Map of SAR area
SAR Command post log entries for Crow 01
Incident Synopsis from Scope Systems - Any Day website

All times NVN local time (1335 = 1:35pm)

1335 - Crow 01 - has been hit by a SAM. Heading feet wet.
1339 - Crow 01 - position 2102.7N 10528.7E
1340 - Crow 01 - two good chutes
1349 - Crow 01 - JG/SY (Jolly Green/Sandys) diverted to point "J"
1357 - Crow 01 - hit by SA-2; voice contact with "A" by Crow 03
1400 - Crow 01 - Colt 02 has voice and beeper contact; JG and SY at "J"
1405 - Crow 01 - new position 2100.0N 10525.8E
1415 - Crow 01 - from King 22, new position 2102N 10522E
1418 - Crow 01 - Sandy 03/04 at "J"
1423 - Crow 01 - King 22 holding everyone out of area due to no MiG CAP, also request Iron Hand, passed to JR (Joint Rescue Center)
1435 - Crow 01 - Suggested ingress from "J" to WH 0867, hold at WJ 2016. SY with JG, then SY proceed to survivor.
1455 - Crow 01 - SAR forces ingress at this time, Delay at "J" for JG53/32 arrival at "J" and uncertainty of MiG CAP
1501 - Crow 01 - JR advises that when King receives word of groundfire, pull SAR forces out
1506 - Crow 01 - JG53/32 SY03/04 departed "J" at 1455
1510 - Crow 01 - Request Fast FAC
1512 - Crow 01 - Condor reporting SAM launches
1517 - Crow 01 - JG53/32 and SY03/04 return to "J". Wx in area DS. No voice contact at this time
1519 - Crow 01 - Laredo 16 Fast FAC going into area
1550 - Crow 01 - Disco advisory on guard, SY 05 has MiGs 40nm in trail. Disco advises go weeds and head west.
1552 - Crow 01 - Disco advisory more MiGs coming
1554 - Crow 01 - JR advises recall all SAR forces. Hold MiG CAP until egress complete
1555 - Crow 01 - MiG CAP on tanker ATT (at this time)
1600 - Crow 01 - MiG got within 10nm of SY 05, then turned NE.
1627 - Crow 01 - Sandy 05 IFE (in flight emergency) rough running engine, position Fish's Mouth.
1655 - Crow 01 - Sandy 05 will land at L-35, JG 57 will pick up pilot, guards available for plane.
1706 - Crow 01 - Sandy 05 landed at L-35 at 1656, JG 57 at 1705
1712 - Crow 01 - JG 57 airborne ATT with Sandy 05 on board

SYNOPSIS: Lt.Col. James W. O'Neil was the pilot and Capt. Michael J. Bosiljevac the EWO (Electronic Warfare Officer) of an F105G jet fighter which was shot down by a Soviet SAM (Surface to Air Missile) on September 29, 1972. Both Bosiljevac and O'Neil ejected successfully, and landed 23 miles southwest of Hanoi. Radio Hanoi/Moscow/Cuba reported the capture of both "pilots" alive (FIBIS) on 29 September 1972. O'Neil was subsequently transferred to Hoa Lo
(the "Hanoi Hilton") and repatriated March 29, 1973.

Upon his release, O'Neil stated that he had observed Bosiljevac in the parachute, and that Bosiljevac had manually cut the parachute risers for control and deployed his survival kit for landing. On about the fifth day of his confinement O'Neil asked an English-speaking turnkey about Bosiljevac. The turnkey later returned and said, "He is alive, well, uninjured, and luckier than you."

Repeated USG, as well as family, inquiries met with little response from the DRV/SRV. In fact, the Socialists Republic of Vietnam (SRV) wrote to the family of Mike Bosiljevac and claimed to have "no knowledge of Mr. Michael Joseph Bosiljevac," and further stated that "they no longer hold prisoners within Vietnam."

Yet, on September 21, 1987, the government of Vietnam provided Bosiljevac's name and his remains were returned to USG control on September 24, 1987. The Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii (CILHI) released the remains for a second opinion in January of 1988, and final identification occurred in January 1988. Bosiljevac's remains were returned to Omaha, Nebraska for burial on February 10, 1988.

On August 1, 1989, Mike Bosiljevac's records were corrected to reflect that he Died in Captivity. While this correction does not define the total duration of his captivity, it stands as a matter of record.

Michael J. Bosiljevac was promoted to the rank of Major during the period he was maintained in Missing in Action status.