SYNOPSIS: The 3rd Squadron, 4th Cavalry provided ground reconnaissance for the 25th Infantry Division in Vietnam. Troop D was its air cavalry troop, serving mostly with the divisions 25th Aviation Battalion. In 1970, after having seen combat in the Saigon area during the Tet offensive of 1968, the Division continued its primary operations around Cu Chi, South Vietnam, and in the spring of 1970 sent elements into Cambodia seeking North Vietnamese Army sanctuaries.

W2 Andrew J. Elliot was a pilot assigned to Troop D, and on June 9, 1970 was assigned a flight to a fire support base at Katum South Vietnam. Aboard the OH6A "Loach" with Elliott were SP5 Stephen L. Gobry and SP4 Jerry W. McGlothen, passengers.

When the aircraft was about half-way between Fire Support Base Santa Barbara and Katum, WO Elliott radioed that he could not see the road nor Katum. He was instructed by the command and control aircraft to go to Tay Ninh and shut down, that everyone would be called to Koropey as soon as the weather cleared. Elliott acknowledged and said, "I'm going to Tay Ninh at this time." This was the last communication with Elliott.

After it was determined that WO Elliott's aircraft was missing, a full scale search effort was initiated and continued for 5 days. On June 24, the wreckage was found and recovery teams inserted into the crash site. The bodies of Gobry and McGlothlen were recovered and positively identified. About 50 meters from the crash site, near the body of McGlothlen, a helmet and chest protector belonging to Elliott were found. It appeared that the body had been dragged to this position from the crash site. A search team remained on the ground 4 days, but were never able to find any trace of Elliott. He was listed Missing in Action.

Whether Elliott survived the crash to be captured was never learned for certain. In 1973, when 591 Americans were released from POW camps in Vietnam, Elliott was not among them.

Since the war ended, nearly 10,000 reports have been received by the U.S. Government relating to missing Americans in Southeast Asia. Most authorities agree that Americans are still alive today, held against their will. Few agree on methods to bring them home.