 
                 CASE SYNOPSIS: KARST, CARL FREDERICK

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Name:                        Carl Frederick Karst
Rank/Branch:                 Colonel USAF
Unit:
                             Pleiku, South Vietnam
Date of Birth:               27 October 1930
Home City of Record:         Galatia KS
Loss Date:                   16 November 1968
Country of Loss:             South Vietnam
Loss Coordinates:            212659N 1052546E
Status (in 1973):            Missing In Action
Category:                    4
Acft/Vehicle/Ground:         O1F
Other Personnel In
Incident:                    Capt. Nguyen  X. Quy (VNAF - missing)

SYNOPSIS: On November 16, 1968, (then) Major Carl F. Karst, pilot, and Capt.
Nguyen X. Quy, VNAF observer, departed Pleiku in an O1F on a visual reconnais-
sance mission over South Vietnam.  At 1640 hours (4:40 p.m.), shortly after
takeoff, Karst reported that his position was two nautical miles east of Plei-
ku, and that he was proceeding with his mission.  When subsequent attempts to
raise Karst by radio failed, a search began.  The search continued for three
days without success.  Karst was classified Missing in Action.

A few months later, a Vietnamese informer reported information given him by a
NVA/VC propaganda team that Karst's aircraft was shot down by small arms fire
and the Vietnamese observer was killed. The informer stated that Karst evaded
to the south, but was captured and executed in a village in northern Phu Bon
Province.  The informant did not witness any of these events.  The report was
considered inaccurate because the a NVA/VC team was known for coloring stories
to impress the local population, and because Karst was very knowledgeable of
the location of Viet Cong and North Vietnamese units in the area.  Those who
knew Karst agreed that he would not have evaded to the south, but rather to
the west where he knew he might reach friendly forces and safety.

In December 1983, a refugee turned over two bone fragments and a rubbing of a
metal ID tag bearing Karst's name to U.S. officials in Malaysia.  He stated
that he had been given the remains and rubbing by a Buddhist monk in 1981.
The refugee was told that the remains were among 7 American remains recovered
at an unspecified location in the Central Highlands.

By 1984, U.S. officials had received a series of reports from eight separate
sources reported information concerning the alleged remains and dog tags of
Karst.  Four provided information solely on Karst, while the other four
sources related Karst's name to other Army personnel who had returned from
Vietnam at the end of their tours.

Whether any of the reports relating to Carl Karst are true is not known. It is
apparent, however, that someone knows his fate and that of his observer. Karst
is one of nearly 2500 Americans who remain missing in Southeast Asia.  Unlike
MIAs from other wars, most of the missing can be accounted for.  Tragically,
based on thousands of reports received by the U.S. Government, many are still
alive in captivity.  They must be brought home.
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