ROBERT RAY DUNCAN
Unit: Attack Squadron 85, USS AMERICA (CVA 60)
Date of Birth: 16 March 1942
Home City of Record: W. Palm Beach FL
Date of Loss: 29 August 1968
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 185300N 1052300E
Status (in 1973): Missing In Action
Other Personnel In Incident: Alan F. Ashall
(missing)
Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 01 April
1990 from one or more of the following: raw data
from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence
with POW/MIA families, published sources,
interviews. Updated by the P.O.W. NETWORK 1998.
REMARKS: SURVIVAL UNLIKELY
SYNOPSIS: Lt.JG Robert R. Duncan was a pilot and
Lt.JG Alan F. Ashall a bombardier/navigator
assigned to Attack Squadron 85 onboard the
aircraft carrier USS AMERICA (CVA 60). On August
29, 1968 he launched from the aircraft carrier in
their A6B Intruder on an armed reconnaissance
mission in the Vinh Son area of North Vietnam.
Duncan and Ashall launched at 1:00 a.m. and
proceeded to their assigned station. Three
surface-to-air missiles (SAM) were observed in
the area. A transmission was received from the
aircraft reporting that they were experiencing
radion trouble, and then a transmission that
sounded like, "SAMs in the air" followed by "We
shot a missile" or "I got a missile". No distress
signals were received and efforts to contact them
were unsuccessful.
Search and rescue efforts were initiated
immediately, but the results were negative. There
was a large fireball observed on the ground in the
vicinity where the aircraft disappeared. It was
suspected that the aircraft took a direct or
disabling hit by one of the three SAMs or
collided with the terrain while attempting to
avoid the enemy fire. Duncan and Ashall were
classified Missing in Action. The Defense
Intelligence Agency further expanded their
classification to include an enemy knowledge
ranking of 2. Category 2 indicates "suspect
knowledge" and includes personnel who may have
been involved in loss incidents with individuals
reported in Category 1 (confirmed knowledge), or
who were lost in areas or under conditions that
they may reasonably be expected to be known by
the enemy; who were connected with an incident
which was discussed but not identified by names
in enemy news media; or identified (by
elimination, but not 100% positively) through
analysis of all-source intelligence.
The Commander of the Seventh Fleet, Vice Admiral
William F. Bringle, acknowledged that the missions
required of the A6 pilots over North Vietnam were
among "the most demanding missions we have ever
asked our aircrews to fly." However, he added,
"there is an abundance of talent, courage and
aggressive leadership" in the A6 squadrons.
Now, nearly 20 years later, men like Duncan and
Ashall are all but forgotten except by friends,
family and fellow veterans. The U.S. "priority"
placed on determining their fates pales in
comparison to the results it has achieved.
Since Duncan and Ashall went down, nearly 10,000
reports have been received by the U.S. relating
to Americans who are still prisoner, missing or
unaccounted for in Southeast Asia. Many officials
who have seen this largely classified information
are now convinced that hundreds of Americans are
still alive in captivity. Whether Duncan and
Ashall are among them is not known. What is
certain, however, is that we, as a nation, are
guilty of the abandonment of nearly 2500 of our
best and most courageous men. We cannot forget,
and must do everything in our power to bring
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