A Tribute to Eleanor Ardel Vietti
~ Missing in Action ~

SYNOPSIS:� Ardel Vietti was a twin and was born on November 5, 1927 in Ft. Worth, Texas.� Her father was a geologist and provided Ardel, her sister and brother with a comfortable youth, as well as the experience of living in South America for several years.� Ardel attended Rice Institute, Nyack Missionary College (one summer), and attended medical school at the University of Texas.� Following her residency, she applied for foreign service with C&MA and was certified for appointment to the Ban Me Thuot Leprosarium in Vietnam.�The Ban Me Thuot Leprosarium was located in dense jungle terrain in Darlac Province, South Vietnam, near the provincial capitol of Ban Me Thuot. �The Leprosarium was jointly financed by The Christian and Missionary Alliance, the Mennonite Central Committee and American Leprosy Missions, Inc.� There were 56 Alliance church groups in the areas outlying Ban Me Thuot in 1962.

The Leprosarium had a staff of nine, including Rev. Archie Mitchell, the administrative officer; Dr. Ardel Vietti, a surgeon, Daniel A. Gerber, and nurses, Misses Craig, Deets, Kingsbury and Wilting. �There were two others on staff; also, the Mitchell's four children lived at the Leprosarium.� Late afternoon on Wednesday, May 30, 1962, a group of about 12 armed Viet Cong entered the Leprosarium compound and abducted Dan Gerber, Dr. Vietti and Rev. Mitchell.� The nurses were sternly lectured on their betrayal of the Vietnamese people and assured that they deserved immediate death, but were not molested or abducted.� Mrs. Mitchell and her four children were not harmed.� The VC ransacked all the buildings for anything they could use� -� linens, medicines, clothing and surgical instruments.� About 10:00 p.m., the Viet Cong finally left, taking their three prisoners with them.�When the three were captured, the U.S. pledged all of its resources in orderto see that everything possible was done to get them back safely in 1962.�At the time, U.S. and South Vietnamese intelligence discovered their probable location, but were never able to rescue the three.� Reports have continued to surface on them through the years since 1962.� Some of the members of their families believe them to be still alive.�Now, 25 years later, Gerber, Vietti and Mitchell are still missing. �They were not military personnel, nor were they engaged in highly paid jobs relating to the war.� They were just there to help sick Vietnamese people.�Although the U.S. has given the Vietnamese information on Gerber, Vietti and Mitchell, the Vietnamese deny any knowledge of them.

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