Serviceman Missing from Vietnam War Identified

United States Department of Defense ^ | January 15, 2004 | DoD Media

[Calpernia]

A serviceman missing in action from the Vietnam War has been identified and returned to his family for burial.

He is Army Capt. Clinton A. Musil Sr. of Minneapolis, Minn.

On May 31, 1971, Musil was aboard an OV-1A Mohawk fixed wing aircraft flying a daylight reconnaissance mission over Savannakhet Province in Laos. Though enemy antiaircraft artillery was known to be in the area, none of the crewmembers in other aircraft noted any attack on Musil’s aircraft. Several people did see a large fireball when the helicopter crashed. Attempts to contact him by radio were unsuccessful, and search and rescue efforts were precluded by enemy forces in the area.

During two investigations in 1993 and 1995, U.S. and Lao specialists learned of a potential crash site from local residents. The purported site was located on a steep slope, and appeared to correlate within 200 meters with the loss location in U.S. wartime records. The site had been scavenged, but the team found small pieces of aircraft wreckage and possible human remains. Following the recommendations of the investigators, other U.S. and Lao teams excavated the site twice in 2001 and once in 2002. During these three excavations, they recovered aircraft wreckage, personal effects, aircrew-related items and human remains.

The recovered remains were identified in 2003 by the Central Identification Laboatory through skeletal analysis and mitochondrial DNA. The remains of a second crew member have yet to be identified. The Defense Department’s POW/Missing Personnel Office establishes policy and directs the effort to account for the more than 88,000 missing in action from all conflicts. Of these, 1,871 are from the Vietnam War.

[Calpernia]

Welcome home

Serviceman Missing from Vietnam War Identified

[Calpernia]

BELOVED MERCIFUL FATHER,

We are grateful for the reminders from scripture just how much you do cherish us as your very own children. We are grateful that you are mindful of each of us while we are sojourners in this beautiful but challenging place called earth. Father, we as your children seek to return your love with our obedience and our caring for each of our brothers and sisters. Father, keep us one-pointed in our attention upon you and help us to see that we are seeing your very own precious face when we gaze upon our family members, our friends, those who are our leaders, all who are serving the Holy Cause of Freedom, and all who cross our path each day.

Father, YOU are the one in charge in a world seemingly gone mad. YOU are the one who has a grand design and a Plan which, as we are obedient, shall indeed take shape and come to fruition in the fullness of your time and Will.

Father, in obedience to your admonition to pray without ceasing, and to love one another, we do join in prayer this day for our President, leaders, military, intelligence operatives and their families. Father, we have seen in the news the attempt to bring down or muddy the mantle of our President through the stories and innuendos involving the outing of a CIA operative. We have seen reported the stories involving Ted Kennedy and Joseph Wilson's allegations. Father, we have heard our President state that if there was an illegal disclosure of a CIA operative, he wants it investigated and those responsible held accountable.

Father, we have seen how there are many forces arrayed against this President. We ask now for your own Truth and Justice in this matter to prevail. We ask that you will expose the Truth and the Lie so that there is no doubt among the minds of our people as to the reality of the situation. We ask that you will intercede in this tempest so that it is not a distraction of our President's attention, precious time, and personal resources. Father, we place this and any and all similar attacks upon our President's administration into your hands and keeping.

You have said, "The government will be upon HIS shoulders." Father, let our government indeed rest upon our Lord's shoulders, for we have evidence that this President has called Him forth for that purpose. We claim our Lord's Presence in that White House, in that House of Representatives, in that Senate, in that Supreme Court. Let this government under our Constitution indeed rest upon His shoulders this day!

We call forth your protection of each of our troops this day. We call forth your protection of those lonely souls who serve in our intelligence operations. We call forth the protection of the undercover identities of these operatives. We call forth the exposing of all who would betray our best servants. Those who work in intelligence often have very little recognition. Father, we ask that you will give each of them an unmistakable and tangible knowledge of our gratitude and appreciation of them and their work on our behalf.

In addition to the guidance and protection for the effectiveness of this Administration, we call forth physical protection for this President and all who surround him. We call forth the same physical protection for our Vice President and all our key governmental representatives and Administration Secretaries.

Father, we call forth a special healing of heart and soul for Explorer89's brother John, who has had to deal with the ugliness that is war. Father, we commend John's valiant friend to your keeping. We call forth your healing and comforting for his family. We call this forth not only for John and his friend, but for all who are in similar situations of loss and grief. We continue to echo the prayer of William Stephenson written on the eve of the Battle of Britain and given to Eleanor Roosevelt on a day when already many had given their lives in defense of England and the Free World, and more were anticipated:

"Dear Lord,
Lest I continue
My complacent way
Help me remember
Somewhere out there
A man died for me today
--As long as there be war
I then must
Ask and answer
Am I worth dying for?" *

Father, help us live lives which would compel the answer to be "YES!" Let us take the sacrifice of these young men and women and use that time and opportunity they have afforded us to work unceasingly for the preservation of our Constitution and all the freedoms it reserves for the People. Help us to face each of the encroachments upon our nation wheverever we are. Help us to fight the fight right where we are. Help us to challenge our own lethargy, our own blindness, our own demons! We claim Victory for our nation, and equally important, we claim our own personal Victories this day!

Father, we are your children, but we ask that you will help us grow into mature sons and daughters, blessed with your strength, wisdom, and courage! You have called us, so in your Mercy, help us give answer and fulfill the assignments you have given us. If we are deaf or blind to your Call, and dont know what you would have of us, but want greatly to know what you have in mind for us, grant us guidance to know what is the first step we can take this day!

Amen

[kellynla]

Thanks for posting. Welcome home! Semper Fi, Kelly

[SAMWolf]

Capt. Clinton A. Musil Sr

[RiflemanSharpe]

May God have mercy on his soul.

[Poohbah]

On May 31, 1971, Musil was aboard an OV-1A Mohawk fixed wing aircraft flying a daylight reconnaissance mission over Savannakhet Province in Laos. Though enemy antiaircraft artillery was known to be in the area, none of the crewmembers in other aircraft noted any attack on Musil’s aircraft. Several people did see a large fireball when the helicopter crashed.

The OV-1 Mohawk was a fixed-wing aircraft.

[eastforker]

fixed wing aircraft flying a daylight reconnaissance mission over Savannakhet Province in Laos. Though enemy antiaircraft artillery was known to be in the area, none of the crewmembers in other aircraft noted any attack on Musil’s aircraft. Several people did see a large fireball when the helicopter crashed....... Am I reading this correctly, it says he was flying a fixed wing aircraft and then says it was a helicopter???? anybody

[Calpernia]

>>>On May 31, 1971, Musil was aboard an OV-1A Mohawk fixed wing aircraft

It says right there Poohbah, that is was a fixed wing aircraft. Now the focus is not on the secy that typed this up and put helicopter in the later part of the paragraph as a typo. The focus is on welcoming home, Capt. Clinton A. Musil Sr.

[Dubya]

Praying and agreeing with you.

WELCOME HOME CAPT.

[eastforker]

True but this comes from DoD,incompetence should not be tolerated in an article as serious as this.

[facedown]

R.I.P., Cap'n.

[Valin]

MUSIL, CLINTON ALLAN, SR.

Name: Clinton Allan Musil, Sr.
Rank/Branch: O3/US Army
Unit: 131st Aviation Company, 212th Aviation Battalion, 11th Aviation
Brigade (see note in text)
Date of Birth: 01 February 1940
Home City of Record: Minneapolis MN
Date of Loss: 31 May 1971
Country of Loss: Laos
Loss Coordinates: 162013N 1065308E (YD014094)
Status (in 1973): Killed/Body Not Recovered
Category: 3
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: OV1A
Refno: 1751

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 in 1998.

Other Personnel In Incident: Jack W. Brunson (missing)

REMARKS:

SYNOPSIS: On May 31, 1971, WO Jack Brunson, pilot, and Clinton Musil,
observer, were flying on a visual reconnaissance mission when their OV1A
Mohawk crashed and burned due to unknown causes about 6 kilometers
south-southwest of Phou Ke Dai, Savannakhet Province, Laos.

The crew of another aircraft in the area stated that the flight was
proceeding normally, and that Brunson was having no problems. On the fifth
pass over the target, and in a steep left turn, the observing aircraft lost
sight of Brunson and Musil's aircraft. The observing aircraft saw a huge
ball of flame on the ground. Radio contact was attempted, but could not be
established. There were no parachutes observed, no electronic beacon signals
heard, and no survivors were seen on the ground. Due to the hostile threat
in the area, no search and rescue operation was initiated.

Brunson and Musil are among nearly 600 Americans lost in Laos. Because Laos
was not party to the agreements ending American involvement in Southeast
Asia, none of the Americans the Pathet Lao said they held were ever
released.

Witnesses believe that Brunson and Musil perished in the crash of their
light observation plane on May 31, 1971. Experts believe that hundreds of
other Americans are still alive today, held prisoner against their will.

Brunson and Musil would gladly fly one more mission for them. Why can't we
bring our men home?


NOTE: The 20th Aviation Detachment existed until December 1966, at which
time it was reassigned as the 131st Aviation Company, 223rd Aviation
Battalion (Combat Support). The 131st Aviation Company had been assigned to
I Corps Aviation Battalion since June 1966, when it arrived in Vietnam. In
August 1967, the 131st Aviation Company was reassigned to the 212th Aviation
Battalion where it remained until July 1971, whereupon it transferred out of
Vietnam.

There were a large number of pilots lost from this unit, including Thaddeus
E. Williams and James P. Schimberg (January 9, 1966);
John M. Nash and Glenn D. McElroy (March 15, 1966);
James W. Gates and John W. Lafayette (April 6, 1966);
Robert G. Nopp and Marshall Kipina (July 14, 1966);
Jimmy M. Brasher and Robert E. Pittman (September 28,1966);
James M. Johnstone and James L. Whited (November 19, 1966);
Larry F. Lucas (December 20, 1966);
and Jack W. Brunson and Clinton A. Musil (May 31, 1971). Missing OV1 aircraft crew from the 20th/131st represent well over half of those lost on OV1 aircraft during
the war.

U.S. Army records list both Nopp and Kipina as part of the "131st Aviation Company, 14th Aviation Battalion",
yet according to "Order of Battle" by Shelby Stanton, a widely recognized military source, this company was never
assigned to the 14th Aviation Battalion.
The 131st was known as "Nighthawks", and was a surveillance aircraft company.

http://www.scopesys.com/cgi/bio2.cgi?bio=M461

[pabianice]

Several people did see a large fireball when the [OV-1A] helicopter crashed...

The OV-1 is an airplane, stupid.

The US press... stubbornly butt stupid and uninformed... but PROUD...

[Calpernia]

Ok, I'm calling the Pentagon now.

[Calpernia]

Message left at the Pentagon Media contact room in reference to the Fixed Wing vs. helicopter issue.

I will say, I am GREATLY disappointed with the behavior on this thread. This post was to memorialize Capt. Clinton A. Musil Sr.

There was ABSOLUTELY NO NEED for the words that have been posted.

Remember, I am a CIV reporting. If I had known the importance of the difference in aircraft comments, AND if I had known it would keep comments such as stubbornly butt stupid and uninformed... OFF of a memorializing thread, I would have called before posting.

No, I'm not dismissing the fact that it should be accurate. But this thread is no different than visiting a funeral home. There is a respectful way to behave.

I will post and ping you when I hear back from the Pentagon.

[snopercod]

Thanks for posting this. I wouldn't take the helicopter v. fixed-wing comments personally.

The recovery and identification teams have been busy lately, haven't they?

[bonfire]

Thank you for posting this thread, Calpernia.

[blackie]

Serviceman Missing from Vietnam War Identified ~ Bump!

[pabianice]

You're right. My post was ill-tempered and out of place. I apologize. Thank you for sharing what was the important fact: an American serviceman who gave his life in war is being returned home.