Can You Help Identify the "Unknown Mariner" of Vietnam?
An unidentified mariner died in Vietnam around April 1975 of pancreatitis. He may have have died suddenly aboard his ship, or may have been treated a South Vietnamese hospital for some time. [The symptoms of pancreatitis are severe abdominal pain, fever, and nausea.]
The "Unknown Mariner" was:
- About 50 years old
- 5 feet 11 inches tall
- Over 200 pounds
- Either black or mixed race
- Nationality unknown, possibly American or European
His body was brought to the morgue of the 7th Day Adventist Hospital in Saigon probably in mid-April 1975, and was left behind during the chaos of the final evacuation of U.S. personnel on April 30, 1975.
The body was buried by Communist officials, and turned over to the U.S. in 1989. He does not match the description of known American military or civilian MIA's.
Can you help identify him? Was anyone from your ship taken to a hospital in Vietnam anytime from January through April 1975? Did you hear second-hand stories about anyone from another ship falling seriously ill?
We are working with the Department of Defense MIA Office to solve this mystery. Please contact usmm.org @ comcast.net if you have any clues which will help identify this person and his next of kin.
2/16/00