Pulaski New York

Peter Joe Wilson, age 32, from Pulaski, New York, Oswego county.

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: October 19, 1970
Death details: Staff Sergeant (SSG) Peter Joe Wilson entered the U.S. Army from New York and was a member of Command and Control Central, 5th Special Forces Group. On October 19, 1970, he was the team leader of a long range joint reconnaissance patrol that encountered an enemy ground force in Attapeu Province, Laos, in the vicinity of (GC) YB 618 135. The ensuing attacks forced his unit to withdraw, and as they attempted to break contact with the enemy SSG Wilson was observed bringing up the rear of the patrol while helping a wounded soldier. After eventually failing to break contact, SSG Wilson instructed the team to head in an easterly direction, but he soon became separated from the patrol. He was later heard on his emergency radio calling mayday, followed by gunfire and enemy voices in the background. No further radio contact could be established with SSG Wilson, and he was not seen or heard from again. An extensive air search was conducted but failed to locate him, and he remains unaccounted for. Subsequent to the incident, and while carried in the status of missing in action (MIA), the U.S. Army promoted Staff Sergeant Wilson to the rank of Sergeant First Class (SFC). Today, Sergeant First Class Wilson is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency