CARL JOHN LAKER
Unit: Company H, 75th Infantry, 1st Cavalry
Date of Birth: 12 June 1950 (East Meadow NY)
Home City of Record: Clearwater FL
Date of Loss: 17 June 1970
Country of Loss: Cambodia
Loss Coordinates: 121833N 1071134E (YU386618)
Status (in 1973): Killed/Body Not Recovered
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: Ground
Other Personnel in Incident: Deverton C. Cochrane
(missing)
Source: Compiled 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 in 1998.
REMARKS: HEAD WOUND - 3 RECOV - SERCH NEG - J
SYNOPSIS: On June 16, 1970, SSgt. Deverton C.
Cochran was team leader and SP4 Carl J. Laker the
assistant team leader of a reconnaissance team
from Company H, 75th Infantry, 1st Cavalry
Division on an area search mission in Cambodia.
1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry was an aerial
reconnaissance cavalry squadron operating with an
aero-scout ("white") platoon; aero-weapons ("red")
platoon, and an aero-rifle ("blue") platoon. The
squadron also had a ground cavalry element.
Cochrane is listed as attached to "75th Infantry,
1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division."
Laker, however, is listed as assigned to Company
H of the 75th Infantry, 1st Cavalry Division,
which is a Ranger unit. If these unit designations
are accurate, then Laker was a Ranger while
Cochrane was probably a "blue" assigned to the
Company H mission. In 1970, the Company H strength
was 198 men. The 75th Infantry ("Merrill's
Marauders") had only been organized the beginning
of 1969 to provide a parent unit for the separate
long-range reconnaissance patrol companies (LRRP).
Ranger companies in Vietnam were particularly
elite.
The team was operating just inside Cambodia in
Mondol Kiri Province due east of the South Vietnam
city of Dak Song. After a successful infiltration,
the team set up in the vicinity to conduct a trail
watch and to establish a night defensive position.
The next morning, the team moved out to conduct
reconnaissance until 1535 hours when, upon
entering a wood line, the team leader was fired
upon by enemy troops. Members of the team saw the
team leader fall holding his neck and loin. SP4
Laker tried to crawl forward to assist, and fell
on top of another member of the team who later
reported that Laker had been hit above the left
eye, gravely wounded.
The team finally managed to break contact and one
member was able to evade the enemy and return to
friendly lines. An extensive search was made of
the battle area for several days, but only 2
wounded members of the team were rescued. There
was no trace of Cochrane or Laker.
Although the Ranger missions were hazardous, few
remain missing from them.
Laker was classified as Killed in Action, Body Not
Recovered because the extent of his injuries were
known, and they were serious. Cochrane's injuries,
on the other hand, could not be assessed, and it
was felt there was the possibility of survival and
ultimate capture. Cochrane was classified Missing
in Action.
Laker and Cochrane are among nearly 2500 Americans
still prisoner, missing or unaccount for from the
Vietnam war. Some, like Carl Laker, are undoubtedly
dead. Others were certainly not dead, but in good
health the last they were seen. Still others were
seen as prisoners or even photographed, only to
disappear from the prison system.
Unlike "MIAs" from other wars, most of the missing
from Vietnam can be accounted for, if Vietnam
chooses to do so. Based on thousands of refugee
reports, most authorities now believe that hundreds
of Americans are still alive today, held against
their will. For the honor of those who died, and
for the honor of our country, these men must be
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