| Ernest Keno Cota | |
|---|---|
| Location on the Wall: | Panel 60E - Line 9 |
| Age at Loss: | 23 |
| Race: | Causasian |
| Sex: | Male |
| Date of Birth: | 23 Nov, 1944 |
| Home of Record: | San Diego, CA |
| Religion: | Protestant |
| Marital Status: | Married |
| Branch: | Navy |
| Length of Service: | 4 years |
| Grade: | E5 |
| Rank: | Ensign |
| ID Number: | |
| Unit: | USS Harnett County LST-821 |
| MOS: | Fixed Wing Crew |
| Date of Loss: | 14 Jan, 1968 |
| Country of Loss: | Binh Thuy, South Vietnam |
| Loss Coordinates: | 100515N 1054415E |
| Status (in 1973): | Body Not Recovered |
| Type of Loss: | Non-Hostile, died missing |
| Reason: | Drowned, Ground Casualty |
| Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: | LST821 |
| Incident Ref. #: | 1174 |
Other Info:
Petty Officer Ernest K. Cota was assigned to the USS HARNETT COUNTY (LST 821) on station in South Vietnam.
The HARNETT COUNTY was anchored on the Bassac River some 2000 yards upriver from the Naval Supply Activity Detachment Base at Binh Thuy, Repulic of Vietnam, and had been on station on the Bassac River since April 12, 1968.
At about 1800 hours on May 14, EN2 Cota and other members of the crew left the ship on liberty at the NAVSUPPACT Det Binh Thuy Enlisted Club. Fellow crew members were later to make statements that EN2 Cota had consumed a
quantity of beer and was in good spirits.
At 22:30 hours there was a disturbance at the Binh Thuy boat landing with men returning to the HARNETT COUNTY later said to have been caused by the intoxicated EN2 Cota. Ten minutes later, an LCM departed the landing for the
HARNETT COUNTY. About 600 yards upriver from the landing, EN2 Cota fell over the port side of the LCM at a point about 300 yards from the south bank of the Bassac River.
Several crewmembers from the LCM immediately entered the water in an attempt to find and rescue EN2 Cota, but with the darkness and strong ebb current, the personnel in the water only confused and complicated rescue efforts as
it was impossible to determine the identity of the swimmers. Shortly afterwards, a helicopter from the HARNETT COUNTY joined the search, dropping flares in the area. The search was continued until about 3:00 a.m. May 15,
1968, then concluded, but EN2 Cota was never recovered.
The considered opinion of the Commanding Officer of the USS HARNETT COUNTY was that the possibility of Cota’s survival was remote, and with the darkness and strong ebb current in the river, it was suspected that Cota
drowned and his body was not recoverable.
On May 28, Cota’s status was changed from Missing in Action to Determined Dead.
Source: P.O.W. NETWORK