1969
(?) 1969;
Phil Strout CCS recon KIA (month
unknown)
1969 (date
not available) Casey,
1LT 0-2, (first 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.
Jan 69; An
entire Special Commando Unit and Helicopter Crew
(names
and ranks unknown) from CCN, Da Nang. This
element was sent in to look for PFC
Scherdin PFC
Scherdin who was KIA on 29 Dec 68 This
entire element was lost in a helicopter crash after the search and the
information they had gathered regarding the loss of PFC Scherdin was now gone
forever.
0l Jan 69; James
M Hall, SSGT E-6; Wayne
L Hawes, SP/4, and Michael
J McKibban, E-6, CCN-KIA. "The
following is a bit fuzzy and could be wrong, but here's what I THINK happened.
The helicopter 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. (Col. Randy Givens)
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, WO-1, Pilot, Robert
D. Case, SP/4 Crew chief, and Steven
D. Bartman, SP/4, Gunner, UH-1D, Tail
#66-16323, 170th AHC -KIA. Filed by Gary Rouse: Story told by Michael P. Lloyd, 170th AHC: "...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, William T. (TEDDYBEAR) Copeland 10 and I was the 11, 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.
29 Jan 69; Larry
A Stephens, SGT E-5; Billy
J Simmons, SGT E-5, 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.
29 Jan 69; Charles
D Bullard, SSGT E-6 USASF, CCC, Kontum,
Ops35 lost in Laos on a recon mission, KIA-RR. He
was shot and killed while on a recon mission.
29 Jan 69; William
Edward Campbell, Maj 04, of Mc Allen, TX
and Robert E Hoton,
CAPT 0-3, USAF, Ops 32 (Air Studies Branch)-MIA-Presumptive finding of death. During
an attempted recovery of a SOG team, their helicopter came under enemy fire and
crashed.
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
0-2 of Trenton, NJ, USASF, CCS, RT Hammer, Ban Me Thuot, 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 Kroske 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
stalked 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.
14 Feb 69; Tim
L. Walters, SSGT E-6, USASF, Ops 32,
ALO-CCN-KIA
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 Me Thuot, 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.
04 Mar 69; David
J. Warczak, SFC E-7, USASF, B-50, Recon
Team Leader-KIA
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; Earl
W Himes, SGT E-5 and Sanderfield
A Jones, SP/4, MLT-1, CCN-KIA
Mar 69; Vietnamese
Kingbee Pilot, Co-pilot, and door gunner,
219th VNAF CH-34 "Kingbee" KIA-RR. Helicopter
Aircrew crashed due to enemy fire while performing an attempted resupply mission
for SOG’s Sledge Hammer’s Radio Relay Site, being defended by RT
Arkansas. A Cobra gunship of the 361st 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, 361st AHC]
14 Mar 69; James
L Ripanti, 1LT 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
was 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 361st
had difficulty finding the "little people" Special Commando’s;
however, they used those day-glow panels and the Gladiator slicks were willing
to go down and pick them up separately (Info by Jim Williams, 361 AHC).
18 Mar 69; Margarito Franandez, Jr, SFC E-7 and Barry
Daniel Murphy, SGT E-5 and Four
Special Commandos KIA CCS; Ban Me Thuot, Ops 35 in Cambodia performing a
Bomb damage Assessment. SFC Franandez remains recovered, SGT Murphy
Remains not recovered. Killed in the "Fish Hook" area in support of
Operation Breakfast when the team became engaged with a superior enemy force.
20 Mar 69; Ricardo
Gonzales Davis, SFC E-7, USASF, 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
James 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.
22 MAR 69; Richard
F Salazar, SFC E-7, USASF CCC, Kontum, Ops
35, Remains recovered
26 Mar 69; Frank
A. DiFigila, COL 0-6, USAF, 20th
Special Operations Squadron, Ops 32/75 (Air Studies) died in his UH-1F
helicopter, Remains Recovered Helicopter tail #63-131158.
26 Mar 69; Robert
B Sheridan, 1LT 0-2, USASF, Special
Operations Augmentation (SOA), Ops 35, KIA-RR
08 Apr 69;
Christian G. "Frenchy" Girard,
SFC E-7, USASF, SOA, CCS, Ban Me Thuot, Ops-35 Died due to a helicopter accident
in Cambodia Remains Recovered. During an
administrative 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.
18 Apr 69; John
F. Holan, SFC E-7, SOA, Died not as a
result of enemy hostile action awarded a Soldier’s Medal
23 Apr 69; Donald
"Covey Ross" B. Ross, SFC E-7,
USASF, Covey Rider, FAC, MLT 3, CCN, Da Nang, Op 35 and a
FAC Pilot, name and rank unknown, 23rd
Tactical Air support, Ops 32/75 (Air Studies) were KIA-RR while flying in
support of a recon team in trouble
24 Apr 69; Jerry
"Mad-dog" Michael Shriver, SFC
E-7 of Sacramento, CA, Plt SGT Exploitation Force, Gregory
M Harrigan, 1LT, Asst Exploitation Force
Plt Ldr; Ernest C. Jamison,
SGT, USASF and an unknown number of
Special Commando Scouts (names and ranks
unknown) CCS, Ban Me Thuot, 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 ½ 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 12th, 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 ‘em right where I want ‘em-surrounded from
the inside."
26 Apr 69
Beverly C. Ware, SP/4, USASF, CCS or
B-36(?)- KIA
06 May 69; Kenneth
L. Dulley, SFC E-7, USASF, CCS-KIA
09 May 69; Frederick
J Magsamen, SGT E-5 USASF, Ops 35, KIA-RR
13 May 69;
Bruce Carleton Bessor, 1LT 02, of Fairfax,
VA, USA Aviation Pilot FAC of the 219th 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 18th failed to
reveal anything.
23 May 69; Rudolph
G. Machata, SSGT E-6, RTT OP; Howard
S. Hill, SGT E-5, Medic; Phillip
W. Strout, SP/4, USASF, CCS, Ops 35-KIA
25 May 69; Ronnie
B Hogbin, SFC E-7, USASF, CCN, Da Nang,
Ops 35, KIA-RR
29 May 69; Lee B
Sinclair, SGT E-5,
USASF, CCN-KIA
17 Jul 69; Dennis
W Bingham, SP/4 USASF, CCC-KIA
25 Jul 69; Vincent
F Sabatinelli, 1LT 0-2, USASF, Exploitation
Force, CCN, Da Nang, Ops 35 KIA RR while performing operations in Laos, target
area "AS-1" in the A Shau Valley.
27 Jul 69; Steven
Nagy, SSGT E-6, USASF, CCN, Recon Tm CL,
Team Leader-Died of wound(s)(?)
30 Jul 69; Samuel
W Waithour, SP/4, USASF, Camp Long Thanh,
0ps34/38 was killed while at the 'One-Zero/Team Leader's School" KIA-RR
31 Jul 69; Dennis
Paul Neal, 1LT 0-2 of Tarpon Springs
Fl; Michael Paul Burns,
SP/4 of El Paso, TX, USASF, 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. (See
Individual Memorial)
09 Aug 69;
Ronald
Janousek,
1Lt, and
Bruce Kane, Cpl, USMC Helicopter Crew
providing support in Laos-KIA. The
HML-367 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] (See
Individual Memorial)
26 Aug 69 ; Kenneth W. Worthley, SSGT E-6, USASF, CCC,
Recon Tm Florida, Team Leader-KIA-RR. Worthley,
One-Zero, Bob Garcia, One-One, and a new man, Dale Hanson, One-Two, inserted
into Northern Cambodia. Inserting was uneventful, however, shortly thereafter,
two trackers had picked up their trail, Garcia 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 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. Worthley 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 Col Robert Rheault,
5th SFGA’s commander in 1969. Col Rheault had been charged with
murder and imprisoned for several months. He was released shortly after the
death of Worthley).
27 Aug 69; Peter
Hinchman McMurray, (Age: 24 years 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, KONTUM-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, by Thom
Nicholson, Colonel (then Cpt), US Army Retired, Ivy Books. The misrepresentation
appears to be a deliberate, intentional effort by the author to falsify a
variety of events to document Cpt Nicholson as a "Heroic Field
Officer" with 12 months of service with SOG, not 15! 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.
28 Aug 69; Richard
K. Joecken, SP/4, USASF, CCC, Sqd Ldr-KIA
21 Sep 69; Alan
Bruce Cecil, SP/5 of Holdenville, OK USASF
and Commando Scout SOA Command and Control, 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.
23 Sep 69; Stephen J
Chaney, CPT
0-3, USASF SOA, CCS, Ban Me Thuot, Ops 35, Killed-RR. Chaney was the assistant
operations officer (S-3).
26 Sep 69; Ronald Marcel
Goulet,
CPT 0-3, Ops 35, Killed-RR
27 Sep 69; Mark L. Brown, SP/4,
USASF, CCS, Radio Operator-KIA
28 Sep 69; Michael A Piacentino,
SSGT
E-6 USASF CCN-KIA
08 Oct 69; James L. Gasseling,
SGT E-5, USASF, CCS-KIA
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 Helicopter crashed in the Quan Loi area, all
personnel on board, including air crew were killed.
20 Oct 69; William Wentworth
Stubbs, SSGT E6 of Newport, WA, USASF and Four Special Commandos RT
California, CCC, Kontum, Ops 35 MIA-Presumptive finding of Death. 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 21st without success.
25 Oct 69; Joseph V
Whelan, Cpt
0-3, Plt Ldr and Ronald H. Bozikis,
SSGT E-6 SQD LDR, Co B, Exp
Force, CCN-KIA
25 Oct 69; Charles E. Shultz,
SGT E-5, USASF, CCN, Squad Leader-KIA
03 Nov 69; William T Brown, SSGT 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, CCN, Da Nang, Ops 35, MIA-Presumptive finding of
death. The team was attacked by a numerically superior enemy force 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 withdraw 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.
12 Nov 69; Randolph V Rhea,
SP/5, USASF, CCC-KIA
13 Nov 69; Ronald Earl Ray,
SSGT
E-6, Tm Ldr of Port Arthur, TX,
Randolph Bothwell Suber, SGT of Balin, Missouri, USASF and three Special Commandos, 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 would 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.
03 Dec 69; Wayne M Anderson, SGT
E-5, USASF Co B Exp Force, CCC-KIA
12 Dec 69; William E. Spencer,
SFC E-7, USASF, CCC, Spike Team IL, Asst Tm Ldr-KIA
15 Dec 69; David A Lenchner,
1LT
0-2, USASF, RT AZ CCC-KIA
