DUKE, CHARLES ROSS JR.

SOURCE: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 15 March 1991 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 1998.

Name: Charles Ross Duke, Jr.
Rank/Branch: Civilian
Unit: Dynalectron Corporation
Date of Birth: 03 December 1943
Home City of Record: Houston
Date of Loss: 30 May 1970
Country of Loss: South Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 135710N 1071757E (AR775365)
Status (in 1973): Missing in Action
Category: 3
Acft/Vehicle/Ground: Cycle
Refno: 1625
Other Personnel in Incident: Kit T. Mark (missing)

REMARKS: On Memorial Day weekend, 1970,. Charles Duke and his friend, Kit T. Mark reportedly left Pleiku, South Vietnam on their Hondas for a short trip to a village nine miles north of Pleiku. They never returned.

A friendly helicopter in the area saw the two on Hondas, and the tire tracks of two Hondas leading to a mountainside location where they found concealed rockets pointing to the military base at Pleiku. Leaflets offering a reward for any information were dropped, but no information surfaced about Duke or Mark.

Although Duke and Mark were originally listed as being missing seven days apart, their records were changed to reflect the accurate date of May 30, 1970.

Charles Duke was born in Houston, Texas. He served four years in the Air Force as an aircraft mechanic. After his discharge, he went to work for Dynalectron Corporation working on jets and helicopters. In August, 1968, he went to Pleiku to work for Dynalectron's war contracts. Charles planned to return to school after he returned from Vietnam.

Charles Duke and Kit Mark were not among the prisoners of war that were released in 1973. High-ranking U. S. officials admit their dismay that "hundreds" of Americans known or suspected to be prisoners of war did not return.

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