ACOSTA, HECTOR MICHAEL

Name: Hector Michael Acosta
Rank/Branch: O2/US Air Force
Unit: 14th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron
Date of Birth:
Home City of Record: San Antonio TX
Date of Loss: 09 December 1972
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 191800N 1052700E (WG472339)
Status (in 1973): Released POW
Category:
Acft/Vehicle/Ground: RF4C

Other Personnel In Incident: Billie J. Williams (remains returned)

Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 15 February 1991 from one or more of
the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with
POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews. Copyright Homecoming II
Project, 1991.

REMARKS: 730329 RELSD BY DRV

SYNOPSIS: Billie Joe Williams was the aircraft commander of an RF4C armed
reconnaissance "Phantom" fighter/bomber from the 14th Tactical Reconnaissance
Squadron. On December 9, 1972, Williams and four F4s were on a reconnaisance
mission over North Vietnam for action planned for December 18th when his plane
was struck by a surface-to-air missile (SAM) and downed just south of the city
of Nghai Hung in Nghe An Province.

When the aircraft was hit, Hector Acosta, the navigator on the RF4C, ejected
both seats, and two parachutes were observed by the F4s in the flight to leave
the disabled aircraft. Acosta did not know his pilot's condition at that time,
but feared that he was already dead. He had ejected the pilot's seat because he
did not want his commander to go down with the plane.

When Acosta was taken prisoner by the Vietnamese on the following day, he did
not see whether Williams was also captured, but thought the Vietnamese had left
him where he was. Rescue teams the following day observed a body, apparently
Williams, in the middle of a clearing. The rescue helicopter was fired on, and
noted that the body did not move in spite of the close proximity to the gunfire.
The Vietnamese had used the body as a decoy for the rescue chopper. They failed,
but Williams' remains were not recovered.

Bill's wife Barbara says, "Bill loved to fly and loved the Air Force. I honestly
believe Bill died the way he expressed a desire to. But he always cautioned me
to not accept 'just anything.' I'll have to be very sure when the time comes his
remains are returned. I have to do that for him."

On December 20, 1990, U.S. officials announced that remains had been returned by
the Vietnamese which had been positively identified as those of Billie Joe
Williams. After nearly 20 years, Billie Joe Williams was home.



