JOHNSON, RANDOLPH LEROY

Name: Randolph Leroy Johnson
Rank/Branch: E5/US Army
Unit: 48th Aviation Company, 223rd Aviation Battalion, 1st Aviation Brigade
Date of Birth: 22 May 1949
Home City of Record: Milwaukee WI
Date of Loss: 20 February 1971
Country of Loss: Laos
Loss Coordinates: 162721N 1062748E
Status (In 1973): Missing In Action
Category: 2
Acft/Vehicle/Ground: UH1C

Other Personnel In Incident: Jon E. Reid; Robert J. Acalotto; David M. May (all
missing)

Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 01 September 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:

SYNOPSIS: Lam Son 719 was a large-scale offensive against enemy communications
lines which was conducted in that part of Laos adjacent to the two northern
provinces of South Vietnam. The South Vietnamese would provide and command
ground forces, while U.S. forces would furnish airlift and supporting fire.

Phase I, renamed Operation Dewey Canyon II, involved an armored attack by the
U.S. from Vandegrift base camp toward Khe Sanh, while the ARVN moved into
position for the attack across the Laotian border. Phase II began with an ARVN
helicopter assault and armored brigade thrust along Route 9 into Laos. ARVN
ground troops were transported by American helicopters, while U.S. Air Force
provided cover strikes around the landing zones.

During one of these maneuvers, W1 Jon E. Reid was was flying a UH1C helicopter
(serial #66-700) with a crew of three - 1Lt. David M. May, co-pilot, SP5 Randall
L. Johnson, crew chief, and SP4 Robert J. Acalotto, door gunner - on a mission
providing gun cover for an emergency resupply mission about 20 miles southeast
of Sepone, Laos. The aircraft was hit by hostile fire and crashed.

When the helicopter landed, it was upright on its skids, with the tail boom
broken off and the right aft burning. Witnesses stated that it was certainly a
"survivable crash." 
Two people were seen exiting the aircraft on the right side, running towards
nearby trees. Witnesses noted that the left pilot door was jettisoned and that
both forward seats were empty. Several attempts were made to rescue the downed
crew, but were unsuccessful because of heavy enemy fire. The 1st ARVN Division
was to assist in a ground rescue attempt, but the tactical situation changed
before the infantry could reach the area, and the unit had to be pulled out. No
contact with the crew was ever established after the crash.

According to information received by his family, John Reid was known to have
been captured and was seen alive by other U.S. POWs in March of that same year,
again in May and once in June. Whether the rest of the crew was captured is
unknown. When the POWs were released in 1973, Reid was not among them, nor was
the rest of the crew. The communist governments of Southeast Asia claim no
knowledge of the fate of the crew of the UH1C that went down February 20, 1971.

Proof of the deaths of May, Reid, Acalotto and Johnson was never found. No
remains came home; none was released from prison camp. They were not blown up,
nor did they sink to the bottom of the ocean. Someone knows what happened to
them.

Were it not for thousands of reports relating to Americans still held captive in
Southeast Asia today, the families of the UH1C helicopter crew might be able to
believe their men died with their aircraft. But until proof exists that they
died, or they are brought home alive, they will wonder and wait.

How long must they wait before we bring our men home?

David M. May was promoted to the rank of Captain, Jon E. Reid to the rank of
Chief Warrant Officer, Randolph L. Johnson to the rank of Sergeant First Class,
and Robert J. Acalotto to the rank of Staff Sergeant during the period they were
maintained missing.