WHAT I CAN DO - I WILL -

With the addition of the Grumman A6A Intruder to its inventory, the 1st Marine Air Wing (MAW) had the finest two-man, all-weather, low-altitude attack/bombing aircraft in the world. It displayed great versatility and lived up to the expectations of those who pushed for its development after the Korean War. At the time it was the only operational aircraft that had a self-contained all-weather bombing capacity including a moving target indicator mode. In this role it usually carried a bomb load of 14,000 pounds and was used rather extensively in the monsoon season not only in South Vietnam, but also in Laos and over the heavily defended areas of North Vietnam. The Intruder was credited with successfully completing some of the most difficult single-plane strikes in the war, and its' aircrews were among the most talented and most courageous to serve the United States.

On 31 October 1967,then Capt. Hugh Fanning, pilot, and Capt. Stephen J. Kott, bombardier/navigator, comprised the crew of an A6A Intruder, call sign "Oatmeal 2," conducting a night electronics support mission over North Vietnam as the number two aircraft in a flight of two. At approximately 0150 hours, Capt. Fanning radioed Oatmeal Lead that he was approaching the target located in the densely populated and heavily cultivated region southwest of Hanoi and was preparing to make his attack pass.

At 0202 hours, the crew of the Lead aircraft observed a bright orange flash in the vicinity of the target and in the estimated position of Oatmeal 2's aircraft. Lead estimated his wingman was flying at an altitude of between 100-500 feet at the time he saw the flash. Oatmeal Lead tried to raise Capt. Fanning and Stephen Kott, but without success. In the chaos of combat and darkness, no parachutes were seen and no emergency beepers heard.

Search and rescue (SAR) efforts were not possible due to the loss area being approximately 11 miles southwest of Hai Duong, 15 miles northwest of Ninh Giang, 23 miles southeast of Hanoi and 31 miles west of Haiphong. In addition to being densely populated, the open flat expanse was laced with rivers, canals and waterways of all sizes. It was also crisscrossed with primary and secondary roads. Hugh Fanning and Stephen Kott, who were both promoted to Major during the time they were maintained missing, were immediately listed Missing in Action.

After Operation Homecoming in 1973, several intelligence and refugee reports surfaced concerning the crash of the Oatmeal 2. These reports included one account that Capt. Kott was killed in the crash, but that Capt. Fanning was captured and taken away by jeep. The veracity of these reports as they relate to Hugh Fanning's survival and Stephen Kott's death are unknown.

On 17 July 1984, the Communist Vietnamese returned remains reported to be those of Hugh Fanning and Stephen Kott without explanation along with 6 other sets of remains. Both families gratefully accepted the remains as those of their loved one and buried them with full military honors.

In Hugh Fanning's case, ten months after these remains were interned, Mrs. Fanning was first allowed access to her husband's forensic file, and she learned she had been blatantly lied to. On several occasions she was told her husband was identified through his dental records. The quantity of material returned by the Vietnamese equaled only approximately 15% of a human body and included no skull and no teeth.

Mrs. Fanning arranged for the remains to be exhumed and examined independently by board certified forensic experts. The examination proved conclusively that the alleged remains of Hugh Fanning could not be scientifically identified as his ... or anyone else's. Further, based on the remains themselves, it was only possible to say they belonged to an individual over the age of 19 or 20. There was no way to prove the race, sex, height, weight, muscular structure or dexterity of that person by the type and condition of those remains.

In July 1987, Kathryn Fanning returned the exhumed remains to the US government saying she could not be sure that they were, in fact, her husband's remains. A board of four officers appointed by the head of the Armed Services Graves Registration Office subsequently issued a report saying that "insufficient evidence existed to support the original identification" of Major Fanning.

In response, a Marine spokeswoman, Major Nancy LaLuntas stated: "We have done exhaustive testing and, as far as we are concerned, that's who these remains belong to. We've drawn our conclusions, and it's time to bury these remains." In 1987, the Marine Corps re-buried these unidentifiable bones in Arlington National Cemetery under a headstone bearing the name of Hugh Michael Fanning.

For Stephen Kott, his family, friends and country of have the piece of mind of knowing where he lies. For Hugh Fanning the question remains did he die on 31 October 1967 in the crash of his aircraft or was taken prisoner? His fate, like that of other Americans who remain unaccounted for, his fate could be quite different.

Biographical and incident of loss information was obtained from either POW/NET and/or Task Force Omega, Inc (unless otherwise noted). Additional information may be found via remembrances at The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund or The Virtual Wall Vietnam Veterans Memorial.