CDR John George Graf, USN

On November 15, 1969, Commander Graf, a U.S. Navy intelligence officer, was accompanying
U.S. Army Captain Robert White on a flight south of Saigon.Their aircraft was hit by
hostile small arms fire and crashed along the coast in Vinh Binh Province. Both crewmen 
parachuted to safety, were captured by local guerilla forces, and held in a provincial
level prison. Both crewmen were initially reported as missing and then reclassified as
POWs.

Commander Graf escaped from the prison circa February 1971 and was never seen again by
Captain White. Captain White survived in the Vinh Binh prison. In 1972, a captured
People's Army of Vietnam document from Military Region 3in the southern Vietnam delta
identified him as the only American POW in captivity in the delta who had not been
evacuated to the Region 3Headquarters controlled prison in the U-Minh mangrove swamp
in Kien Giang Province.

Captain White's name did not appear on the Provisional Revolutionary Government's list
of Americans to be repatriated during Operation Homecoming. Then, at the end of March
1973, People's Army of Vietnam General Tran Van Tra advised U.S. officers with the
Joint Military Commission that Captain White had been omitted from the list and was
to be repatriated. He was released to U.S. officials on April 1, 1973, the last
American POW released during Operation Homecoming. Upon repatriation, he stated he was
led to believe during the war that Commander Graf was still alive but had been told
prior to his release that Commander Graf had died.

Wartime records recovered from the Vinh Binh area included the interrogationreports of
Captain White and Commander Graf. After Operation Homecoming,Commander Graf was
declared killed in action, body not recovered, based on a presumptive finding of death.

U.S. investigators in Vietnam recently interviewed former staff of the provincial prison
who described Commander Graf's escape. His body was recovered later and it was evident
he had drowned. His body was buried in a river bank which later eroded in flooding,
washing away the area where his body had been buried.

Documents such as this may be found in the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library at
the University of Texas.

History of John Graf

1945/1946
Boot camp and Naval School of Photography

APR46-JUL47
Weather Reconnaisance Squadron One (VPW-1) at Camp Kearny (Miramar), CA and Agana, Guam. Advanced to Photo Mate Third Class

1956
In San Diego as PHOM1. Enrolled in the LDO program

1956
In Hutchinson, KS as PHC. Had just been selected as LDO

00DEC57
Relieved Larsen as Chief Photo Mate of Deep Freeze II. Commissioned Ensign (LDO) at Little America in 1958

1962 or 1963
Completed Bombardier/Navigator training and was flying as a B/N on a A3D squadron at Sanford, FL as a LTjg

(Later)
In Sanford, FL as a LT. Assigned to an electronic recon outfit at Rota, Spain

Mid 1960's
In Vietnam with an intelligence operation. Pilot killed by ground fire. Jack brought the plane back to base. Received an award, possibly the DFC

Mid 1960's
Naval Photo Interpretation School. Suitland, MD as LT. On deer hunt with friends, 1965

Late 1960's
Designated a Naval Flight Officer. In Vietnam for a second tour

15NOV69
Shot down and captured. Defended himself with his sidearm as long as possible

(Later)
Escaped from POW Camp! Believed drowned while trying to cross a river. The official word, tends to explain his continued MIA status

Unknown Date Unverified Rumor (?) Seen "in country" as a full CDR. Disappeared from street in Saigon

Present
Name seen on Vietnam Memorial

Present
Wife, Anne, believed living in Kaneone, HI. Also reported living in Virginia and near Chicago