January 17, 1967, RTAFB, Udorn, Thailand, an RF-4C Phantom,call sign "Gigolo", roared into the sky, target, 18 miles SW of  Hanoi, mission, Photo Reconnaissance. This aircraft carried two souls with it, my father Gary Wright, and Fred Wozniak. Little could these dedicated Air Force pilots know that within a few hours they would become known as two of more than 2,000 MIAs of Vietnam.

Today, Udorn shows little evidence of the activity there during the Vietnam War. The only monument there to the many thousands of Americans stationed there are a few old buildings and the runways used by American aircraft overgrown with weeds.

What happened that day in 1967 over North Vietnam may never be known. What is known is that these men never returned, and to this day the families of both men still wait for answers, 32 years later!

Did The US Government Knowingly Leave Americans In Vietnam?

When the POWs were being returned in 1973, my mother was called by the Air Force and advised to watch the televised coverage as there could be some men returned who were not on the official list. This alone raises a question about accountability of American POWs in Southeast Asia.

Once all the flights had been completed, she received another call from the Air Force. She was told that they knew all the POWs had not been released and that "Secret Negotiations" were being conducted to get them released. She was also advised to not talk to anyone from the news media about this as it could disrupt the negotiations. Being the good Air Force Wife, she complied.

A few months after this, Henry Kissinger announced to the world that "All American POWs have been returned, there are no live Americans left in Vietnam". We Were BETRAYED and DECEIVED!!!!!

On the afternoon of 17 January, 1967 , a RF-4C  jet aircraft, serial # 65-0888, disappeared while on a photo reconnaissance mission over North Vietnam. The intended target for this photo mission was in the vicinity of coordinates WJ 589 073, HOA Binh Province. No radio contact was ever established with the crew members, Col. Gary G. Wright or Maj. Frederick J. Wozniak, both US Air Force. Arial searches failed to find any trace of the missing aircraft or the crew.

At the time of departure from Udorn RTAFB, the aircraft was loaded with a three hour fuel supply, flying under normal conditions. Aircraft was also unarmed, unescorted, with no fighter cover and no ECM equipment on board. At the time fuel would have been exhausted, no radio contact had been made and they had not recovered at another installation or returned to Udorn RTAFB. Electronic search was conducted. No visual sightings and no other contact was made by beeper or radio. Aircraft and pilots were equipped with normal life saving equipment..

* Conflict regarding radio contact. Files shown to next of kin state "no radio contact after departure"...but unofficial information received by next of kin indicates radio transmissions were received.
* Conflict regarding time of departure and time listed as Missing. Official sources state listed as Missing after fuel would have been exhausted. However, missing persons supplementary report shows time listed as Missing only  55 minutes following takeoff.
* Conflict regarding search for crew. It was stated on different official documents that due to the complete lack of knowledge as to where the aircraft might have gone down, no true search was able to be conducted. Other pilots from the squadron advised next of kin that the aircraft could have gone down in Laos.
* FBIS Reports: Foreign Broadcast Information Service monitored a broadcast in english, on Peking Radio stating that three US aircraft had been downed that day over Hanoi, however, no names were given.
* Reported Captured by OSDPA. A 15 February 1967 edition of the Chicago Tribune (Vietnam War Casualties Section). Then on 21 February 1967, letters written to next of kin of both men that included an apology of the now stated "Erroneous DOD Press Release" and the correction that followed, stated that it was an administration error and neither man was captured. Several years later, in 1974, OSDPA copies report being investigated
* Wife of Gary Wright, in 1969, identified a photo of a captured pilot as being her husband. Officials now claim said photo is a USAF pilot who returned in 1973, yet they refuse to identify him claiming privacy reasons!