This page is Dedicated to the Paul Lloyd Milius !!

He is my POW/MIA that I Adopted and may God

Bless Him and stand by Him as we have Not !!

Other Personnel in Incident: John F. Hartzheim (missing)

Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project October 15, 1990 from one or more of
the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with
POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews.

REMARKS:

SYNOPSIS: The Lockheed P2 "Neptune" was originally designed for submarine
searching, using magnetic detection gear or acoustic buoys. Besides flying
maritime reconnaissance, the aircraft served as an experimental night attack
craft in the attempt to interdict the movement of enemy truck convoys. Another
model, the OP2E, dropped electronic sensors to detect truck movements along the
supply route through Laos known as the "Ho Chi Minh Trail."

The Ho Chi Minh Trail was used by the North Vietnamese for transporting weapons,
supplies and troops. Hundreds of American pilots were shot down trying to stop
this communist traffic to South Vietnam. Fortunately, search and rescue teams in
Vietnam were extremely successful and the recovery rate was high.

Still there were nearly 600 who were not rescued. Many of them went down along
the Ho Chi Minh Trail and the passes through the border mountains between Laos
and Vietnam. Many were alive on the ground and in radio contact with search and
rescue and other planes; some were known to have been captured. Hanoi's
communist allies in Laos, the Pathet Lao, publicly spoke of American prisoners
they held, but when peace agreements were negotiated, Laos was not included, and
not a single American was released that had been held in Laos.

On February 27, 1968, Navy Capt. Paul L. Milius departed his base at Nakhon
Phanom, Thailand (NKP) in an OP2E Neptune on an armed reconnaissance mission
over Laos. Aboard were eight crew members assigned to Observation Squadron 67,
plus Milius, the pilot.

The Neptune had precise navigational equipment and accurate optical bombsight.
Radar was housed in a well on the nose underside of the aircraft, and radar
technicians felt especially vulnerable working in this "glass bubble" nosed
aircraft. It was believed that the aircraft could place the seismic or acoustic
device within a few yards of the desired point, but to do this, the OP2E had to
fly low and level, making it an easy target for the enemy's anti-aircraft guns
that were increasing in number along the Trail.

Milius was over his assigned target in Khammouane Province, Laos, about 15 miles
southwest of the Ban Karai Pass, and was delivering ordnance on the target when
the aircraft was struck by suspected anti-aircraft artillery. A projectile
struck the underside of the aircraft and exploded in the radar well. Petty
Officer John F. Hartzheim, an Avionics Technician assigned to the aircraft, was
struck by fragments of the projectile and began bleeding profusely. The radar
well burst into flames, filling the flight deck area of the aircraft with dense,
acrid smoke.

The aircraft commander ordered the crew to bail out. Hartzheim was carried to
the after station by the Tactical Coordinator. Upon arriving in the after
station, Hartzheim stated that he could not go any farther, and collapsed. Other
crew members later stated they believed Hartzheim died at this time, as his eyes
were wide open and rolled to an upwards position and there was no movement.
Milius was at this time still seated at the controls of the aircraft.

Seven crewmembers safely exited the aircraft, and were subsequently rescued by
Search and Rescue forces. The area of the crashed aircraft was observed, and it
was felt that no identifiable remains would be found. Hartzheim was not believed
to exit the aircraft, and was believed to be dead. He was listed Killed, Body
Not Recovered. It cannot be determined whether the enemy had knowledge of his
ultimate fate.

The pilot, Paul Milius was not rescued. The Bombardier/Third Pilot, who was
rescued, indicated that Milius was sitting at the after-station hatch and bailed
out just prior to his own departure to the aircraft, but SAR efforts had failed
to located and rescue him. Milius was listed Missing in Action.

The Defense Intelligence Agency further expanded Milius' classification to
include an enemy knowledge ranking of 2. Category 2 indicates "suspect
knowledge" and includes personnel who may have been lost in areas or under
conditions that they may reasonably be expected to be known by the enemy.

The family of John Hartzheim has little doubt that he died the day his aircraft
went down. They can take pride in his service, although they have to grave to
visit. For the Milius family, as well as thousands of others, however, solutions
are not so easy. Were it not for the thousands of reports concerning Americans
still held captive in Southeast Asia, these families might be able to close this
tragic chapter of their lives. But as long as Americans are alive, being held
captive, one of them could be Paul Milius. It's time we brought these men home.

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