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Dale Ready For The Mission

Dale W. Dehnke was a member of Recon Team Alaska was inserted in the Da Krong Valley with 1Lt Danny Day Entrican and SP/5 Hollingsworth on 15 May 1971 and the team was attacked by an enemy force three days later 1 mile from the Laos boarder. Two surviving commandos, Truong Mihn Long and interpreter Trong Th Ha reported they rolled downhill after a hostile search party detected them hiding in a bush, at which point Entrican was apparently wounded and yelled at them to move out. This action resulted in the separation of the team members. Lt Entrican was last seen wounded, but alive and attempting to evade the enemy. A search was initiated but all attempts were unsuccessful. One Special Commando Scout (name unknown) was killed while performing Body Recovery of the downed helicopter and for SSG Dehnke's remains. SSG Dehnke was originally assigned to CCS; however, when CCS was closed, he transferred to CCN July 70. (Note: an email was received from a personal close friend of Dale's and some of the information he shared, I feel needs to be listed. "I never knew what happened to Dale until I found your site...Dale grew up in Santa Monica, CA and was a good student and a very good baseball player. His dad pushed him very hard to go on with baseball, and Dale got very frustrated and quit playing and joined the army. Dale was killed on his 23rd birthday and one year later, his father sat on Dale's grave and took his own life. It was so sad, because they were a great family and even now, his mom is unable to talk about Dale or his dad. I named by 1st son after Dale, and am very proud that I did. Never a day goes by that I don't think about him and wished he were still here").

LETTERS FROM SOG MEMBERS WHO KNEW AND SERVED WITH DALE

From: Sergeant Major William "Billy" Waugh, Recon Co, CCN

As for Dale Dehnke, I certainly did know Dale. As a matter of fact, Dale was in the Recon Company, CCS and in CCN where I was the SGM. Dale had done a wonderful job in CCS and during mid 1970, and asked me if he could come with me to CCN when we closed CCS. I jumped at the chance to have Dale move up to CCN; however, having worked the CCN area previously, I warned Dale the North area was more difficult than CCS's area of operations. Rescue was much slower, due to the high and difficult terrain. Weather was worse, because of the high altitudes, etc.

Of course I want Dale to come North, along with several other CCS lads. He came, and did a great job up North. Dale volunteered for the most difficult missions he could possibly become a part of. He was made a Team Leader, even though he was young, as his combat demeanor was among the very best in CCN. I recall his approach to missions was most professional in all of Recon Company's 23 Teams. Dale was all business, and what a loss, when Dale went down. I wish I could have rescued Dale, but the distances to the teams were great, and the weather was against us.

Doug, please tell your Dale's family that his namesake died a very fine hero. Dale Dehnke was/is a true American Hero, who will not be forgotten by those men who worked with him and for Dale. His little people really loved him, and as his SGM, I was always certain Dale would, and did complete the job correctly. He killed his share of NVA, and always came back from missions, anxious to get out there on the trail again. Be proud of Dale and take care.

From: Jim Butler, Cpt, Recon Co, CCN

Dear Doug, Dale was the best, the wildest, the bravest. Cliff Newman, one of the survivors I talked about, contacted me recently. Shortly, within a year or two, Eldon will be getting out of the service, retiring as a Brigadier General. We would like to go to Dale's grave and say hello, but we will need to know where it is. I was the XO of recon company, a Captain, as well as a brother one-zero, the highest rank I ever attained in the military. I wanted to put Dale in for a direct commission, he wouldn't take it. I also offered the same to Eldon, and after much argument he did take it and is now a General. Eldon and I tried to get the bosses to let us escort Dale home, but they would not let us. I know the rest of the tragedy, and often wondered whether our presence would have helped. I am in contact with all the other guys and at some time we would love to share with you why your son carries one of the greatest names of any warrior who served in MACVSOG CCN-RECON, Jim

From: William Deacy, 1-0, Recon Co, CCS & CCN

Dear Doug, I very much remember my friend and fellow soldier, Dale Dehnke. We served together in Recon Company at CCS. In July,1970, Dale, myself, and 15 other SF soldiers were sent to Danang, CCN, to participate in recon missions in Laos and parts of North Vietnam. These missions were of an extraordinarily hazardous nature. You, Dale's family, and most anyone else, could not be informed about the exact truth due to, supposedly, "national security" considerations... Be that as they'll have it, Dale did the most to make his family and the people of the United States as proud as they could be, ...I sincerely know that I had the utmost of honors to have served with the caliber of people as Dale Dehnke represented..I have spent many a quiet moment thinking about Dale as well as the other 13 soldiers that went with us to CCN that were killed or missing in Laos. Of the 17 who went there, only 4 returned to their families in the states. I realize how fortunate I was. I do think about those extremely brave friends quite often.......Doug, if you think that I can be of assistance to you and/or Dale's family,,,don't hesitate to let me know.. sincerely, Bill Deacy

Dale Home on Leave