BORJA, DOMINGO R.S.

Name: Domingo R.S. Borja
Rank/Branch: E7/US Army Special Forces
Unit: HHC, C & C Detachment, 5th Special Forces Group
Date of Birth: 01 February 1931 (Cabatuan Iloilo, PI)
Home City of Record: San Francisco CA
Date of Loss: 21 February 1967
Country of Loss: Laos
Loss Coordinates: 161656N 1070252E (YD188011)
Status (in 1973): Killed/Body Not Recovered
Category: 2
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: Ground
Refno: 0598
Other Personnel In Incident: (none missing)

Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 15 June 1990 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 2020.

REMARKS:

SYNOPSIS: Domingo Borja was a member of a Special Forces reconnaissance team
attached to Headquarters & Headquarters Company, Command & Control
Detachment, 5th Special Forces Group. On February 21, 1967, the team was
operating in Laos near the Laos/South Vietnam border, in extreme northern
Saravane Province very near the province boundary of Savannakhet Province.
The location is so near Vietnam that some lists locate Borja's area of
operations in South Vietnam.

While trying to assist a wounded teammember, Borja was confronted by an
enemy soldier. Each fired at the other simultaneously, and both were killed
instantly. Both bodies were checked by 2 teammembers who detected no signs
of life whatever.

Because of the enemy presence in the area, the remainder of the team evaded
and left the body of Borja behind for later recovery. Subsequent efforts to
locate and recover the remains for the next 5 days were unsuccessful.

Borja is one of nearly 600 Americans missing in Laos. Many were alive and
seen to be captured; some are known to be dead, many just vanished. Although
the Pathet Lao stated on several occasions that they held "tens of tens" of
American prisoners, not one man held in Laos has ever been released.

Although Borja did not survive, others did. Experts now estimate hundreds of
Americans are still alive, waiting for their country to bring them home from
Southeast Asia. Borja, if alive, would gladly go to their aid. When will we?

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01/2020

https://dpaa.secure.force.com/dpaaProfile?id=a0Jt0000000KYENEA4

SFC DOMINGO R S BORJA

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On February 21, 1967, a reconnaissance team from the Command and Control Detachment, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) engaged an enemy force in the vicinity of grid coordinates YD 188 011 in Laos. One member of the team was killed while covering the retreat of the team. His teammates checked his body and confirmed he was dead, but the presence of the enemy made it impossible to carry their comrade out, so they concealed his remains under some leaves near a fallen tree. Subsequent efforts to recover the body were unsuccessful. 

Sergeant First Class Domingo R.S. Borja, who joined the U.S. Army from California, served with the Command and Control Detachment, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne). He was the soldier killed while covering the retreat of his teammates, and his remains were not recovered. Today, Sergeant First Class Borja is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Based on all information available, DPAA assessed the individual's case to be in the analytical category of Active Pursuit.

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