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Unsolved Mysteries with Robert Stack - Season 7, Episode 8 - Full Episode

May 23, 2019 / 44:45

This episode of Unsolved Mysteries covers three main stories: the mysterious disappearance of Neal Gott, the love story of Frank and Teresa Wilson, and the case of Kirk Morton, a Vietnam veteran declared missing in action.

Neal Gott appeared to be an ordinary neighbor in North Benton, Ohio, but an FBI investigation revealed he was running a large drug operation. After being arrested, he and his wife Terry vanished, leaving behind a dead dog and a trail of unanswered questions.

The episode also features the poignant story of Frank and Teresa Wilson, who were married for 34 years. As Teresa approached her 80th birthday, her family believed Frank's spirit made a special visit, leading to a heartfelt letter that Teresa received, believed to be from Frank.

Lastly, the episode discusses Kirk Morton, who was declared missing in action during the Vietnam War. His family believes he is still alive, citing various sightings and mysterious encounters that suggest he returned to the U.S. with a new identity.

Each story highlights themes of love, loss, and the enduring hope of families seeking closure.

TL;DR

This episode features drug dealer Neal Gott, love story of Frank and Teresa Wilson, and Vietnam veteran Kirk Morton, declared missing in action.

Episode

44:45
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[Music]
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this program is about unsolved mysteries
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whenever possible the actual family
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members and police officials have
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participated in recreating the events
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what you are about to see is not a news
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broadcast Frank and Teresa Wilson were
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married for 34 happy years then in 1960
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Frank's death separated them forever or
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so a scene until Teresa's 80th birthday
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approached many in the Wilson family
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believe that Frank spirit chose that
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occasion to make a special visit from
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beyond the grave to his neighbors in
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Ohio
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liebgott seemed perfectly ordinary the
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proverbial dice guy next door then an
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FBI raid revealed that gut was running a
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million dollar drug operation perhaps
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you can help find it when he was 19
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years old
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Kirk Morton was declared missing in
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action in Vietnam today his name is
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inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans
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Memorial in Washington DC but incredibly
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Curt's family believes that Kurt is not
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only still alive but that he has
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returned to the United States with a new
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identity
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while the army maintains that Kurt is
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dead his family has accumulated just
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enough evidence to sustain their hopes
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that they'll yet find their son jointly
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this intriguing edition unsolved
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mysteries
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[Music]
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[Applause]
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[Music]
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[Music]
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most of us have a certain image of
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big-time criminals
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there were three-piece suits slicked
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back their hair drive fancy cars and
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wear fancy jewelry that's the image we
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see in the movies and on television in
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real life a criminal can be anyone even
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your next-door neighbor Neill God
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certainly seemed normal enough he and
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his wife Terry had moved to the small
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town of North Benton Ohio in 1986 Neal
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opened an auto repair shop and business
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appeared to be thriving when a baby girl
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came along in 1989 the happy family
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picture was complete two God's on the
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surface appeared to be a very legitimate
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couple he was a mechanic who had a place
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called Lake Park motto she had a
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cleaning business where she cleaned
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houses they had a two-year-old daughter
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Heather got through it was a very
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attractive blond-headed little girl and
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everything appeared to be normal
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unless you lived in the community and
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had heard some of the rumors or unless
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you were an FBI agent and you knew you
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had access to what we knew what the FBI
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knew was that Neal got was making an
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awful lot of phone calls to a drug
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dealer in Akron the FBI listened in for
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a month gathering information and biding
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their time finally on December 15th 1990
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got put in a substantial order for the
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next day eight ounces of cocaine
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[Music]
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when Neil got made the by the FBI was
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waiting hands on the truck with the FBI
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do you have any weapons on you anywhere
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whoa okay go ahead and turn around the
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agents did not take Neal got into
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custody they had decided on a risky
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strategy we wanted to cocaine but we
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were not going to arrest Neal got
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because we wanted to continue our
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investigation until we got everybody in
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his network knew your gut the good
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neighbor did not disappoint he went
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straight home and called his buyers to
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tell them the bad news there would be no
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cocaine now the FBI had the names of
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God's cohorts but the authorities had
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already begun to suspect that God was
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more than a small-time cocaine middleman
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we became suspicious of other areas of
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Neal God's activities for instance he
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had rented a barn in home Worth Ohio and
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in this barn which was supposedly empty
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are being used for occasional auto
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repairs we we looked at electric bills
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in the neighborhood of 1,800 to $1,900 a
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month whereas in that type of building
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the electric bill shouldn't be over $50
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and that was her clue that they were
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probably growing marijuana
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hydroponically in that property
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the FBI moved again this time they
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carried a federal search warrant for
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Neil and Terry God's house and for their
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bard
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his indoor growing operation was
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everything we expected and much more it
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was a very sophisticated operation with
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expensive strobe lights which are
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heating lamps expensive timers
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irrigation piping and tubing to all
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these various plants grow packs
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everything a successful marijuana
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operation for an indoor growth needed
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Neal got had inside with that kind of
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secrecy in normal cases you can harvest
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at a minimum of four times a year your
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minimum harvest would be in the
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neighborhood of 75 to $100,000 in
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addition to the marijuana ages also
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found a trove of weapons when they
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searched the house including
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high-powered rifles handguns and
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explosives Terry got was at the barn but
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she denied any knowledge of drug dealing
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this time however Neel got was arrested
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after he was arrested mister God's bail
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was set at 25 thousand cash and a
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$200,000 bond which was signed by his
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parents and he immediately of course
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made bail and was back out on the street
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in the meantime the FBI had nailed God's
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entire distribution network as well as
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several other drug dealers in all 22
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people were indicted on March 7th 1991
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including Neil and Terry got most of the
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defendants were in court for the
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arraignment the God's never showed
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[Music]
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well the FBI went to the guts house it
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was empty in the backyard they found a
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dead dog chained to a tree the only sign
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of life was a neighbor who wandered over
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to see what was going on Fran Smith FBI
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Oh have you seen Neal or Terry got no
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I'm watching their dog
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you're watching their dog yeah for how
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long
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I don't know about a week we started
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interviewing people and we interviewed a
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lady who had rented a u-haul trailer for
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the goths had put it in her name and we
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were also able to decide and from
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talking to people that on the evening of
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March 6 the gods had loaded all their
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personal belongings into this u-haul
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trailer and had left Neal God ended up
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in Florida at least that's where he
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dropped the u-haul truck
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we believe the Goths are still in the
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United States kneel God is a powerboat
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enthusiast the kind of cigarette type
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boats that were on Miami Vice he enjoys
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that kind of activity so we feel
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wherever he is he's probably engaging in
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that he's a truck driver and he's also
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an accomplished mechanic but what Neal
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God does best is he grows dope marijuana
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specifically so we definitely feel he's
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engaged in that activity Neal got is 44
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years old six feet tall and weighs 180
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pounds
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he has prematurely gray hair which he
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may have dyed brown and blue eyes got
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sometimes uses the alias John Hughes and
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should be considered armed and dangerous
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[Music]
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[Music]
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[Music]
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when we return the poet ghost story of a
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love that transcended the grave it has
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long been said that love conquers all
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[Music]
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consider the romance of Frank and Teresa
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Wilson joined in marriage 1926 separated
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by Frank's death 1960 incredibly Teresa
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and her family believed that Frank has
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expressed as continuing love and
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devotion from beyond the grave I can't
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believe it's been 34 years 34 years
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married in 34 years he's gone I have a
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feeling that he's here all the time
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around me I really do the 1930s and 40s
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were busy years for Teresa and Frank as
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they raised seven children three girls
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and four boys money was scarce but the
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Wilsons were content with a simple joys
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of marriage and family a red-letter day
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was April 3rd 1950 Frank's 50th birthday
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Teresa proudly presented him with the
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money she had carefully saved to buy
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their first TV set Frank the last time I
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saw Frank we got up at our usual time 6
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o'clock and went to the door I don't
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like I always did to kiss him goodbye
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surprise
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[Laughter]
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goodbye sweetheart that was his last
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words when he said goodbye sweetheart
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Frank Fay Wilson beloved husband and
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father of seven died of a heart attack
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on his way to work he was 59 years old
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Theresa's family which eventually grew
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to include more than two dozen
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grandchildren and 40 great-grandchildren
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helped to fill the painful void left by
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Frank's death in 1982 is Theresa
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approach her 80th birthday her children
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plan a special celebration they never
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imagined just how special it would turn
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out to be more than a year in advance
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Theresa's daughter Margaret luck began
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working on a unique and intimate gift I
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wanted to put together a memory book
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with letters from all the relatives and
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the children and grandchildren and
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people all across the States just
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writing her a letter and telling her how
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they felt about her and remembering
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things that they had done in the past
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and it took a long time and it was a lot
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of work but it was worth it according to
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Margaret one letter was delivered in the
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most extraordinary fashion in the midst
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of a sleepless night I sensed that there
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was someone in the door and I looked
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over and there was a man standing there
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and it just came to me that it was my
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father he was white and it was just it
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glowed it actually glowed I don't know
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how else to describe it
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[Music]
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I'm here because I want you to take time
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letter letter you mean a letter for
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mom's book Margaret says she grabbed her
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journal and hurriedly began to scribble
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dear dress as you celebrate your 80th
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birthday I want you to know I'll be at
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your side as you blow out the candles on
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your cake happy birthday sweetheart
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when he was done I looked up at him
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again and he smiled and he was gone he
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just vanished and I I just it was so
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stunned and I laid down and it took a
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long time and I finally fell asleep and
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I woke up the next morning and I thought
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what a dream what a dream I had Margaret
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says she began to believe it wasn't a
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dream when she read the love letter the
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next day if I were really here I would
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shower you with sapphires as blue as the
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ocean to match your eyes my father was
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always like that I mean when my mother's
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regular birthdays came around he was so
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sometimes they didn't have enough money
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to buy her gift but he always had
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something special for her and I really
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think this was the most special thing he
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had in all her years
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September 19th 1982 at last the night of
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the party had arrived
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it turned out we had quite a few people
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at the party and my mother kind of got
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wind of it before the party so when when
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she walked in there I think she kind of
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suspected what was going on but she was
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still so gracious and she just acted
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like she was just as surprised and
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pleased as punch well when they when
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they took me there it was a hall and I
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knew it was going to be a party and it
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was my birthday so I figured that's it
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Teresa had guessed correctly about the
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party but she had absolutely no idea
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what was in store for her as she opened
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the book of letters she opened the first
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page and inside was the invitation which
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she oh that's nice and then she opened
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it up and there was a picture of her and
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my dad that my nephew had drawn and then
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there was the letter do your dress
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I just couldn't couldn't control myself
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I just started to cry initially Teresa
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thought Margaret had written the letter
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as a way of including Frank and the
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celebration but then she began to wonder
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when I said dear dress everybody else
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called me Teresa but he called me tres
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happy birthday sweetheart
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Frank
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I think I'll treat these flicker I
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couldn't get past the first page have us
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in tears then everybody started coming
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up and congratulating me and giving me
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presents and after that it was real nice
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evening how did you know what he called
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me
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what do you mean sweetheart
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I didn't I just wrote what he said I
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couldn't believe that eyes I don't know
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it's just a dream but then when she told
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me that she never knew about him calling
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me sweetheart and she said that's what
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he signed it told me to sign it and then
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I I believed it but I wish he'd come to
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me like this
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more than a decade has passed for Teresa
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the letter remains a tangible link to
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her one true love well I read his letter
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and I can just hear her saying just like
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he was right there I love you more as
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each day brings us closer together stay
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a while though I'll wait forever I love
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that part of it he doesn't want me to
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leave yet and I guess my kids don't want
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me to leave either but it mean give me a
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good feeling to know that when I go I'll
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have I'm old they shouldn't feel bad
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because I'll have somebody waiting for
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me
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[Music]
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in September of 1994 our cameras were on
00:17:55
hand as Teresa Wilson celebrated her
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92nd birthday gathered around her were
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family members from four generations and
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perhaps just perhaps the spirit of the
00:18:07
man she will always love her sweetheart
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Frank Wilson next a woman claims to have
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seen her brother more than 25 years
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after the government declared him
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missing in action in Vietnam the images
00:18:39
are a start today as they were in the
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1960s and 70s it seems hard to believe
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but it's been more than 20 years since
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American forces were fighting and dying
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in the distant jungles of Southeast Asia
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along with the 58,000 who lost their
00:18:55
lives the Vietnam veterans memorial also
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carries the names of hundreds of GIS who
00:19:00
were officially unaccounted for a few
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families hold onto the fate glimmer of
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hope that the men will one day return
00:19:08
home tonight you will meet the family of
00:19:12
Robert C Borton jr. known as Curt the
00:19:17
Mortons believe Curt's name should never
00:19:19
have been inscribed on the wall in the
00:19:20
first place but he is not missing in
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action nor was he killed they are
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convinced that Curt is not only still
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alive but that he has come back to the
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United States with a new identity I know
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my brother Curt's alive I've seen him on
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three separate occasions in Washington
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DC and I have not one doubt in my mind
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that that was my brother and he's very
00:19:44
much alive to this day what is
00:19:48
understandable at the Borton family
00:19:49
might not want to accept the harsh
00:19:51
reality the Curtis died they have
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collected just enough evidence to give
00:19:56
credence to their theory when Curt
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enlisted in the Marines he was 19 years
00:20:00
old
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eight months later just 19 days after
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arriving in Vietnam he found himself on
00:20:06
night patrol near the city of Da Nang it
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was not long after that that Robert
00:20:12
Borton received the visit that every
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father dreads yes
00:20:22
mr. Robert Horton yes captain Victor's
00:20:26
this is Lieutenant Jeffries casual day
00:20:28
office United States Marine Corps it's
00:20:30
just about Curtin yes sir I'm afraid we
00:20:33
do have some bad news about your son
00:20:34
he has been reported missing in action I
00:20:38
don't know what's missing you really hit
00:20:40
me hard they said he's missing an axis
00:20:42
I'd hoped I'd find him right away
00:20:46
listen who's all-time hoping someone
00:20:48
would come up where they'd found him but
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never did never happened
00:20:55
two years passed with not a single word
00:20:58
about Kurt's fate still the Burton's
00:21:00
prayed for American and in September of
00:21:03
1968 they believed one was delivered
00:21:08
Robert come here a minute
00:21:11
we subscribe to the Leatherneck magazine
00:21:14
and Marine magazine so nice just going
00:21:17
through it and all of a sudden I see
00:21:19
this picture and it just it just jumped
00:21:22
at me like there's our son I wasn't
00:21:25
expecting to see a picture of him but it
00:21:28
was it was him and I seemed was said
00:21:32
right then there's my boy hey no doubt
00:21:36
about his page it is his picture of him
00:21:40
the photograph had been taken in the
00:21:42
country province in 1967 a full year
00:21:45
after Kurt had been reported missing the
00:21:49
Balkans are convinced that this soldier
00:21:51
is their son we took it down to the
00:21:56
marine castle the office and then we got
00:22:00
a letter back saying that it couldn't be
00:22:02
him because just imagine that and
00:22:04
something else in other words they
00:22:07
claimed it was not her son
00:22:09
[Music]
00:22:10
a few years later the Bortas came across
00:22:13
what they believe is additional evidence
00:22:14
this is a frame from a 16 millimeter
00:22:17
film shot in a Viet Cong prison camp in
00:22:20
1968 the borders have identified this
00:22:23
prisoner as Kurt
00:22:26
[Music]
00:22:28
I seen that there and then as soon as I
00:22:32
seen it I said there's my boy again
00:22:33
right there I'm like him there's our son
00:22:36
again no doubt I mean you know your
00:22:40
children when you see them major Dave
00:22:44
Greco a spokesperson for the Marine
00:22:47
Corps says the Borden's are mistaken
00:22:49
each of the servicemembers in that
00:22:52
photograph have been positively
00:22:54
identified we spoken to each one of them
00:22:56
and none of them is Robert Borden
00:23:01
if it had ended with the two photographs
00:23:04
Kurt's family might have dropped the
00:23:05
entire matter but the Borton say there
00:23:08
is more much more
00:23:11
[Music]
00:23:13
in the summer of 1976 Robert says he was
00:23:16
approached by two strangers who claimed
00:23:18
to be agents with the Department of
00:23:20
Defense your Kurt boardies father yeah
00:23:24
you got information about him I know we
00:23:26
have new information we can give you but
00:23:27
we do have a letter we need you to sign
00:23:28
for us what's this about
00:23:30
basically it changes his status from
00:23:33
missing an action to kill
00:23:35
what do you mean killing an oppa is my
00:23:37
son's own personal safety has declare
00:23:40
him dead I said no I won't do that
00:23:43
they told me I'd get large some money
00:23:46
and I said I'm not concerned about the
00:23:47
money my boy and I told not they got in
00:23:57
the car and left and they said do not
00:24:00
tell nobody nobody nobody but and so I
00:24:04
didn't tell her about it
00:24:05
we don't work that way we do things in a
00:24:08
very professional manner we would not
00:24:10
approach someone solicit them to change
00:24:13
their son status in a public parking lot
00:24:15
of a shopping mall and would have been
00:24:17
done in uniform in the family's home and
00:24:21
will not have been solicited to have
00:24:24
that done I feel like I should talk to a
00:24:26
lawyer before I sign this Robert claims
00:24:29
that the two men pursued him
00:24:30
aggressively over a period of weeks
00:24:31
always confronting him in a public place
00:24:35
Robert is functionally illiterate and
00:24:37
eventually he signed the document
00:24:39
without knowing what it said and so I
00:24:44
agreed to clear him dead for his own
00:24:47
safety they kept him saying that he once
00:24:49
fought for his own safety right well
00:24:55
they never told me that he was alive
00:24:56
anything like that but when they told me
00:24:58
for his own safety and then I knew he
00:25:02
was alive in
00:25:06
in the end robert Borton received a
00:25:09
check for forty three thousand dollars
00:25:12
ten years went by before robert told his
00:25:15
family anything about the episode when
00:25:19
Dianne read the letter that her father
00:25:20
had signed she discovered that it was
00:25:22
not a waiver but was typed up as a
00:25:24
request by mr. Borden the description
00:25:28
killed in action had been xed out and
00:25:29
replaced with killed in captivity it was
00:25:34
one more confusing discovery that made
00:25:36
the Bortas wonder what had really
00:25:38
happened occurred that confusion would
00:25:40
grow as a family travel time and time
00:25:43
again to Washington DC to investigate
00:25:46
Curt's case on several occasions of
00:25:50
bortles were allowed to examine Curt's
00:25:52
official files during the early morning
00:25:55
hours of an unrecorded March or April
00:25:59
1966 Dianne claims that the entries
00:26:03
regarding Curt's death kept changing
00:26:05
some of these reports are
00:26:07
unsubstantiated they had him killed in
00:26:09
March or April of 66 in 1967 they have a
00:26:13
story of him being with an engineering
00:26:14
crew and being killed they had him
00:26:18
killed on paper several times and it
00:26:21
just amazes me that the audacity of them
00:26:24
thinking that we would swallow each one
00:26:26
of these stories and not say anything
00:26:27
about it I think a lot of what the
00:26:29
families read they have to understand
00:26:32
that what they're reading is not often
00:26:35
government position but it may be the
00:26:37
report of a witness these people Vietnam
00:26:42
villagers are remembering things that
00:26:44
happen to them 25 years ago during a
00:26:47
traumatic time in their own lives
00:26:49
so there are often errors in years that
00:26:53
are often errors in months
00:26:55
many times they only understand things
00:27:00
from the cycles of planning and
00:27:03
harvesting their crops the Mortons
00:27:08
continued to dig for evidence that Curt
00:27:10
was still alive in the process the
00:27:13
family believes that someone was
00:27:14
becoming increasing
00:27:15
curious about them every time I go and
00:27:18
check out his file there's something new
00:27:21
well this time I went and did you hear
00:27:25
that I don't have call waiting
00:27:30
Dyanne and other family members became
00:27:33
convinced that their phones were tapped
00:27:34
I started having several phone
00:27:37
conversations with Diana and she was
00:27:39
giving me a lot of the information that
00:27:40
she had one of Diane's cousins is
00:27:42
certain that the entire family was being
00:27:44
watched he is asked that his identity
00:27:47
not be revealed about that timeframe
00:27:49
that I started noticing that I was being
00:27:51
followed to work we lived in a house
00:27:57
that was inside of a trailer park and I
00:28:00
had started noticing that pretty much
00:28:02
every morning there would be a car pull
00:28:05
out of the office parking lot and they
00:28:08
would follow me into work and then I'd
00:28:11
find them behind me again on my way home
00:28:16
after about a month and a half maybe two
00:28:19
months of being followed I approached
00:28:21
the two gentleman in the car
00:28:26
yeah guys I'm not going to the company
00:28:29
this morning I'm going to the gym forced
00:28:31
it's right across the street from the
00:28:33
company I'll be there for two hours I'll
00:28:35
be back here take a shower then I'm
00:28:36
going back to work okay what are you
00:28:39
talking about you guys have been
00:28:41
following me for a while I figured I'd
00:28:43
let you know where I was just after that
00:28:45
for about a month and a half two months
00:28:47
I wasn't followed anymore I said then we
00:28:50
started noticing them again as part of
00:28:56
his job in a security company
00:28:58
Diane's cousin often ran routine credit
00:29:00
checks at Diane's request he entered
00:29:03
Kurt's social security number in the
00:29:05
system and made an unsettling discovery
00:29:07
I entered it into the computer and it
00:29:11
came back invalid entry at that time I
00:29:15
went and got my employer and I told him
00:29:18
I'm trying to run this credit
00:29:19
application and I think I'm doing
00:29:22
something wrong and he said whoever
00:29:25
filled out that credit application is
00:29:27
trying to feed you a line that numbers
00:29:30
never been issued of that same day I had
00:29:35
left work was headed home and I was
00:29:37
approached by someone they very
00:29:39
pleasantly called me by my name what you
00:29:43
did today was really stirred what are
00:29:45
you talking about you know what I'm
00:29:46
talking about
00:29:47
would be you and your family's best
00:29:49
interest not to do it again don't know
00:29:51
what you're talking yes II do leave it
00:29:53
alone
00:29:55
Diane's cousin believes that he was
00:29:57
threatened because he had stumbled upon
00:29:59
evidence that Kirk might still be alive
00:30:02
it would seem to fit together that maybe
00:30:06
he had been used for covert operations
00:30:08
and in order to keep him from talking
00:30:13
about these covert operations he was
00:30:16
given a new identity and instructions
00:30:20
not to contact anyone from his past
00:30:26
in 1990 a full 24 years after Kurt
00:30:29
Borton supposedly died in Vietnam
00:30:31
his sister Diane moved to a suburb of
00:30:34
Washington DC soon after Diane had a
00:30:37
chance encounter that finally convinced
00:30:39
her that all of the scenarios about her
00:30:41
brother might in fact be true I went
00:30:45
down to gas up the van and a car pulled
00:30:48
in behind me was a red car and whoever
00:30:51
it was you know I
00:30:52
they must pump their gas pass cuz I see
00:30:54
him run across and pay for theirs and I
00:30:57
walked across pay for mine and when I
00:30:59
came back across the person was standing
00:31:01
there outside his car it looks like it's
00:31:06
going to snow doesn't
00:31:09
I was stunned it was my brother yeah I
00:31:12
could I didn't even have time to react
00:31:15
because as soon as he said that he got
00:31:16
in and took off
00:31:17
there was a real pretty girl in front
00:31:20
see she had long blond hair
00:31:22
it didn't look like it was gonna snow
00:31:24
was October it was clear skies and
00:31:27
that's the only thing you said to me
00:31:32
the next April Diane claims she saw Kurt
00:31:36
again we were headed down 395 and a red
00:31:42
car pulled up beside us I looked over it
00:31:44
was my brother
00:31:46
it was the same red card soon at the gas
00:31:48
station the blonde girl was in the car
00:31:51
with her might you could see her and he
00:31:53
he looked at me and grinned and then he
00:31:55
took and shot in front of us and like
00:31:57
slowed down a little bit and I wrote
00:31:59
down the license number and he sped up
00:32:02
and zipped over in the other Lane and
00:32:04
zipped off the exit yeah which was that
00:32:06
was a Quantico Marine station and we
00:32:09
were going too fast we couldn't follow
00:32:11
him Diane traced the license plate
00:32:15
number to a man who lived in Virginia
00:32:16
but he claimed to know nothing about
00:32:18
Kurt a few months later in July of 1991
00:32:26
Diana says Kurt made another mysterious
00:32:28
appearance by this time Diane says that
00:32:31
at least one war buddy of Kurt's had
00:32:33
confirmed that Kurt was alive however
00:32:36
that vet said Kurt had come home a
00:32:38
disturbed and dangerous man I spent many
00:32:45
many hours down at the Vietnam Veterans
00:32:48
Memorial I had my two daughters with me
00:32:50
and there's a little hill some woods and
00:32:54
on the other side as the restrooms we
00:32:57
went over to the restroom when in use
00:32:58
the restroom well we came out of the
00:33:01
restroom my brother was leaning against
00:33:03
the wall and my oldest daughter she
00:33:06
recognized him
00:33:11
[Music]
00:33:14
I had been told from other sources that
00:33:17
he was potentially dangerous I had my
00:33:20
two children with me and I just couldn't
00:33:22
take that chance that he could possibly
00:33:24
read dangerous and harm each other I
00:33:27
know now that was a mistake and if I had
00:33:30
it all to do over again I would have
00:33:33
turned around I would have faced over to
00:33:35
talk to him I would throw my arms around
00:33:37
him and hugged him but I was afraid in
00:33:44
1992 another disturbing event hello yes
00:33:52
who's this I can't mention any names no
00:33:55
names
00:33:55
the caller asked a question which could
00:33:57
only be answered by two people then your
00:34:00
son had a blonde haired babysitter what
00:34:02
was her name Frieda Smith Frieda Smith
00:34:06
yeah Jeff my son is he there so I knew
00:34:09
right then it's him but he must be in
00:34:11
the background and then they made a
00:34:13
statement they'd be saying me so he's
00:34:15
saying myself I can't tell you anything
00:34:17
more but he'll be seeing you soon don't
00:34:19
tell anyone what wait hello hello I've
00:34:22
heard another word from him I figured if
00:34:24
I we get in touch with I've heard the
00:34:25
one I hope I didn't jeopardize his life
00:34:27
or anything but tell anybody
00:34:31
in August of 1993 the bortles were
00:34:35
notified that a new set of documents
00:34:37
concerning mi A's and POWs had been
00:34:39
Declassified by the government when they
00:34:42
met with officials at Marine
00:34:44
headquarters the bortles were shocked by
00:34:46
what they learned we have discovered
00:34:50
some remains that we believe belonged
00:34:52
hurt what did you find
00:34:55
we found eleven teeth in a gravesite
00:34:58
where did you find them one report told
00:35:03
of four u.s. soldiers who were killed by
00:35:04
the Vietcong in 1966 Vietnamese
00:35:09
eyewitnesses said that the bodies were
00:35:10
buried and then later moved to another
00:35:13
gravesite although the actual dates are
00:35:17
in dispute the government believed that
00:35:19
the discovery of Kurtz teeth and another
00:35:22
set of dog tags at the gravesite
00:35:23
provided reasonable certainty the Kurt
00:35:25
was killed in Vietnam
00:35:27
however the teeth found in the grave
00:35:30
were compared with x-rays provided by
00:35:32
the military not by Curt's family I
00:35:35
asked him I says where's the rest of his
00:35:38
body all he had his teeth they says well
00:35:41
there was grave robbers and they came
00:35:44
and they robbed the grave and took the
00:35:46
body and I'm thinking well this is kind
00:35:53
of dumb what do they just leave the
00:35:54
teeth we know that there is remains
00:35:57
trade in Vietnam where remains are
00:36:00
buried and dug up and moved to another
00:36:04
place dug up again and sold to remains
00:36:08
traders so they miss many of the smaller
00:36:11
pieces so often we find only teeth
00:36:15
forensic experts tell us that these
00:36:17
teeth were from a deceased person and
00:36:20
the Det the teeth do match Robert Borden
00:36:25
look like it's not a government today
00:36:28
the Borton family believes that Kurt is
00:36:30
part of a secret government operation
00:36:32
Diane in particular feels that her
00:36:34
brother has attempted to contact the
00:36:36
family in order to let them know that he
00:36:38
is alive without endangering himself by
00:36:41
exposing his new identity I talked to a
00:36:45
man who claims to be a secret attorney
00:36:49
he said that they were allowed to come
00:36:53
back as long as they didn't contact
00:36:56
their families or let anybody know
00:36:58
they're back
00:36:59
the official status that was taken on
00:37:03
these men was that there were no more
00:37:05
live POWs in Southeast Asia and they
00:37:08
couldn't bring back live POWs when they
00:37:10
have already taken the stand that all
00:37:12
the POWs are home I did there's no such
00:37:15
program to bring servicemen back after
00:37:19
Vietnam and give them new identities
00:37:21
Robert Borden would not be a candidate
00:37:25
for any type of secret mission I was a
00:37:28
very young man he was in the Marine
00:37:30
Corps just over six months he did not
00:37:33
have any special skills he did not have
00:37:35
a security clearance or any linguistic
00:37:38
skills that would have been needed for
00:37:41
some type of a covert operation but
00:37:44
they're lying to us and there's lots of
00:37:48
family other families out there like us
00:37:50
that are suffering because of it and
00:37:53
that's what's hard for me to handle is
00:37:55
knowing what I've went through and
00:37:57
knowing there's other families out there
00:37:59
going through the same thing than not
00:38:01
knowing
00:38:05
what happened to Kurt Borton did he die
00:38:08
in the jungles of Vietnam as the
00:38:10
government says but did he somehow
00:38:12
managed to survive despite the official
00:38:15
record the Borton family remains
00:38:17
convinced that Kurt is very much alive
00:38:19
and that one day he will come home
00:38:23
[Music]
00:38:36
recently we told you the story of soon
00:38:39
van Nguyen who immigrated to America
00:38:41
from Vietnam with his family in 1993
00:38:44
soon had come not only to start a new
00:38:46
life but to complete a chapter from his
00:38:48
own in 1968 at the height of the Vietnam
00:38:54
War soon was among hundreds of South
00:38:57
Vietnamese officers dispatched to a US
00:38:59
Air Force Base in Louisiana for jet
00:39:01
pilot training within weeks soon had
00:39:06
fallen in love with an American woman
00:39:08
named Gwendolyn Lofton but inevitably
00:39:12
the war intervened
00:39:14
soon was sent back to Vietnam to fight
00:39:16
for his country a few months after his
00:39:20
return he received a letter from America
00:39:22
Gwendolen was pregnant domain people
00:39:35
coming back from a tense mission good
00:39:37
boy and hearing the good news I was so
00:39:40
happy at that loan of the year five
00:39:45
years later soon was despatched to
00:39:47
Louisiana once again he met his daughter
00:39:49
Kimberly for the first time the young
00:39:54
Yaya could be done and I looked at her
00:39:56
and knew right away that this was my
00:39:59
child
00:39:59
[Music]
00:40:06
Tsun was able to spend an entire month
00:40:09
with Kimberly before he had to return to
00:40:11
Vietnam and the war
00:40:15
after the war ended soon was
00:40:17
incarcerated for nearly ten years in a
00:40:19
reeducation camp another ten years
00:40:22
passed before he finally made it to
00:40:24
America but soon never stopped thinking
00:40:27
of the little girl he had left behind so
00:40:29
long ago and on our broadcast he asked
00:40:32
if someone in our audience could help
00:40:34
reunite them that night the switch
00:40:39
ported our phone center lit up with
00:40:40
calls from Kimberly's friends and family
00:40:42
Kimberly who lives in Pineville
00:40:44
Louisiana was thrilled to learn the soon
00:40:46
was looking for her over the years
00:40:49
Kimberly has searched for soon but it
00:40:51
always run into dead ends now she was
00:40:54
anxious to be with her father again a
00:40:58
few days later soon and his American
00:41:01
sponsor traveled to Louisiana for an
00:41:03
emotional reunion with Kimberly it was
00:41:05
her first time together in more than 20
00:41:07
years soon was overcome with emotion
00:41:18
still he wanted to convey his feelings
00:41:21
in English when Vietnam I never I know
00:41:27
never T they can not I can meet her but
00:41:32
now is my dream to be true I'm very very
00:41:39
happy
00:41:42
and then we hugged and then we said
00:41:46
hello and then it was just you can't
00:41:50
describe the feeling it was just like
00:41:53
nice doesn't do the feeling justice but
00:41:58
it was just incredible fantastic
00:42:01
great later that day soon celebrated
00:42:07
with 20 members of Kimberly's family
00:42:09
including her mother to see them
00:42:15
together is just a dream come true a
00:42:21
fairytale that had had some bad detours
00:42:25
but it came to a happy ending oh this is
00:42:29
a big day too happy day and I think I
00:42:35
cannot forget it I knew that wherever he
00:42:43
was that he loved me and I was always
00:42:48
certain in my heart that one day we
00:42:50
would be back together
00:42:51
[Music]
00:42:55
for soon and Kimberly the end of their
00:42:57
long search marked the beginning of a
00:43:00
new life for both of them
00:43:13
on our next turn saw mysteries for more
00:43:16
than 60 years a mysterious light has
00:43:18
appeared above a stretch of railroad
00:43:20
tracks in Arkansas some say there is a
00:43:23
scientific explanation others believe
00:43:25
the light is nothing less than the ghost
00:43:27
of a murdered railroad Foreman perhaps
00:43:30
still searching for his killer and the
00:43:33
final appeal of Stuart Hayden DNA tests
00:43:36
were the primary evidence that convicted
00:43:38
him of a murder he swears he did not
00:43:40
commit but how accurate were the tests
00:43:43
eaten may spend the rest of his life
00:43:45
behind bars waiting to find out join me
00:43:51
next Friday for another intriguing
00:43:53
edition unsolved mysteries
00:43:55
[Music]
00:44:22
[Applause]
00:44:26
[Music]

Badges

This episode stands out for the following:

  • 80
    Most heartwarming
  • 70
    Most emotional
  • 65
    Best concept / idea
  • 60
    Most shocking

Episode Highlights

  • The Mysterious Case of Neal Gott
    A seemingly ordinary neighbor turns out to be involved in a major drug operation, leading to an FBI investigation.
    “The good neighbor did not disappoint, he went straight home and called his buyers.”
    @ 04m 46s
    May 23, 2019
  • The Love Story of Frank and Teresa Wilson
    A poignant tale of love that transcends death, as Teresa believes Frank's spirit is still with her.
    “I have a feeling that he's here all the time around me.”
    @ 10m 09s
    May 23, 2019
  • Curt Morton: Missing in Action
    The Borton family holds onto hope that their son Curt, declared missing in Vietnam, is still alive.
    “I know my brother Curt's alive, I've seen him on three separate occasions.”
    @ 19m 36s
    May 23, 2019
  • A Sister's Search for Truth
    Diane believes her brother Kurt is alive and has been living under a new identity.
    “The Borton family remains convinced that Kurt is very much alive.”
    @ 38m 19s
    May 23, 2019
  • Emotional Reunion After 20 Years
    Soon reunites with his daughter Kimberly after decades apart, fulfilling a lifelong dream.
    “It was just incredible fantastic.”
    @ 41m 53s
    May 23, 2019

Episode Quotes

  • Love conquers all.
    Unsolved Mysteries with Robert Stack - Season 7, Episode 8 - Full Episode
  • I have a feeling that he's here all the time around me.
    Unsolved Mysteries with Robert Stack - Season 7, Episode 8 - Full Episode
  • I believe my brother Curt's alive.
    Unsolved Mysteries with Robert Stack - Season 7, Episode 8 - Full Episode
  • I would have faced over to talk to him.
    Unsolved Mysteries with Robert Stack - Season 7, Episode 8 - Full Episode
  • It was just incredible fantastic.
    Unsolved Mysteries with Robert Stack - Season 7, Episode 8 - Full Episode
  • This is a big day too happy day.
    Unsolved Mysteries with Robert Stack - Season 7, Episode 8 - Full Episode

Key Moments

  • Drug Operation Unveiled04:46
  • Love Transcends09:37
  • Emotional Reunion15:41
  • Mystery of Curt19:32
  • Traumatic Memories26:47
  • Phone Taps and Follows27:33
  • Mysterious Encounters30:39
  • New Beginnings43:00

Words per Minute Over Time

Vibes Breakdown

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