The Canadian Vietnam Veterans Memorial, dubbed as the " North Wall " rests comfortably in Windsor's assumption park, overlooking the Detroit river and the city of Detroit, continually sharing the bond between Canada and the United States. There are one hundred and three ( 103 ) names of known Canadians engraved on the center panel of the " North Wall " . Included in those names are seven people listed as MIA's/BNR. . You may have noticed the phrase " known Canadians ". That is because the Canadian government had passed the " Foreign Enlistment Act " in 1937 and this act was still in effect during the Vietnam war.
NAME..................................Gilbert James Graham
RANK/BRANCH.........................E3/US Navy Reserves
UNIT..........................................River Squadron 5, River Sector 51, River
Patrol Boat 100
DATE OF BIRTH........................24 February 1946 (London, Ontario, Canada)
HOME CITY OF RECORD.........Anaheim, CA
LOSS DATE...............................28 September 1967
COUNTRY OF LOSS..................South Vietnam
LOSS COORDINATES................101600N 1060301E
STATUS (IN 1973)......................Killed/Body Not Recovered
CATEGORY................................5
ACFT/VEHICLE/GROUND:.........PBR 100
OTHER PERSONNEL IN INCIDENT:Joseph T. Musetti (missing)
Seaman Gilbert Graham and Engineman Petty Officer Second Class Joseph Musetti were crewmembers aboard River Patrol Boat #100 assigned to Commander River Squadron 5, River Sector 51. On the afernoon of September 28, 1967, Graham was the forward gunner aboard PBR 100 on a routine patrol of the Mekong River approximately five miles northeast of Vinh Long, South Vietnam. Musetti was a boat captain.
The commander of the craft was in the process of investigating watercraft near the mouth of a canal when it received enemy rocket fire. Three rocket rounds struck the boat killing Graham and Musetti. The resultant explosion and fire consumed the boat and made it impossible to remove the bodies. From the survivors of the incident, it was determined that Graham and Musetti were killed instantly when the rockets exploded nearby. Both crewmen were placed in Killed/Body Not Recovered status.
In 1985, a private citizen obtained a lengthy document through the Freedom of Information Act describing in great detail of POW camp near Hue where many American prisoners of war were held. Details of the report were confirmed by returned POWs who were held there. The source was shown photos of missing men who did not return and identified several - some as "positive", and others as "possible". On the "possible" list was the name Richard Musetti, USN. There is no other Musetti missing.
The Department of Defense states that the source is a liar; The two crewmembers of PBR 100 are listed with honor among the missing because their remains were never found. Reports continue to mount that we abandoned hundreds of Americans to the enemy when we left Southeast Asia. While the crewmembers of PBR 100 may not be among them, one can imagine their proud willingness to cruise one more mile of river to help bring them home.
For more info check out this website:
Memorial website