KWORTNIK, JOHN CHARLES

Name: John Charles Kwortnik
Branch/Rank: United States Air Force/O3
Unit:
Date of Birth: 26 May 1935
Home City of Record: Downington PA
Date of Loss: 01 August 1966
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 215300 North 1052600 East
Status (in 1973): Missing in Action
Category: 2
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: F104
Missions:
Other Personnel in Incident:
Refno: 0413

Source: Compiled by P.O.W. NETWORK from one or more of the following: raw
data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA
families, published sources, interviews and CACCF = Combined Action
Combat Casualty File.

REMARKS: Remains returned 08/14/85
[r0413.97]
PROJECT X

SUMMARY SELECTION RATIONALE

NAME: KWORTNIK, John, C., Captain, USAF

OFFICIAL STATUS: MISSING

CASE SUMMARY: SEE ATTACHED

RATIONALE FOR SELECTION: After being hit, Capt. Kwortnik was seen ejecting
from his aircraft t with a good parachute. A Hanoi newspaper article
reported the downing of a U.S. aircraft on the same day and in the same
general area, with the subsequent capture of the pilot. There are no
correlated reports of Capt. Kwortnki's possible death since the incident.

REFNO: 0413 14 Apr 76

(U) CASE SUMMARY

1. On 1 August 1966 Capt. John C. Kwortnik was the pilot of an F-104
aircraft "56-0928, call sign DAGGER 02), as number two in a flight of four
aircraft on an escort mission over North Vietnam. Upon entering North
Vietnam one of the aircraft advised that a missile had been launched and
for the flight to take evasive action. Capt. Kwortnik's aircraft was struck
by a missile. The missile did not explode, however there was a burst of
flames from the aircraft's midsection. The pilot ejected in the vicinity of
grid coordinates (GC) WK 456 197 and a good parachute was observed, but due
to the evasive action taken by the rest of the flight, no further
observation was possible and no beeper signals were heard. No search and
rescue operations were conducted due to the location and the high enemy
threat in the area. (Ref 1)

2. On 19 August 1966 a Hanoi newspaper article related the capture of a
downed American pilot on 1 August 1966 in the same general area of this
incident. This could correlate to Capt. Kwortnik. (Ref 2)

3. During the existence of JCRC, the hostile threat in the area precluded
any visits to or ground inspections of the sites involved in this case.
This individual's name and identifying data were turned over to the
Four-Party Joint Military Team with a request for any information
available. No response was forthcoming. Capt. Kwortnik is currently carried
in the status of Missing.

REFERENCES USED

1. RPT (U), 630 Cmbt Spt Gp, AF Form 484 w/attachments, 6 Aug 66.

2. News Article (U), The Peoples Army, Hanoi, 19 Aug 66.

* National Alliance of Families Home Page

---

Use your Browser's BACK function to return to the PREVIOUS page

---