MATEJOV, JOSEPH ANDREW
GROUP BURIAL 12/95
Name: Joseph Andrew Matejov
Rank/Branch: E4/US Air Force
Unit: Detachment 3, 6994th Security Squadron from Ubon, Thailand
Date of Birth: 02 February 1952
Home City of Record: East Meadow NY
Date of Loss: 05 February 1973
Country of Loss: Laos
Loss Coordinates: 153755N 1065957E (YC143291)
Status (in 1973): Missing In Action/Killed In Action
Category: 1
Acft/Vehicle/Ground: EC47Q
Other Personnel in Incident: Dale Brandenburg; Todd M. Melton; George R. Spitz;
Severo J. Primm III; Peter R. Cressman; Arthur R. Bollinger (all missing);
Robert E. Bernhardt (remains recovered)
Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 15 March 1991 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 1998.
REMARKS: KIA 3 - POSS CAPT 4
SYNOPSIS: On February 5, 1973, about a week after the signing of the Paris
Peace Agreement, an EC47Q aircraft was shot down over Saravane Province,
Laos, about 50 miles east of the city of Saravane. The crew of the aircraft
consisted of the pilot, Capt. George R. Spitz; co-pilot, 2Lt. Severo J.
Primm III, Capt. Arthur R. Bollinger, 1Lt. Robert E. Bernhardt, Sgt. Dale
Brandenburg, Sgt. Joseph A. Matejov, all listed as crew members, and Sgt.
Peter R. Cressman and SSgt. Todd M. Melton, both systems operators. The
families of all aboard the aircraft were told the men were dead, and advised
to conduct memorial services.
It is known that Cressman and Matejov were members of Detachment 3, 6994th
Security Squadron from Ubon, Thailand. The aircraft, however, was flying out
of the 361st TEW Squadron (Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron) at Nakhon
Phanom Airbase, Thailand. Primm, Melton, Spitz, Brandenburg and Bernhardt
were assigned to the 361st TEW Squadron. Bollinger's unit is unknown.
The men in the 6994th were highly trained and operated in the greatest of
secrecy. They were not allowed to mingle with others from their respective
bases, nor were the pilots of the aircraft carrying them on their missions
always told what their objective was. They were cryptology experts, language
experts, and knew well how to operate some of the Air Force's most
sophisticated equipment. They were the first to hear the enemy's battle
plans.
Over five years later, Joe Matejov's mother, Mary Matejov, heard columnist
Jack Anderson, on "Good Morning America", describe a Pathet Lao radio
communique which described the capture of four "air pirates" on the same day
as the EC47Q carrying her son was shot down. NO OTHER PLANE WAS MISSING THAT
DAY. Anderson's information indicated that reconnaissance personnel had 40
uninterrupted minutes in which to survey the crash site.
The report of the reconnaissance team, which was not provided to the
families for over five years, showed that three bodies, which were thought
to have been higher ranking officers because of the seating arrangement,
were found strapped in seats. Four of the men aboard the aircraft were not
in or around the aircraft, and the partial remains of the eighth man
(Bernhardt) was recovered. No identification was brought out from the crash
site, and no attempt was made to recover the three bodies from the downed
aircraft. It is assumed that the reconnaissance team was most interested in
recovering the sensitive equipment aboard the EC47Q. The EC47Q became known
as the "Flying Pueblo". Most of the "kids" in back, as some pilots called
them, were young, in good health, and stood every chance of surviving
captivity.
There were specific reports intercepted regarding the four missing men from
the aircraft missing on February 5, 1973. Radio reports indicated that the
four were transported to the North Vietnam border. None were released in the
general POW release beginning the next month.
Peter Cressman enlisted in the United States Air Force in August, 1969 and
after two years at Elmendorf AFB in Anchorage, Alaska he volunteered for
service in Vietnam and left for Da Nang in June 1972.
In Da Nang, Peter spent his free hours at Sacred Heart Orphanage. His
letters to his hometown priest in Oakland, New Jersey, resulted in the
forming of "Operation Forget-Me-Not". Community schools, churches, merchants
and citizens joined the effort to help the innocent victims of war. The
group eventually provided a boxcar of supplies to the orphans.
Peter was transferred to the airbase at Ubon, Thailand. He believed the
secret missions being flown into Laos were illegal, and had written letters
to his congressman in that regard. His family has been active in efforts to
locate information on Peter and the nearly 2500 others who remain
unaccounted for. They founded the National Forget-Me-Not Association for
POW/MIAs in St.Petersburg, Florida, the largest POW advocacy group in the
country.
Joseph Matejov enlisted in the Air Force in 1970 from his home state of New
York and went to Southeast Asia in April, 1972. Joe's father and two
brothers were career military. His sister graduated from West Point in 1981.
Steven Matejov died in 1984 not knowing what happened to his son. Joe's
mother, Mary says, "Joe may be alive. If so, this government has a legal and
moral responsibility to get him home. The next generation of servicemen
should not have to wonder if they will answer the call to defend their
country only to be abandoned. We must stop this tragedy now, and never allow
it to happen again."
Thousands of reports received by the U.S. Government have convinced many
experts that hundreds of Americans remain captive in Southeast Asia. Members
of a crew flying a secret mission after a peace agreement had been signed
would likely be considered war criminals. If they are among those thought to
be alive, the survivors of the EC47Q have been held captive over 15 years.
It's time we brought our men home.
-----------------------------------------------------------
[matejov.94 08/14/94]
excerpts from letters....
August 6, 1994
from Mary Matejov to friends
Enclosed are the papers I spoke to you about the latest game the
Air Force is playing with me. There are remains, there are not remains
depending on who you are writing to......
April 19, 1994
from Department of the Air Force to Senator D'Amato
"....The Armed Forces Identification Review Board (AFIRB) has not met
nor made any determination concerning a group burial which would include
the remains believed to be of Sergeant Joseph A. Matejov. The
recommendation of the Central Identification Laboratory, Hawaii, will be
only one of many factors evaluated by AFIRN. The United States Army is
the Department of Defense Executive Agent for Mortuary Affairs and is
responsible for identifying the remains of deceased personnel prior to
1993 ("ancient" remains). ......
May 14, 1994
Mrs. Mary Matejov to Col. Spinello, Commander PERSCDM
"Enclosed is a copy of a letter sent to the Honorable Alfonse M. D'Amato
which states there are remains believed to be Sgt. Joseph A Matejov...I
would like these remains sent to Dr. Michael Charney of Colorado...."
May 23, 1994
Department of the Army to Mrs. Matejov
" ....Unfortunately, you have misunderstood what has transpired in this
case as there has not been a recommendation for individual identification
of the remains of Sergeant Matejov. CILHI recommended that comingled,
unsegregated remains recovered from the crashsite of the aircraft on
which Sergeant Matejov was a manifested crewman be identified as the
group remains of the crew including Sergeant Matejov. Therefore, there
are no individually segregated remains that can be identified as
Sergeant Matejov available for an independent opinion......"
May 25, 1994
Dr. Charney to Mrs. Matejov
..." It so happens that Mr. Huey was here this morning on another case,
that of Mark Danielson, also airforce, shot down June 1972. I had
spoken with Huey when he was last here, as I mentioned to you over the
phone and in my note, about the fact that you would be asking that the
"remains" of Joseph be brought, to me and that is when he said that
there was ONLY AN IDENTIFICATION TAG. THAT WAS ALL. ......I will
certainly look over the lot...as they did the teeth of Danielson
today...."
--------------------------------------------
National Alliance of Families,
Bits n Pieces
DESPITE THE VALIANT EFFORTS OF SENATOR BOB SMITH AND CONGRESSMAN BOB
DORNAN AND THEIR STAFFS THE BARON 52 BURIAL REMAINS SCHEDULED TO MARCH
27TH, 1996.
ON FEB. 23, 1996, DINO CARLUCCIO, OF SENATOR SMITH'S OFFICE AND AL
SANTOLI OF CONGRESSMAN DORNAN'S OFFICE MET WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF DPMO
TO DISCUSS THE VIHN PHU LIVE SIGHTING REPORTS, THE BARON 52 INCIDENT,
LIMA SITE 85 INCIDENT, LAO POW/MIA ARCHIVES, THE CASE OF DAVID HRDLICKA
AND THE MISSING SERVICE PERSONNEL ACT. REPRESENTING DPMO WERE SENIOR
DPMO ANALYST, FOR LAOS AND CURRENT OPERATIONS, WARREN GRAY; DIXON
JORDAN, LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS OFFICER; FRANCIS O'BRIEN, GENERAL COUNSEL;
AND ELBERT HAMPTON, ASST . FOR POW/MIA AFFAIRS AND DRUG POLICY, OFFICE
OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS (OSD/LA). MONG
POINTS ACKNOWLEDGED BY DPMO:
VINH PHU LIVE SIGHTINGS - "THE ORIGINAL 1990 LIVE SIGHTING REPORT HAD
BEEN RULED A FABRICATION WITHIN 9 DAYS OF THE REPORT ARRIVING IN THE
THEN-DIA SPECIAL OFFICE FOR POW/MIA. MR. GRAY INDICATED THAT HE WAS NOT
COMFORTABLE WITH THIS DETERMINATION AND THAT THE SOURCE SHOULD HAVE BEEN
IMMEDIATELY RECONTACTED AT THE TIME FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. HE ALSO
STATED THAT THE PERSON AT DIA WHO ANALYZED THE REPORT HAD ONLY BEEN
THERE FOR A SHORT PERIOD AND HAD LEFT TWO DAYS AFTER THE REPORT WAS
APPROVED AS A FABRICATION."
"THE USG ASKED THE VIETNAMESE IN NOV. 1995, TO VISIT THREE MOUNTAINOUS
LOCATION WITH GRID COORDINATES IN VINH PHU PROVINCE, NORTH VIETNAM..."
"IN EARLY JANUARY 1996, THE VIETNAMESE INFORMED THE USG THAT SUCH AN
INVESTIGATION WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED BECAUSE THE REPORTS OF AN UNDERGROUND
PRISON FACILITY IN VINH PHU PROVINCE HAD ALREADY BEEN INVESTIGATED BY
USG AND CONGRESSIONAL STAFFERS IN RESPONSE TO BILL HENDON'S PUBLICIZED
STATEMENTS..... MR. GRAY EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT THE USG HAD NOT YET
EXPLAINED TO THE VIETNAMESE THAT THE AREAS IN QUESTION HAD NOT BEEN
VISITED BY EITHER THE USG OR CONGRESSIONAL STAFF. THE PREVIOUS
INVESTIGATIONS WERE REPORTEDLY LIMITED TO A VILLAGE AREA SEVERAL MILES
FROM THE MOUNTAINOUS REGION BASED ON COORDINATES BILL HAD HAD OBTAINED
FROM THE LIVE SIGHTING REPORTS. MR. GRAY SAID THAT THE COORDINATES IN
ONE OF THE HEARSAY REPORTS HAD BEEN REPORTED ERRONEOUSLY BY A DEBRIEFER
AT THE TIME THE REPORT WAS OBTAINED."
"MR. GRAY SAID HE DID NOT BELIEVE GENERAL WOLD HAD RAISED THE MATTER
DIRECTLY WITH THE VIETNAMESE OFFICIALS DURING HIS TRIP. (NOTE: AT THE
JAN. MEETING AT THE WHITE HOUSE ATTENDED BY NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR
ANTHONY LAKE AND THE MEMBERS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL DELEGATION, GEN. WOLD
HAD CONCURRED THAT THE MATTER NEEDED TO BE RAISED WITH VIETNAMESE
OFFICIALS, ESPECIALLY BY THE PRESIDENTIAL DELEGATION IF THE MATTER WAS
NOT SATISFACTORILY RESOLVED BY THEN.)"
BARON 52 AND THE NSA INTERCEPTS: "MR. GRAY INDICATED THAT HE WANTED TO
CONDUCT HIS OWN ANALYSIS OF THIS CASE, BECAUSE HE APPARENTLY WAS NOT
SATISFIED WITH A PREVIOUS ANALYSIS CONDUCTED BY MR. DESATTE IN 1987.
"MR. HAMPTON FURTHER INDICATED THAT MR. GRAY SHOULD MAKE HIS OPINIONS
KNOWN TO GEN. WOLD ON THE NEED FOR RE-EXAMINATION OF THE NSA MESSAGES,
AND THAT, IF MR. TROWBRIDGE DID NOT OBJECT, DPMO STAFF SHOULD RECOMMEND
TO GEN. WOLD THAT HE CONSIDER ASKING THE APPROPRIATE DOD OFFICIALS TO
RESCIND THE DETERMINATIONS WITH RESPECT TO CRESSMAN AND MATEJOV.... IF
MR. TROWBRIDGE OR OTHERS HAD OBJECTIONS, THEN MR. HAMPTON STATED THE
ISSUE SHOULD BE FURTHER DISCUSSED BETWEEN MEETING ATTENDEES."
"MR. CARLUCCIO INDICATED THAT HE HAD SEVERAL POINTS TO MAKE AT A LATER
DATE CONCERNING THE ACTUAL NSA MESSAGES, AND THAT HE WANTED TO BE
INVOLVED WITH THE RE-EXAMINATION OF THESE REPORTS BY DPMO ON BEHALF OF
SENATOR SMITH. HE REMINDED THE PARTICIPANTS THAT IT WAS UNFAIR TO ASK
THE CRESSMAN AND MATEJOV FAMILIES TO ACCEPT THE AFIRB (ARMED FORCES
IDENTIFICATION REVIEW BOARD.) DECISION WHEN DPMO WAS CURRENTLY UNABLE TO
DEMONSTRATE CONCLUSIVELY TO WHO THE NSA MESSAGES PERTAINED TO IF IT WAS
NOT BARON- 52. HE A GAIN INDICATED THAT NO OTHER AIRCRAFT, SOUTH
VIETNAMESE OR AMERICAN WAS SHOT DOWN IN SOUTHEAST ASIA ON THE DATE OF
THE BARON-52 INCIDENT, AND, AS EARLY AS FEB. 14, 1973, THE DIRECTOR OF
NSA HAD SPECIFIED THE LOCATION OF THE CAPTURED AIRMEN IN THE SAME REGION
OF LAOS WHERE THE SHOOT-DOWN HAD OCCURRED."
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