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Other Personnel In Incident: ARVN observer (missing, name unknown)
Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 15 October 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: ACFT OVERDUE - T/O 1420L -J
SYNOPSIS: The O1 "Bird Dog" was used extensively in the early years of the war in Vietnam by forward air controllers and provided low, close visual reconnaissance and target marking which enabled armed aircraft or ground troops to close in on a target. The Bird Dog was feared by the enemy, because he knew that opening fire would expose his location and invite attack by fighter planes controlled by the slowly circling Bird Dog. The Vietnamese became bold, however, when they felt their position was compromised and attacked the little Bird Dog with a vengeance in order to lessen the accuracy of the impending air strike.
On November 6, 1964, 1Lt. Daniel G. Dawson was the pilot of an O1F Bird Dog aircraft flying a visual reconnaissance mission over Bien Hoa Province, South Vietnam. His observer on the mission was an ARVN 2nd Lieutenant, whose name is unknown.
The aircraft was not heard from after takeoff. Although search efforts were made, they failed to turn up either the crashed aircraft or its crew. It is not known whether or not Dawson and his observer survived. The estimated location of the loss is listed as near the city of Bien Hoa.
Daniel G. Dawson was maintained in a status of missing in action, but was ultimately declared dead, based on no specific information to indicate that he was still alive.
In 1973, when agreements were signed ending American involvement in the Vietnam War, 591 American prisoners were released. Dawson was not among them. He is one of nearly 2500 Americans who did not return from Vietnam.
By 1989, over 10,000 reports have been received relating Americans missing, prisoner or unaccounted for in Southeast Asia, and many experts are convinced that hundreds of these missing men are still alive.
Whether Daniel Dawson survived to be captured is not known. It is certain, however, that we have a moral and legal obligation to those who are alive to bring them home.
Daniel G. Dawson was promoted to the rank of Captain during the period he was maintained missing.
[note: Vietnam Helicopter Pilot's Association, October '94 describes incident as "Official description: Died while missing not as a result of hostile action, fixed wing air casualty - pilot."