10 Strangest Vietnam War Unsolved Mysteries

The death of marine corporal Robert Daniel Corriveau is a mystery that exists to this day. On one of his trips home to see his mother, he had been suffering from multiple events of violence and anger. This culminated in him being sent by an MP to the naval hospital in Philadelphia for treatment. He was signed in on the 17 October 1968 for psychiatric care. Today, we would recognise this as PTSD.

On the 18 November 1968, Robert was reported as missing when he didn’t turn up to morning muster. A week later, his status was upgraded to AWOL. He was seen as a deserter in the eyes of the army for the next 40 years until a DNA test would prove him innocent.

The same day Robert went missing, 40 miles away a body was found. State trooper Brian McDevitt, while on patrol, noticed what looked like a human form against a fence. It was the body of a man with a stab wound. He had a navy peacoat and a few tattoos, one being from the marines. Unfortunately, apart from a few scars, there were no other identifying marks. So, he was buried a John Doe.

Modern DNA testing revealed this to be Corriveau. This decorated veteran went from AWOL to murder victim overnight. The investigation is still ongoing into who killed Robert. Perhaps we will never know.