Cambodia - Sean Flynn, 28, & Dana Stone, 31, Phnom Penh, 6 April 1970

[believe09]

"May 17, 2010 - While the world continues to follow the breaking story of Errol Flynn's son's remains may have been recently found in Cambodia, THE ROAD TO FREEDOM, a film inspired by his story, is at Cannes May 12-23, 2010.

Fresh off a well received, red carpet premiere in Hollywood and a strong showing at the Arizona International Film Festival, "The Road to Freedom," was deemed
"A Cinematic Journey" by Examiner.com. Bajan Vista Productions has aligned with Ostrow & Company and they will represent the film's available worldwide rights.

"At a time when a grave has just been discovered in Cambodia, this film could not be more relevant."- Anglotopia.net

The film was inspired by the true story about film legend Errol Flynn's son Sean, who left his Hollywood career seeking fame and adventure as a photojournalist on assignment with TIME Magazine in Cambodia during the Vietnam War, never to be seen again."

I do not know how reliable this resource is, but the story itself is fascinating! My 10 year old wanted to see a picture of Errol Flynn and we stumbled upon this press piece about his son who left Hollywood to become a photojournalist and never returned from South East Asia.

http://www.i-newswire.com/errol-flynn-s-captured-son-finds/37389

 

[lizzybeth]

Thank you for posting this. I had never heard the story about Errol Flynn's son. The remains were found in March, has there been any word that they are definitely his son's?

I don't know how to post a picture without uploading it to photobucket, but here's a link with lots of pictures of Sean Flynn. He was a very handsome and brave young man. He looks a lot like his father.

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.warriorfilmmakers.com/errolflynn/sean/SeanBike.JPG&imgrefurl=http://www.warriorfilmmakers.com/errolflynn/sean/&usg=__--EfLkwHR_ms01OS8-P-3yQWjy4=&h=401&w=347&sz=33&hl=en&start=11&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=jOgOUrzd4DbfUM:&tbnh=124&tbnw=107&prev=/images%3Fq%3D%2522Sean%2BFlynn%2522%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26tbs%3Disch:1

 

[Richard]

LINK:

Searchers: Remains of Errol Flynn's son found

 

[Brubeck]

Test results on the human remains found at the grave site in eastern Kampong Cham province, Cambodia, were released on June 30, 2010, and they were found not to be the remains of Sean Flynn.​

Sean Flynn (photojournalist) - Wikipedia

Still desperately seeking Sean

 

[Independent Investigator]

Do you want to hear more about this case?

 

[Richard]

It is a pretty certain possibility that Flynn and Stone were captured and murdered by the Khmer Rouge in April 1975 when Cambodia fell to the Communists. Between one and two million Cambodians were murdered in the months and years that followed.

 

[Betty P]

Hard to say if anyone living knows where Sean and Dana are buried. Its possible the government made sure the soldiers who killed and buried them were also killed. As Richard mentions above, Cambodia was in horrible, violent chaos during that time and for many years afterwards.

I first read about Sean Flynn in Michael Herr's book "Dispatches". Herr was a writer for Esquire Magazine covering the war.

Does anyone think they were kept prisoner for a while or killed right away? I can't imagine they kept them for very long, but who knows?

 

[Betty P]

Wasn't aware this was on the internet. It's a brief video of Sean Flynn talking to another journalist on the road where he and Dana would be taken prisoner. Probably just a few minutes before it happened. Very spooky. Photos of the abandoned car on the roadway always gave me chills, seeing this video even moreso.

IIRC (its been a while since I read the story) Sean and Dana had traveled with some other journalists to Cambodia, where the government was holding a press conference outside the city. It was in some rural area for some reason. The journalists (writers, photographers, videographers, etc.) from many countries were in the group. Everyone was very paranoid because this was a rare occurrence and Cambodia was an extremely dangerous place. The journalists were given strict instructions by the Cambodian government to stay together, with their guides and not wander off. As they were returning to the city with the group of journalists, they saw this side road with a car abandoned with the hood up. I don't recall all the details, but Flynn and Stone wanted to go there to see if someone was hurt.

The video is probably Flynn talking to another journalist, being filmed by a tv camera, discussing going to see if someone needed help. The other journalists refused to go as it was too dangerous. Flynn and Stone were combat journalists, so were willing to take more chances in dangerous situations. They left and were never seen alive again.

 

[Richard]

The killings in Cambodia began almost immediately. For instance, Royal Cambodian military officers were killed right away, followed by government officials and senior enlisted military.

Flynn and Stone were in open country and traveling about in the area where active shooting was taking place. They were not safe at all.

 

[Richard]

The Khmer Rouge began murdering other Cambodians immediately upon their take over. Royal Military Officers and Public Officials were first to go, followed by other military, and anyone with an education of any kind. All were forced to evacuate and live in hideous conditions as slaves to the Communists.

Flynn and Stone were last seen in open country where active fire fighting was occurring. Not much hope that they lasted very long.

 

[Independent Investigator]

My name is Mike Luehring. I represent the Flynn family, and was involved and managed the recovery in 2010. Everything mentioned above is speculation..there is no evidence of what happened after their capture. I personally located one of the last journalists that spoke to Sean on route 1 (Dana was not with him.) 12 years on this case and know for a fact that US Gov has no idea what happened to Sean and Dana or their other Journalists that went missing after the spring of 1970. I, and my partner in Southeast Asia continue to work for Rory Flynn on this case. If anyone has questions fire away. I have traveled to Cambodia and Vietnam several times to work on Sean’s case, and continue to work on identifying the remains we found. Although we did not find Sean, the interviews and evidence we uncovered indicated we did find a foreigner. DNA comparison have yielded no hits on all of US Gov database. Further comparisons are still happening today. It’s our intention to repatriate these remains once we get a identification.

The case is still active to this day, and investigators are still crisscrossing Cambodia, conducting interviews and trying to piece together what happened. Keep in mind that Sean was captured 5 years before the fall of Phnom Penh to the Khmer Rouge. The NVA (North Vietnamese Army) was heavily set up in the Eastern Zone of the country and was involved with taking prisoners in Cambodia despite their claims
that nothing was known about their capture.
Still with all this known, there has been no credible info about this case since we located a eyewitness in Cambodia in 2009 that lead us to a burial site where remains were exhumed.

I’m very impressed with all of you on Websleuths....so all ideas and suggestions are welcomed. There are a lot of smart folks here so curious if anyone has any ideas or suggestions. Also always looking for Cambodian Americans who escaped the Genocide and immigrated to Canada, France or the United States. There are possible eyewitnesses out there that have yet to come forward with their information.

 

[Independent Investigator]

Wasn't aware this was on the internet. It's a brief video of Sean Flynn talking to another journalist on the road where he and Dana would be taken prisoner. Probably just a few minutes before it happened. Very spooky. Photos of the abandoned car on the roadway always gave me chills, seeing this video even moreso.

IIRC (its been a while since I read the story) Sean and Dana had traveled with some other journalists to Cambodia, where the government was holding a press conference outside the city. It was in some rural area for some reason. The journalists (writers, photographers, videographers, etc.) from many countries were in the group. Everyone was very paranoid because this was a rare occurrence and Cambodia was an extremely dangerous place. The journalists were given strict instructions by the Cambodian government to stay together, with their guides and not wander off. As they were returning to the city with the group of journalists, they saw this side road with a car abandoned with the hood up. I don't recall all the details, but Flynn and Stone wanted to go there to see if someone was hurt.

The video is probably Flynn talking to another journalist, being filmed by a tv camera, discussing going to see if someone needed help. The other journalists refused to go as it was too dangerous. Flynn and Stone were combat journalists, so were willing to take more chances in dangerous situations. They left and were never seen alive again.

This footage was taken by a French Film crew. The car up ahead was captured the day before by the NVA. Technically, this is the last know media of Sean and Dana. There were Vietnamese in the area, and the night before there were attacks that had destroyed local villages. They were still smoldering when the press showed up the next day with their military escort. Basically 2 eyewitness that saw him on that road, both French Journalists. Both are still alive, sadly one had a stroke. The other is still very much around and is a strong eyewitness based on what data he gave me.

 

[Laughing]

@Independent Investigator , consider becoming a Verified Insider for this case:

Verification Process for Professional or Insider Posters

 

[Independent Investigator]

The Khmer Rouge began murdering other Cambodians immediately upon their take over. Royal Military Officers and Public Officials were first to go, followed by other military, and anyone with an education of any kind. All were forced to evacuate and live in hideous conditions as slaves to the Communists.

Flynn and Stone were last seen in open country where active fire fighting was occurring. Not much hope that they lasted very long.

Yes but Sean and Dana were captured in 1970 5 years before the Khmer Rouge got big enough to take the country. The Khmer Rouge was just starting to form at this time. It was later that the Khmer Rouge came to power, emptied the cities, and made everyone work in the rice fields, or killed them. The Genocide was in full swing in the summer of 1975-1977. So if the Khmer Rouge was involved it would be with imprisonment (speculative) not capture.

 

[Independent Investigator]

@Independent Investigator , consider becoming a Verified Insider for this case:

Verification Process for Professional or Insider Posters

done! Appreciate the suggestion.

 

[rosesfromangels]

Yes but Sean and Dana were captured in 1970 5 years before the Khmer Rouge got big enough to take the country. The Khmer Rouge was just starting to form at this time. It was later that the Khmer Rouge came to power, emptied the cities, and made everyone work in the rice fields, or killed them. The Genocide was in full swing in the summer of 1975-1977. So if the Khmer Rouge was involved it would be with imprisonment (speculative) not capture.

I traveled throughout Cambodia and Vietnam a few years ago and went to one of the Cambodian prison camps. One of the historians that spoke to us was a survivor, and between his rendition of events and the sights I witnessed at the Camp..changed by life forever.

What stays with me the most isn't the atrocities, but the sweetness of the Cambodian people. Their ability to forgive, and move forward. Such concepts are difficult for the western mind to fully process.

As far as the fate of Sean and Dana, I truly believe one of the elder, surviving historians would be your best bet. Given what I saw, I doubt they were given the smallest benefit of an individual burial. I would think they were part of the mass of disposed humanity that I bore witness to in the form of heaps of stashed clothing, and pictures of prisoners with chains about their necks, etc.

I will never forget....

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[Richard]

Sean Flynn and Dana Stone

 

[Independent Investigator]

I traveled throughout Cambodia and Vietnam a few years ago and went to one of the Cambodian prison camps. One of the historians that spoke to us was a survivor, and between his rendition of events and the sights I witnessed at the Camp..changed by life forever.

What stays with me the most isn't the atrocities, but the sweetness of the Cambodian people. Their ability to forgive, and move forward. Such concepts are difficult for the western mind to fully process.

As far as the fate of Sean and Dana, I truly believe one of the elder, surviving historians would be your best bet. Given what I saw, I doubt they were given the smallest benefit of an individual burial. I would think they were part of the mass of disposed humanity that I bore witness to in the form of heaps of stashed clothing, and pictures of prisoners with chains about their necks, etc.

I will never forget....

Amateur opinion and speculation

which camp, area? Would love to hear more about it.

 

[rosesfromangels]

which camp, area? Would love to hear more about it.

Choeung Ek, the killing fields, which is now overrun with tourists apparently. When I was there it was very somber, and very respectful visitors.
I remember the photos of the prisoners with chains around their necks, the devices of torture, and the blood left on the walls.

The piles of clothing and endless piles of skulls and bones could very well contain the remains of Flynn and Stone.

After seeing this horrific evidence of the worst of humanity, I visited people living the most simple lives in stilted huts along Siem Riep, who were amongst the sweetest and happiest people I have ever met. I thought this happiness might be the ultimate victory, or act of defiance against the evil that had visited their land.

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[Richard]

In the Library of Congress is a telegram dated 6 January 1971 which mentions US efforts to locate missing journalists in Cambodia. While parts of the telegram are redacted (blotted out), it mentions a Newsman named Zalin Grant who had obtained some personal items including a diary of a missing journalist and that it was being examined for possible clues and codes in an effort to locate other American journalists (names redacted) missing in Cambodia.

LINK:
CB: ARMY WAR COLLEGE PAPERS/ Prisoners in Cambodia