DAYAO, ROLANDO CUEVAS

Name: Rolando Cuevas Dayao
Rank/Branch: E6/USN
Unit: USS WALKER
Date of Birth: 29 June 1935
Home City of Record: Philippines
Date of Loss: 02 October 1969
Country of Loss: North Vietnam/Over Water
Loss Coordinates: 175402N 1073602E (YE754810)
Status (in 1973): Killed/Body Not Recovered
Category: 5
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: C2A

Personnel In Incident: Terry L. Beck; Richard W. Bell; Michael L. Bowman; Frank
Bytheway; Rolando C. Dayao; Donald C. Dean; Herbert H. Dilger; Carl J. Ellerd;
James J. Fowler; Roy G. Fowler; Leonardo M. Gan; Paul E. Gore; William D.
Gorsuch; Rayford J. Hill; Delvin L. Kohler; Howard M. Koslosky; Robert B.
Leonard; Richard A. Livingston; Ronald W. Montgomery; William R. Moore; Paul K.
Moser; Kenneth M. Prentice; Fidel G. Salazar; Keavin L. Terrell; Michael J. Tye;
Reynaldo R. Viado (all missing)

Refno: 2004

Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 01 April 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: On October 2, 1969, a C2A "Greyhound" cargo aircraft from Reserve
Cargo Squadron 50 departed Cubi Point Naval Air Station, Republic of the
Philippines on a shuttle flight to various aircraft carriers in the Gulf of
Tonkin in Vietnam, including the USS CONSTELLATION, the USS WALKER, the USS
HAMMER, and the USS LONG BEACH.

The flight crew onboard the aircraft, assigned to Fleet Support Squadron 50
based in Atsugi Naval Air Station, Japan, included the pilot, Lt. Herbert H.
Dilger; co-pilot, Lt. Richard A. Livingston; air crewman, Petty Officer 3rd
Class Paul K. Moser; aircraft captain, Petty Officer 3rd Class Michael J. Tye;
and loadmaster-trainee, Petty Officer 3rd Class Rayford J. Hill. Most of the
twenty passengers appear to be bound for the USS CONSTELLATION, but one was
bound for the USS LONG BEACH, one of the four Philippine citizens onboard was
headed for the USS HAMMER, and two to the USS WALKER.

The aircraft was inbound to the CONSTITUTION and made communication at about
0600 hours, reporting that operations were normal. When communicatons were
established with the Carrier Air Control, control was passed to the Marshall
controller (Approach Control). The carrier's radar continued tracking the
aircraft until approximately 0655, at which time radar contact was lost at about
10 nautical miles from the CONSTELLATION.

Helicopter search and rescue efforts were immediately initiated from the ship.
The helicopter began sighting an oil slick and debris. A few pieces of aircraft
were recovered, and analysis of this debris indicated that the aircraft was in a
relatively high speed nose down, right wing down impact with the water or had a
possible right wing failure before impact. There was no sign of survivors, nor
were any bodies recovered.

The crew and passengers onboard the C2 which went down on October 2, 1969 were
all declared Killed/Body Not Recovered. There is very little hope that they will
ever be found. They are listed with honor among the missing because no remains
were ever located to repatriate to their homeland.

For many of the missing, however, solutions are not so simple. Several were
photographed in captivity, but never returned. Others were alive and well the
last they were seen awaiting rescue. Still others described their imminent
captures. For the families of these men, the years have passed heartbreakingly
slow.

Since the war ended, nearly 10,000 reports relating to Americans missing in
Southeast Asia have been received by the U.S. Government. Many officials who
have reviewed this largely classified information are convinced that hundreds of
Americans are still alive as captives in Southeast Asia. It's time we brought
our men home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

01/2020

https://dpaa.secure.force.com/dpaaProfile?id=a0Jt00000001U8WEAU

PN1 ROLANDO CUEVAS DAYAO

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On October 2, 1969, a C-2A Greyhound (bureau number 152796) carrying five crew members and twenty passengers took off on a routine logistics support flight from Cubi Point Naval Station, Republic of the Philippines, to the USS Constellation (CVA 64) in the Gulf of Tonkin. En route, the aircraft was in radio and radar contact with the carrier when it suddenly disappeared from the radar. There were no distress calls or beepers heard. An extensive air and surface search was begun immediately and recovered some personal effects and aircraft debris, but no survivors. Eventually, a crash site was discovered off the coast of North Vietnam, however, no remains were recovered.

Personnelman First Class Rolando Cuevas Dayao, who joined the U.S. Navy from the Philippines, served aboard the USS Walke (DD-723). He was aboard the Greyhound when it crashed, and his remains have not been recovered. Today, Personnelman First Class Dayao 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 Non-recoverable.

If you are a family member of this serviceman, DPAA can provide you with additional information and analysis of your case. Please contact your casualty office representative.

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