ERSKINE, JACK DOUGLAS Name: Jack Douglas Erskine Rank/Branch: U.S. Civilian Unit: Geotronics Company Date of Birth: 11 May 1927 Home City of Record: Date of Loss: 13 November 1968 Country of Loss: South Vietnam Loss Coordinates: 112052N 1085252E (BN688552) Status (in 1973): Prisoner Of War Category: 1 Acft/Vehicle/Ground: Jeep Other Personnel in Incident: (Philippino, escaped) REMARKS: VC SKETCHES OF ERSKINE FOUND 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. SYNOPSIS: On the afternoon of November 13, 1968, Jack D. Erskine, a civilian employee of the Geotronics Company was captured by personnel wearing black pajamas (presumed to be Viet Cong) when the jeep he was riding in was ambushed. The incident occurred on National Highway 1 in Binh Thuan Province, South Vietnam. Highway 1 follows the coastline of Vietnam, and Erskine was just about at the point where Binh Thuan and Nunh Thuan Provinces meet when he was captured. A Philippine national who was in the jeep with Erskine managed to escape. In February 1970, Viet Cong documents were found in Binh Thuan Province which contained three artist sketches drawn in January 1970 depicting Erskine in captivity. At about the same time, a Viet Cong rallier who had participated in Erskine's capture reported on the incident. Erskine's name did not appear on any list of prisoners held. He is one of nearly 2500 Americans who are missing in Southeast Asia. Some, like Jack Erskine were known to have been prisoners, yet the Vietnamese deny any knowledge of their fates. Since the end of the war, nearly 10,000 reports have been received by the U.S. relating to the missing in Southeast Asia, convincing many authorities that hundreds are still alive in captivity. Whether Erskine is among them is unknown, but as long as there is even one American held unjustly, every effort must be made to bring him home. [r1321.97] PROJECT X SUMMARY SELECTION RATIONALE NAME: ERSKINE, Jack D., Civilian OFFICIAL STATUS: CAPTURED CASE SUMMARY: SEE ATTACHED RATIONALE FOR SELECTION: Mr. Erskine was reported to be alive and well in captivity as much as three months after he was captured. There is no information which would constitute evidence of death. REFNO: 1321 20 Apr 76 CASE SUMMARY 1. (U) At about 1500 hours on 13 November 1968 Mr. .Jack D. Erskine, a survey party Foreman, and Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tam a Vietnamese driver, both employed by the Geotronics Company, were traveling on National Highway #1 when they were ambushed by the Viet Cong near the Ca Na crossroads in the vicinity of grid coordinates (GC) BN 688 552. Mr. Rolando Leyson, a Filipino who was a passenger in the jeep, was injured in the incident but escaped capture. Mr. Erskine and his driver were captured and led across a railroad into the jungle. (Ref 1) 2. Documents captured at (GC) AN 779 434 by a US unit on 18 February 1970 contained three pictures drawn by an individual for an unspecified unit. These pictures depicted two Viet Cong guerrillas escorting "Jack", a US serviceman who was captured in Ca Na District, Ninh Thuan Province, South Vietnam. (Ref 2) 3. Two South Vietnamese sources independently reported observing a US civilian POW at commo-liaison station F-3, (vicinity of coordinates AN 870 340), in northwestern Binh Thuan Province in mid-January 1969. The Viet Cong, interpreter escorting him said the American was enroute to Hanoi. This American had been captured in Ninh Thuan Province about three months earlier. He was being taken north to be held until after a cease-fire, when he could be exchanged for North Vietnamese prisoners captured in South Vietnam. (Ref 3 & 4) 4. (U) On 9 January 1975 an element of the 212th Regional Force Battalion found Mr. Erskine's MACV identification/ privilege card, minus photograph in an abandoned house at (GC) ZT 205 215. (Ref 5) 5. (U) Details of this case, together with information indicating enemy knowledge of the case, were turned over to the Four-Party Joint Military Team on 8 August 1973 with a request for any information which would assist in determining status and resolution. No response was Forthcoming. The Two-Party joint Military Commission was given details of this case. The collapse of the GVN in March April 1975 prevented further investigation of this case. Mr. Erskine is currently carried in the status of Captured. REFERENCES USED 1. RPT (U), Advisory Team 45, 18 Nov 68. 2. RPT (C), CDEC Bulletin 30, 080, Mar 70. 3. IIR (C), CAS RPT NO CS-311/07642-70, 21 Sep 70. 4. IIR (C), CMIC, RPT NO 6 029 1117 71 13 Dec 71. 5. MSG (U), PROV REP BINTH THUAN, 09082OZ Jan 75. * National Alliance of Families Home Page