The Battle of Kontum Banner Image

Louis Emil Janca

[ Follow Ups ]   [ Post Followup ]
[ The Battle of Kontum Discussion Board ]

Posted by George Slook on 20:02:03 11/10/10

I served with the 4th Infantry in the Central Highlands during 1969-70. Over the years, I have written stories about courageous women who served as civilians in Vietnam, most notably the Donut Dollies. I am currently engaged in writing the story of Gloria Redlin. Gloria worked as a nurse for Lutheran World Relief. The truth, as I know it, is that Gloria Anne Redlin and 1st Sergeant Louis Emil Janca were returning by moped to Dr. Pat Smith's hospital in Kontum City late at night on October 13, 1970. On the way, they tried to run an ARVN roadblock, not knowing if it was friendly. Sergeant Janca was killed and Gloria Redlin was seriously wounded. She died of her wounds on October 21st.

I have been unable to obtain the official military report pertaining to this incident. I filed Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA) Requests for both Gloria Redlin and Louis Janca. In both instances, the US ARMY responded that no records are available. 1SGT Janca's bio info on the VVMF web site indicates that his death was attributed to non-hostile, ground casualty, homicide. My appeal of the SGT Janca request was denied as well.

Just to complicate things, I received an e-mail from the son of a comrade of Janca. He indicated that his father would end his stories about Louis Janca with, "well somebody finally collected the bounty". His father used to have an old VC flyer with his name on it. The flyer offered a bounty, payable upon his death, of $20,000 in gold. His father believed that Louis Janca's name was on a flyer as well.

So what began as a quest to tell the story of a forgotten female veteran has ballooned into an odyssey to find the truth about the death of Louis and Gloria. I cannot comprehend how the US Army can have no records on the homicidal death of Louis Janca. Unless, of course, SGT Janca was murdered for a bounty due to his advisory role with the local population. If this is so,then his information may still be classified, and therefore not available for public dissemination. I am presently working a PSYOPS angle, whereby Janca's death was in fact some form of retribution. I would appreciate whatever information you can provide with regard to the bounty issue.

Follow Ups:


[ Post a Followup ]









[ Follow Ups ]   [ Post Followup ]
[ The Battle of Kontum Discussion Board ]