1970
05 Jan 70; SGT
Donald A Green, USASF, Medic, and three
Special Commando's; Prep, team 10; Hyuk,
Point; and Gai,
interpreter of CCC, Ops 35 KIA-RR. RT Vermont consisting of three Americans and four SCU was inserted into Laos on 5
Jan where there was a heavy concentration of enemy. Their mission was to assess
a suspected large enemy base and the reason for the enemy's heighten radio
transmissions with a secondary mission of searching for an intelligence
gathering aircraft that had been shot down. The team successfully located the
downed aircraft but due to enemy activity around the craft, they withdrew and
transmitted a SITREP. The team then moved toward their primary objective. As the
team arrived in the vicinity of their primary objective, the SCU tail gunner
(Gai) noticed something unusual and signaled the team to stop, unaware, the team
leader (SSGT Miller) and SCU point man (Hyuk) continued on creating a gap in the
team. A shot was fired, then to the team leader's rear an explosion was
detonated when one of the team members tripped a mine. The SCU's 10 (One Zero),
Prep staggered from the smoke and debris with a serious face wound. Immediately
thereafter, the team leader detected enemy movement where he and the SCU point
man engaged them, killing 4 or 5. Then to the team leader's rear, 25 to 30 NVA
moved into the area where the blast had occurred. Again, the team leader and SCU
point man engaged the enemy causing them to flee. The team leader and SCU point
went to where blast had occurred and discovered the other two Americans and two SCU's
were seriously wounded. Gai (SCU interpreter) had hundreds of holes all in his
body, but he was still alive. The wounded were all moved to another location and
headquarters was notified of a TAC E situation. Prep (SCU's 10) died. A few
moments later, Hyuk (SCU's point man) was hit in the neck and died, the American
team leader, was then hit in the chest and suffered a "sucking chest
wound." He regained enough composure to treat and to seal the wounds, then
engaged the enemy again. With all the members of his team, including himself,
either dead or seriously wounded, SSGT Miller, was able to drag the survivors to
a bomb crater. A Huey appeared from nowhere to attempt a rescue and dropped to
about 5 meters from the rim, when it came under intense enemy fire taking
several direct hits, it retreated. A short time later, the enemy assaulted the
crater. SSGT Miller engaged the enemy alone, moving out of the crater to attack
which disrupted the enemy's assault. Miller then moved back into the crater and
the enemy again assaulted, this time Hobart (pseudonym), American RTO, and Yube
(SCU tail gunner) assisted in the fight. During this assault, SSGT Miller was
wounded in the arm and Hobart and Yube were again wounded. At the point when all
seemed lost, an American Hatchet Force arrived on the scene and repulsed the
enemy rescuing the wounded team members. SGT Green and Gai (SCU interpreter)
died on the operating table.
10 Jan 70; Henry
J Zumbrurn, SFC B-7, USASF CCC, Kontum,
Ops 35, Killed-RR while engaged as a Covey Rider supporting a SOG recon team.
13 Jan 70; Glenn
Ernest Tubbs; SGT E-5 of Amarillo, TX,
USASF, CCS, Ban Me Thout, Ops - MIA-Presumptive finding of death. SGT
Tubbs, a member of a river crossing team, was lost in the swift current in a
river crossing of a deep channel of the San River close to the Cambodian border
12 miles northwest of Duc Co. One team member took the rope across and the other
team members used the rope to assist in the crossing; however, Tubbs, the last
member to cross, begin to have trouble when he was near the center of the river,
losing grip of a rope, he was swept away, observed going under a six times after
being carried over some deep rapids about 50 feet downstream from the rope. The
team member chased after him, two by swimming back across the stream, he had
disappeared and was not seen again.
28 Jan 70; Leonard
Charles Leeser, CAPT 0-3 of Floral Park,
NY; Holly G. Bell,
Officer, rank unknown (Remains recovered in 1988);
William David Pruett, E-8 of Bluefield,
Va, William Carl Sutton,
MSGT E-7 of Goldsboro, NC; William Charles
Shinn, SSGT E-5 of Woodland, CA; Gregory
Lee Anderson, SGT E-4, USAF, Jolly Green
Helicopter Aircrew, Ops 80 (Recovery Studies Division). All members KIA, bodies
not recovered. While performing a SOG
Search and Recovery operation, the helicopter was orbiting the area when they
were attacked by a Soviet MIG -21, Jet-fighter, who fired an air to air missile
causing the helicopter to explode into "hundreds of pieces."
07 Feb 70; Steven
M Kuster, SP/5, USASF, CCC-KIA
08 Feb 70; Wilson
C. Koehler, SGT E-5, USASF, CCS, Medic-KIA
12 Feb 70; Walter
K. Dennis, SFC E-7, USASF, SOG20,
NCOIC-Death Non Hostile
25 Feb 70; Bobbie
R. Baxter, SFC E-7, USASF, B-53-KIA
28 Feb 70; William
Boyles, SFC of Waltrous, PA, and Special
Commando Soldiers (Exact Number unknown)
USASF CCC; Kontum, Ops 35; a Vietnamese
Choctaw helicopter pilot, and a Co-Pilot, and Door Gunner
from the 219th Vietnamese Air Force, Da Nang, Ops 32-All listed as
MIA, Presumptive finding of death. This
Vietnamese crew had volunteered to perform a resupply and pick up wounded men of
Hatchet Force Company B, Kontum, in the mist of a fire fight in Operation
Halfback in Laos, on top of the same hill Hatchet Force Company A had occupied
back on 4 March 69. Having just loaded the wounded Commandos the helicopter was
hit by a B-40 rocket. SFC Boyles was last seen standing inside the aircraft. The
area was searched thoroughly, but remains were found after the fire.
02 Mar 70; William
Anthony Evans, SGT E-5 of Milwaukee, WI, Michael
Frederick May, SP/4 of Vassar, MI, USASF
Recon Team; CCS Ban Me Thuot, Ops 35 MIA in Cambodia; "SALEM HOUSE."
06 Mar 70; James
W. Finzel, MSG E-8, 35yo, USASF, CCN, Da
Nang, Ops 35 Non-Hostile (Drowned at CCN)-RR The
following is submitted by Col. Larry Greene: "I remember Sgt McKee was
swimming with MSG Finzel the day Finzel drowned. (Finzel) was a big, muscular
guy who owned a monkey that had a taste for rum and coke (the monkey). There was
another NCO swimming with them but I don't remember his name. He could have been
Finzel's 1-1. I had just gotten to know Finzel before he died. Both of our teams
had been at Phu Bai in isolation trying to get into the AO, but either the
weather or activity on the LZ's had prevented it. Finzel's team finally got in
and stayed for about 5 days or so. My team got in and got shot out after a few
hours. We had come back to Da Nang about the same time.
14 Mar 70; Thomas
P O’Neill, SSGT E-6, USMC, Force Recon,
Intel Sec, US Naval Advisory Det, Camp Fay, Da Nang, Ops 31/37 KIA-RR. As
a volunteer member of an ambush team to capture or kill Viet Cong tax
collectors, he was positioned as well as the other ambush team members by a
Naval Ship Officer who had no prior knowledge of ground combat operations.
O’Neill with a Force Recon Gunnery-Sergeant were placed in a patch of bushes
in the center of a "Y" trail. The main ambush force was placed along a
ridge line overlooking the "Y" intersection. The Naval Commander
anticipated the VC would enter the trail nearest the main ambush force; however,
the VC tax collectors entered the trail on the far side of the "Y";
away from the ambush location. The ambush commander, fearing the VC would
escape, gave the signal to open fire causing friendly fire to pass through the
position where O’Neill and the Marine were located, killing O’Neill and
wounding the marine.
24 Mar 70; Jerry
Lynn Pool, 1LT 0-2, RT one-two of
Freeport, IL, John Arthur Boronski,
SSGT E-6, Tm One-Zero, of Ware, Mass, Gary
Alan Harned, SGT, Tm One-one, of
Springboro, Pa USASF and Special Command
Scouts (Number and names unknown) CCC,
Kontum, RT Pennsylvania, Ops 35 and Michael
Davis O'Donnell Capt, Pilot of
Springfield, Ill, John Charles Hosken,
Co-Pilot, WOI, 0-2 of Chagrin Falls, OH; Rudy
Morales Becerra, SP/4 of Richmond, TX and Berman Gande, Jr. SP/4 of Belleview, FL US Army
UH-1H Helicopter Crew from the 170th AHC, Tail # 262, Ops 32/75-MIA, Presumptive
finding of death. A recon team which had
been engaged with an enemy force in Cambodia for three days, requested
extraction. The UH-1H, 170th AHC responded in support of the team. The landing
zone in the tri-border area 14 miles inside Cambodia, had enemy forces closing
in, the pilot, ignoring his own safety attempted the extraction. The helicopter
set-down on the LZ , the entire team boarded the aircraft and having just loaded
the recon team, and in an effort to depart, the helicopter started its assent
reaching an altitude of about 100 feet when an explosion was observed in the
aircraft. The aircraft continued to fly for about three hundred meters when
another explosion occurred. No bodies were seen being thrown clear of the
exploding aircraft. The aircraft crashed and burned uncontrollably. No rescue
was attempted due to heavy enemy fire.
03 Apr 70- Everett B Cofer, SSGT E-6, USASF
CCN, Da Nang, Ops 35 Remains Recovered
06 Apr 70- Michael Lee KIingner, CPT 0-3 Pilot
of McCook, Nebraska 32/75 last seen attempting to rescue a SOG Recon Team in
Laos, MIA
06 Apr 70- Andrew Thomas Brassfield, SSG E-6,
USASF Recon Tm Missouri, CCN, Da Nang, Ops 35, -KIA, body not recovered. On an
intelligence gathering Recon mission in Laos. The team stopped for a rest and
came under came under intense enemy fire and all team members were wounded and
SSG Brassfield was fatally wounded. Brassfield’s remains had to be left behind
in an effort to break contact with the enemy.
15 Apr 70- Michael V Kuropas, SSGT E-6 USASF,
RT VT, CCC-KIA
15 Apr 70- Dennis W.
Neal, SSGT E-6, USASF,
CCC, Recon Team Montana-KIA. RT Montana was on Bright Light duty, when the call
came. WO James Lake and WO William McDonald of the 170th AHC flew
into Kontum with a special plea. Several of their men, dead and wounded, were
trapped on LZ Orange located outside the perimeter of the Special Forces (SF)
Camp at Dak Seang. Their helicopter had been shot down during an insertion
attempt of ARVN soldiers with the mission to secure the LZ and assist the SF
camp at Dak Seang should the enemy attempt to besiege it. The enemy surrounded
LZ Orange and using the trapped crew as bait to sucker in helicopters and
inflict casualties. With the heavy enemy fire, rescue attempts throughout the
day had not been successful. A number of aircraft had been lost and
Headquarters, by this time, had decided that rescue of the downed crew was not
possible without an unacceptable further loss of men and aircraft. Two pilots
from the 170th AHC arrived at Kontum requesting assistance. The team
leader, SFC Joe Samples, and team members SSG’s Joe Samples and Dennis Neal
volunteered to insert on the LZ and effect a rescue of the downed crew. During
their briefing, they were informed that the LZ was a real bad one and that it
was now known to be occupied by a Division Headquarters for the NVA, surrounded
by fortified positions. Both Samples and Sheppard were determined to go in, but
Neal had reservations. Neal said it was a trap, and going in was probably
suicide. Both Samples and Sheppard agreed, but pointed out that was the only
chance the men at LZ Orange had, and that was what Bright Light was all about.
Neal agreed with reservation, and the Team Boarded the two helicopters. RT
Montana divided their team into two segments. SFC Samples and SSG Neal boarded
the helicopters with two of the SCU, Nat and Song. SSG Sheppard loaded the
remaining three SCU, Dil, Prinh, and Nhong, and himself on the chase ship. Upon
arriving and trying to figure out the best possible manner to breach the
enemy’s defenses, WO McDonald, pilot, notified Sample and Neal they were going
in. McDonald dropped the Huey into a steep dive and headed to the valley floor.
The chase ship right behind him, McDonald leveled off above the valley floor,
staying low and fast up the side of the mountain to the LZ. Immediately, he
reported extensive fire from 360 degrees, but pressed on. As he reached the LZ,
the helicopter was taking extremely heavy concentrated small arms and RPG fire
from all sides. Behind the pilot, Neal had been struck several times and lay
unconscious against the back of the right bulkhead behind the pilot seat.
Samples had been struck twice, but was conscious. Both SCU severely wounded. The
bird slammed into the LZ, but was able to rescue several of the down crew and
take off. When the helicopter was on the ground, several of the crew were hit as
well as Sample being hit twice more. The helicopter was able to make it down to
the besieged SF Camp where SFC Mike Sheppard picked up Neal, who started to
speak, and then after a few words, died in Sheppard’s arms. NOTE: See full
story of this action in "Tales from SOG," Dak Seang by Col Summers.
17 Apr 70- Jerry L Prentner, SFC B-7, USASF,
CCS, Ops 35, KIA-RR
08 May 70- Charles J. Hein, Jr, SGT E-5,
USASF, CCC-KIA
12 May 70- Robert Francis Preiss, SSG E-6 of
Cornwall, NY, USASF, Recon Team Cobra, CCN, Da Nang, Ops 35 KIA - Body not
recovered. While on a recon mission in Laos, the team was engaged by a North
Vietnamese Army squad size unit while the team was on a rest break and SSG
Preiss was mortally wounded. Due to the enemy situation, the team was enforced
to withdraw leaving Preiss’s remains behind. A search team was inserted on the
18th and it appears the battle area had been sterilized and a large
rock slide had occurred. The only indication of Preiss’ presence is the smell
of decomposing flesh from beneath the rock slide.
25 May 70- Robert L.
Coleman, SSG E-6, USASF,
CCN, Da Nang, Ops 35, KIA-RR Coleman, a member of a team on a recon mission in
Laos. The team was attacked by a North Vietnamese Unit and Coleman was shot in
the spleen and bled to death before medical assistance could be provided.
04 Jun 70- Mark H. Rivest, 1LT 0-2, USASF, PLT
LDR CCC-KIA
10 Jun 70- Vyrl E. Leichlieter, 1LT 0-2,
USASF, CCS, Plt Ldr-KIA
30 Jun 70- William Stephen Sanders CPT 0-3,
Pilot, FAC, of Winthrop, Maine USAF, 23rd Tac Air Spt, and Six crew members of
an HH53, 37th ARRS, Ops 32,MIA. His aircraft was shot down while providing
support for a SOG recon team in Laos. The back seat rider escaped and was
rescued. (Filed by William "Bill" Sheldon: CPT William Sanders, USAF,
was flying a mission out of MLT 3, NKP. Back seater was SFC Albert Mosiello,
USASF, CCN, MLT 3. Mosiello stated they were hit in the side by apparently a
37mm AAA round. He debriefed that the explosion probably killed CPT Sanders.
Mosiello ejected, and was under canopy for 4 - 10 seconds. An HH 53 Jolly Green
from 37th ARRS was launched from Danang to recover Mosiello. Sandies (A1s were
covering). As the HH53 made an approach to hover, an NVA fired an RPG into the
rotor of the HH53. The aircraft rolled out of the sky and exploded in a huge
fireball. All 6 crew members were presumed KIA. 56th SOW commander, COL Sam
Crosby informed me the 37th was launching another HH53, and asked if I desired
to arm the A1s with tear gas for fire suppression. I affirmed, and as soon as
the tear gas was down, the 2nd HH53 picked Mosiello out on a penetrator. I flew
an electronic search of the crash site the following morning, with CPT Fred
Parrot, FAC pilot 23rd TASS. No radio signals detected, no movement in or near
the site. An NVA company was observed moving to the area. We pickled 2 pods of
HE rockets into the NVA, and then departed the area. I sat on a KIA/MIA board.
CPT Sanders was presumed to be KIA, but as I recall the status remained MIA for
a long time.
(?) Jul 70, A Special Commando Scout,
Bru, PIt
Ldr, Co A, Hatchet Force This SCU was killed while he and some of the PIt Scouts
along with SFC Robert Noe were resting and swimming on the South China Beach of
CCN compound after being returned from an extended tour of security duty of
Hickory Radio Relay site. While in the water with some of his Plt members, a
hand grenade was thrown into their midst and exploded resulting in his death.
04 Jul 70- Charles Franidin Bookout. SFC E-7
of Oklahoma City, OK, USASF, CCN, Da Nang, Ops 35 KIA, Body not recovered. The
team was on Recon in Laos which was ambushed where he was wounded, examined by a
team member who found a single bullet hole in Bookout’s back. A few moments
later stopped breathing. Because of the tactical situation, his body could not
be extracted at the time. (Added by Fred Wunderlich, "Lightning": The
team’s 11, Oliveras, confirmed a head shot)
05 Jul 70- Richard L
Smith, MSG E-8 and George
Lishchynski (also spelled Lishcnynsky), USASF, CCC-KIA
13 Jul 70- David B.
Hayes, SFC E-7, USASF, RT
CA, CCC-KIA
17 Jul 70- George W.
Rogers, SFC E-7, USASF,
CCN, Died in a Beach Rescue and awarded the Soldier’s Medal.
25 Jul 70- Peter M. Vanderweg, SFC E-7, USASF,
Co A, CCC-KIA
13 Aug 70 Al Cheesman, Cpt; George D. Henry, Cpt; Terry D.
Reams, SSG; and William L. Ripley, Sgt, USAF, 21st Special Ops Sqdn, Nakhon
Phanom RTAFB, Thailand, performing a CH-3E helicopter (Tail # 63-9681)
Thailand-KIA-RR training mission in Thailand was damaged due to enemy fire and
on returning from Ubon RTAFB to NKP. The aircraft was hit by ground fire and
suddenly inverted, crashed and burst into flames. (Special Note: Filed by Maj.
Bill Shelton, Cmdr of MLT-3, & 2nd source, Mike Taylor, XO of MLT-3: The crash
of an HH3 killing Cheesman, Reams, Henry and Ripley, was not Prairie Fire
related. The CH3 was on a training flight inside Thailand. The crew and AC were
daily SOG assets. On this mission, Cheesman, an experienced Prairie Fire pilot,
was acting as IP for a couple of new pilots. Apparently, they were shot down
north of Ubon RTAFB by a 12.7, 14.5 or 50 cal, in Thailand. The AC did land
upside down, and as I recall there was one USAF pilot, (the student I believe)
escaped through the canopy hatch.)
14 Aug 70- John A. Premenko, SGT E-6, USASF,
CCS, Recon Tm Radio Op-KIA
21 Aug 70- James E.
Holder, SSG E-6, USASF,
Recon, CCN-KIA
31 Aug 70 - Unnamed Covey
Pilot, CPT 0-3, USAF
Ops 32/75 and Charles H Gray, SFC E-7, FAC Covey Rider, Ops 35, KIA-RR. OV-1O
aircraft was shot down in Laos. (Having met SFC Gray a number of times while on
Bright Light standby duty at the Mobile Launch Site in Quang Tri, and tipping a
few beers together, I found him to be a very dedicated and likeable person who
enjoyed what he was doing. I felt I could rely on him coming to my rescue,
regardless of the circumstances -RL Noe)
4-7 Sep 70-Three unnamed SCU Hatchet Force
Company B, Operation Tailwind, Kontum Operating deep in Laos, within 45 miles of
Chavane, Company B performed one of the most successful Hatchet Force
operations. In this operation, 3 SCU Montagnard killed, 33 wounded and all 16
Americans wounded. For their efforts, they secured the most important
intelligence find on the NVA 559th Group since the war.
15 Sep 70- William R. Goolsby, 1LT 0-2, CCS,
New Assignment-Death Non Hostile
20 Sep 70- Anthony B.
Appleton, CCN, Da Nang,
Ops 35 died as a result of a non hostile action as a result of a self inflicted
wound - not on the wall.
05 Oct 70 - David "Babysan"Arthur
Davidson, SP/5, Tm Ldr of East Riverdale, Maryland, and Fred Allen Gassman, SGT,
Asst Tm Ldr of Ft Walton Beach, FL and Two Special Commando Scouts of RT Fer-de-Lance,
CCN Da Nang, Ops 35 on Recon 12 miles inside Laos west of Ta Bat--KIA, Bodies
not recovered. After the team was inserted in Laos, it made contact with an
enemy force. Gassman contacted an aircraft and reported that Davison had been
hit by a long burst of enemy fire and had fallen off a cliff and that the team
was receiving ground fire from three sides. Gassman was requesting an air strike
when the FAC heard him say "I’ve been hit - and in the worst way."
Gassman fell to the ground groaning with a large hole in his back. Two SCU
escaped and provided a graphic detail account of the other’s deaths. A search
was attempted, but prevented by the heavy enemy presence in the area. (Added by
Fred Wunderlitch "Lightning": Gassman ran with Lightning on several
missions but could not resist running with his old buddy "Babysan" who
came up from CCC to CCN).
19 Oct 70 - Peter Joe Wilson, SSG E-6, USASF,
Recon Tm Ldr, CCC, Kontum, Ops 35 MIA-Presumptive finding of death. Team Leader
of a Recon team in Laos, which made contact with a numerically-superior enemy
force two miles inside Laos in the tri-border area southwest of Ben Het. The
team made four contacts, which forced the team to abandon the battlefield with
the hostile force in close pursuit and then Wilson directed the team to head in
an easterly direction. This is the last time Wilson was seen by Sgt John M.
Baker when Wilson directed him to the front of the patrol. Wilson was covering
the rear and tending to the wounded solder, Djuit; later Baker heard Wilson
transmit "May Day, May Day" on his emergency radio and the sounds of a
firefight from the direction of the separated patrol element.. An intensive
search of the area was made without success.
14 Nov 70- Leonard P, Allen SGT E-5, USASF,
CCN, Da Nang, Ops 35, KIA-RR
24 Nov 70- Martin I. Arbeit,
SSGT E-6, USASF,
CCN Da Nang was on operations with Co A, Hatchet Company and was KIA,-RR. SSGT Arbeit was every bit a professional soldier! He use to have a monkey that he
cared for that accompanied him until May of 1970 when he was in Long Than, B-53
drawing ammunition for a mission. SFC R.L. Noe was also drawing C-4 and the
monkey jumped off Arbeit’s shoulder and grabbed one block of C-4 explosive and
carried it to the rafters of the warehouse where the monkey took a bite and then
shortly thereafter fell dead. The last I saw of Arbeit was at the CCN TOC in Aug
70 where I suggested he seek a desk job because the way he was going, he would
not survive Nam.
28 Nov 70- Ronald E.
Smith, SFC E-7 USASF CCS,
Ban Me Thuot, Ops 35 MIA in Cambodia while on Recon patrol
29 Nov 70 - John R. Bean, SFC E-7, USASF, CCC,
Kontum, Ops 35, KIA-RR~ Body escorted to the United States by 2Lt Robert Noe on
7 Dec 70.
04 Dec 70- George Curtis Green, Jr. SGT E-5,
USASF, CCC, RT Washington, Kontum, Ops 35 MIA, Presumptive finding of death. The
recon team operating in Laos, after insertion and spending the night. The next
morning the team killed a sentry, shortly thereafter they were engaged by an
company size enemy force. The team began evasive maneuvers, having shaken the
enemy for a short time. At the extraction LZ, in a burst of enemy fire, Green
was killed with three wounds in his back with small arms and rocket-propelled
grenades. Green was hit three times in the back with small arms fire and killed
instantly. The intensity of the enemy attack forced the team to leave Green’s
remains behind during the extraction.
24 Dec 70- Albro Lynn Lundy,
Jr., MAJ 0-4, of
Sherman Oaks, CA, USASF, A-1E Pilot, Ops 32, KIA -Body not recovered. Lundy was
supporting covert operations and flying air cover for three "Air
America" medevac helicopters which had picked up personnel from the Ban Ban
Valley. He reported his aircraft engine was running rough, backfiring and he was
ejecting. His seat rocket was seen to fire, then a normal parachute opened. One
helicopter pilot reported what he thought was someone in the harness. At about
1000 feet from the ground, another helicopter flew near the chute and reported
the harness was empty with the leg straps dangling. The chute was followed to
the ground and confirmed the chute harness was empty. The A-1E aircraft exploded
on impact. A rescue force was driven off by enemy forces.
28 Dec 70- James
Smith, Pilot, CPT, USAF 23
Tac Air Spt Sqd, Ops 32 and Roger L.
Teeter, SSG E-6, USASF, CCN Da Nang, MLT 3,
Ops 35 KIA while performing operations to extract a recon team which had been
surrounded by enemy forces. (By Fred Wunderlitch, "Lightning": Teeter was a personal, close friend and he stayed
past his DEROS date to fly the Covey
mission).
30 Dec 70- Park George
Bunker, CPT 0-3 of
Homewood, ILL USAF, 0-1 FAC, Ops 32 KIA, Body not recovered. His aircraft was
hit while flying a visual recon and crashed. He survived the crash but reported
to another FAC that he had been hit five times and for all practical purposes he
considered himself dead. A search was inserted and the body was located with a
head wound and multiple wounds from the waist up. Heavy enemy activity forced
the search team to withdraw without recovering the body.
