McLEOD, DAVID VANCE JR.

Name: David Vance McLeod, Jr.
Rank/Branch: E7/US Air Force
Unit:
Date of Birth: 24 September 1945
Home City of Record: Jacksonville FL
Date of Loss: 14 June 1973
Country of Loss: Cambodia
Loss Coordinates: 130259N 1040559E (VV024427)
Status (in 1973): None
Category: 3
Acft/Vehicle/Ground: HH53C

Other Personnel In Incident: (none 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: MSGT David V. McLeod was a crew member onboard an HH53C helicopter
shot down in northwestern Cambodia on June 14, 1973. The aircraft went down over
Tonle Sap, a large lake forming the southern border of Siemreab Province. Just
north of the lake are the ruins of famed Angkor Wat.

The fate of the rest of the crew is unknown, but as none are missing, it is
assumed that they were either rescued or their bodies recovered. Another
possibility, although remote, is that the crew consisted of indigenous
personnel. In this case, U.S. records would not record their loss.

Few American planes were shot down in Cambodia during this time frame. An F-4
piloted by Douglas Martin and with backseater Samuel James had been shot down
April 18. An F-4 piloted by Samuel Cornelius with back-seater John Smallwood was
shot down June 16. These were the only Americans missing during the spring and
summer of 1973 in Cambodia.

In July 1973, a South Vietnamese agent reported talking to a refugee who had
seen three Americans dressed in flight uniforms in captivity near Kompong Barey
Hamlet in Prey Veng Province in southern Cambodia. (Note that all events
described are occurring AFTER the war with Vietnam "ended" and 591 American POWs
were released from Vietnam.) The agent was able to make contact with a Communist
cadre who said the three were airmen who had been downed in July 1973. The cadre
went on to say that they were being taken to Loc Ninh (South Vietnam) to be held
for exchange at a later date. No exchange ever occurred. It is assumed, since
these three aircraft are the only ones missing in Cambodia, that this report
pertains to three of the five Americans involved. Nothing has been heard of the
five since.

The United States did not bargain or negotiate with Cambodia for any prisoners
held there. U.S. bombing of Cambodia continued until August 1973. Any who were
lucky enough to return had earlier been moved from the border areas of Cambodia
into Vietnam and released from Vietnam. Evidence points to many Americans being
moved to Vietnam from Laos and Cambodia and held beyond the end of the war.

Because of the genocide perpetrated upon Cambodia by Pol Pot in the mid-70's,
the chances of survival are decreased significantly for anyone still held
prisoner of war in Cambodia. However, we owe our best efforts to those men lost
in Cambodia, and in all of Southeast Asia to seek their release if alive, and
determine their fates if deceased.

