CASE SYNOPSIS: WILLIAM AUGUST OTT

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Name:                        William August Ott
Rank/Branch:                 Colonel O3/USAF
Unit:

Date of Birth:               23 September 1934
Home City of Record:         Livermore CA
Loss Date:                   08 October 1970
Country of Loss:             Laos
Loss Coordinates:            155000N 1061000E
Status (in 1973):            Missing In Action
Category:                    2
Acft/Vehicle/Ground:         RF4C
Other Personnel In
Incident:                    Donald E. Shay (missing)

Remarks:

SYNOPSIS: William Ott and his co-pilot Donald Shay wereaboard an RF4C
aircraft when it went down in Southern Laos on October 8, 1970.   The
last radio contact was made 30 minutes flying time from their home
base.  No word has surfaced on either man since that day.

When 591 Americans were released from Vietnam in 1973, Shay and Ott
were not among them.  As a matter of fact, the Lao released no
prisoners whatever.  They were not a part of the Paris Peace talks
ending American involvement in Southeast Asia, and they have not been
negotiated with since.

Since 1973, over 5000 reports have been given to the U.S. Government
regarding Americans still in Southeast Asia.  Some have withstood the
closest scrutiny possible, and cannot be disputed.  There is very
strong reason to believe that Americans are still held captive in
Southeast Asia today, particularly in Laos.

Unlike "MIAs" from other wars, most of the nearly 2500 Americans who
did not come home from Vietnam can easily be accounted for, dead or
alive.  We, as a nation, must turn our immediate attention to those
who are alive and do everything possible to secure their freedom.