1969

TO LISTEN TO GEORGE JONE'S 50,000 NAMES ON THE WALL

 1969 (date not available)- ILT, 02, (name unknown) Pilot, and an unidentified Co-Pilot and Crew Chief  USAF, Ops 32, KIA-RR while in support of SOG Recon Operation.

Jan - May 69- Four Commandos KIA and Four Commandos MIA (Names and ranks unknown) Commando Team US Naval Advisory Det, Camp Fay, Da Nang, Ops 31/37 (Maritime Studies Branch) while performing operations along the North Vietnamese Shoreline.    

01 01 Jan 69- James M Hall, SSG E6; Wayne L Hawes, SP/4, and Michael J McKibban, SSG-E6,S-2/3 was a strap hanger on RT Diamondback,  CCN-KIA.  "The following is a bit fuzzy and could be wrong, but here's what I THINK happened.  The helicopters were in the air, en route to the PZ.  They were in radio contact with the team when they heard a scream, then silence.  When they got there, they found the bodies of the Americans in the PZ and recovered them.  A search of the area found the scattered, terrified SCU.  The SCU said the Americans let their guard down at the last minute because the aircraft were inbound.  The SCU said they tried to warn the Americans, but to no avail.  Therefore, the SCU pulled back from the Americans to establish a defense, when the NVA (who had apparently been following them) popped up out of the grass/brush and opened fire, killing the Americans."  An investigation was conducted because "the Americans were found dead in the PZ and the SCU were picked up from different locations in the vicinity of the PZ, We were suspicious of the SCU because none of them were hurt.  The SCU were kept isolated from each other and interrogated at length.  Their stories were pretty much the same. The following is what appears to happen as best as we could piece it together - The mission went well and the team was in the PZ. All the Americans were killed, An autopsy showed that the slugs were from AK47's-not M-16's like the SCU were carrying  By Col. Randy Givens)--- [Filed by Maj. William "Bill" Shelton:  The RT that was done in on 31 DEC 68 - 01 JAN 69, was in a DMZ target, not an MA series target. They were on the south side of the Song Ben Hai. Still waiting on Bob Parks to read my version for some clarifications. Slicks were dispatched only after Parks had tried to contact the team. The crew chief of the lead slick shinnied down a tree, saw the team was dead, and used his URC-10 to tell the chopper pilot. He then climbed back up the tree and re-entered the helicopter.]  Additional Information: Hall and Hawes were hit by NVA sappers. It was the first time a C&C team was hit by sappers in the field. They were in either a MA target or a Golf target just below the MA targets.. ***We don't have to mention the fact that they were drinking on New Year's Eve. They were in either a MA target or a Golf target just below the MA targets. Spider Parks fly over the team at midnight and he could tell they were intoxicated. I knew Hawes from training group and FOB 4. What was distressing during the first reports was the fact that the indig came up first on the radio...because the sappers hit the team at first light, killing only the US.  By John Meyers, CCN, (Recon Tm Ldr) One-Zero for ST/RT Idaho from 10/68 to 4/69 and 11/69 to 4/70. 

            ***NOTE:  It is difficult to mention errors, especially our errors, but from time to time, as men, we do make them.  It is hoped that by being honest here and that is the purpose of this written record, is that someone in some future times may learn from these errors. Thus, the drinking episode is mentioned.  It is my personal decision to do this and any future flack should be directed towards myself.  These men are deceased and things can no longer hurt them, but the living must live on and learn.  The revelation is predicated and necessary to give the background on the reason(s) why these Americans did so and is in no way meant to demean their integrity and bravery of these fine men and makes the events surrounding the incident more understandable as long as the complete context of the reasons for their actions is noted-Robert L. Noe, SFC, CCN  “Hall and Hawes were assigned to FOB 4. On Dec. 31, 1968, FOB 4 may have been called CCN at that point in time.  At FOB 1, was low on teams that were fully operational and the teams that were running were running their asses ragged during Dec. 68. Thus, Col. Warren shipped them to FOB 1. Thus, they were pissed about two things: 1.) Col. Warren shipping them north to FOB 1 for an FOB 1 target. 2.) And, for doing it near New Year's Eve, a time they wanted to spend with their FOB 4 buds. Their unhappiness was heightened when FOB 1 S-3 orders them into the target in New Year's Eve. One of them vowed to celebrate the new years and they weren't going to let a little thing like running a mission interfere with a good New Year's Eve party, even if it was in the Prairie Fire AO. The MA targets or Golf targets were very erratic in terms of NVA/Chinese strength and teams had been wiped out there in 68. “Tilt Meyer’s team got shot out of several MA targets and another team went in for six days with no enemy contact. Lynne Black and Doug "the Frenchman" La Tourneau ran into Chinese up there. Big, heavily-armed Chinese. At midnight, Cover rider extraordinaire Robert J. "Spider" Parks flew out to the AO and had a commo check with them. They reported that they were partying and that one of them had carried a bottle of scotch or whiskey to the field and they were imbibing. Spider warned them to be careful...I can get more details from now retired Sgt. Maj. Parks. Thus, at first light, NVA sappers hit the team, quickly and with deadly efficiency, killing all US personnel, leaving all indigenous troops alive. Originally, Covey had trouble making commo in the morning...reports came back that there were Vietnamese on the radio. Bottom line: our guys were dead from what I believe is one of the first -- if not the first -- attack by sappers on a C&C team in the field. John Plaster would know for sure. Sappers hit CCN on Aug. 23, 1968, but, as far as FOB 1 targets, this was a first. A tragic first. Then, there was the sad seen of Col Warren hugging the corpse, after pulling at least one out of a body bag.  I didn't see it.

3 Jan 69 ZENGA, RONALD P SGT, USAF, 20th Special Operations Squadron, 14th SO Sing USAF.

FINAL MISSION OF SGT RONALD P. ZENGA

08 Jan 69- Bill F William Jr, SP/4 and Gerald F Apperson, SFC E-7 USASF, CCN Recon, Alan C Giles, 1Lt, Air Craft Commander, Jon P Roche, WO1, Pilot, Robert D. Case, SP/4 Crewchief, and Steven D. Bartman, SP/4, Gunner, UH-1D, Tail #66-16323, 170th AHC -KIA (Filed by Gary Rousn: Story told by Michael P. Loyd, 170th AHC: " RR for all the above...I never found out what happened because my father died and I was sent home. The information I got was from other eyewitnesses that observed what happened that day." The two SOG soldiers, Williams and Apperson, had been picked up at a PZ. As the Helicopter was climbing out of the PZ it took several hits in the main transmission. The pilot (1Lt Giles) was advised to land, but refused and reported he was going to land at the Ben Het SF Camp. Smoke was pouring out of the hellhole. By the time the pilot decided to land, and started autorotation, and as he rolled off the throttle, the transmission seized [causing the helicopter to crash]) (Filed by Sgt Charles Berg)  Apperson and I were on the same RT in 66 at Phu Bai [FOB 1] he was the 12 (one two), William T. (TEDDYBEAR) Copeland 10 (one zero) and I was the 11 (one one) , at the at time he was a E5, ran two insertions with him, one we launched out of Kontum, (Bad Weather at Khe Sahn), and Kontum RTs were wore out, having gotten run out so many times within the last thirty days (We set the record for the shortest time on ground (not our choice) and one in DEC 66 to do the recovery/Bright Light on the HU-1B that the B-52 Delta Team (Batts & Stark) were thought to be on when they were E & E out of the North West corner of the DMZ area and crossed over. Copeland died in Bad Tolz in training.  The chase ship behind the chopper carrying the team returning from a search for Sgt. Robert Scherdin, their teammate who was MIA from their 12/29/68 mission, landed nearby as soon as it saw the ship go down.  SOG FOB2 medic Joe Parnar, with other personnel from the chase ship raced to the scene of the crash and tried to do what they could in the middle of the intense fire and rounds cooking off.  A patrol from the nearby SF camp at Ben Het also soon arrived on the scene and Parnar was told by SFC Bobby J. Dunham that there were enemy nearby and had been firing at the patrol sporadically.  Rather than wait for the cook off's to die down, Parnar and Dunham moved one body away from the burning wreckage and returned to retrieve another.  When they lifted the body there was a large explosion next to them, knocking them both down and wounding them.  It is not known if the explosion was a cook off from the chopper or a RPG/B40 fired by the nearby enemy.  Dunham was medevaced but shortly died from his wounds. Filed by: Frank Greco. 

29 Jan 69- Larry A Stephens, SGT E-5; Billy J Simmons, SGT E-5, - Charles D Bullard, SSG E-6, USASF and Four Special Commandos, CCC, Kontum, Ops 35 lost in Laos on a recon mission KIA-RR (Inserted on 28 Jan 69, made radio contact at dusk. Failed to come upon radio to FAC, Bright light was infiltrated near the last known location. A location was discovered where evidence of eating was strewn about the area, cigarette butts and food wrappers. A short distance further revealed an area where blood and expended rounds indication a possible ambush site. Tracking the blood trails, the remains of the entire team was discovered). 

**I find it odd that there was evidence of eating strewn about and cigarette butts and food wrappers---we were taught never, never to leave anything behind, everything must be picked up and the area cleaned as if no one had been in the area, something went amiss here as it appears this mission was being performed haphazardly.  If you want to tell the enemy where you are at, light up an American cigarette which has a distinct odor in the middle of the jungle that the enemy will detect immediately and follow it to your location.  Anyone want to comment on this? I was trained to not use aftershave or any other substance that gives off an odor not endemic (belonging or native to a particular people or country) to the area of operation. I had one recon man tell me that he would take out marijuana and smoke while on a mission.  I was totally shocked and told him that if he was on a mission with me and I learned of him smoking I would have shot his ass! inexcusable!  rln

30 Jan 69- Jerrald J Bulin, PFC E-3, USASF, CCC, Kontum, Ops 35, While performing security of the compound was shot by a lone Viet Cong, KIA-RR

11 Feb 69- Harold "Harry" William Kroske Jr 1LT 02 of Trenton, NJ, USASF, CCS, RT Hammer, Ban Me Thout, Ops 35 MIA-Presumptive finding of death. (Version 1: As the platoon leader, of a Recon element with two other Americans in Cambodia they moved away from the LZ when they heard an enemy force in their area. A lone enemy soldier walked pass their position and Lt Kroske decided to take the soldier prisoner. He stepped out onto the trail behind the enemy soldier; the enemy soldier turned and saw Lt Krosek and took off running. Lt Kroske started to chase him yelling "Chieu Hoi." The enemy soldier stopped, turned and fired point blank at Lt Kroske hitting him several times in the chest. Immediately other enemy forces converged upon the area and engaged the remaining recon element, forcing the other two Americans to withdraw unable to recover Lt Kroske. Version 2: Lt Kroske with Sp/4 Bryan Stockdale and four Nungs were inserted onto an open grassland, hustled for cover of a thick patch of jungle a quarter mile away; once there, Lt Kroske and the Nung point man crept forward to examine a major trail they'd spotted from the air as they landed, leaving Stockdale to make radio contact. Suddenly, there was a quick burst of automatic fire, then another, then a hail of fire, all 50 yards from Stockdale. The Nung point had returned reporting Kroske was dead. Stockdale investigated, finding Kroske, getting close enough to almost touch him, but due to the heavy enemy fire aimed at him, he could only shout at him to no avail. Stockdale returned to where he had left the Nungs, but they were no longer there and Stockdale was stocked the remainder of that day and night before being extracted to learn, Kroske and the Nung had walked upon three NVA, one of whom Kroske wanted to take prisoner. Kroske shot two of the NVA and waved the third over, but the last NVA jumped into the grass, fired a wildly and hit Kroske three times in the stomach and chest). NOTE: Version 2 fits the official version. --On your website you have two versions for Harold "Bill" Kroske. John Morley and I were the Brightlite team for that mission. The second version is the most accurate. Jim Day

31 Jul 2005

1LT Kroske came to us from the Americal Division's 75th Rangers. He had aboutsix months of recon operations experience with the Rangers/LRRP's when he volunteered for SOG. Kroske was initially assigned to First Company, Det B-50, "Project Omega" as Executive Officer under 1LT Frank Lambert, who was the Commanding Officer. After one operation 1LT Kroske was assigned to recon. Harold was quite a combat trooper, and; he had been on a number of operations into Cambodia prior to his demise. He was always calm, cool, and very deliberate on all recon operations. In fact, after any combat OP, he usually read a book and drank a coke, as opposed to going to the club and having a drink. 1LT Kroske was quite a soldier. He was fearless in combat, and he loved recon. He extended his tour and took his leave. Once back, he formed a new team from Nungs he got in Cholon/Saigon. I am not writing to second guess anyone. I know Harold was a fine SF RT 10. The day before his fateful OP he gave me his beret to wear on R&R. The moment I stepped off the R&R plane at Cam Ranh Bay, our XO, Major Imes, told me Harold was missing in action. I wish I had the beret to give his family. I was shot several months later. I shall not forget 1LT Kroske. From a fellow Omega and CCS Officer and friend.,Jon C. Potter Nashville, TN [email protected]

02 Mar 69- William Anthony Evans, SGT E-5 of Milwaukee, WI and Michael Frederic May, SP/5 of Vassar, Mich USASF and three Special Commandos, CCS, Ban Mc Thout, (Previously: 5th Special Forces Group, B 50 Project Omega, Recon Team 1) Ops 35, MIA, Presumptive finding of Death. A team of two Americans and four SCU were inserted into the "Fish Hook" in Cambodia where the team was overran by large enemy force. The surviving SCU related he had snap-linked the bodies of Evans and May together in hopes they could be extracted later. The SCU was forced to evade the enemy and a subsequent fly over the following day no bodies could be seen. Enemy activities in the area prevented any further search - a recollection by Bob Head (SOA# 894GA) according to Harve Saal. AS OF JANUARY 2023, THESE TWO MEN ARE SILL CLASSIFIED MIA/BNR. The Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office is seeking to locate anyone assigned to CCS in February/March 1969 and/or who knew Michael May and William Evans or recalls their loss in Cambodia on March 2, 1969.  May may have participated in the capture of an NVA on a previous mission.  Please contact Jack Kull (703/699-1187) or [email protected]

A Note from The Virtual Wall

Team leader Sergeant William Evans and SP4 Michael May were part of an eleven man team conducting a mission inside Cambodia. They were operating as an element of MACV-SOG, B-50 ("Project Omega"). Working with the 11-man American team was an unspecified number of ARVN troops. After insertion by helicopter, the team proceeded toward its objective. As they approached a tree line, they came under heavy fire from their front and left flank. The team fell back 60 meters to higher ground and formed a defensive perimeter. The enemy force, estimated to be battalion-sized, followed. Gunships were called in to repel the enemy advance, but were forced to depart as afternoon drew to a close. The enemy continued to attack the Special Forces team. A projectile, possibly a B-40 rocket, exploded directly over the team's position resulting in wounds to 8 of the 11 Americans. Evans sustained a lethal head wound and died shortly thereafter. May received multiple wounds to the head and chest and died 30 minutes later. The surviving members of the team moved about 60 meters from the area, leaving behind the remains of Evans, May, and three ARVN team members. Although the remainder of the SF/RVN force was evacuated, recovery of the dead was not practical. Evans and May were classified Killed in Action/Body Not Recovered. As of 21 March 2002, their remains have not been repatriated.

Michael was an outstanding athlete in high school He excelled in basketball, football, and track. Breaking many school records and state records. He pole vaulted 13'3" and maintained the school record until it was broken in the early 80's. He won the state championship in class B twice, once as a sophomore in 1963 and again during his senior year. He placed third in the state his junior year. He was also an all-conference end on the football team his senior year. He lettered in basketball, football, and track. Upon his graduation in 1965, he attended college at Michigan Western University, for two years before entering into the Army September 14, 1967. He received a scholarship from ROTC and some others that I cannot remember. Michael also loved the game of golf, which was brought to my attention by another veteran, Nick Katzenstein, just one of Michael's SF Friends. He received basic training in Fort Knox, Kentucky, and went on to Green Beret training at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Michael arrived in Vietnam in Jan. 1969. He was assigned to Ban Me Thuot, Vietnam. On his first recon mission, his team had captured a prisoner, which gave Michael some R&R time to do what he pleased with. He traveled to Qui Nhon to visit Jim Atwood (my husband now). They had three fun-filled days together, recalling old times of back home. Michael was reported missing soon after. He volunteered to go on another recon mission with Sgt Evans. The area that they were into was a Rest and Relaxation Center for the NVA. It was an early Sunday evening when they were infiltrated into the area. I have been in contact with the doorgunner on that mission and Major Head, who was Michael's first recon leader. Our family has remained in contact with the medic, John "BUFF" Costello that was there. You can find the doorgunner's picture and the medic's picture on my second page called Memories of Michael. Both of these individuals are like family to my family. Without them ... we would be lost in our own fears. Michael always said that when he came back home, he would continue his college education. His dream was to become a lawyer. I know deep in my heart that he would of made a damn good one. Michael has touched so many people in his life and still today he is not forgotten. His hometown has a 5k Race named after him and all the monies go the High School athletic association. The Special Forces Association of Michigan has honored him by naming their chapter after him - Michigan Michael May Memorial Chapter LV. Mike was a gentle, caring person, he had many friends and loved this country. He excelled in everything that he set out to accomplish. He was my hero, my best friend, and my guardian. With the help of the internet, I can now tell the world about my brother and I know he will never be forgotten We must make sure this fate never happens again to any soldier fighting for our country. The truth will someday be known about Michael and all his comrades that are still missing. The POW/MIA families need America's support to find out the truth about their loved ones, that the US Government still keeps classified. We, the POW/MIA families, need your support by writing and calling our government to make this issue "NATIONAL PRIORITY" like they have vowed to do so many, many times and have failed to do so many, many times. Veterans of the Vietnam War should contact the families of the missing, even if it's just to say what a great soldier they were. I have had many vets contact me about Michael and it has made a big difference in my life. Just knowing someone who knew him and to be able to talk with them about him has made me understand and accept many unanswered questions The government will never tell us anything, the veterans have the knowledge and the answers to our questions. I pray that many families will be as fortunate as I have been. Thank you for visiting my brother's page and never forget the Veteran for his faithful, honorable duty to keep us free. Part of the complete memorial for Michael Frederic May placed by his sister, Cindi Atwood [email protected]

04 Mar 69- David J. Warczak, SFC E-7, USASF, B-50, Recon Team Leader-KIA   served his country during the Korean War before being deployed to Vietnam. Some reports state he was killed in action in Phong Dinh, South Vietnam. Others that his death was due to a non-hostile self-inflicted injury. The Vietnam Virtual wall lists his death "Non-hostile, died of other causes" which supports the version of Self-inflicted injury.

Non-hostile, died of other causes"

David Warczak Silver Star Citation for a previous operation:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 8, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant First Class David J. Warczak, United States Army, for exceptionally valorous actions on 3 October 1966 as team leader of a four-man Special Forces reconnaissance patrol that had penetrated deep into hostile territory. Having made contact with two squads of Viet Cong, Sergeant Warczak and his patrol were engaged in an intense firefight when his assistant team leader was seriously wounded. Without thought for his personal safety, he ran through devastating hostile fire to the wounded man, dragged him into a position of relative safety, and administered first aid. When the extraction aircraft arrived overhead, he realized that it would be unable to help the team at its present location due to the impenetrable vegetation. Sergeant Warczak lifted the wounded man and carried him through the thick brush toward a clear landing zone. Constantly subjected to intense hostile fire, he moved over one hundred meters to the landing zone, waited until his teammates had been extracted then boarded the helicopter. His courage against a numerically superior enemy force turned the tide in what could have been a fatal situation.

05 Mar 69-Six SCU were killed in Operation Spindown. These men were members of a Hatchet Company, Company A, Kontum, CCS, Ops 35. Accidentally killed when a US F-4 dropped napalm on the Hatchet Force's position, dug in along Highway 110 in Laos, acting as a blocking force against the enemy preventing reinforcements and supplies from reaching the NVA who were waging a major battle on the Special Forces Camp at Ben Het.

05 Mar 69 Sanderfield A Jones and Earl W Himes, SGT E-5 Recon and  SP/4, MLT-1, CCN-KIA, RR Both of these men were killed in Operation Dewy Canyon, the circumstances of their deaths are described in Chapter III, next to the last paragraph.  Operation Dewy Canyon was a hell of an operation and can be read by clicking on Operation Dewy Canyon,  From Op Dewy Canyon:  

It began with a burst of fire, and confusion.  Captain Miller was on the radio trying to contact Bobby to see what was happening, but couldn’t raise him.  Bobby’s platoon sergeant, SFC Hall, answered Captain Miller that another cache had been found and that Bobby was probably destroying it.  I knew better.  That burst of fire had come from an RPD.  I recognized that sound now with a certainty.  Then up ahead the jungle exploded in the crescendo of a full-fledged firefight.  Where I was, the ridge had narrowed somewhat and to my right it dropped off into a small heavily wooded gully.  Up ahead I could see that the ridge widened out again and seemed to level off a little.  We were in mature forest with relatively thick underbrush.  The Nung in front of me suddenly pointed his M-16 into the gully to our right and fired a burst on automatic.  There was nothing there.  This was the fourteen year old that I kept near me and he had simply fired his weapon out of excitement and because he hadn’t had the opportunity to shoot prior to then. Then everything became a blur, with stark images interspaced that have stayed with me to this day.

Noise!  Bobby on the radio.  Recon Team ambushed. Noise!  Bobby…”I’m flanking right, send Burns left”.  Hawkins with me.   I shout at him…”Two squads left on line, one follow”.  Noise!  Crashing through brush. Running. Can’t see my squads.  Noise!  Movement to my right…it’s Bobby’s people.  Running.  In the open now.  Noise!  There’s Bobby.  Waving his arms at me, what’s he saying?  He has a grenade in his hand. Pointing ahead.  Noise!  Scattered trees. Open grassy forest floor.  Things scattered on the ground.  They are bodies.  Not moving.  Noise!  Somewhere to my left shooting..my people.  Running.  Big tree down about fifty meters ahead.  Bobby’s pointing.  Noise!  He’s pointing at the log up front.  Holds up the grenade.  I rip at the tape securing the grenade on my left web gear strap.  It’s in my hand I yank on the pin.  Running.  Noise!  Bodies on the ground.  They our ours.  Please don’t shoot our own men!!  Noise!  A figure to my right.  It’s Sandy Jones.  Why is he sitting there?  Legs sprawled.  Arms flailed.  Hands on the ground.  Palms up. Brownish splotches etched up his right leg…right side…right chest…lip split to his nose.  He’s propped against his backpack.  Dirty blond hair whisping from under his boonie hat.  Staring at me.   Left eye wide-open…surprised…right eyelid drooping over half open eye.  He doesn’t see me.  He doesn’t see anything.  A Nung on the ground to my left.   Not moving.  Head looks funny.  Where is it?  Half gone.  White stuff bulging out…its his brain…no blood.  Another shape to my left.  It’s Himes.  He’s on the recon team.  Prone position.  Car 15 aimed to the front…finger on the trigger.  Why doesn’t he shoot?  Why doesn’t he move?  He’ll never move again. Running.  NO NOISE!!  Just ragged breathing..gasping really..mine.  A blur on my right.  It’s Bobby.  We are both falling.  Not falling. jumping.  My chest hits earth.  I slide up to the log.  Bobby slides up beside me.  I do not throw my grenade.

It was over.  I was completely numb, and thirsty.  Very, very thirsty, but I had no water.  On the other side of the log there lay an NVA pith helmet and an AK-47 assault rifle.  There was no other evidence that the enemy had been there.  Except for the bodies, ours.  I can’t remember exactly how many men were killed and wounded, but Sandy Jones and Earl Himes were dead and some of the SCU.  Every man on the recon team was killed or wounded.  From Bobby’s platoon Sandy was dead and one of the Nungs in his squad was seriously wounded.  Sandy had gone to the sound of the guns.  He had led his squad in a headlong charge straight down the ridge.  The RPD had stopped him about thirty meters short of the big log.  That charge probably saved the lives of those on the Recon Team who survived.  Surprisingly, the Nung with his skull blown off would live.  He would come back to CCN at Marble Mountain with a flap of skin sewn over his brain and continue to serve on the payroll as a houseboy or some such.  That was the way things were, we kept the faith with those who fought with us.  By:  Rod Burns, Col, US Army (Ret)

09 09 Mar 69 - Tim L. Walters SSG E-6 Air Ops,ALO-CCN USASF, Remains Recovered & Robert (Bob) F. Rex,   Cpt, 23RD TAC AIR SPT SQDN, 504TH TAC AIR SPT GROUP, 7TH AF, Pilot, Ops 32,-KIA Remains not recovered..  Killed in action while flying FAC in an Air Force 02A MIA (#67-21425) 5 miles inside Laos, west of the DMZ with Cpt Rex,  Air Force Pilot.  They were trying to locate and extract a team of soldiers when their plane was shot down.  Date: Nov 8, 1999, Central Identification Lab, Hawaii has just completed the positive identification of Tim's remains. Tim was not SF qualified, he went to Vietnam with the 101st and transferred to MACV at the end of his tour, later transferring to SOG and was working out of NKP at the time he was killed.  Tim had been "In Country" almost four years.   (Houston Chronicle, 21 Nov 99) See http://www.asde.com/~pownet/bio/w/w/360.htm [see John Plaster's SOG A Photo History of the Secret War, pg 134]

Notes from The Virtual Wall

Staff Sergeant Tim Walters was assigned to the Air Operations Division, Command and Control North, MACV-SOG. As a part of his duties he routinely flew as an "observer" with Forward Air Controllers operating in support of MACV-SOG operations in Military Region 1 (the northern 5 provinces of South Vietnam and the adjacent areas of Laos). Before his last mission, SSG Walters had received several decorations - the Silver Star, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, and six Air Medals - for previous operations.

As noted above, on 09 March 1969 Walters was aboard an O-2A (tail number 67-21425) of the 23rd Tactical Air Support Squadron, flown by Captain Robert F. Rex of Odebolt, Iowa, when the aircraft went down just inside Laos. Although a ground force was inserted and confirmed that both men died in the crash, SSG Walters was classed Missing in Action while the Air Force classed Captain Rex as Killed in Action/Body not Recovered. In this context, one should note that SSG Walters was not assigned to an Army unit but rather to a Joint Command unit, a fact that might explain the difference in the way the two men were handled (MACV reported SSG Walters' loss, while 23rd TASS reported on Captain Rex). The Commanding General, Seventh Air Force, approved posthumous Silver Star awards for both men (Walters' second award), reflecting the Air Force's acceptance that both men had died in the crash. According to the Army's TAGCEN database, a Presumptive Finding of Death was approved by the Secretary of the Army on 07 August 1973.

Although the location of the wreckage was known, post-war arrangements with the Laotian government precluded any examination of the site until the late 1990s. When the site was visited, human remains were located, recovered, and repatriated on 16 Feb 1999. Fragmentary remains could be positively identified as those of Staff Sergeant Walters, but the government has not yet made any announcement regarding Captain Rex.

In 1943 fighter pilot Captain Harry Leroy Walters, SSG Walters' uncle, had been killed in action near Choiseul in the Solomon Islands, South Pacific; his body was not recovered. A memorial stone was placed in Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles, Michigan, in memory of Captain Walters. When SSG Walters' remains were recovered the family decided to bury him in Niles next to his uncle's memorial stone.

? Mar 69- Vietnamese Kingbee Pilot, Co-pilot, and door gunner, 219^th Vietnamese CH-34 "Kingbee" KIA-RR. Helicopter Aircrew crashed due to enemy fire while performing an attempted re-supply mission for SOG's Sledge Hammer.s Radio Relay Site, being defended by RT Arkansas. (A Cobra gunship of the 361^st AHC, whose pilot reports he had called Kingbee leader for the CH-34 to assist in the attempt to resupply the road cutting Hatchet team which had been inserted which had reported some incoming but needed resupply and evacuation of some wounded. The Cobra pilot instructed the CH-34 to stay low and to keep out of the line of fire; however, he came in too high and too fast and ignored the pleas of the Cobra pilot. The Kingbee ballooned over the LZ and came to a high over the hole in the trees. He was making erratic movements, but never said anything, a little while later it was reported the CH-34 veering off to the south and was in trouble and the Cobra pilot witnessed the CH-34 fly into the side of a hill and explode [Info by Jim Williams, 361^st AHC])

14 Mar 69- James L Ripanti, ILT 0-2, USASF, CCC-KIA. Lt Ripanti's team had been hit SSW of Leghorn. He was seriously wounded and couldn't be moved to an LZ. They had to use the McGuire rig to get him out. I decided to take him to Leghorn first so they could get him on board the ship. The RTO said he didn't think Ripanti would survive the long haul back to the ropes. The RTO had gone out with him, taking the radio. The 361^st had difficulty finding the "little people" Special Commando's; however, they used those day-glo panels and the Gladiator slicks were willing to go down and pick them up separately (Info by Jim Williams, 361 AHC).  The following submitted by tom waskovich:  Lt James Ripanti is listed on the virtual wall as Rt Hawaii. When he was killed on 14 March 1969 he was the one zero of RT New York (I had been his room mate and was on the ground not far from him at the time w/ RT So. Carolina).

POSTED ON 3.15.2018  

POSTED BY: [email protected]

FINAL MISSION OF 1LT JAMES L. RIPANTI

1LT James L. Ripanti was a Special Forces-qualified Infantry Commander. A Green Beret, he was the One-Zero (Team Leader) of Reconnaissance Team New York. On March 14, 1969, after leading RT New York for three days outmaneuvering enemy tracker teams and a platoon of searchers while on a mission in Laos, 1LT Ripanti’s recon team came in contact with the enemy. After a quick exchange of fire, Ripanti was mortally wounded in the chest by AK-47 fire. Ripanti reportedly refused first aid and attempted to direct the defense of his team while on the verge of death. A Bright Light reaction force, code name for those sent to rescue recon teams in contact, was able to retrieve Ripanti, but he arrived at Dak To on the floor of the rescue aircraft in a fetal position, his jungle shirt dark with blood. He was dead on arrival. In a most daring act of valor, the Bright Light team was able to extract the other members of RT New York without further loss of life. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and the book “Secret Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines with the Elite Warriors of SOG” by John L. Plaster]

18 Mar 69- Barry Daniel Murphy, SGT E-5 and Four Special Commandos KIA CCS; Ban Me Thout, Ops 35 in Cambodia performing a Bomb damage Assessment Remains not recovered. Killed in the "Fish Hook" area in support of Operation Breakfast when the team became   engaged with a superior enemy force.  The book Who's Who from MACVSOG and Vol III, SOG, MACV Studies and Observations  

FINAL MISSION OF SP4 BARRY D. MURPHY

Group has Marganito Fernandez as being assigned to SOG when he was KIA'ed. This is in error, Fernandez was assigned to DET B-41 CO D 5TH SFG.)

**** Error regarding Margariot Fernandez, Jr., CCS. sfahq has him listed as being KIA'ed with Murphy; however, on page 3 if the July 1969 issue of the  Green Beret Magazine, he is listed as "Died of Wounds" as opposed to "Killed Hostile Action" thus, he was wounded at an earlier time and died of his injuries so he might have been wounded days before the 18th. He was  assigned to Co D, Det B-41 KIA Moc Hoa,Chau Doc Province,South Vietnam and not SOG.  Further:  the below statement indicates 3 men were killed and left behind because of enemy action, "During the ensuing fire fight, Murphy was hit several times from small arms fire and died. Three other team members were killed before the helicopter could extract the survivors." this validates that Fernandez was not involved because he died of wound at a later date and members of this mission bodies have not been recovered.  

20 Mar 69- Ricardo Gonzales Davis, SFC E-7, USASF, RT Copperhead CCN, Da Nang, Ops 35, KIA Remains not recovered. Team leader of a 6 man team operating west of Kham Duc, eleven miles inside of Laos when Davis was hit by rifle fire in the upper chest and face saying "Jim, Jim!" then falling to the ground. He was observed by a team member (Sgt Jame C. Motte) two feet away, another team member recovered Davis's weapon and ammo, reported Davis was covered with blood. The Assistant Patrol Leader arrived some seven minutes later and checked for a pulse and respiration, but could find no signs of life. Due to an advancing enemy, the patrol was forced to leave the area. Davis was not seen again and no further search was made because of air strikes and the area was held by enemy forces from that day forward.

A Note from The Virtual Wall

On 20 March 1969, a six-man reconnaissance team - RT COPPERHEAD - was attacked while operating in Saravanne Province, Laos, about 11 miles west of Kham Duc. SFC Davis, a medic and the team leader, was was hit by rifle fire in the upper chest and face. Before being forced to withdraw under fire, the assistant team leader, Sgt James C. LaMotte, and one other team member checked SFC Davis but found no signs of life. Circumstances precluded bringing SFC Davis' body out with them, and the enemy presence in the area precluded insertion of another team to search for his body. Given the absence of absolute knowledge, the Army classed SFC Davis as Missing in Action, and he was carried in that status until the Secretary of the Army approved a Presumptive Finding of Death on 11 July 1974. His remains have not been repatriated.

March 26, 1969, COL Donald G. Lepard, who was DCSO of 14th Special Operations Wing monitoring MACV-SOG USAF assets, DNA death. A UH-1F (tail number 63-13158) from the 20th Special Operations Squadron (20th SOS) “Green Hornets,” operating out of Ban Me Thuot East Airfield, crashed and burned near D?c My, north of Nha Trang, South Vietnam. The aircraft was flying at about 4,000 feet when it experienced severe vibration and auto-rotation was initiated but during the descent the main rotor severed the tail boom. In all, seven military personnel were lost in this incident: three crewmen and four passengers.The lost passengers comprised COL Donald G. Lepard, COL who was DCSO of 14th Special Operations Wing monitoring MACV-SOG USAF assets, The same source claims there was one survivor, a SGT Joslyn. [Taken from wikipedia.org, coffeltdatabase.org, vvmf.org, and vhpa.org]

COL Donald G. Lepard,

26 Mar 69- Robert E Sheridan, 1LT 0-2, CCN Reaction element  USASF, Special Operations Augmentation (SOA), Ops 35, KIA-RR.  Lt Sheridan--great great grandson of General Sheridan of the US Cav and Indian wars circa 1870's-buried next to each other in Arlington. Information not 100% verified. Eldon Bargewell, Maj Gen (Ret) 

Robert E Seridan

Story: Robert E Sheridan CCC RVN SOG Vietnam War

 Things left behind lead us to discover a story.

As a child, I was always fascinated with the military and its history.  As a young boy, I started collecting things as a result of my own grandparents and generations before them serving in many wars. 

Many years ago, I was at an antique shop.  I saw this tomahawk in olive drab with a person’s name on the handle.  I saw 69-70 CCC RVN on the head of the blade. And looking again at the handle was Paratrooper Wings, a lieutenant(1LT) bar and Green Beret badges struck in tin.  I thought wow and I purchased it!  The person’s name on the handle is spelled RESHERIDAN.  In the past, the spelling elongated looked like something else to me.  For many years I thought the person’s name was  Resher – Dan.  I thought last name first.  Recently my friend Clete was visiting and saw this tomahawk in my display cabinet of historical items and things of my childhood.  He said where did you get that?  I told him the story and said I can’t seem to find this person Dan who owned it.  Clete said, “his name is R.E. Sheridan”.  I said what?  Sheridan what?  So, I got on the internet and I found a few things... But not really much.  I was very busy and Clete had to go.

A couple weeks later, on Memorial Day weekend, I was visiting my parents in California.  At the time, I was taking a break from catching up with my parents and I got back on the internet because I felt compelled to dig deeper into this person!  I found many things out and I broke down.  He was part of a team of the hatchets and in the 60’s resided in Orange County California.  As a child so did I.  In about 1966 – 1968 My Uncle Jean Thenot went to Vietnam and served those years in the US Army. So, I knew what was happening.  Later on, Sheridan Served too.  In the middle of 1969, Sheridan’s life was lost at the attack of an LZ base in Vietnam.  His tomahawk reflects his projected service was not fulfilled into 1970 as anticipated. 

I look back on the effects of Vietnam.  Many people died and for what cause?  Both the people of this country and those of Vietnam.  At the time there was a thing called communism as known as the Red Scare.  A war of instilling Freedom at the time of political agendas.  The survival of people’s need to spread ideology as a “gear” to their own means of some control due to Western expansionism.  But stepping on culture and imposing another’s way is at times the demise of the greedy with hidden agendas.  

I witnessed many things during this time.  The Space Program, Martin Luther King assassination, Vietnam War, the Counter Culture, movement of freedom for people of other skin color known as Civil Rights, heard great music, Watergate to President Ford getting us out of the Vietnam War.  Days of encouragement, hope, fear, change and war.  What a mixed up time. And then came Disco.  What an experience for a child to see.  My dad worked on the Space Program and my Uncle served in Vietnam.  I saw hippies and strange things in public.  What scared me the most was the hippies and the Vietnam War.  Another thing that scared me was the notion if you "speak out" you might get shot. As a child growing up during this time it seemed very conflicting and unstable.

Going back to Sheridan, I cried as an adult with the experience of the time for this man in his twenties as I shared my discovery with my dad that day. As a father, I was horrified.  It all "came together" like Come Together that Beatles song grooving up slowly as you realize oh my God.  This experience of many things all at once affirmed an array of emotions for me.  Just one artifact from history is a story within itself. What else do we know of this man? There is more to this than meets the eye and more to this person that stems from his own ancestry? Is this a primary source? Does this story stop here?  Robert E Sheridan thank you for serving our country and rest in peace.  by  Roland Thenot  https://sites.google.com/site/rolandthenot/home/story-robert-e-sheridan-ccc-rvn-sog-vietnam-war

1 Apr 69  Morehouse, Michael J FOB 1, CCN, Mike was critically injured in explosion of claymore mine on the PSP LZ helo pad in Danang in 1969. He didn't pass until 14 Aug 2004 per VVMF per Coffelt Database of Vietnam Casualties.  "Mike spent the majority of his adult life in VA hospitals trying to recover from the massive internal injuries he received. He died in 2005 in a VA hospital in Albany, NY. In 2008 the Army Casualty Review Board determined he (and 4 other VN vets) died as a direct result from wounds received in VN. His name was added to the VN Memorial Wall in 2009. His death was recorded as Non combat casualty. Mike was in Recon company with me and he ran one mission with me, and Don Shepard, in April 1969. If I recall correctly he spent several months on RT Kansas and then was on Hatchet Force for awhile. I could be mistaken about the Hatchett Force time. I have written a letter to the CG USASOC requesting Mikes name be added to the the Memorial Wall at Meadows Plaza and it will be added." v/r EldonEldon Bargewell, Maj Gen (Ret)

The date of actual  injury being recorded as 1 April 69 then we see MG Bargewell stating Michel ran a mission with him and Shepard in April, then he spend several months on RT Kansas, then on Hatchet Force for awhild....that would put his injury happening much later in the year of 69.  Since Eldon says he is not sure of the Hatchet Force, but sure of  the Recon RT Hatchet, we'll go that he was with Recon when the injury happened.

08 Apr 69- Christian G. Frenchy" Girard, SFC E-7, USASF, SOA, CCS, Ban Me Thout, Reconnaissance mission  Ops-35. During extraction, the helicopter rotor blade struck a tree causing the helicopter to fall to the ground throwing Girard out of the aircraft at which time the helicopter rolled over and crushed him.

24 Apr 69- Jerry "Mad-dog"Michael Shriver, SFC E-7 of Sacramento, CA, Plt SGT Exploitation Force, Gregory M Harrigan, lLT, Asst Exploitation Force Plt Ldr; Ernest C. Jamison,  SGT, USASF and An unknown number of Special Commando Scouts (names and ranks unknown) CCS, Bam Me Thout, Ops 35. Shriver MIA-presumed dead  and Harrigan and Jamison KIA-RR. The nickname "Mad-dog" was given to Shriver by radio Hanoi. A 25 man exploitation force on a reinforcing mission became engaged immediately upon being inserted into enemy held territory 1 miles inside Laos west of the DMZ's southern boarder by an entrenched superior company sized enemy force with fortified machine gun positions . Fighting from bomb craters, the force called for air strikes and as fighter aircraft dropped napalm around their positions, Shriver and one SCU was last observed by Cpt Paul D. Cahill attempting to move behind a machine gun position and were last seen moving into a tree line. Shriver maintained radio contact for four hours at which time transmissions ceased. It is known Shriver had been wounded three or four times during the fighting. An enemy soldier was observed to be in possession of the same type weapon Shriver had been using. The commander of the force was wounded in the right eye resulting in total blindness for 30 minutes. The enemy fired at everything and bodies of the exposed dead force members were machine gunned repeatedly. By this time, over half of the force was either killed or wounded. Approximately forty five minutes later, 1Lt Harrigan, the assistant force team leader was killed. A1-E "Sky Raiders" bombed and rocketed the area while the NVA applied heavy ground fire wounding one door gunner. Several attempted extractions had to be aborted. With the force commander and assistant commander wounded or dead, the third in command called for napalm to be dropped ten yards from his position resulting in him and nine SCU in his bomb crater being burned by the napalm. The fight raged on for seven hours in an intense battle then finally three helicopters were able to drop in and extract fifteen wounded members of the force. With movement noted in another crater, a fourth chopper came in with a Lieutenant aboard from CCS who retrieved the badly wounded radio operators and a body from the crater. The helicopters were receiving fire the entire time and lifted off immediately after the individuals were aboard. Ten air strikes and 1,500 rockets were required to extract the few survivors of the team. No further insertion could be made into the enemy stronghold. Jun 12^th, 1970, a search recover team was inserted into the battle area and human remains were recovered and identified; however, the remains of SFC Shriver was not recovered. One of many stories about Mad-dog is the report where he and his team was surrounded by the enemy and as air support arrived to provide support, inquired as to his situation, Mad-dog is credited as reporting something to the effect, "we have them right where we want them, surrounded from the inside out!" (This quote may not be exact, it's something I heard when I was at CCN and seen elsewhere in writing, which is characteristic of a SOG soldier and marks Shriver as one of SOG's many legends). NOTE: Page 234, of John Plaster's book, The Secret Wars of America's Commandos in Vietnam contains the following: "It was Mad Dog Shriver who'd spoken the most famous rejoinder in SOG history: His team surrounded and the CCS staff concerned he might be overran, a FAC told Shriver, "It sounds pretty bad." And Shriver replied, "No, no. I've got I've got them right where I want them-surrounded from the inside." -- See Dedication Page  also see "Mad Dog Shriver"

Maybe a myth because the story about it is Mad Dog Schriver. I cant remember his name but a guy at our last years SOAR said his best friend saw Schriver in a bar in Bangkok circa late 80's. One of the stories about JS was that he carried NVA surrender chits and joked with people that if he was about to be captured he would surrender and live. Maybe all BS but you never know especially about a guy like Schriver who we all know had gone native at least by the time I got to VN in 1968. In 1973 I was assigned to B Co LRRPs 75th Ranger at Ft. Lewis as a Lt. I and other SF guys in company (Lynn Thompson, Donal Bruce and others,) were tasked to be on burial detail for a Jerry Schriver. We conducted burial detail at FT. Lawton (Seattle). Several family members including his parents were in attendance. The service was conducted around his headstone since their was no coffin and I have pictures of the service. His parents and family were not what I expected. They were upper upper middle class at least and lived in Belvue, Wash which is a very high class area outside of  Seattle. Not 100% verified, Eldon Bargewell, Maj Gen (Ret)  {Note: Eldon states he will try and find the SOA member who related this information during the upcoming SOAR, 2011).

Notes from The Virtual Wall

SFC Jerry M. Shriver was part of a mixed US Special Forces/Montagnard force inserted into the immediate vicinity of a North Vietnamese Army headquarters located just across the Cambodian border in the Fishhook area. The platoon was taken under heavy fire by NVA troops immediately after the insertion, leading to an all-day battle before suppressive fires finally reduced the enemy opposition to the point that the platoon (and a small supporting force separately inserted) could be extracted. A total of 24 men had been inserted; 17 were recovered, and of those 17 ten were wounded and one was dead (1LT Gregory M. Harrigan). Two Americans and five Montagnards were not recovered; one of the seven, medic SGT Ernest C. Jamison, was known dead, while the other six were listed as Missing in Action. The remains of SGT Jamison and one of the Montagnards were recovered in 1970. According to the Task Force Omega site, a Radio Hanoi broadcast indicated that Shriver had been killed in the fighting. However, he was carried as MIA until 10 June 1974, when the Secretary of the Army approved a Presumptive Finding of Death. During this time he was promoted from E-7 to E-8. As of 04 June 2004 his remains have not been repatriated. There is a marker for Master Sergeant Jerry M. Shriver in the Fort Lawton Federal Cemetery in Seattle, Washington (Plot 4-235, placed 08/22/1974). Unofficial information indicates that Master Sergeant Shriver was on his third tour of duty in Vietnam and received two Silver Stars, the Soldier's Medal, seven Bronze Stars, the Purple Heart, the Air Medal, and three Army Commendation Medals for valor - a total of 15 decorations.

Call From 1LT Gregory Harrigan's (CCS KIA) Mom.
Date: 7/13/07 6:11:14 AM Central Daylight Time
From: Alright4u

Robert: I had the pleasure of Mrs. Harrigan calling yesterday. She is 86. She was very pleasant to talk to , and; I was glad I could tell her how well her son had done when he had a platoon in the company. I only had Greg for about a month as I went to the launch site in late Jan 69, so; I did not work with him as long as SFC Willman did. What impressed me the most about Greg initially, was his desire to learn his job and to learn from the NCO's and yards in the bush. She was most appreciative of some local SFA or SF types who had honored her son's grave site some years ago. I do not have any photo of Greg to send her, as I lost/misplaced the few photos I had from Omega/CCS. If by chance anyone has a photo of Greg, she would love a copy. Thanks, Jon Potter

06 May 69- Kenneth L. Dulley, SFC E-7, USASF, CCS-KIA in Cambodia, Small Arms Fire. "

SFC Kenneth Lawrence Dulley, RT Hammer (CCS), who was KIA on May 6, 1969. SFC Dulley left behind a widow and small daughter. He was on his third tour in Vietnam and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.SFC Kenneth Dulley Bronze Star Citation: For heroism in connection with ground operations against a hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam: Sergeant First Class Dulley distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 6 May 1969, while serving as an assistant team leader of a special operations team on a classified mission deep within enemy held territory. Heavy enemy contact was considered predictable due to the nature of the mission. The team was compromised within an hour after landing, and a numerically superior enemy force pushed them into a narrow outcrop of woods, leaving them with no alternative other than defending in place. This the team did, initiating contact at less than thirty meters. As soon as contact was initiated, Sergeant Dulley began moving from position to position, exposing himself to enemy fire with utter disregard for his own safety, in order to better direct the fire of the Special Commando Unit members of the team. Although this was Sergeant Dulley’s first combat operation since his arrival in country, his courage and calmness were an inspiration to the rest of the team. As the team leader began to direct the gunships in making their runs, Sergeant Dulley continued to direct the team as the enemy were flushed out. When the evacuation helicopter started into the landing zone, Sergeant Dulley spotted troops moving into position in the southern wood line which would have given them a clear field of fire on the exposed helicopter. Sergeant Dulley immediately began placing effective fire on the enemy positions, giving the aircraft time to pull off. Sergeant Dulley continued to direct and inspire his troops until a machinegun burst mortally wounded him. His courage and selfless devotion to duty played a major role in the successful exfiltration of his team. Sergeant Dulley’s performance and dedication to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, Special Forces, and the United States Army. https://sogsite.com/kenneth-lawrence-dulley/

09 May 69- Frederick J Magsamen, SGT E-5 USASF, CCN, Ops 35, KIA-RR. He was on an RT and he and Ken Van Arsdel was tasked to assist in the extraction of a RT that has some illness and could not walk to the PZ.  As the mission required 2 H34 helicopters, Fred was on the first chopper and when the chopper was in position to drop the ropes to be used to extract, the H34 rolled over and crashed. and Fred survived this crash.  Another helicopter from Med Evac came in and dropped their extraction equipment.  Fred who made it out of  the first crash. and nobody on the ground had been injured.  These were Dustoff Hueys from the 236th Med Det in Danang. In the first Huey on station a guy named John Seebeth was the Dustoff medic. As the pilot hovered his dustoff bird over the team, Seebeth lowered a winched "jungle penetrator" to Fred and the other guy from the H-34. The bird was hovering in a very small space in triple canopy jungle. When Seebeth began to lift the winch and the chopper took on the weight of two patients, the bird began to drift. The main rotor chopped a tree top, the bird began to rotate, the rear rotor smacked into trees and the tail boom snapped off. The chopper rotated out of control, whipping Fred and the other guy around into trees and/or rocks, snapping the winch cable. This is what killed Fred. The chopper crashed, and the entire crew survived. See complete narrative below:

Fred and I went Jump School and Training Group together.  We graduated and went to the same Company in 6th Group.  We both volunteered for the 5th Group through Mrs. Alexander on the same pay phone together.  Fred and I spend the last two weeks in the States at my parents house in Torrance, Calif.  Taught him how to surf and we raised a little hell before getting to Nha Thrang. At the 5th Group Repo we both volunteered for Project Delta, B-52.  Fred had a last minutes got the urge to do CCN, I had already committed to Delta. so we split up and kept in contact.   We had met up in Nha Thang on a few stand downs in the early part of 69.  Delta was working up north in Apr-May 69 out of Phu Bai and An Hoa, I had a chance to get into CCN in Danang.  When I got in the compound I met up with some friends, I was looking for Fred, I was told Mags had been killed a few days earlier.  I was told he got wrapped around a tree upon extraction and was crushed.  That's all the detail I got and I remember. I went back to the Delta FOB, a few days later got got pulled off the operation.  I had the honor of escorting my friend Fred home to his family.  One of the hardest things I ever had to do. He's is buried at the Gettysburg National Cemetery.  I always regretted not getting more information.  When I joined SOA one of my goals was to find his other team members or anyone with the whole story, good or bad.  I would appreciate any information I could get in the future.  Thank You, Richard Knapp SOA GL2815 [email protected]

My name is Ken Van Arsdel. I served with SOG from 11/67 -- 6/69. I was a leg initially assigned to the NKP launch site, where I was the commo guy. After almost a year at NKP, I extended my tour for assignment to a recon team. When I got back from my 30-day extension leave just after Christmas 1968, I was sent to FOB 1 at Phu Bai just in time for it to close, then on to FOB 4 where I remained until DEROS. I was assigned as the 1-2 on RT Louisiana. Dave Badger was the 1-0, Dave Maurer was the 1-1. Badger got reassigned, and Maurer took over as team leader and took on Jerry Plank as our 1-1. I rotated back to the States in June '69.

I was looking at your website (a truly wonderful site, by the way) and read the story of the death of Fred Magsamen, KIA 09May69. I witnessed/participated in the events leading up to Fred's death; my account is in the email below. I hope this helps clarify the events surrounding Freddie's death.

The following is what I remember, through the filter of almost 42 years. On the morning of May 9, 1969, Fred and I were just hanging out around Recon Co. in Dananag. I had about 30 days remaining on my tour; Fred had considerably more time left. Either the Recon Co. CO (Dick Meadows) or the Sgt. Major (I can't remember which) snagged us for a quick op. There was a RT on a training mission in Elephant Valley that needed an extraction. I don't remember the name of the RT, but I remember the two Americans on the team were Dave Peters and Bill Phillips. They had some team members sick, maybe with food poisoning, or maybe dehydration, or some other ailment. But the upshot was, they were too sick to walk to a decent LZ so they called in for an extraction on ropes. The plan was to send a couple of Kingbees and pull out the team on the ends of ropes. I was tasked to take the lead bird, with Fred in the 2nd one. But before we left, Fred insisted on swapping with me, claiming I was too short to take the risk. Neither one of us seriously thought anything would go wrong that day--hell, we joked about it--but even so Fred was adamant that he and I trade places. I gave in to him. I've regretted that decision ever since.

The H-34s flew us out to the AO. Fred made contact with the team on the ground. I watched from above as his bird began to hover over the jungle. Almost immediately, the chopper nosed over and dropped through the canopy, bursting into flames. That much is what I witnessed. I learned everything that follows from talking to Dave and Bill later that day, and from a book I'll mention later, below.

I had no way to contact the team on the ground to find out what was going on. Because we expected this to be a milk run, we hadn't taken the precaution of having redundant commo. Fred had a PRC-25 that he used to talk with the team, and the plan was that once Fred's bird had picked up the first 4 team members, he would maintain commo with the guys left on the ground and communicate with the Vietnamese pilot in my bird through the VN pilot of his bird, as my bird went in to pick up the other 4 guys. But with Murphy's law in full effect, I was left with no way to contact the team when the other chopper burned up. Unable to make contact with the men on the ground, my bird returned to Danang.

Fred survived that crash. If I recall correctly, there were one or two killed (pilot and door gunner?) and one besides Fred who made it out of that crash. Nobody on the ground had been injured. Eventually, the team managed to contact the TOC in Danang and get Medevac choppers out to the team. These were Dustoff Hueys from the 236th Med Det in Danang. In the first Huey on station a guy named John Seebeth was the Dustoff medic. As the pilot hovered his dustoff bird over the team, Seebeth lowered a winched "jungle penetrator" to Fred and the other guy from the H-34. The bird was hovering in a very small space in triple canopy jungle. When Seebeth began to lift the winch and the chopper took on the weight of two patients, the bird began to drift. The main rotor chopped a tree top, the bird began to rotate, the rear rotor smacked into trees and the tail boom snapped off. The chopper rotated out of control, whipping Fred and the other guy around into trees and/or rocks, snapping the winch cable. This is what killed Fred. The chopper crashed, and the entire crew survived. Other choppers came in and extracted 3 of the Dustoff crew, then the weather closed in. After several hours of rain, the weather cleared and the rest of the Dustoff crew and the CCN patrol were extracted. I understand someone from CCN rappelled into the jungle next to the crashed H-34 and enlarged the hole in the canopy by blowing down some trees with C-4. Seebeth recently published his memoirs of being a Dustoff medic. The book, An Introduction to War, was written by his wife, Linda Seebeth. Seebeth recounts his memories of that day in Chapter 8.

I don't remember whether it was that night or the next day, I went to the morgue to officially identify Fred's body. That moment has stuck with me all my life. I can still remember in detail Fred's lifeless form lying there. I can still remember thinking how unfair it was, as the guilt came flooding in. I remember a few days later finding out that a friend of Fred's was in camp, and was going to accompany Fred's body back to the States. I guess that was you, Rich. I counted Fred as a good friend although I knew him for only a few short months. The intensity of life as a soldier in Recon Company, CCN, seemed to distill daily experiences into moments that were both potent and poignant. Great friendships were formed quickly in the maelstrom of the events we lived. Sadly, they were often brought up short, as the odds caught up with us.

Regards,

Ken Van Arsdel

SOA 410GA

13 May 69- Bruce Carleton Bessor, 1LT 02, of Fairfax, VA, USA Aviation Pilot FAC of the 219^th Aviation Company, Ops 32 and Mike John Scott SFC E-7 of Newark, NJ, USASF, Covey Rider FAC, CCN, Da Nang, Ops 35 MIA-Presumptive finding of death. In a O-1G aircraft flying (FAC) radio relay for a recon team in the Vietnam/Laos border west of Kham Duc. The team had radio contact with the aircraft and could hear 15 rounds of 37mm anti-aircraft fire from their position and the sputtering of the engine then all contact with the aircraft was lost. When a search aircraft attempted to enter the suspected crash area, they had to retreat due heavy enemy fire. An aerial search conducted on the 18^th failed to reveal anything. [Photo of Lt Bessor featured in John Plaster's SOG A Photo History of the Secret War, page 121] Both Bessor and Scott's remains not recovered. 

Source: Compiled from one or more of the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA families,
published sources, interviews. Updated by the P.O.W. NETWORK in 2020.

REMARKS:

SYNOPSIS: On May 13, 1969, 1Lt. Bruce Bessor, pilot, and SFC Mike J. Scott,observer were flying on an O1G aircraft (serial #51-16959) on a radio relay
mission for a Special Forces reconnaissance team in the area of the Vietnam/Laos border. SFC Scott was assigned to Command and Control Central,
MACV-SOG (Military Assistance Command, Vietnam Studies and Observation 

Source: Compiled from one or more of the following: raw data from U.S.Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA families,
published sources, interviews. Updated by the P.O.W. NETWORK in 2020.

Other Personnel in Incident: Bruce C. Bessor (missing)

REMARKS:

SYNOPSIS: On May 13, 1969, 1Lt. Bruce Bessor, pilot, and SFC Mike J. Scott, observer were flying on an O1G aircraft (serial #51-16959) on a radio relay
mission for a Special Forces reconnaissance team in the area of the Vietnam/Laos border. SFC Scott was assigned to Command and Control Central,
MACV-SOG (Military Assistance Command, Vietnam Studies and Observation Group). MACV-SOG was a joint service high command unconventional warfare task force engaged in highly classified operations throughout Southeast Asia. The 5th Special Forces channeled personnel into MACV-SOG (although it was not a Special Forces group) through Special Operations Augmentation (SOA), which provided their "cover" while under secret orders to MACV-SOG. The teams performed deep penetration missions of strategic reconnaissance and interdiction which were called, depending on the time frame, "Shining Brass" or "Prairie Fire" missions.

At about 0800 hours, when the recon team had radio contact with 1Lt. Bessor's aircraft, they heard aircraft engine noise southwest of their
position followed by 15 rounds of 37mm fire and engine sputtering but no sound of crash, then a large volume of rifle fire from the same direction.
The reconnaissance team then lost radio contact with the aircraft.

Search aircraft attempted to enter into the suspected crash control site, but cloud cover and enemy fire prevented them from doing so. On May 18, the
area was visually searched, but nothing was found. Bessor and Scott were declared Missing in Action. They are among nearly 600 Americans still
missing in Laos.

In the early 1970's the Pathet Lao stated on a number of occasions that they held "tens of tens" of American prisoners and that those captured in Laos
would also be released from Laos. Unfortunately, that release never occurred, because the U.S. did not include Laos in the negotiations which
brought American involvement in the war to an end. The country of Laos was bombed by U.S. forces for several months following the Peace Accords in
January 1973, and Laos steadfastly refused to talk about releasing our POWs until we discontinued bombing in their country.

Consequently, no American held in Laos was ever returned. By 1989, these "tens of tens" apparently have been forgotten. The U.S. has negotiated with
the same government entity which declared it held American POWs and has agreed to build clinics and help improve relations with Laos. If, as
thousands of reports indicate, Americans are still alive in Indochina as captives, then the U.S. is collaborating in signing their death warrants.
Group). MACV-SOG was a joint service high command unconventional warfare task force engaged in highly classified operations throughout Southeast
Asia. The 5th Special Forces channeled personnel into MACV-SOG (although it was not a Special Forces group) through Special Operations Augmentation
(SOA), which provided their "cover" while under secret orders to MACV-SOG. The teams performed deep penetration missions of strategic reconnaissance
and interdiction which were called, depending on the time frame, "Shining Brass" or "Prairie Fire" missions.

At about 0800 hours, when the recon team had radio contact with 1Lt. Bessor's aircraft, they heard aircraft engine noise southwest of their
position followed by 15 rounds of 37mm fire and engine sputtering but no sound of crash, then a large volume of rifle fire from the same direction.
The reconnaissance team then lost radio contact with the aircraft.

Search aircraft attempted to enter into the suspected crash control site, but cloud cover and enemy fire prevented them from doing so. On May 18, the
area was visually searched, but nothing was found. Bessor and Scott were declared Missing in Action. They are among nearly 600 Americans still
missing in Laos.

In the early 1970's the Pathet Lao stated on a number of occasions that they held "tens of tens" of American prisoners and that those captured in Laos
would also be released from Laos. Unfortunately, that release never occurred, because the U.S. did not include Laos in the negotiations which
brought American involvement in the war to an end. The country of Laos was bombed by U.S. forces for several months following the Peace Accords in
January 1973, and Laos steadfastly refused to talk about releasing our POWs until we discontinued bombing in their country.

Consequently, no American held in Laos was ever returned. By 1989, these "tens of tens" apparently have been forgotten. The U.S. has negotiated with
the same government entity which declared it held American POWs and has agreed to build clinics and help improve relations with Laos. If, as
thousands of reports indicate, Americans are still alive in Indochina as  captives, then the U.S. is collaborating in signing their death warrants.

23 May 69- Howard S. Hill, SGT E-5, Medic; Phillip W. Strout, SP/4, USASF,- RT SAW, CCS, Ops 35-KIA and Santiago V.E, Quintana, Door Gunner, and Armando Ramirez, Crew Chief of the 155th AHC -(Note:  Rudolph Machata was not with SOG, he was with A-244, B Co,  5th SFGA and killed on another mission)   Killed as a result of a helicopter crash.

 Ken Donovan submitted the following on Mar 10, 06:  "In looking over your website, in the KIA/MIA section you have listed two SF individuals a Howard Hill and Phillip Strout as KIA on 23 May 69. These are the two SF guys that were killed on A/C 392. The team had called in and requested to be extracted, as they had captured two POWs. The first A/C to go in was #392 who tried to get the team out on ladders, the co-pilot indicates as they were clearing the trees, they lost all engine oil pressure, (this would indicate the A/C was hit). The backup slick then tried to make a pickup but was badly shot up due to the large number of bad guys in the area, before they left the area, the crew chief went down a ladder with an M60 to assist in getting the remaining team and crew members out, he was awarded the Silver Star for this action, I think he should have gotten the MOH. (of the aircraft crew, the aircraft commander was badly injured, and both the crew chief and door gunner were KIA, with only the co-pilot able to move, all of the American team members were either KIA or badly injured) The second slick was badly shot up to include loosing his transmission oil pressure, they were able to get out of the immediate area before they went down. I was at Duc Lap with the backup team of 20th SOS guns. We got word to scramble and headed west the crash site was about 75 miles inside Cambodia. (I have some MIA recovery team data, as the crew chief was pinned under the A/C and his body was never recovered, of any that happened to me in Viet Nam, not being able to get his body out still bothers me more than any thing else). When I got there, I hovered in about 100 ft tall trees to try and get a ladder down, but got shot up, and pulled out, and came around for another try, and that was when my crew chief got hit, that is when we went back to Duc Lap, and Sgt Winters got behind the crew chief's gun. We then went back, and were able to make a pick up on our third try. I had just turned 21, and this was and remains the single hardest day of my life. Looking back on this after almost 40 years, I am glad I flew with the 155th, and if I had to go to war again, I would want to fly with the SF guys again, as I consider them to be the best soldiers I have ever seen. (I do not know if the teams knew this, but in the 155th the crews took personal responsibility for the teams they put in, and were willing to do whatever it took to get them out.) The two individuals KIA from the 155th on May 23, 1969 are as follows: Door Gunner: Santiago V.E, Quintana Crew Chief: Armando Ramirez (listed as MIA, body was pinned under A/C, I believe has status was changed some years ago) There was an attempt to recover Ramirez on May 24, but a road had been cut to the crash site and the entire helicopter and Ramirez had been removed. Some where around the house, I have copies of newspaper articles that indicate the Cambodian Gov't filed a protest at the UN for invasion of their airspace. It is my understanding that the rules of engagement in Cambodia were different than Laos, we were not allowed to call in additional air support because the we were not supposed to be there, but we were conducting open operations in Laos. I did not pay much attention to most of this stuff, for most of the crews it was just another mission.  The only time I was really surprised was about a week after the incident I was assigned a C&C mission for 5th SF HQ in Na Trang. When I reported to the CPT in operations, he looked at my name tag, and said to come with him. I was then introduced to the 5th SF commander, (do not remember his name) and the CPT told him I was the pilot that got everyone out on the 23rd. I was really surprised that 5th SF HQ were tracking  21 year old WO's. (was this normal procedure?) According to the MIA report I have, crash site was in Kracheh Province near Highway 13 approx 75 miles inside Cambodia, grid YU693870. The report lists SF Strout and Hill as KIA, and an Arthur Dolp and Mark Schneider as injured. My Crew Chief who was badly wounded was Dan Wiedner, and the Crew Chief who went down on the ladder to help get the crew/team out was Ernie Plummer, who pasted away about 10 years ago".

Received the following from Moira K. O'Regan on Mar 19, 2007: Phil was a dear friend of mine...one of 10 classmates killed from South Portland, ME.  and one of my three best friends killed in 3 months (April, May and July 1969).  I honor him every day. He was also one of the many featured in:  One week's dead in Life Magazine on June 27, 1969... http://members.aol.com/mraffin/memday69.htm  here's the alleged actual story...as told in a bio of Armando Ramirez...
Name: Armando Ramirez
Rank/Branch: E5/US Army
Unit: 155th Assault Helicopter Company, 10th Aviation Battalion, 17th
Aviation
Group, 1st Aviation Brigade
Date of Birth: 01 February 1949 (Benson AZ)
Home City of Record: Willcox AZ
Date of Loss: 23 May 1969
Country of Loss: Cambodia
Loss Coordinates: 122419N 106163E (YU693870)
Status (in 1973): Killed/Body Not Recovered
Category: 2
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: UH1H

Other Personnel in Incident: Crew of UH1H: Richard Menzel; Jerome Green (both survived); Santiago V.E. Quintana (died of injuries/wounds); 5th Special Forces Group team: Philip W. Strout; Howard S. Hill (both died of injuries/wounds); Arthur Dolph; Mark Schneider (both survived) Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 15 April 1990 from one or more of the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews. REMARKS:
SYNOPSIS: SP5 Armando Ramirez was stationed at Ban Me Thuot in South Vietnam as a member of the 155th Assault Helicopter company. He was crew chief on board a UH1H helicopter -- the Huey -- that performed a wide variety of duties in Vietnam. When the word "Huey" was mentioned, it always meant "move." On May 23, 1969, Ramirez' helicopter crew was called on to insert a 5th Special Forces team into Cambodia for a classified mission. The chopper was hit by ground fire and crashed near Highway 13 in Kracheh Province, some 75 miles into Cambodia. Ramirez was trapped beneath the wreckage. The rest of the crew and passengers were pinned down by continuous heavy enemy fire and could not reach the wreckage to help or extract Ramirez. Quintana, Strout and Hill were mortally wounded in the fire fight that ensued. A rescue team of Vietnamese commanded by an American was inserted a short distance away from the trapped men, and arrived at the site just before dusk. there was still gunfire heard, but the men were no longer under direct fire. It was decided to evacuate the surviving crew and team members and the bodies of the dead. The helicopter could not be moved to extract Ramirez' body without heavy equipment, so the men were forced to leave him behind. Two days later, a search and recovery team arrived at the site to find that not only was there no sign of Ramirez, but also that a road had been cleared and the chopper was gone. Ramirez is one of nearly 2500 Americans who did not return from Vietnam. All the survivors of the crash on May 23, 1969 were certain Ramirez was dead, and that his body had been taken by an enemy that would have little regard for who or what he was. There can be no
question, however, that the enemy could tell us what happened to Armando Ramirez. The same is true for a very high percentage of the missing. Tragically, thousands of reports have been received that indicate Americans are still being captive in Southeast Asia. While Ramirez may not be one of them, the evidence suggests that hundreds of his comrades are alive, waiting for their country to free them. One can imagine that Ramirez would be there if he could, ready to help bring them to freedom. Warmest regards,
 

17 Jul 69-  Dennis W Bingham, SP/4 USASF, CCC-KIA RT HAWAII during a mission in Loas.

POSTED ON 7.16.2018 

POSTED BY: [email protected]

FINAL MISSION OF SP4 DENNIS W. BINGHAM

SP4 Dennis W. Bingham was a Special Forces infantryman assigned to Reconnaissance Team New Hampshire, Command and Control Central (CCC), Military Assistance Command, Vietnam – Studies and Observations Group (MACV-SOG), 5th Special Forces Group at Kontum. Late in the afternoon of June 16, 1969 , RT Hawaii was inserted in Laos on a mission to gather intelligence on North Vietnamese Army movement in the area. SP4 Bingham had volunteered to participate in the mission and carried the radio for the team. After spending the night in a bamboo thicket, they moved out and soon bumped into a NVA patrol. A firefight ensued and RT Hawaii broke contact, requesting immediate extraction. It would be four hours before air assets became available to remove the team. When they left the cover of the jungle to move to the pick-up zone, enemy soldiers who had massed in the area opened fire, mortally wounding Bingham and another indigenous soldier on the team. Air strikes drove the enemy back enough for rescue helicopters to come in and remove the team, and although under heavy fire, Bingham’s and the other dead man’s body were put on the second helicopter and made it out. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and the book “Secret Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines with the Elite Warriors of SOG” by John L. Plaster

25 Jul 69- Vencent F Sabatinelli, 1LT 0-2, USASF, Expoitation Force, CCN, Da Nang, Ops 35 DNH BURNS/FIRE Aircraft accident, crashed into mountain.

UH-1H  67-17533.  This was owned by 525th MI, and they were doing a run from Saigon up to Pleiku. 
    Crew Members:
AC CW2 GOLDBERG STEWART B KIA
P W1 TF DEVEREUX
CE E5 R MUNKVOLD
G SP4 VALDEZ DAVID MEDINA KIA
Passengers and/or other participants:
CPT SABATINELLI VINCENT F, AR, PX, KIA
CPT PEELE ELVERNON, AR, PX, KIA
SFC EVERETT JAY LEROY, AR, PX, KIA
SP4 DYCKS RONALD KING, AR, PX, KIA
SGT DU BEAU GERALD EUGENE, NOT, KIA
CPT PFEFER ARTHUR THOMAS, AR, PX, KIA

Official version: 

POSTED ON 2.17.2017 

POSTED BY: [email protected]

FINAL MISSION OF CPT VINCENT F. SABATINELLI

On 25, 1969, a U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H (tail number 67-17533) from the 525th Military Intelligence Group was on a flight from Ban Me Thuot City Field to Pleiku when it crashed into Dragon Mountain due to deteriorating weather conditions resulting in the loss of two of the four crewmen and all six passengers. The lost crewmen included aircraft commander CW2 Stewart B. Goldberg and gunner SP4 David M. Valdez. The six lost passengers were CPT Vincent F. Sabatinelli, CPT Elvernon Peele, SFC Jay L. Everett, SP4 Ronald K. Dycks, SGT Gerald E. DuBeau, and CPT Arthur T. Pfefer. The following is a description of the accident by the crash investigating board: Aircraft #67-17533 had flown approximately four hours and fifteen minutes prior to the accident. All flight conditions were normal with the exception that low ceilings necessitated low level flight from Ban Me Thout to Pleiku. The cloud ceiling was approximately 450 feet AGL (above ground level) at the time of departure from Ban Me Thout City Field. Since the ceiling wouldn't permit VFR (visual flight rules) flight at 1000' AGL as required by 525th M.I. SOP, the Aircraft Commander elected to fly VFR low level. According to the pilot, clouds forced the aircraft down from approximately 400 feet AGL to approximately 50 feet AGL as the weather deteriorated. From Ban Me Thout they utilized dead reckoning navigation to intercept Highway 14, and followed it north towards Pleiku. Due to the additional strain encountered by low level flight, the Aircraft Commander and co-pilot exchanged control of the aircraft several times. As they approached Dragon Mountain, visibility rapidly deteriorated. At this time the Aircraft Commander took control and instructed the co-pilot to monitor the instruments. He slowed the aircraft from approximately 110 knots to 80 knots and initiated a right turn, presumably to complete a 180 degree turn and regain VFR flight conditions. There is a distinct possibility that the Aircraft Commander went into vertigo at this time. The attitude indicator on the left side of the aircraft was inoperative. Another indication of vertigo is a tape recorded by Peacock Control, Pleiku. Approximately 2 seconds after the co-pilot Rogered a weather report, he told the Aircraft Commander that he was in a steep bank. The aircraft was heading into the side of Dragon Mountain at this time. The tape also indicates that the mountain was seen just prior to impact. The Aircraft Commander apparently initiated an extremely steep flare as is evidenced by the fact that the tail rotor blades struck the ground first. He must have also applied collective pitch in an effort to cushion the impact as is evidenced by the fact that the aircraft slid approximately 60 meters up a 50- to 60-degree slope before the main rotor made contact with the ground and broke away from the aircraft. The aircraft flipped end over end when the main rotor broke away and then rolled approximately 30 meters back down the mountain where it came to rest, upside

 In referance to 2LT Vince Sabatinelli who is listed as KIA/DNH, I can tell you this with a great deal of certainty; Vince was a platoon leader, A CO Hatchet Force out of CCN in DaNang. His platoon was on a mission (I dont know where) A CH34 Kingbee Crashed from a fairly low altitude, Vince and others were on the ground at the time. The Kingbee tipped over, the rotor hitting Vince in the Head. There was also an SFC named Sager who was on the mission. Sager sustained some broken/cracked ribs, and remained with CCN for the rest of his tour in a non combat capacity. I arrived at CCN DaNang 3 days after these events. A Company Hatchet was reconstituted, and I wound up being a squad Leader. My first job was to go up to Mai Loc and get all the Yards back that others had sent on leave. I got em all back to DaNang, but than for some reason most of A Company Hatchet wound up being Muongs and Cambodes Mike Chwatek | [email protected] | Colchester Ct. USA Sunday, January 28, 2007 at 08:09:14 AM PST (NOTE: THIS INCIDENT CLOSELY RESEMBLES THAT OF LT PETER MURRAY, WHO WAS KILLED ON 27 AUGUST 1969; BOTH FROM COMPANY A, CCN'S HATCHET COMPANY), I STRONGLY SUSPECT MIKE CHAWATEK IS MISTAKEN AS WE HAVE THE FOLLOWING FROM GARY ROUSH OF THE VHPA: "Our information came from an accident report that is on file at Ft. Rucker, AL and it list  SABATINELLI as one of the passengers.  This Huey burned so the TAGCEN complimentary cause of death to BURNS/FIRE fits this Huey. rln

27 Jul 69- Steven Nagy, SSG E-6, USASF, CCN, RT Crusader, One Zero, Laos,KIA, Body Recovered-Died of Multiple fragmentation wounds aboard the Hospital Ship REPOSIE, I believe or the other ship that worked off the coast of DaNang-Charles Gray. Note "Laos" means he was on a recon mission at the time he was wounded by friendly fire.

Vietnam Virtual Wall has this:  

30 Jul 69- Samuel W Walthour, SP/4, USASF, Camp Long Thanh, 0ps34/38 was killed while at the 'One-Zero/Team Leader's School" KIA-RR Casualty details: Multiple fragmentation wounds. Newspaper article: "... lost his life while holding off a large enemy force from his small recon team.  His actions permitted his reconnaissance team successfully to complete a withdrawal to a nearby landing zone for extraction by a helicopter. He made this possible by holding his position and by bringing automatic fire on the larger enemy force causing the enemy to halt and seek cover"

31 Jul 69 - Dennis Paul Neal, 1LT 0-2 of Tarpin Springs Fl Remains not recovered;  Michael Paul Burns, SP/4 of El Paso, TX, CCN Remains not Recovered, and Two Special Commandos CCN, Da Nang, Ops 35 MIA-Presumptive finding of death. Two Americans and two SCU were severely wounded during an initial attack and overran by an unknown size enemy force 1-1.2 miles inside Laos west of Hue. The surviving team members had been split from the team and they were able to evade the enemy and extracted. The surviving member reported that they believed their seriously wounded comrades had been killed; However, when last heard, a radio transmission was heard "help, help, help, for God?s sake help!" Two wounded team members had to be left behind due to heavy enemy activity encountered. An immediate aerial search was conduct without success. Another search was conducted two later without success. Due to heavy enemy activity and concentration in the area, no further search was made. NOTE: Surviving Commando reported Burns was lying on his back with severe head wounds, possibly dead, after incurring blast of a B-40 rocket and Neal was severely wounded in the chest by the B-40 blast. 

POSTED ON 6.29.2014  

POSTED BY: [email protected]

FINAL MISSION OF CAPT DENNIS P. NEAL

In Vietnam, SP4 Michael P. Burns and CAPT Dennis P. Neal were assigned through the 5th Special Forces to MACV-SOG (Military Assistance Command, Vietnam Studies and Observation Group). MACV-SOG was a joint service high command unconventional warfare task force engaged in highly classified operations throughout Southeast Asia. The 5th Special Forces channeled personnel into MACV-SOG (although it was not a Special Forces group) through Special Operations Augmentation (SOA), which provided their "cover" while under secret orders to MACV-SOG. The teams performed deep penetration missions of strategic reconnaissance and interdiction which were called, depending on the time frame, "Shining Brass" or "Prairie Fire" missions. On July 31, 1969, Capt. Neal was the team leader on a reconnaissance mission with a six-man patrol just inside Laos due west of the South Vietnam city of Hue. The team had completed its mission and was awaiting extraction along with 4 indigenous team members. It was at this time that one of the indigenous opened fire on 5 enemy personnel trying to crawl up to their position. The enemy signaled and the result was heavy enemy fire, including B-40 rocket and machine gun fire. A B-40 rocket hit their position, killing CAPT Neal and SP4 Burns and two of the four indigenous. The other two indigenous team members were slightly wounded. Neal had been wounded in the chest. Burns was also severely wounded in the head by the same B-40 rocket blast, and was last seen lying on his back, possibly dead, by Pan and Comen, the surviving commandos. When Pan and Comen turned Neal over to take off one of his emergency UHF radios prior to retreating because of wounds and intense fire, forward air control aircraft heard an emergency radio transmit, "Help, help, help, for God's sake, help." The two commandos were ultimately extracted, and search teams were later dispatched to the area, but no trace was found of Neal and Burns. When all details were compared, both from the surviving commandos and the FAC aircraft, it could not be determined that Burns and Neal had, in fact, died. The two were classified Missing in Action. For every insertion like Neal and Burns' that were detected and stopped, dozens of other commando teams safely slipped past NVA lines to strike a wide range of targets and collect vital information. The number of MACV-SOG missions conducted with Special Forces reconnaissance teams into Laos and Cambodia was 452 in 1969. It was the most sustained American campaign of raiding, sabotage and intelligence-gathering waged on foreign soil in U.S. military history. MACV-SOG's teams earned a global reputation as one of the most combat effective deep-penetration forces ever raised. The missions Neal, Burns and others were assigned were exceedingly dangerous and of strategic importance. The men who were put into such situations knew the chances of their recovery if captured was slim to none. They quite naturally assumed that their freedom would come by the end of the war. For 591 Americans, freedom did come at the end of the war. For another 2500, however, freedom is taking longer to achieve. [Taken from pownetwork.org]

Notes from The Virtual Wall

Captain Dennis P. Neal, SP4 Michael P. Burns, and four indigenous troops were conducting a reconnaissance patrol in Laos. After completing their mission, the team successfully moved to a pre-briefed location in the rugged jungle covered mountains near Highway 912, just west of the Lao/South Vietnamese border. They set up a security perimeter and waited for extraction helicopters to arrive. Before the extraction, the patrol was attacked by North Vietnamese forces. A B-40 rocket explosion killed two of the indigenous troops, severely wounded both Neal (chest) and Burns (head), and inflicted lesser injuries on the other two troops. Believing Neal and Burns to be dead or near death, the two survivors took an emergency radio and moved out to escape the area. The two were successfully extracted and search forces inserted. Although the search forces located the site of the firefight, no sign of Neal or Burns was found. Since there was no positive evidence of their deaths, both men were placed in MIA status. On 6 Sep 1978, the Secretary of the Army approved a Presumptive Finding of Death for now-Major Dennis Neal. As of 01 Feb 2005 neither Neal's nor Burns' remains have been repatriated.

09 Aug 69 - Janousek, Ronald, 1Lt, BNR and  Bruce E  Kane, Cpl, USMC Helicopter Crew providing support in Laos-both KIA Remains not recoverd. The Helicopter was hit by enemy fire, burst into flames and crashed into a Laotian River. Two members of the crew survived. [Photo on page 98, SOG A Photo History of the Secret Wars by John Plaster] BNR for both men

      The following filed by Mark Byrd, USMC: On August 9 of 1969 a flight of Scarface two gunships flying under the call sign “Eagle Claw” led a combined force of Marine, Army and AFVN (Vietnamese Air Force) helicopters on a Prairie Fire Emergency across the  Laotian border.  The lead Marine aircraft was flown by Major Tom Hill with 1st Lt. Ronald J. Janousek as his copilot and Corporal J. J. Dean  and Corporal Bruce E. Kane as flight crew.   Their mission was to command the extraction of a  SOG reconnaissance platoon which was being chased by a large North Vietnamese Army force.  The mission aircraft included Major Hill’s two UH1E Huey gunships, 4 Army Cobras , several  Army Huey slicks, and several VNAF H-34's.  When Major Hill arrived in the vicinity of the reconnaissance team with his flight of two UH1E gunships he learned that just a few minutes earlier a Army Cobra, piloted by Captain Mike Brokovick,  had taken heavy fire from a ridge line near the team's position.  Major Hill exposed his aircraft to the same gun positions as he maneuvered to over fly the recon team.  His aircraft was hit by ground fire and lost power.  The aircraft was streaming fuel which burst into flames as Major Hill maneuvered to land near the Xepon River.  The aircraft became a fireball as it autorotated towards the river. At 75 feet above the ground the tail boom fell off and the Huey abruptly fell into the river.  The aircraft came to rest inverted and almost fully submerged in the swiftly flowing water.  The other pilots acted swiftly to investigate the wreckage for signs of survivors despite continued heavy enemy fire.   The four Cobras led by Captain Mike Brokovick made repeated gun runs to suppress enemy fire while an AFVN  H-34, call sign Kingbee, hovered along the river looking for survivors.  Kingbee found Major Hill and Corporal Dean alive on the opposite bank of the river, about 100 meters down stream from the crash site.  One of the Army Huey slicks subsequently lifted them out on strings.  Meanwhile the Kingbee drew continuous enemy fire as he air taxied back upstream to the crash site and looked for the other two crew members.  He hovered close to the sunken wreckage and pushed the main landing gear wheel of his H-34 through the cockpit window.   Then he lifted the wreckage up so that his crew chief could see the interior of the cabin.  No survivors were seen.  Throughout this time the Kingbee was under continuous enemy fire as he performed an extremely dangerous maneuver which risked trapping his aircraft in the wreckage of the Huey.  The mission leader then turned his attention to the rescue of the SOG platoon which remained under enemy pressure beyond the river.  After returning to base to refuel and rearm the mission aircraft successfully extracted the SOG platoon.  Captain Frank Cuddy, also from HML 367, led a relief flight of gunships to the crash site on the evening of the crash and again on the following morning.  These efforts to search the site were driven away by intense enemy fire, and enemy activity at the crash site involving numerous boats was observed.  No further missions to search the site were mounted by HML 367 as the survivors were presumed dead or captured.    Bruce Kane’s mother was informed that her son had died in Vietnam.  She was told that her son survived the crash and made it safely ashore but returned to the aircraft in an heroic attempt to rescue the copilot from which he did not return.   For this valor Bruce Kane was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross  The bodies of Cpl. Kane and Lt. Janousek have never been recovered.  In 1994 the DOD took the position that Cpl. Kane should be classified as “Last Known Alive”, which includes cases in which the crew members are believed to have successfully exited their aircraft and to have been alive on the ground. 

A note from The Virtual Wall

Four men of Marine Light Helicopter Squadron 367 went down when their UH-1E (BuNo 155339) was hit by enemy fire in the vicinity of the SVN/Laotian border northwest of the Rockpile:

·         MAJ Thomas B Hill, pilot

·         1ST LT Ronald James Janousek, copilot

·         CPL Bruce Edward Kane, gunner

·         LCPL John O Dean, crew chief

Major Hill was flight lead for several helicopters conducting an emergency extraction mission in Laos. The aircraft was making an approach to a 3,400 foot ridge when it received intense automatic weapons fire. With the engine failing, the pilot commenced autorotation for a valley floor. Passing thru about 1500 feet, a severe explosion occurred and the cabin and cockpit were immediately engulfed in flames. Major Hill headed the aircraft for a pool in a mountain river, landing in water estimated to be twelve feet deep with a current so swift that the aircraft was immediately pulled backwards and rolled inverted in the water. MAJ Hill exited the aircraft and made it ashore. CPL Kane had jumped from the aircraft just prior to water impact and made it ashore. However, as Hill came to surface the first time, he saw CPL Kane re-enter the water to assist the remaining crew members. MAJ Hill and LCPL Dean were rescued by a "Kingbee" H-34 piloted by Captain Ahn (AFVN 219 Squadron). Captain Ahn air taxied 100 yards in an attempt to recover of the bodies of the apparently dead crewmembers but was forced from the area by enemy small arms fire.

From VHPA and USMC Vietnam Helicopter Association data

26 Aug 69 - Kenneth W. Worthley, SSG E-6, USASF, CCC, Recon Tm Flordia, Team Leader-KIA-RR Worthley, One-Zero, Bob Garcia, One-One, and a new man, Dale Hanson, One-Two, inserted into Northern Cambodia. Inserting uneventful, however, shortly thereafter, two trackers had picked up their trail, Garzia fired, killing one and then taking an M-79, he killed another NVA. Brush started to break around them; apparently, they were being followed by a company size element. The team was now on the run when Hanson's left middle finger was shot off.  It was now getting dark, the team hid in a narrow gully for the night. At dawn, the team moved into the jungle where the team encountered two NVA who were killed by Worthley. One of the NVA was identified as probable Chinese Colonel intelligence officer. Again, the team was on the run as more NVA arrived and was hot on their trail. The team worked themselves to a bamboo grove, adequate for a STABO rig extraction. Garcia calling in air strikes to hold the enemy at bay. The first Huey arrived and dropped four ropes, Three SCU and Worthley?s body were extracted. Worthely had been shot through the neck and died at the LZ. A second helicopter arrived and extracted the remainder of the team. (Note: The documents captured from the intelligence officer contained the name of double agents in South Vietnam, including the name of the double agent that was executed by 5^th SFGA. Col Rheault was the Group commander and  had been charged with murder and imprisoned for several months. He was released shortly after the death of Worthley). Frank Greco submitted the quoted portion to be fair to Col Rheault.   Kenneth W. Worthley. Pic furnished by Joe Parnar, Kenneth was roommate with Joe and Ralph Rodd.

POSTED ON 7.17.2018  

POSTED BY: [email protected]

FINAL MISSION OF SSG KENNETH W. WORTHLEY

SSG Kenneth W. Worthley was a Special Forces-qualified infantryman assigned to Reconnaissance Team Florida, Command and Control Central (CCC), Military Assistance Command, Vietnam – Studies and Observations Group (MACV-SOG), 5th Special Forces Group at Kontum. On August 26, 1969, SSG Worthley was with RT Florida on a mission in Cambodia in which the team successfully ambushed a senior North Vietnamese Army intelligence officer and captured his satchel, which contained several top secret documents about enemy spies in South Vietnam. The team fought their way clear, evading many pursuing enemy troops, and were being lifted out on ropes when a rifle shot hit Worthley, killing him instantly. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and the book “Secret Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines with the Elite Warriors of SOG” by John L. Plaster]

27 Aug 69 - Peter Hinchman McMurray, (Age: 24 years 0 months and 6 days) 1LT 0-2, USASF SOA, CCN, 1st Plt Ldr, Co A, Da Nang, Ops 35, of Duxbury, MA., Killed In Action, Not As A Result Of Hostile Fire (Note the official government classification of "Non-Hostile Death" is in error) - Remains Recovered, and Two Special Commando of CCC, Kontom-KIA. SOG had directed CCN to put a CCC platoon onto Co Roc Mountain; in addition, a Support Platoon from CCN and a Recon Team from CCN were to be inserted. The Support Platoon was commanded by Lt McMurray. As a Kingbee (H34) helicopter made its approach to the LZ, its rotor blade hit the hillside and the aircraft crashed into the LZ. McMurray was killed either by a blade or a rock sent spinning by the blade. A short time later, SOG notified CCN that enemy intercepts indicated the enemy knew of the insertion and that the CCC platoon was moving south off of Co-Roc to their (enemy's) area of operation (AO). The enemy planned to attack that night. BG (then Major) George "Speedy" Gaspard flew to Co-Roc where he coordinated activities, toe poppers and obstacles were already set around the perimeter. The CCC platoon was notified of the impending attack and was hit about 4 am by a B40 rocket attack with two Commando Killed and four Wounded. After daylight, that platoon was picked up. The Recon Team continued to move toward the river bottom and continued its mission. Gen Gaspard and the support personnel were picked up-(Information furnished by BG Gaspard). Col (then Cpt). Randy Givens reports Lt. McMurray was his roommate and Lt McMurray was a Platoon Leaders in Company A and not in Company B and confirms the information furnished by BG Gaspard. THERE IS A DIFFERENT, INTENTIONAL MISREPRESENTATION OF EVENTS INVOLVING THE DEATH OF LT McMURRAY RECORDED IN THE BOOK, 15 Months in SOG, A Warrior's Tour, although the book is written as non- fiction it is essentially fiction with no historical value: General Gaspard writes that Lt McMurray was a fine young officer and deserves a better fate.. Col. Nicholson states he was the Company Commander of Co B and Lt McMurray as his Executive Officer. A Recon Team had found and reported a 6-8" pipeline which had been constructed in the Mu Gia Pass area where the Route 911 of the Ho Chi Minh trail comes out of North Vietnam and enters Laos. Two Platoons form Company B were inserted into the location where the pipeline was discovered with the mission to destroy and disrupt the oil supply going to Vietnam and during the extraction of the element, the last chopper was loaded with the two Americans and two SCU. As the helicopter began its ascent, it was engaged by frontal enemy machine gun which killed the Pilot and Co pilot resulting in the helicopter crashing. One of the SCU had been thrown from the helicopter and was dead, then the body of McMurray was located, he also had been thrown out of the helicopter as it was spinning to the ground when the helicopter blade hit him in the chest killing him. ADDED: Aug 29, 05. The picture furnished. "You will have to forgive me on some of the details since it has been so long.  Also, I don’t remember all the names.  We inserted from a marine base near the DMZ on Kingbee choppers flown by VN pilots.  As we were approaching I took a few pictures of the area and of Co Roc just prior to landing.  I was in the final chopper coming in to land with ammunition and another American and a couple of ‘yards.  As we were coming in to land I stood in the door ready to offload the ammunition to Lt. McMurray, who was standing at the edge of the LZ.  The VN pilots appeared to be a little anxious and came in too fast and could not slow enough.  The left tire of the chopper hit and caused the chopper to start wobbling and the pilot lost control.  One of the blades hit the ground and threw the angle of the chopper toward Lt. McMurray.  Even though he had originally been standing out of the wash of the blades the bounce threw the chopper toward him as it tilted.  The blade caught the Lt. in the head and killed him instantly.  I don’t think he ever knew what hit him.  After that the chopper continued to roll over and the blades beat the ground until they all broke off or bent.  As the chopper went over I fell out the door with the case I was holding.  The remaining cases fell on me and the chopper slid down the hill about five or six feet.  The fuel lines broke and started spraying all over the ground underneath.  I think there was one other death in the crash but I can’t remember if it was a yard or one of the VN.  The remaining passengers were able to make it out but the ammo cases had wedged between me and the chopper and I couldn’t move my legs.  I just knew that there was going to be a fire at any minute.  About when I was ready to die from fear, the chopper slid a little further down the hill and relieved the pressure enough so I was able to work my way free and crawl out from under on the side of the wheel.  All I got out of the whole ordeal was skinned legs and a very sore leg.  We shot a few M-79’s into the chopper to make sure it burned,… and did it burn!  I guess the whole thing was made of magnesium because when it finished there was hardly anything left but white ash. My unit was a hatchet force from CCS, not CCC.  After so long I don’t even remember which company.  However,  the events I have accounted were traumatic enough for me to remember them, somewhat.  We went in to support the CCC detachment and to search for and destroy some gun emplacements in the mountain.  We RON’d on top of Co Roc that night and proceeded down the South side the next morning.  On the way we could hear signal shots.  Since it appeared we were being followed our next RON was on a small hill next to Co Roc.  During the night a small force of NVA managed to creep up to about 15 feet of our perimeter on the side of the hill we had come up.  They initiated contact early in the morning with a B-40 rocket that hit the opposite side of a tree near where I was sleeping and started a continuous spray from a machine gun emplacement.  This lasted a few minutes and then they were gone.  We had about 7 wounded, and 2 of them were brothers (yards) from my platoon.  One of them was hit in the forehead and lost the skull, revealing the brain.  A couple of hours after the ambush a typhoon rolled across the area and we were socked in with strong winds and rain.  This lasted through the next day and night and precluded any extraction until the following day.  All during this time we had to listen to the wails of the wounded without being able to do anything but try and relieve the pain for them.  The brothers both died the next day. Michael C. Moore, Sgt. CCS  1969 – 1970 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS PROVIDED AT MURRAY

28 Aug 69- Richard K. Joecken, SP/4, USASF, CCC, Sqd Ldr-KIA. The virtual wall has him as being assigned to SF Training Group, Co C, 5th SFGA. Note, there was no training group within 5th SFGA per se and certainly not Co C, as it was an operational element.  Operations in Laos was the domain of SOG; thus his assignment was Command and Control Central, Studies and Observation Group and not a Training Group alleged to be in Vietnam, which there was no such unit.  The US Army Special Forces Training Group was and has been in Fort Bragg, NC to Train Special Forces Candidates, after sucessful qualification, the Special Forces Qualified personnel are then sent around the world to Special Forces Assignments in North Carolina USA.  USASF Training Group was not an operational unit and the 5th SFGA was an operational unit.  SF members assigned to the 5th then could volunteer for SOG duty. 

POSTED ON 7.17.2018  

POSTED BY: [email protected]

FINAL MISSION OF SP4 RICHARD K. JOECKEN

SP4 Richard K. Joecken was a Special Forces-qualified infantryman assigned to Special Forces Training Group, C Company, 5th Special Forces Group. On August 28, 1969, SP4 Joecken was a member of a company-sized Hatchet Force mission of 100 Montagnard (“Yards”) indigenous fighters and a dozen Americans on an operation in Laos where they came up against an especially aggressive North Vietnamese Army force. During an engagement, several Yards plus six Americans were wounded, including Joecken. The American medic present did his best to attend the injured, but heavy ground fire drove away extraction helicopters. They were forced to stay the night, the medic spending the whole time treating the wounded, but he was unable to save Joecken, who died before dawn. The rest of the force was able to get out alive. Joecken was posthumously promoted to Sergeant. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and the book “Secret Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines with the Elite Warriors of SOG” by John L. Plaster]

21 Sep 69- Alan Bruce Cecil, SP/5 of Holdenville, OK USASF and Commando Scout  Command and Control North, Ops 35, Recon in Laos KIA due to enemy fire, MIA-Presumptive finding of death. The team was engaged by the enemy and in the initial burst, two team members were killed, including Cecil. He was shot in the head above the right eye with the other team members reporting that he was not breathing. The remaining team was able to evade the enemy; however, they had to leave the dead behind. Enemy activity in the area precluded infiltration into the area to conduct a search. BNR

j

A Note from The Virtual Wall

Recon Team MOCASSIN was inserted into Laos on 21 Sep 1969 in order to conduct surveillance operations against North Vietnamese forces moving down the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Shortly after insertion the team, which consisted of two US and two ARVN soldiers, was engaged by an NVA security force. SP5 Cecil and one of the ARVN troops were killed by gunshot and the US team leader was wounded. The two survivors were able to evade the NVA and were extracted after sundown, but it was not possible to recover the bodies of the two men lost. SP5 Cecil's remains have not been recovered.

23 Sep 69- Stephen J Chaney, CPT 0-3, USASF SOA, RT MISSOURI, CCN. (S-3) Misadventure (Friendly Fire). NOTE: HE had served in both CCS and CCN. RR

Captain Stephen John Chaney died as a result of shrapnel wounds received from an errant rocket fired from U.S. helicopter gunships during a reconnaissance patrol when his team encountered communist forces and he radioed for air strikes. CPT Chaney requested the Forward Air Controller call for extraction. During the recovery of his team, CPT Chaney died before he could be medevaced to a U.S. hospital.

26 Sep 69- Ronald Marcel Goulet, CPT 0-3, Ops 35, Killed-RR CPT Ron Goulet was my company commander, same hatchet force, Co A.  I was there (on a hilltop in Laos) when he was killed. He died on the chopper reroute to Pleiku. He was injured on the hilltop, an RPG rocket detonated almost at his feet. VERY badly injured, severe hand and face injury, entire side of chest caved in, conscious for a few minutes only. I was first on the scene (within 10 seconds of the explosion), and our SF medic arrived just a minute or so later. Nothing we could do, really. One of the other platoon sergeants, a platoon leader, and a squad leader were in the immediate area (the company CP, such as it was; we'd just arrived on the hilltop and were just getting positioned for the night, digging in, etc.). All three were wounded by the same explosion. (It was quite a scene, to say the least, when I came running in to that little bushy area.) Plt Sgt (another SFC, name forgotten) hit in the throat but not that bad. But out of action. LT Plt Leader (nice little guy, great sense of humor, forget his name too) had classic sucking chest wound (in his back, but it bubbled anyway). (I got to treat it, my first!) Squad leader blown upside down into an old NVA trench, dozens of small shrapnel wounds, bad case of shock and bleeding. All survived. The company XO (an unpopular 1LT whose name I forget) got on the radio and called for medevac. The SF medic and I carried Ron out to the nearest clear area (the edge of a 500 pound crater on the top of the hill, about 30 meters away from the CP in my platoon's sector of the perimeter). When the Huey came in, it couldn't touch down (not enough room), but hovered maybe chest high. Medic and I started to lift Ron up to the hands reaching down from the Huey .. and the medic promptly slipped and fell down into the crater, leaving me with Ron in my arms! I'm no weight lifter, weighed maybe 160 pounds then (skinny for a 6 footer), but sucked it up, went into berserker mode, got both hands under Ron's body (somehow) and lifted him overhead to where the guys in the chopper could grab him. (My back's never been the same either.) I was told later that Ron was DOA at the Pleiku Army Hospital. I suspect he was probably dead when I lifted him up into the chopper. No signs of life, dead limp. No matter; we tried anyway. I can't remember how the other wounded got out. I presume in that same chopper (we didn't have that many medevac ships 60 KM inside Laos, as you can imagine) .. but I have no memories of them getting on board. XO was still talking with higher HQ (probably through LEGHORN radio relay site), they decided to go ahead and pull us out rather than have us spend the night on that hill and maybe have to be taken out under fire the next day. Reports of small contacts on the north side of the perimeter, maybe some enemy fire (unknown, suspect just nervous 'yards). Someone saw something to the NE, and an A1E came in and shot up the area at the base of our hill (beautiful sight, that). Then the slicks and kingbees came in and pulled us out. XO stayed in the bottom of the bomb crater handling the radio. The few NCOs I could find helped pull in the perimeter and get people out. Yards were nervous at first when the first slick came in, but after I got pissed and threatened to hammer a couple of them with Goulet's damaged CAR-15 for a club, they settled down. Big eyes, but they stayed in their holes until I waved them out to board a ship. There was a pause for a few minutes, so I went around the old perimeter to ensure nothing valuable had been abandoned, policed up a few Claymore mines left behind, all looked okay. But it was a nervous situation, not sure if NVA were snooping around, so I didn't spend much time at that. I came out in the next to last chopper, XO insisted on waiting for the last bird with the last few 'yards. No further contact, extracted without incident. By David Kirschbaum, SGM, USA SF (Ret), Recon 10, RTs KENTUCKY and MAINE, Plt Sgt, Co A SOA (CCC). (Note: David request he not be contacted regarding this incident, he has nothing more to add).

POSTED ON 9.3.2018  

POSTED BY: [email protected]

FINAL MISSION OF CPT RONALD M GOULET

CPT Ronald M Goulet was a Special Forces-qualified infantryman unit commander assigned to Command and Control Central (CCC), Military Assistance Command, Vietnam–Studies and Observations Group (MACV-SOG), 5th Special Forces Group. On September 26, 1969, CPT Goulet was the leader of a Hatchet Force mission of Montagnard (“Yards”) indigenous fighters and Americans on an operation in Cambodia. The force landed under fire during which Goulet rescued one of the Americans from a burning H-34 Kingbee helicopter which was downed during the insertion. Goulet’s men mounted an aggressive assault, forcing the attacking North Vietnamese Army (NVA) to retreat. For two days the Hatchet Force skirmished with NVA squads. Then they stumbled upon a major ammunition stockpile, capturing it after a short fight. Realizing that the enemy would mount a counterattack, Goulet hastily redeployed his men. Shortly thereafter, a rocket-propelled grenade exploded near his location, mortally wounding him. Goulet died on the medivac helicopter on the way back to Dak To. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and the book “Secret Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines with the Elite Warriors of SOG” by John L. Plaster]

27 Sep 69- Mark L. Brown, SP/4, USASF, CCS, Radio Operator-KIA RT Hatchet with Alex Saunders as One Zero and Ronald "Gus" Atwell as One One.-Charles Gray  Initially Brown wasn’t with the team. Two or three days after launch the point man became ill and the decision was made to replace him instead of pulling the team. Brown was inserted with the point man. Shortly after the change of personnel Brown was KIA and Atwell was WIA. Jim Day   Mark Brown was new to recon team hatchet but the bravery, tenacity and willingness to give his life so that others could live is an example to all of us for then, and now. BY: RONALD GUS ATWELL

28 Sep 69- Michael A Piacentino, SSG E-6 USASF CCN, -KIA in Laos Died of multiple fragmentation wounds

QUITE HERO

POSTED ON 12.13.2013 The wall of faces  

POSTED BY: BRETT FRANCIS, LTC, USASF, RET.

MIKE "PASTY" PIACENTINO

Mike and I trained in SF together in the early 60's. We deployed together to Okinawa together in1962. We deployed w the 1 st GP in late 62 and maintained radio contact during our early deployment. His senior Radop (Pat Cotter)was the close friend or extended family member of my senior Bob Hain .As both our tours were tough ( I lost my Sr. Radop ), we drifted out of contact. We did in fact reconnect in 1969 When both assigned to CCN, SOA, 5th GP.. We had a brief contact prior to his opn'l deployment, and I followed his mission. As previously wounded, I was flying Covey insert / extract over watch for CCN opns but unfortunately not on cycle for his mission. I became aware of his loss, but returned CONUS before his Teams casualties were recovered. Mike told me he had studied Chinese and married a Chinese wife. I think he had also referenced children. I was broken hearted to hear of his loss, as he was a brother of my youth, and remains as such. If his family finds this , please contact me at. [email protected]

From: [email protected] - My name is Mary Bilbro and I am the daughter of SSGT Michal Allen Piacentino who died in Vietnam in September of 1969. I was four years old at the time of his death.  I am wondering if anyone can lead me to any information in regards to his military service.  My mother still does not want to speak of what happened.  I do have memories of my father, but would like to get to know what kind of person he was from those that might have remembered him. Thank you for your time, Mary Bilbro RN, USAT level II, USAC level II, USAT&F, MES, ACE

08 Oct 69- James L. Gasseling, SGT E-5, USASF, (Exploitation Hatchet Force) CCS-KIA small arms fire, Darlac Province, South Vietnam.  SGT James Lee Gasseling, 2nd Exploitation Company (CCS) who was KIA on October 8, 1969 in Darlac, VN. Also on the mission was SGT Robert S. Cedars. There are few details on this tragic mission.  The exploitation platoon was inserted on 7 Oct to conduct a search and destroy operation. SGT Cedars received a Purple Heart and SGT Gasseling was awarded a Bronze Star with “V” device. From Bonnie Cooper of the SOA award Bronze Star with V, Army Commendation Medal See below

Extracted from page 386, Secret Green Berets Commando's in Cambodia by LTC Fred Linsey, USA (ret)

"Because our After Action Reports were destroyed, we do not  have  the written details of  this tragic event, except an entry that shows Cedars was inserted on 10/07 and got his PH the next day when Gasseling is shown as KIA. Testimony from several of our CCS veterans confirm that this was a local search and destroy operation by a  platoon, with 1LT in charge.......(Ed. Note--initially we thought this was a recon mission with Cedars and that Gasseling was leading a BrightLight rescue mission.  Our conclusion was based on fact that Cedars was listed in Recon by Sherman's book.  CPT Carl Vencill confirmed that  this was a platoon operation from his company and that both men were in his  company at the time of the operation.  The mission ws run while Vencill was on R&R.  SGT James Gasseling had many good friends at CCS and he was highly regarded. One of these men was SGT Ernie Acre, who went to  training group with him, and both were assigned to CCS at the same time. Ernie got  further assignment within CCS to it's Recon Co and James did not--and "protested mightily," and "was heart-broken about it." We believe he would have achieved his goal to get into Recon, as many others  did from Exploit duties).

"Bronze star citation: For heroism in connection with ground operations against a hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam:  Sergeant Gasseling distinguished himself by heroism on 8 October 1969 while acting as squad leader and US Army Special Forces advisor to a SCU squad on a search and destroy mission deep within enemy-held territory. The platoon was moving through the dense jungle when they made contact with an unknown size enemy force.  In the ensuing firefight, the squad attempted to withdraw and break contact. Sergeant Gasseling, with complete disregard for his own personal safety, continuously exposed himself to the intense enemy fire in order to better control and direct the members of his squad while bringing covering fire into the enemy positions. As the squad was successfully breaking contract, Sergeant Gasseling, again covering the withdrawal of his squad, was mortally wounded. Sergeant Gasseling’s courageous actions and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, Special Forces and the United States Army." 

POSTED ON 2.9.2006

POSTED BY: ARNOLD M. HUSKINS

IN MEMORIAM

Taken from the website:
http://www.facesfromthewall.com/1969oct.html

"... Sgt. Gasseling, 21, had been in the U.S. Army 18 months, the last six overseas as a member of the Green Berets branch of Special Force." 

Note:  SF honor roll has him as being 31 years old; however, he was born Mar 10, 1948 and died Oct 8, 1969; thus, he was 21 years old

09 Oct 69- Lawrence D. Acre, MAJ 0-4, Launch Site Cmdr; William H. Morris, Jr., CPT 0-3, Asst Launch Site Cmdr and Robert R. Miller, SFC E-7, Launch Site NCOIC, MLSS, USASF, CCS.-KIA The commander was taking SFC Miller who was a replacement along with other staff on a fly over of the Area of Operation to familiarize them to the operational area. The 195th AHC Helicopter, a UH-1D, SN: 66-01106, crashed in the Quan Loi area in support of this mission,  KIA were Pilots CPT John Patrick Brennan & CPT Charles David Jageler, Crew Chief SP4 Richard Allen Smith, Sr., and Gunner SP4 Tony Maria Vasquez.  [filed by Tyler Furbish, 195th AHC historian].

Bob, Miller was killed on a mission out of Quan Loi (CCS South Launch Site) he was going to take over as the Site's senior NCO.  He and Major Acre were just taking over the site during a normal rotation of officers and NCO's. They were in the C & C slick observing a classified infiltration into Cambodia when the chopper was shot down. Morris was the site XO.  (Jon Ross was the CO. I was assigned to run the site until Bruce Koch came on board. Ross was on re-assignment orders when the incident occurred. There were no survivors. Bob Bost (Note: Cpt Jon Ross later became the commander of Detachment A, 105, Co A, 1st SFGA on Okinawa, I was the XO when Jon became the commander of Co A, I took over as the team commander-RLNoe) 

I am very familiar with a crash on 09 Oct 1969, just out side of Bu Dop SF camp. There were seven aboard including the crew. It was helo 395 and was carrying Maj Acre, my replacement; Msg Miller, new team Sgt.; Cpt Bill Morris, my XO; Cpt C Jaegler, Air Mission CO; Sp4 Smith, Door gunner; Sgt Vasquez, Crew Chief; and last name slips me, he was the left seat and was very young. . They are all located on the wall at 58, 18 W. It was my C&C. I was standing strip alert that morning and was pulled out for a meeting with MACSOG, and Bill came out and took my place. Probably the worst day of my life. The recovery of all remains was complete to include identification. Lt. Bost with the hatchet team assisted.  Please have them contact me if further information is needed. The unit in direct support was the 195th Light Helo Co. out of Bin Hoa and the name escaping me was one of the new pilots assigned. I can answer one point for sure. There were no survivors, all were still in the helo, burned and still sitting in the seats with exception of Vasquez. He was laying next to the A/C, but close and burned. Both pilots were still strapped in their seats. I helped remove all into body bags and slung them back out to Bu Dop which was very close, just across the border. Don Mckiver was the chase medic and took it from there and they were brought them back to MLS Quan Loi for further travel to grave registration. I still have some very difficult times with this, so bear with me. I will recover that name. Dark, dark, day, never to leave me.-Jon Ross

Received: Dec 17. 2008:

Hello Mr. Noe

My name is Candace Smith Raybon. My grandfather served two tours in Vietnam and was KIA 10-09-1969. From your site, I received more information about what exactly happened to my grandfather that awful day thanks to Bob Bost and Jon Ross. I was wondering if you could possibly give me any contact information you may have for these men. Email addresses would be wonderful. Thank you so much for any help you can provide. And thank you for your service to our country and to the memory of all these great men. Thanks again, Candace Smith Raybon [email protected]

A Note from The Virtual Wall

On 09 Oct 1969 the command ship overseeing an insertion was shot down just south of Srak Karan (1), just by the Cambodian border in the northeasternmost corner of Binh Long Province. The seven men aboard UH-1D tail number 66-01106, four aircrew and three Special Forces personnel, were killed in the incident:

·         Aircrew, 195th AHC, 222nd Avn Bn

o        CPT Charles D. Jageler, Gatesville, TX, pilot

o        CPT John P. Brennan, Union, NJ, copilot

o        SP4 Richard A. Smith, Hollywood, FL

o        SP4 Tony M. Vasquez, Kenilworth, UT

·         CCS, MACV-SOG

o        MAJ Lawrence D. Acre, Spokane, WA

o        CPT William H. Morris, Mechanicsburg, PA

o        SFC Robert R. Miller, New Orleans, LA

20 Oct 69- William W. Stubbs  SSG E6 of Newport, WA, USASF and Four Special Commandos RT California, CCC, Kontum, Ops 35 MIA-Presumptive finding of Death Remains not Recovered.  The team was performing a recon mission 20 miles inside of Laos northeast of Nakhon Phanom and had stopped for a break. As the team stared to move away, Stubbs was with the team's point element when the team was attacked by a numerically superior enemy force. During the initial burst, Stubbs was observed being shot several times in the head at close range by automatic weapons fire. Three hand grenades were thrown at Stubbs position. Due to enemy fire, the team was unable to move to his position and retrieve Stubbs. The team was forced to withdraw leaving Stubbs behind. A search was conducted on the 21^st without success. (The distance was corrected from 20 miles inside Laos to less than 10km.  Correction by Frank Greco). He was Born: 6 August 1946; and Home of Record: Newport, Washington. During the Vietnam War, he served with the Special Operations Augmentation-Command and Control Central (SOA-CCC), 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), and was stationed at its Forward Operational Base (FOB) # 2 at Kontum City in the Republic of Vietnam (RVN, a.k.a. South Vietnam). He was assigned to the Reconnaissance Company on Reconnaissance Team (RT) "California." On the 19th of October 1969, RT California, consisting of three American Special Forces soldiers and six Vietnamese Montagnards (Special Commando Unit [SCU, pronounced Sioux], volunteers) was launched from the Special Forces A-Team border camp at Dak Pek and inserted into eastern-central Laos by a Vietnamese Air Force (VNAF) CH-34 helicopter assigned to the "King Bees," a special operations air support unit. On the second day of an eight-day reconnaissance mission in target area S-7, the RT was ambushed by a North Vietnam Army (NVA) unit, which was estimated to be of platoon size. The ambush took place at approximately 1130 hours, local time, in a thickly wooded area on a steeply inclined mountainside in the vicinity of the Ho Chi Minh Trail. As a result of the encounter, one American was killed in action (KIA), one American was injured, and five Montagnards were wounded in action (WIA). Of the enemy, its KIAs and WIAs were unknown. The RT eluded pursuit for five hours, having to break contact several times with suppressive automatic weapons fire and maneuver while transporting the most severely wounded. Finally, the team reached a clearing on high ground that was suitable for a helicopter to land, and was now able to make radio contact with friendly forces. Air support of two USAF A-1E "Sky Raiders" aircraft was dispatched to suppress the ambush area while an U.S. Army UH-1 helicopter extracted the RT from the pick-up zone (PZ). The following day, a Special Forces Bright-Light Team from the launch site at Dak To, RVN was inserted back into the area. However, no trace of Bill Stubbs or any of the equipment left behind by the RT was to be found, as the NVA had swept the area after the action. In January of 1970, S/Sgt. Stubbs was listed as MIA as a result of the action on 20 October 1969 in Laos at geographical coordinates 180524N-1050000E.  William was awarded the Silver Star and Purple Heart for his actions that day.

25 Oct 69- Joseph V Whelan, Cpt 0-3, Plt Ldr and Ronald H. Bozikis, SSG E6 SQD LDR, Co B, Exp Force, CCN-KIA. Verification by David De Vault who replaced Bozikis.  Correction: Joseph Whelan and Ronald Bozikis are noted to have been serving out of CCN when in actuality they were members of CCC.  Sgt. Wayne Anderson (KIA Dec. 2, 1969) was a friend with both-by Bradford. {Note: Sgt Wayne Anderson was KIA'ed Dec 3rd, not 2nd of 1969}

POSTED ON 7.18.2018 The Wall of faces 

POSTED BY: [email protected]

FINAL MISSION OF SSG RONALD H. BOZIKIS

On October 25, 1969, CPT Joseph V. Whelan and SSG Ronald H. Bozikis were part of a forty-five-man Hatchet Force platoon of Montagnard (“Yards”) indigenous fighters and Americans on an operation in Laos for a week-long, reconnaissance-in-force. The lift of four helicopters had not even put the group on the ground before they began taking enemy fire. From their landing zone, CPT Whelan spotted some North Vietnamese Army soldiers run across a facing hillside 400 yards away. He ordered a quick assault to seize that high ground. The platoon rushed into an intervening depression when it was suddenly hit by all sides in an ambush. Outnumbered at least three to one, several Americans and Yards were wounded, including Whelan. After a rocket-propelled grenade detonated virtually above Whelan, killing him instantly, a lieutenant took command. Realizing to stay pinned there meant annihilation, he ordered an immediate breakout, leading his men toward the hill. SSG Bozikis rushed forward, firing his weapon on the run, with a squad of Yards following. They burst through rank after rank of NVA, opening the way for the whole platoon. Then, only yards from the top, his squad was caught in a horrific crossfire and Bozikis collapsed, mortally wounded. His Yards, emboldened by his actions, continued the fight and routed the NVA from the hilltop. The platoon dug in on the hilltop where they spent the night, American gunships defending their perimeter while NVA mortar fire pounded the position. At daylight, American fighter planes blanketed the valley with fire, and under the cover of concentrated tear gas, the Hatchet Team was extracted. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and the book “Secret Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines with the Elite Warriors of SOG” by John L. Plaster]

25 Oct 69- Charles E. Shultz, SGT E-5, USASF, Company B (Bru) Exploitation, CCN, Asst Team Leader-KIA--

25 Oct 69
From: "Lynne Black"
To: <[email protected]
CC: "David Gordon"
Subject: 25 October 1969
Date: Sat, 15 Oct 2005 19:25:12 -0700

BlankRay Davidson,

This note is in response to your query about a MACV/SOG mission run 25 October 1969. My name is Lynne M. Black Jr, I was the team leader (One-Zero) of recon team Idaho headquartered out of MACV/SOG Command & Control North (CCN) at Marble Mountain, Danang, South Vietnam. The night of 25 October 1969 RT Idaho performed what was called a Bright Light mission (rescue) of surrounded Americans and Cambodians. Dave Gordon, who was the one live American rescued on that night. I received a Bronze Star for this mission and have added the text of the commendation for the benefit of your research and have attached the story of that night as near as I can remember after all these years. Lynne,

    I can't remember the exact numbers right now, but we had more than 2 Am and 8 Yards.  What I remember specifically is that SGT Schultz chose to stay back with me and put several Yards not one (2 to 4) on the first helo in his place.  His reasoning I'll address later. David


   DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
   HQ. 5TH SPECIAL FORCES GROUP (AIRBORNE), 1ST SPECIAL FORCES
   APO San Francisco 96240

   GENERAL ORDERS NUMBER: 1821

   AWARD OF THE BRONZE STAR MEDAL FOR HEROISM

   1. TC 320. The following AWARD is announced.

   Black, Lynne M. Jr. (SSN),     STAFF SERGEANT, UNITED STATES ARMY, Special Operation Augmentation (CCN), 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces, APO 96240

   Awarded: Bronze Star Medal with "V" Device (First Oak Leaf Cluster)
   Date action: 25 October 1969
   Theater: Republic of Vietnam

   Reason: For heroism in connection with ground operations against a hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam: Staff Sergeant Black distinguished himself by heroism on 25 October 1969 while serving as a team leader of a six man rescue team whose mission was to be inserted behind enemy lines in an attempt to rescue four survivors of a helicopter crash. Prior to volunteering for the mission Sergeant Black was aware that the team would have to rappel onto an unsecured landing zone during the hours of darkness. The mission began at 2250 hours. Upon reaching the crash site the team found they could be inserted by jumping eight feet from the chopper into a small clearing. Sergeant Black organized the team on the ground and quickly moved them to the site of the crash. A quick inspection of the aircraft confirmed five KIA's. Sergeant Black then moved the team in search of the survivors. Radio contact was made with the survivors and Sergeant Black split his team, leaving half to secure the area of the crash, and taking the other half down a steep hill to the vicinity of the survivors. Within minutes the link-up was made with the survivors, and Sergeant Black called the rest of the team to his position. During the next hour he directed airstrikes upon the enemy positions and organized the extraction procedures. Sergeant Black remained on the ground until all other personnel were extracted by McGuire rigs and then came out on the last chopper.

   The next day Sergeant Black led another party into the area to recover the bodies and the crashed helicopter. Sergeant Black's heroism was in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, Special Forces and the United States Army.

   Authority: By direction of the President under the provisions of Executive Order 11046, dated 24 August 1962.

GENERAL ORDERS NUMBER 1821 DATED 10 NOVEMBER 1969, HEADQUARTERS, 5TH
SPECIAL FORCES GROUP (AIRBORNE), 1ST SPECIAL FORCES, APO 96240

   FOR THE COMMANDER:


   OFFICIAL:

   Signed
   NELS V. Marin             P. B. Merridck
   CPT, INF                     LTC, Infantry
   Asst Adjutant              Adjutant

   DISTRIBUTION:
   2-CG, USARV, ATTN: AVHAG-PD, APO 96375
   2-CG, USARV, ATTN: AVHAG-DB, APO 96375
   10-A&D, 5th SFGA
   1-201 file indiv conc
   1-PIO, 5th SFGA
   2-Ref & Rec sets, A&D
   1-CO, Indiv conc
   2-CO, USAPERSVCSPTCEN
   ATTN: AGPE-F
   Ft Benjamin Harrison, Ind  46249
   For official personnel file indiv conc
   2-Office of Personnel Operations
   ATTN: EPADS-S
   Washington, DC  20310

Robert,

I am researching an extraction that occurred on the night of 25 Oct 1969.  Extraction pilots were told that 18 members of SF Team were to be extracted.  Second Slick in was downed by ground fire, 8 indigs and 2 SF were on board.  I am trying to find out what team it was (should have been
out of CCN)  I see a Schultz was KIA that day and another two but they were out of CCC.  Can you help? I noted that you posted the Sullivan story, thank you.  That column really means a lot to his daughter.  She tells me she reads it every morning.  Ray Davidson Program Analyst Amphibious Assault Vehicle
======

Subj:    CCN 69-70 Date:    8/17/01 11:16:49 AM Pacific Daylight Time

From:            [email protected] (Clark, Thomas P CECOM LRC IEW)

To:            [email protected] ('[email protected]') 

Bob: 

  Hello.  My name is Tom Clark (CW4, now USAR inactive).  I was assigned to A Co, 158th AVN (Ghostriders) at Camp Evans, from AUG 69 to AUG 70 (callsign - "Joisey").  During my tour, I participated in several CCN missions including a couple of prairie fire events.  I have only just heard of the SOG story being documented in the book cited on the your web site, so I haven't read it yet.  I'll pick it up soon.  I know you're not familiar with every mission that took place in I corps but there was one in particular that has always left me wondering if everyone survived.  I wanted to see if you have any info on a prairie fire mission that took place somewhere between 15-29 OCT 69?  The mission was launched out of CCN Quang Tri, and involved the extraction of a five member team (all round eyes, I think) from an area about 100 miles north of Khe Sanh.  If memory serves after 32 years, the team had been attempting to break contact most of the day.  We (Ghostriders) got the call for volunteers about 1800 hours.  I was the Pilot in the lead aircraft.  The AC and mission commander was LT Danny "Dog" Salin.  As I understand it, Dog remained involved in SF Avn. after Vietnam.  Unfortunately, he was lost performing another mission for the company in Central America during 1995.   The Ghostriders launched three Hueys and D Co (Redskins) sent three Cobras.  We departed from CCN about 2000 hours, in marginal weather.  Our flight proceeded northwest up the plain of jars at 100 knots for 45-50 minutes, and then turned east for another 20 minutes.  The NVA were on the radio the entire time.  When we arrived at the site, there was intermittent light ground fire and we had a difficult time locating the team.  About this time, air dropped flares began to descend from the low overcast and our air cover (A-6s) appeared right after the flares.  With the flares we soon found the team in a bare tree, on top of a razor back ridgeline.  We terminated our approach at a high hover just over this tree.  Our crew threw out the four McGuire rig lines and the team tied off.  We had five guys on four rigs as Dog began a climb out amid growing ground fire.  Eventually, we disappeared into the clouds and the small arms stopped.  By now we were tight on fuel so, we had no choice but to return to Quang Tri direct, at 9000 feet in the clouds.  We tuned in the NDB at Quang Tri and hoped uncle Ho wasn't willing to waste a SAM on a helicopter.  Roughly 50 minutes later we put the team on the mat at CCN.  They were frozen but, they were alive and safe.  I never got a chance to talk with any of the team members and I've always wondered who they were, and if anyone was lost from the team before we pulled them out.  If you have anything on this mission that can be discussed, I'd appreciate the info.   Thanks, and thanks for providing the Ghostriders with the best missions I've ever flown. Tom "Joisey" Clark

03 Nov 69- William T Brown, SSG E-6 of La Habra, CA, Tm Ldr; Gunter Herbert Wald, SGT E-5 of Bergen, NJ, Asst Tm Ldr, and Donald Monroe Shue, SGT E-5, Tm Radio Op, USASF, SOA, RT MARYLAND CCN, Da Nang, Ops 35, MIA-Presumptive finding of death. A numerically superior enemy force attacked the team at night while in their RON position 30 miles inside Laos near Ban Chakevy Tai. The NVA, stripped to their shorts, came in silently with only AK’s and grenades. Brown was wounded in the side, and Walt and Shue wounded by fragmentation. Both were last seen lying wounded on the ground as the team’s position was about to be overran. Due to heavy enemy activity, the remaining team had withdrawn leaving the three Americans behind. Adverse weather prevented a search until the 11th. The search team discovered "web gear" belonging to the wounded Americans, but nothing more.  Wald had been in the Marine Corp,but got out and joined the Army to be a Green Beret.  Shue was new to the team and it must have been his first mission.  Filed by: “The Frenchman" La Tourneau, (Why I know all this is because I was the team leader of RT. Virginia until Wald showed up and he out ranked me as a E-6 and I was only a E-5. They made him team leader and I ran two missions with him and then Tilt Meyers went home to the states and left Lynne Black alone on RT. Idaho. I then joined team Idaho as Black's 1-1. That gave CCN two operational teams with two Americans on each team). Remains recovered

In a message dated 8/24/2012 11:29:34 A.M. Central Daylight Time, [email protected] writes:

On 3 November 1969, Recon Team (RT) Maryland from MACV-SOG, CCN, was inserted into Laos on a recon mission. The team consisted of Gunther Wald, Bill Brown, and Donald Shue. The team came under heavy attack and all were mortally wounded. By the time a Bright Light (search and rescue/recovery) team went in, after being delayed by bad weather, all that was found was some web gear. In 2009, a farmer in Laos discovered some remains that were determined by JPAC to be those of Wald, Brown and Shue. Brown and Shue were identified early, returned and buried with full military honors. On 30 May 2012, Gunther Wald was finally accounted for. On 30 August 2012, the previously MIA members of RT Maryland will be buried together in Arlington National Cemetery. There will be a visitation and service for families and friends on 29 August 2012 from 1800 - 2000 at the Robert Murphy Funeral Home, 4510 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22203. There will be a formal service at 1100 at the Old Post Chapel on Fort Myer. A caisson will take the remains of Wald, Brown and Shue to their final resting place in Arlington. They will be buried together with full military honors.The Special Forces Charitable Trust will sponsor a reception immediately following the ceremony for family, friends and SF Veterans in attendance.  T sends

In a message dated 8/30/2012 1:01:30 P.M. Central Standard Time, [email protected] writes:

It was a beautiful day for such an occasion and we had a large number of SF – SOF types attending + 3-4 SOG reps to include Gary Robb and myself.

There should be a write up in the next SFA Drop for Chapter XI who came out well for the honors rendered. 3^rd Infantry “The Old Guard” with Horse Platoon Caisson and an Honors Platoon of sharp marching troops with fixed bayonets did it right down to the bugler and crisp ceremonial 21 gun salute. Having served in the Guard myself before SF and SOG and then seeing these three warriors come home together for a final resting place was a proud - moving moment indeed – especially since they are now joined company with 400,000+ other service members. Right next door to their gravesite was another SF soldier just returned from Afghanistan. None of that makes it better for the surviving families I am sure but they certainly can know others care and remember what their relative meant to us. One family came all the way from Germany for this and they were all I think proud to see the military never forgets their own. The Chaplain said it right when he said we interpret in the Holy Bible that we do not have a soul – rather a body. He went on to say though the body rests here We are each and communally the soul that rises and lives amongst us!! With that we are joined to these guys who gave their all for us in many measures and many ways. Made it right for me! Best to all of you out there who I am so proud to have known personally or just by affiliation to SOG. I will and I request that you raise an appropriate toast this evening to all of us here and passed before us. George W. “Sunny” Hewitt

A Note from The Virtual Wall

03 Nov 1969 SSGT William T. Brown , SST Gunther Wald, SP4 Donald Shue and six Montagnards formed a patrol operating in Laos. The patrol team was attacked by a numerically superior force 30 miles inside Laos near Ban Chakevy Tai in Saravane Province. Four of the Montangards escaped and returned to camp to report the ambush and capture of their comrades. When last seen, Brown had been wounded by a gunshot just below the rib cage. He was lying on the ground as the attackers shouted, "Capture the Americans". SSGT Wald and SP4 Shue were also seen to receive numerous shrapnel wounds from a fragmentation grenade. The other team members were forced to withdraw leaving them behind. Bad weather precluded insertion of a recovery team until November 11. They searched the entire area, but could only find some web gear which was identified as belonging to three of the indigenous team members and SP4 Shue. There was no trace of any graves or of the three missing Americans. They were classified as Missing In Action. As of 18 Nov 2006, SFC Shue's remains have not been repatriated. You can check current status on our MIA Current Status Page.

Robert, Donnie Shue and I were good friends in SFTG, he, James Greene and I were all NC guys, so we hung around together. Jimmy was KIA on Nui Coto with B55 March of '69, I replaced him there, Donnie went missing that Nov. I have talked with his wife and daughter several times over the years, telling the daughter about her father, who was a great guy.  Unfortunately I have no info on his last mission, but pray that he is finally found and put to rest. Jack Tobin

INFORMATION REQUEST

Case 1514       Names:  WALD, Gunther H.; BROWN, William T.; SHUE, Donald M. 

Incident Date: 3 November 1969 

UTM Coordinate:  48Q XD 643 674  

Country:  Laos                                    Province:  Savannakhet         

Unit Assigned:  Reconnaissance Team Maryland, Special Operations Augmentation (CCN), 5^th Special Forces Group. 

Background:  On 3 November 1969, SSG Gunther H. Wald (10), SSG William T. Brown, and SP4 Donald M. Shue (12) were members of Reconnaissance Team (RT) Maryland operating in Laos near the border with Vietnam.  RT Maryland consisted of three U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers and six indigenous soldiers.  The nine men were in hasty defensive positions during a heavy rain storm in the vicinity of grid coordinate 48Q XD 643 674 inside Laos, approximately two kilometers west of the Vietnam/Laos border.  At approximately 1500 (local), they were attacked by a 30 man enemy force from the high ground to the east and southeast.  The three Americans were gravely wounded and had to be left behind when the other team members were forced to withdraw.  One of the indigenous soldiers was also killed while evading. 

On the afternoon of 4 November 1969 an AH-1G Cobra helicopter overflew the loss area and observed several trails through the elephant grass, but no signs of activity or signals were detected.  Extremely bad weather prevented the insertion of another RT until 11 November 1969.  That team found load bearing equipment belonging to three of the indigenous members of RT Maryland and SP4 Shue.  However, efforts to locate the three missing Americans or their remains proved negative. 

A post-incident board of inquiry was convened by 5^th Special Forces Group on 28 November 1969.  According to testimony from the Team’s interpreter, PONG, all three Americans were unconscious.  SSG Wald and SP4 Shue were wounded by grenade fragments.  SSG Brown was shot through the body by an AK-47 round and was most likely dead.  PONG also stated that as he was withdrawing, he heard someone in the attacking force shout, “Hurry, forward, capture all of the Americans.” 

The limited information contained in the board of inquiry report named the six indigenous soldiers on RT Maryland as:  PONG (team interpreter), THE (KIA, while evading), CAM PHAN, TAHON, DE and RONG.   

The Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) and Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) continue research and investigative efforts to resolve this case.  Any additional information that you can provide may improve our chances of bringing home these three Americans. 

Information Requirements: 

1.      What is the status of the remaining five indigenous soldiers on RT Maryland?

2.      What are their full names?

3.      Did any of them survive the war?

4.      Does anyone know their current whereabouts?

5.      Some post-war information suggests that only four indigenous soldiers survived the incident.  Can anyone confirm and identify the second indigenous soldier killed in this loss incident?

6.      Provide any additional information about the RT Maryland loss incident.

From: [email protected]

Bob, greetings......

                 my name is Clint Miller , aka LURCH , and call sign Dragonfly ,,,a cobra pilot from C/4/77ARA who supported MLT2 quite often in conduct of business across the fence. just finished talking with Rick Freeman (GL573) about the loss of RT Maryland in nov 69...was not on initial insertion, but did get involved after they got in trouble....was part of the effort that spotted the rucks and web gear..no bodies, tho...interestingly, after we returned to LZ Star, Clarence Dover (believe he was e-8 then) asked if i would take him to the site in the front seat of the cobra and either land or crash the aircraft so that we could continue the mission of retrieval of the team...i agreed and showed him how to operate the turret weapons should we need them...at some point the launch officer determined that was not the best plan and we scrubbed........did fly out to the site at least 2x and did draw significant fire from several positions....i was reminded by freeman that probably the rucks and stuff were "planted" as bait for ambush......Hope this can assist in the resolution of their loss....am currently working as an EMS pilot in central Arkansas , and am available for further mind probing in the matter..Clint Miller      318-347.3784 USA, ret'd  Dragonly / Griffin 93 ( i always wore a red helmet)  I am so proud and happy to know men of your caliber. Once again I say that I learned more about soldiering in the year I spent with SOG, then I did in the other 21years of active duty. Too bad my health allows me only short rides on my motorcycle. As a member of SOA riders, I vow never to be but at my best. The vest is worn with the thought in mind, I represent the best of the best. God bless you all. A leg that is proud of my 11B40 MOS.

12 Nov 69- Randolph V Rhea, SP/5, USASF, CCC-KIA by mortar attack

POSTED ON 7.18.2018  

POSTED BY: [email protected]

GROUND CASUALTY

SP5 Randolph V. Rhea was Special Forces-qualified Infantry Operations and Intelligence Specialist assigned to Command and Control Central (CCC), Military Assistance Command, Vietnam–Studies and Observations Group (MACV-SOG), 5th Special Forces Group. On November 12, 1969, an enemy mortar attack occurred on the Special Forces camp at Dak Pek in Kotum Province, RVN. Some of the 82mm rounds impacted along the short runway, scattering the Allied aircraft parked there. American AH-1G Cobra helicopters spotted the mortars on a facing hillside and attacked the position, ending the bombardment. It had not lasted more than two minutes. Personnel who had been on the runway got up, dusted off, and looked around. On the tarmac one man still lay there. It was SP5 Rhea. Two men rushed to him, turned him over, saw no wound, but he was dead. A medic examined more closely and found a pinpoint in his chest where a splinter of a mortar fragment had entered and penetrated his heart. Rhea got hit because, instead of running for cover, he had run in the open to help a pilot. For his efforts, Rhea was posthumously awarded the Silver Star for bravery. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and the book “Secret Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines with the Elite Warriors of SOG” by John L. Plaster]

      13 Nov 69- Ronald Earl Ray, SSG E-6, Tm Ldr of Port Arthur, TX MIA Remains not Recovered, Randolpt Bothwell Suber, SGT of Balin, Missouri, USASF MIA Remains not Recovered and Three Special Commandos, RT RATTLER CCN, Da Nang, Ops 35, MIA, Presumptive finding of death. The recon team was attacked 16 miles inside Laos west of Thua Thien Province by a numerically superior force with three team members killed. Ray suffered a small arms wound and fell to the ground yelling being hit in the chest and arm. He was last seen lying on the ground as the team’s position was overran by enemy forces. The sole surviving team member, SCU Nguyen Van Bon, shook Ray but received no response and noted Ray’s weapon was smashed. Suber was last seen trying to gain contact on his URC-10 emergency radio, then picked up his weapon and aimed at four approaching hostile soldiers, but the rifle did not fire because it had became jammed, and Suber was hit immediately afterwards and fell to the ground. Nguyen Van Bon was able to evade the enemy, fight his way free. Emergency beeper signals were monitored in the area for several days, however, bad weather and enemy activity a search team could not be inserted.

      18 Nov 69 - One Special Commando KIA, CCN(?).   The SOG team had come into contact with the NVA close to "The Trail" during the night, were surrounded and under attack.  Of the six team members (two Americans & four indigenous), one had been killed and two others were wounded.  Unfortunately, the weather in the area was terrible; low clouds and visibility and severe turbulence.  We launched ASAP from NKP with three CH-3s and two A-1 escorts. On arrival in the area, we made contact with the NAIL FAC who had a Heavy Hook (SOG) rider with him.  I was pleased to discover that the NAIL was 1/Lt Hank Haden, an outstanding young FAC from NKP with whom I had worked other emergency exfils.  Hank was below the overcast and, despite the fact the clouds were almost on the karst tops, was directing air strikes against the enemy.  He advised us that the turbulence in the area was quite severe and that our planned approach route to the team was unusable due to the low clouds.  The good news was that there was a hole in the undercast that we could descend through.  The bad news was that the hole was over a known 23 mm gun.  Obviously, there was no choice and we went through the hole.  Once the formation was below the cloud layer, following standard tactics the other two helicopters held clear (while keeping us in sight) as we followed the FAC into the team's location.  We spotted the team's smoke on a steep ridge line that was covered with under small arms and automatic weapon fire and our escorting A-1s were delivering protective ordnance.  The steep slope of the ridge prevented a landing so we hovered with the nose wheel on the ground and the main gear in the air over the precipice.  The wind turbulence coming over the edge of the ridge was indeed severe and the CH-3 was bucking wildly as we hovered. Despite the 30 years that have elapsed, I clearly recall my initial glimpse of the team as they came into the area of elephant grass blown flat by the rotor downwash.  The first two team members were dragging their dead comrade by his boots.  With the helicopter bucking like a rodeo bull, the team had difficulty getting the body on board and it seemed like an eternity before all were finally on board.  The A-1s continued to lay down protective fire as we came safely off the ridge line.  After the exfil, we had the privilege of having a beer with the surviving team members at the SOG Heavy Hook compound at NKP.   At that time, I asked the Heavy Hook commander, Major Bill Shelton, why, since they were under fire, didn't the team leave the body.  He explained to me the importance to the Nungs/ Vietnamese of returning the body of the team member to his home village for a proper Buddhist funeral.  That the SOG Special Forces members would go to that extent (recovering the body while under fire and managing to get it aboard a nearly out of control helicopter) to assure the loyalty and future support of their indigenous troops, made me respect them more than ever!  Those guys were unbelievable! Before sending this narration, I ran it by Bill Shelton and Jerry Kibby for their comments and/or additions. By “Dusty” Jim Henthorn 21st S.O.S.  Jerry sent me the following interesting comments about the mission:

      If you don't mind my "view from the other seat", I would like to add a little to the below.  The A-1s which were providing close air support for the mission were unable to work in their usual way, i.e., near vertical descent firing/dropping weapons followed by a near vertical climb-out and turn back for another near vertical pass at the target area.  The combination of low clouds and high terrain forced them to stay under the clouds in order to be of use and they had to make long horizontal passes at the target area, during which they strafed with their 20 mm cannons for as much of the pass as they could.  After passing the target area, they had to remain under the clouds with the ground still in sight and fly a horizontal loop back to the target area for another pass - and while they were doing this, they had to avoid the high terrain, each other and the two other CH-3s on the mission.  The result of this was a lot less supporting fire on the target than would have been possible in different meteorological conditions. When the team came into sight (popped up out of the elephant grass, by my observation), they were (as you said, Bob) dragging the dead team member. This was my first time as copilot in the "low bird", and I was backing up Bob on the controls in a non-interfering way.  He was having to fight the winds to try to keep the nose gear on the top of the peak, and I don't think he noticed that the heavy head winds had resulted in the rotor blades being so low in front of the helicopter that they were almost at belt-level with the approaching team members.  There was not time, as the team approached, pulling their dead mate, to tell Bob about the problem.  I pulled back on the collective slightly, which caused two things (maybe three, if you count pissing off Bob to an extent), it raised the path of the rotor blades and it caused us to back-off slightly.  But it also allowed the team to move under the blade path while it was higher than it had been initially. When we had the team on board, Bob turned us to face down-hill and we accelerated just above ground level down the hill as fast as we could go.  As we went down, and prior to pulling into the clouds, we passed right over a manned anti-aircraft position - which did not have time to come to bear on our aircraft.  I also recall a sudden sickening feeling as we ran down the hill - smoke in the aircraft.  I recognized the source within a second or less as the smoke from our own machine guns. Our FE's were putting out all of the fire they could from our M-60s, and the shape of the CH-3 causes a reverse airflow, pulling air (and gun smoke) from the back up to the front and out the windows. I met one of the team members we pulled out that day at a bar-b-que at the NKP Heavy Hook detachment some time after this mission.  He sat across from me while we ate and told the story of his last mission as a team lead, the one which made him decide he had enough of that for a while.  As he described the mission, I thought it sounded familiar and I asked some specifics that confirmed it was the mission which Bob described. That Special Forces NCO, once he knew I was part of the crew that got him and his team out, tried to give me anything and everything of value that he had - which in the situation of the day was mostly weapons.  I declined his offers, as we were all well provided with personal firearms.  He did tell me something I had not known about the mission.  One was that the wounded in their group were wounded by their own grenades, which they had to lay down in a short-long pattern to try to keep the enemy off of them.  The other thing he told me that I did not know before was that our helicopter, as it sat there with the nose gear on the karst to pick them up, was actually on top of some of the NVA surrounding them.I sure hope he made it through the rest of the war.  By Jerry Kibby.  The exfil was conducted by Jim Henthorn, the pilot and co-piloted by Jerry Kibby.  The two FE’s were Ssgt Jim Burns and Ssgt Charles Hill. 

03 Dec 69- Wayne M Anderson, SGT E-5, USASF Co B Exp Force, CCC-KIA, Note, he was personal friends of both Joseph Whelan and Ronald Bozikis who were KIA'ed 25 Oct 69. Wayne was killed 4 days before his 21st birthday, missing planned celebrations at CCC. He was shortly thereafter to go on R&R with best friend from CCC, Terry Minnihan, to Hawaii where he was to marry his betrothed, with Minnie as his best man. A top secret mission in Laos on Dec 3, ended all those celebrations and plans....but it could have been a drunken 21st and a great R&R. Instead Terry accompanied a casket home during that same planned R&R. No medals are issued for this, which is another act heroism beyond measure. The stateside news of his death then and now, will wash along emotional wreckage, until the last of the many who love/d him, dies.  Input from:  [email protected] who writes "I was a Canadian living in Pullman in the late 60's and he was my best friend, as all others seemed acquaintances by comparison. That war and his death were yesterday but contradictorily are long ago. Still chokes me."

Memorial at:  http://www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces/1115/WAYNE-M-ANDERSON    

04 Dec 69, Edward Rowe Smiley, Jr .,  Sp/4, Gunner, 195th AHC -KIA.  a gun ship was lost while supporting CCS in a cross-border mission [filed by Tyler Furbish,195th AHC historian].

22 Dec 69 (Added Jul 8, 2013)  James Edward Kennedy,  SSG E6 MIA Remains not recovered and Donald Deane Burris, Jr. Chief Warrant Officer W2, MIA, died while missing, body not recovered.  57th AHC, 52nd Avn Bn, 17th Avn Group, 1st Aviation Bde, USARV, US Army. Because this unit was a SOG support element was a support mission and a SOGGER inserted on brightlight, they are included in SOG losses until such time as information can be developed that they were not on a combat support mission for SOG, they will remain SOG losses.

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In a message dated 7/2/2013 4:50:33 P.M. Central Daylight Time, [email protected] writes:

I think the 57th still flew for CCC in late 1969. On December 22, (my 22nd birthday) I was at Dak To on Bright Light when word came in that a Charley model got shot down in Cambodia, right at the tip of the tri-border. I was 10 of Minnesota, and Bill Spurgeon was the 11. He and I rappelled into the site through triple canopy, and found a door gunner sitting next to the ashes of the ship. We got him out on strings, but couldn't find a second gunner who was supposed to be there.  Like I wrote, I can't forget it, December 22, 1969, my 22nd birthday. Brightlight at Dak To, late morning till dark. I used my Air medal paperwork to figure distance, since I did two missions to the Golf course, insertions and extractions at an hour and five minutes to around an hour and ten. I measured the distance from Dak To and the Golf course, and figured speeds were normally about the same. I got in touch with an MIA outfit I ran across and said if they searched eastern facing hills in a five or six square Kilometer zone, they might find the crash. Never heard back on it.  

It was a high canopy, around a hundred feet, surprisingly open on the ground, probably close to 40 degree incline. How the pilot hovered there rock solid for twenty minutes each time, is beyond my understanding. Second time out, I was looking down for bad guys, and came up under a six inch branch, right on the back of my neck. He could have ripped me to pieces, but instead the gunner told him to drop a foot, and I wriggled out from under, and got out of there. It was a stupid, rookie mistake on my part. I owe my life to those two guys.

A previous ship came in right after the crash, and dropped McGuire rigs. The gunner we brought out had fallen out of the rig immediately because of a broken arm. He was also cut up and in shock. Just the two pilots came out that time, and one dropped off on the way to Dak To. Bad end. When Bill and I got back with the gunner, we were told to reinsert and make a more thorough search for the second gunner. We went back in with two Yards at least four hours after the crash, certain it was hot by then. Again we rappelled in, (My rope got tangled in the ring with branches, and I grabbed a tree and slid down when the gunner cut the rope. My Omega watch got ripped off by the bark as I recall.) The four of us looked all over the hillside, and in the trees, and came to the same conclusion that we had the first time in. The gunner was probably burned up and under the helicopter, which was still smoldering.. We came out, and to my knowledge he is MIA to this day. Two deaths with one rescue by CCC, and another rescue by helicopter friends. I think the last name of one of the crew was Kennedy. I provided info on the crash site to an MIA recovery group a number of years ago, but never heard anything back. Air medal says the flight was an hour long, and I remember it was into the sun, west-south west of Dak To. The hillside faces east, and on the way back, at sunset, the chopper put us down in a very large open field, cut the ropes, and bundled us in for the rest of the ride to Kontum. There was a general hissy fit about leaving 400+ feet of nylon rope behind. Priorities are priorities in the back office. You might want to contact proper sources and include these guys. God knows they deserve it. Keep up the good work.

Respectfully,   Ray Harris  

29 Dec 69- William E. Spencer, SFC E-7, USASF, CCC, Spike Team IL, Asst Tm Ldr-KIA  William Spencer was the 1-1 of RT Illinois with John Plaster, the 1-0. Plaster left for extension leave and while he was away an old friend of Spencer from Training Group showed up at the CCC compound and asked him if he wished to join the Mike Force for a mission while his team was on stand down. Spencer left with his friend and was KIA stepping off the chopper. Jason Hardy. Spencer was assigned to CCC at the time he was KIA'ed with B-36. Body Recovered  (Virtual Wall has him assigned to  RT ILLINOIS, DET B-36, Special Forces Honor Roll website has him (Det A-361 (3 Mike Force) KIA 3k east of A-341,Bu Dop,Phuoc Long Province,South Vietnam (Op.STRIKER).

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