November 18, 1968...the Army Sergeant they sent out to talk to us explained that because Mitch's aircraft went down so far from any friendly units and in such dense jungle that it was very hard to even locate the crash site. I made him swear he wasn't lying when he told us that search aircraft had probed that area as closely as they could from the air but the ground was held by "hostiles" and they hadn't actually seen the area from the ground, that's WHY they don't know what happened. This is the first time any explanation was offered at all. We asked how soon they would have ground troops in the area and he looked sad then said, we don't know, the NVA really don't want us in there. Then he went on and on about how thick the jungle cover was, so thick you could walk past a crashed helo and not see it for the encroaching vegetation and snarled vines and undergrowth. These all make sense but they don't tell us where our son is we told him and he went away again looking sad, said he would let us know if they had any new information.
signed Mitch, Sr.

December ?? 2004
...I've tried haven't I God? Tried with all my might to be brave and full of hope and faith, haven't I? Then why can't I know where he is? Why do I have so many questions that I just cannot bring myself to ask? Some say I must find peace and turn loose, just let him go but I cannot. Some say it would be merciful to finally have closure but this "KIA body not recovered" is not closure, it's a nightmare. Some say never quit, never stop looking and never stop hoping and praying. That's where we are. He's out there and he is hurt and afraid I saw the awful picture of him, I'll never forget that awful picture. Some give him no chance, even the Army is now saying that they are convinced he is dead and they may never recover his remains. For months now Lord I have passed my heart, my hope, my love to him through you, show me that what I feel in my heart is true and that he still lives, I beg you. He has a chance, there's always a chance, look how long some of them guys from Korea and Vietnam were held, they are still recovering remains in Vietnam today but that's because they have been allowed to look. I fear once he becomes "body not recovered" they will not look for him anymore and I could not bear knowing that he was alone or hurt, or even dead, and no one is trying to find him and bring him home. I have tried haven't I God? Please, help me, I need help to find him and bring him home.
signed Dad

January 17, 1942
...Carlos is alive! He was in a Navy hospital with burns on his face and hands but they say he will recover just fine. He was on duty running one of the small boats back and forth from his ship to the pier and when the attack came he took shelter near a tool shed on the drydock pier. The Japanese bombed the ships that were in the drydock next to him and he was splashed with burning fuel oil. The coxswain of his boat saved him but because of the many casualties at the hospital the staff there did not know who he was until now. He may get to write us a letter as soon as they take the bandages off. Mama and Papa have lit a million candles for him and prayed every day and every night, and he is alive, thank you God, thank you sent him back to us and we are grateful.

May 4, 1969
...nothing, no new information, that's all the Army knows how to say. That is until this morning when they told me his status was now KIA remains unrecoverable at this time. I asked what that meant and the guy on the phone said it meant they were convinced Mitch is dead but they don't have any way to confirm it and they aren't going to be likely to have a chance anytime soon to investigate the crash site coordinates. Crash site coordinates....that's what Mitch has become? a set of numbers on a map grid? It's not over yet, I'll fight them, but how? They say he crashed in enemy territory and they can't go mount a rescue mission to look for him or the crash. I was like pulling teeth to get them to tell me the names of the other crewmen that were with Mitch when they went down but I finally got them and I'm going to try to find them, maybe together we can make something happen. It's getting offensive to ask them the same questions and get the same answers everytime I actually get someone on the phone. Three times last week I tried to get an appointment to see our Congressman about Mitch but I'm getting nowhere, his aides say he is a busy man.