni, Capt Haskett's wingman observed a small stream of coolant coming from the cowling and advised him of the situation. The flight soon turned east, and ten minutes later Capt Haskett released the canopy of his Mustang, exiting the aircraft just before it crashed ten miles south of Chisong-ni. His wingman observed Capt Haskett land safely and disappear into a wooded area. That was the last time anyone ever saw Capt Haskett alive. Air searches of the area were unsuccessful in locating him following the crash. A former prisoner of war reported that on May 20, 1951, he saw Capt Haskett’s name, rank, service number, and type of aircraft written on a log in a bunker east of Sinmak. A Chinese doctor and several guards indicated that Capt Haskett had passed through the area a few days earlier, but they later denied all knowledge of him. Additionally, no returning prisoners mentioned having made contact with Capt Haskett, and he remains unaccounted-for. Today, Captain Haskett 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 Deferred.
If you are a family member of this serviceman, DPAA can provide you with additional information and analysis of your case. Please contact your casualty office representative.