GUENTHER, HARRY

Name: Harry Guenther
Branch/Rank: Civ
Unit: Communications Engineer in Saigon
Date of Birth:
Home City of Record: Germany
Date of Loss: 21 August 1967
Country of Loss: South Vietnam/Over Water
Loss Coordinates: 124956N 1092527E
Status (in 1973):
Category:
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: C47
Missions:
Other Personnel in Incident: Robert Gino Eby, CIV
Refno: 0795

Source: Compiled by P.O.W. NETWORK from one or more of the following: raw
data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA
families, published sources, interviews and CACCF = Combined Action
Combat Casualty File. 2020.

REMARKS:

SYNOPSIS:  Robert G. Eby, an American citizen, and Harry Guenther, were,
according to Defense Department onboard a C47 aircraft which crashed off the
coast of South Vietnam. CIA records, however, list the aircraft as being a
DC3 crashing off the coast of MR-3 region of South Vietnam.  No sign of
survivors or remains were sighted.

On April 11, 1969, a rallier identified a number of photographs as being of
some of the men he saw while working at a POW camp near the city of Hue in
South Vietnam.  Robert Eby's photograph was one of the ones he was
absolutely sure of.  He had seen him in the camp in Thua Thien Province.

Along with the identifications, the rallier provided detailed maps and
drawings of the camp and region to prove that he was telling the truth.  He
even listed all the guards and workers, their names and certain information
about them.  He was as complete as he could be.

The documents outlining this rallier's report were obtained through the
Freedom of Information Act by a private citizen in 1985.  He showed the
documents to men who had been held prisoner and released.  The information
was largely verified by those sources.

The U.S. Government said that the rallier was a liar.

Whether Robert G. Eby or Harry Guenther survived the crash of this plane may
never be known. Not because the Vietnamese and Lao are cruelly holding our
prisoners for ransom, but because no one in this U.S. Government is looking
for him.

 

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01/2020 -  No DPAA bio is avail for Guenther as he was not a U.S. loss. Incident information below.

 

ROBERT GINO EBY

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Robert G. Eby was an American citizen employed by Page Communications Engineers Inc. in South Vietnam. On August 21, 1967, Mr. Eby was traveling as a passenger aboard a C-47 Skytrain (serial number B1523) chartered by Air Vietnam from China Air Lines. The aircraft was carrying one other civilian passenger and an unknown number of Chinese crew on an administrative mission from Nha Trang to Da Nang, South Vietnam. En route to Da Nang, the aircraft crashed in Vung Ro Bay the vicinity of (GC) 49P CQ 290 190. A helicopter crew flying in the area observed the C-47 impact the water and immediately sink. No crew or passengers were seen to escape from the aircraft. An extensive search of the area did not locate Mr. Eby and he remains unaccounted for. 

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

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.

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