William J. Potter

Rafterman

William J. Potter Jr.

Missing For

Name: William Joseph Potter Jr.
D.O.B: 24 September 1935
Home of Record: Ambridge,Pa
Date of Loss: 29 December 1967
Country Of Loss: Laos
Coordinates of loss:164900N / 1060300E
Status: Missing In Action
Aircarft/Vehichle: A26A
Unit:

Other Personnel In incident

Paul L. Foster

Carlos R Cruz

Both Missing

Name: William Joseph Potter, Jr.
Rank/Branch: O3/US Air Force
Unit: 606th Air Commando Squadron
Date of Birth: 24 September 1935
Home City of Record: Ambridge PA
Date of Loss: 29 December 1967
Country of Loss: Laos
Loss Coordinates: 164900N 1060300E (XD125595)
Status (in 1973): Missing In Action
Category: 2
Acft/Vehicle/Ground: A26A

Other Personnel In Incident: Paul L. Foster, Carlos R. Cruz (both 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: The Douglas A26 Invader was a twin-engine attack bomber with World War
II service. In Vietnam, it served the French in the 1950's and also the U.S. in
the early years of American involvement in Southeast Asia. In 1966, eight A26's
were deployed to Nakhon Phanom to perform hunter-killer missions against truck
convoys in southern Laos.

Capt. Carlos R. Cruz, pilot, Capt. William J. Potter Jr., co-pilot, and SSGT
Paul L. Foster, crewmember, comprised the crew of an A26A Invader assigned a
mission in Laos December 29, 1967. The three flew from Nakhon Phanom from the
606th Air Commando Squadron to a target area along the Ho Chi Minh Trail.

During the mission the aircraft was hit by enemy fire and was seen to crash. The
last known location for Foster's plane was about 15 miles northwest of the city
of Muang Xepone (Sepone) in Savannakhet Province. This is just about due west of
the DMZ in Vietnam. No parachutes were seen, and no emergency radio beeper
signals were heard by aircraft in the area.

A day or so before the Invader was shot down, Lao Premier Souvanna Phouma
reported that North Vietnamese troops had started a general offensive against
Lao government forces in southern Laos. North Vietnam denied this report on
December 29th, the day the Invader was shot down.

The three men onboard the Invader were declared Missing in Action. The U.S.
believes the enemy may know their fates. Unfortunately, although the Pathet Lao
stated publicly that they held American prisoners, the U.S. never negotiated for
their freedom. Consequently, no American held in Laos has ever been released.

The fates of the crew of the Invader remain unknown. They are among nearly 600
Americans who disappeared in the "secret war" in Laos and never returned. There
is ample reason to believe that the Vietnamese and/or the Communist Lao know
what happened to Cruz, Potter and Foster on December 29, 1967.

William J. Potter Jr. was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, Carlos R.
Cruz to the rank of Major and Paul L. Foster to the rank of Senior Master
Sergeant during the period they were maintained missing.