Americans Being Hunted & Captured in Shantou, China During January-March 1953
On January 18, 1953 a Navy P2V Neptune reconnaissance plane on a photo mission near the port of Shantou, China was hit by Chinese shore batteries. The flaming aircraft ditched in the Formosa Straits, setting off a dramatic rescue mission and battle right off the Chinese coast.
A Coast Guard aircraft sent to rescue the Navy crew also crashed, leaving many Americans adrift in heavy seas until they were recovered by an American warship.
Two men – later identified by US classified reports as Lloyd Smith, Jr. and William McClure -- were seen drifting away from the main group on a life raft. They were believed to have landed on an island near the Chinese coast.
Chinese officials launched a hunt for survivors and equipment from the crashes. According to the Associated Press, a week after the incident China was offering the equivalent of $80 for the capture of survivors.
Hong Kong newspapers later reported the Americans had been captured and marched through the streets of Shantou “as an object of public ridicule.”
The Americans had tried to persuade three local fishermen to take them to Hong Kong, declassified US reports say, but one of the natives had turned them in. The fishermen were executed and the Americans imprisoned, then taken into the interior of China.
Another US report claimed the Americans, wearing “tattered Khaki,” has been marched through the streets of Shantou on March 7, 1953 and then sent to Guangzhou on March 10th.
1953年1月18日,一驾海军P2V海王星侦察机在中国汕头港口附近执行一项摄影任务时遭遇中国海岸炮兵的袭击。燃烧的飞机在坠入台湾海峡,引发了一场戏剧性的救援任务和沿中国海岸的战役。
一艘被派遣营救机组人员的海上警卫队飞机也坠毁了,许多美国人在汹涌的大海上漂流,直到美国军舰找到他们。
两名男子——后被美国机密情报认定为Lloyd Smith和William McClure——被看到乘救生筏漂离了主要人群。据信他们已经在中国海岸附近的一个岛上上岸。
中国官方对事故幸存者和装备进行了搜索。据美联社报道,事件发生后一周,中国曾悬赏等值80美元抓捕幸存者。
香港的报纸后来曾报道,美国人被俘虏并在汕头街头“作为公众嘲笑的对象”被游行。
美国的解密报告揭露,美国人曾试图说服三名当地渔民把他们带到香港, 但一个当地人告发了他们。渔民被处决;美国人被关进监狱,然后被押送到中国内地。
美国的另一份报告声称,美国人身穿“破烂的卡其布”,于1953年3月7日在汕头街头被游行,并于3月10日被遣送到广州。
“This message is for anyone in China that may have info on my father. My name is Sharron, and my father’s name is Lloyd Smith Jr. My dad was an amazing father who loved baseball and doing things with me and my sister. We have greatly missed him over the years and wish every day to just be able to bring him home. I am asking the Chinese Government or anyone else that may have seen my dad in China or had information about him, to please provide it to us. He was such a wonderful man.
We are not angry at anyone, this was during a conflict and things happen. This conflict is long over, please help us find out what happened to my father. Thank you:” Sharron Gaddy (daughter)
“这条信息是给中国任何一位可能有我父亲的任何信息的人士的。我的名字叫Sharron,我父亲的名字叫Lloyd Smith Jr。他是一个伟大的父亲,热爱棒球,喜欢陪我们姐妹两个一起做事。多年来我们一直非常想念他,每一天都希望能把他带回家。我请求中国政府,或任何可能在中国见过我父亲或有任何关于他的消息的人士,请将信息提供给我们。 他曾是一个那么出色的人。
- PIP will provide a $750 research fee to the first contributor who can document the capture of the Americans described below, using evidence such as: Chinese government records; PRC newspaper reports; photos of the Americans in captivity; or corroborated human sources (the acceptability of the documentation to be judged by our special advisors)
- We also seek information on the fate of any American captured in this event (We also request evidence of Americans from the Korean War being secretly detained in China during this period; see the “Lead” Secret Chinese POW Camps)
- PIP将向第一个记录下述美国人被捕情况的贡献者提供750美元的研究经费,可以使用的证据包括:中国政府记录;中华人民共和国报纸报道;美国人被囚禁的照片;或确凿的人物信息来源(文件的可接受性由我们的特别顾问来判断)
On January 18, 1953 a Navy P2V Neptune reconnaissance plane on a photo mission near the port of Shantou, China was hit by Chinese shore batteries. The flaming aircraft ditched in the Formosa Straits, setting off a dramatic rescue mission and battle right off the Chinese coast.
A Coast Guard aircraft sent to rescue the Navy crew also crashed, leaving many Americans adrift in heavy seas until they were recovered by an American warship.
Two men – later identified by US classified reports as Lloyd Smith, Jr. and William McClure -- were seen drifting away from the main group on a life raft. They were believed to have landed on an island near the Chinese coast.
Chinese officials launched a hunt for survivors and equipment from the crashes. According to the Associated Press, a week after the incident China was offering the equivalent of $80 for the capture of survivors.
Hong Kong newspapers later reported the Americans had been captured and marched through the streets of Shantou “as an object of public ridicule.”
The Americans had tried to persuade three local fishermen to take them to Hong Kong, declassified US reports say, but one of the natives had turned them in. The fishermen were executed and the Americans imprisoned, then taken into the interior of China.
Another US report claimed the Americans, wearing “tattered Khaki,” has been marched through the streets of Shantou on March 7, 1953 and then sent to Guangzhou on March 10th.
1953年1月18日,一驾海军P2V海王星侦察机在中国汕头港口附近执行一项摄影任务时遭遇中国海岸炮兵的袭击。燃烧的飞机在坠入台湾海峡,引发了一场戏剧性的救援任务和沿中国海岸的战役。
一艘被派遣营救机组人员的海上警卫队飞机也坠毁了,许多美国人在汹涌的大海上漂流,直到美国军舰找到他们。
两名男子——后被美国机密情报认定为Lloyd Smith和William McClure——被看到乘救生筏漂离了主要人群。据信他们已经在中国海岸附近的一个岛上上岸。
中国官方对事故幸存者和装备进行了搜索。据美联社报道,事件发生后一周,中国曾悬赏等值80美元抓捕幸存者。
香港的报纸后来曾报道,美国人被俘虏并在汕头街头“作为公众嘲笑的对象”被游行。
美国的解密报告揭露,美国人曾试图说服三名当地渔民把他们带到香港, 但一个当地人告发了他们。渔民被处决;美国人被关进监狱,然后被押送到中国内地。
美国的另一份报告声称,美国人身穿“破烂的卡其布”,于1953年3月7日在汕头街头被游行,并于3月10日被遣送到广州。
“This message is for anyone in China that may have info on my father. My name is Sharron, and my father’s name is Lloyd Smith Jr. My dad was an amazing father who loved baseball and doing things with me and my sister. We have greatly missed him over the years and wish every day to just be able to bring him home. I am asking the Chinese Government or anyone else that may have seen my dad in China or had information about him, to please provide it to us. He was such a wonderful man.
We are not angry at anyone, this was during a conflict and things happen. This conflict is long over, please help us find out what happened to my father. Thank you:” Sharron Gaddy (daughter)
“这条信息是给中国任何一位可能有我父亲的任何信息的人士的。我的名字叫Sharron,我父亲的名字叫Lloyd Smith Jr。他是一个伟大的父亲,热爱棒球,喜欢陪我们姐妹两个一起做事。多年来我们一直非常想念他,每一天都希望能把他带回家。我请求中国政府,或任何可能在中国见过我父亲或有任何关于他的消息的人士,请将信息提供给我们。 他曾是一个那么出色的人。