Scott Douglas Ketchie – Captain, United States Marine Corps

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Full Name: SCOTT DOUGLAS KETCHIE

Date of Birth: 8/19/1947
Date of Casualty: 4/9/1972
Home of Record: BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA
Branch of Service: MARINE CORPS
Rank: CAPT
Casualty Country: LAOS
Casualty Province: LZ
Status: MIA

KETCHIE, SCOTT DOUGLAS

Name: Scott Douglas Ketchie
Rank/Branch: O2/US Marine Corps
Unit: VMA 224, Detachment C
Date of Birth: 19 August 1947
Home City of Record: Birmingham, Alabama
Date of Loss: 09 April 1972
Country of Loss: Laos
Status (in 1973): Missing in Action
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: A6A
Other Personnel in Incident: (pilot rescued)

Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project with the assistance of one or more of the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews: 15 March 1990. Updated by the P.O.W. NETWORK 1998.

REMARKS:

The Grumman A6 Intruder is a two-man all weather, low-altitude, carrier-based attack plane, with versions adapted as aerial tanker and
electronic warfare platform. The A6A primarily flew close-air-support, all-weather and night attacks on enemy troop concentrations, and night
interdiction missions. Its advanced navigation and attack system, known as DIANE (Digital Integrated Attack navigation Equipment) allowed small precision targets, such as bridges, barracks and fuel depots to be located and attacked in all weather conditions, day or night. The planes were credited with some of the most difficult single-plane strikes in the war, including the destruction of the Hai Duong bridge between Hanoi and Haiphong by a single A6. Their missions were tough, but their crews among the most talented and most courageous to serve the United States.

On April 9, 1972, First Lieuenant Scott D. Ketchie was the co-pilot of an A6A Intruder which was sent on a mission in Laos near the DMZ. At a point about 10 miles inside Laos’ Savannakhet Province, the aircraft was hit by antiaircraft fire and crashed. The pilot successfully ejected and was subsequently rescued, but Ketchie was not. He was listed Missing in Action.

The Defense Intelligence Agency further expanded Ketchie’s 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.

Since the war ended, nearly 10,000 reports relating to Americans missing in Southeast Asia have been received by the U.S. Government. Many authorities who have examined this largely classified material have reluctantly concluded that there are still hundreds of these men alive today.

Although the Pathet Lao stated on several occasions that they held “tens of tens” of American prisoners, not one American was ever released that was held in Laos. Laos was not part of the peace agreements ending American involvement in Southeast Asia, and the U.S. has never negotiated for these prisoners since that time.

It is not clear what happened to Scott D. Ketchie on April 9, 1972. According to a list composed by the National League of Families of POW/MIA in Southeast Asia, Scott Ketchie survived the crash of his aircraft. Perhaps he was killed by enemy fire upon ejection.

Scott D. Ketchie was postmously promoted to Captain.  Although his remains have yet to be recovered there is an “In Memory Of” stone placed in his memory in Arlington National Cemetery.

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