Special
Operations.Com
MACV-SOG
KIA
/ MIA Chronology
1964-1973
Compiled
and Maintained by Cpt Robert L. Noe, U.S. Army MACVSOG,
Retired
Anyone
with any details regarding any of the incidents/missions,
additions/deletions and/or corrections to contact
Robert Noe regarding the memorial names/dates/incidents
via email
or telephone at (318) 445-7960. To obtain additional
information and their specific location on the Vietnam
Memorial for the following individuals, you can
go to the Vietnam Memorial Wall by clicking on the
link -->
The Wall on the Web Once there, locate the letter
of the last name, click. Scroll down to the name
of the individual and click on the blue word (details).
This
quote is extracted from Maj John Plaster’s Book: SOG,
The Secret Wars of American Commandos in Vietnam and
reflect’s both the intelligence gathering aspects
of a reconnaissance mission to gather intelligence
data and the ability of that soldier to fight:
"I
looked up at the bunker in front of me and saw a khaki-uniformed
NVA with a pith helmet, chest web gear, green Bata
boots and an AK, Type 56, and no other identifying
insignia. Then I shot him."--Sgt
Tony "Fast Eddie" Anderson, RT Kansas, 1971
As
I worked on this project, many times I had to stop,
my heart filled with pride, a lump in my throat, emotional
pain filling my soul, bringing tears to my eyes. Always,
avoiding the gazes of those who might come around
so they would not know. Then I ran across a passage
in John Plaster’s book which says it all contributed
to Bill O’Rourke when he was speaking of Mad dog Shriver,
I’ll paraphrase it to fit the feeling of all our SOG
brothers: I feel very privileged to have been
associated with these brave men, some my friends and
all my brother, I wish I had been standing and fighting
with each one of them, to bring them home, I wasn’t,
and I grieve for each. Hopefully, I did contribute
in some small way with my service with SOG!
1964
30
Jun 64; two unidentified Sea Commandos
(Name/rank unknown) KIA, Remains recovered(RR)-Ops
31 (Maritime Studies Branch)
15
Jul 64, two unidentified Sea Commandos
(Name/rank unknown) KIA, Remains recovered (RR) Ops
31 (Maritime Studies Branch)
16
Nov 64; Eugene R. Paliski, SSG E6, USASF,
MACV SOG, KIA-RR
10
Dec 64- Woodrow W. Valden, Maj 0-4,
USASF, MACVSOG FFD Pilot and Dominick Sansone,
SFC E-6, USASF, MACVSOG, Team A1/212-both KIA
29
Dec 64- Harold G. Bennett, SFC E-7,
USASF, MACVSOG, Ops 34, Agent Drop-MIA
1965
29 Apr 65, Charles
Ervin Shelton, Cpt 0-3, Owensville, Ky, USAF,
Op 20 & 32, Flying photo recon over Plain of Jars
Laos crashed, captured by Pathet Lao, MIA (Cpt Shelton
had parachuted safely, hid, used emergency radio procedures
to make radio contact aircraft, during the rescue
attempt, the weather became adverse as he was being
forced from the area by enemy forces hunting him.
After several days, he continued to make radio contact
until captured by the Pathet Lao)
27 Jun 65-Carl
Jackson, Cpt, US Air Force, Pilot, C-123,
First Flight, Operation Crimson Tide-KIA, On 13 Oct
66, Charles R. Vessel, SFC E-7 and Fedrick
H. Lewis, SFC E-7, USASF, and forty
Nungs Commandos of FOB-2, Kontum, Operation
Crimson Tide-KIA during the attempted recovery of
a Prisoner of War. This mission is credited as being
the first to attempt to recover an American POW (USAF
Captain Carl E. Jackson), being held by the Viet Cong
at one of their R&R center located at Soc Trang.
A SOG size company element was formed and commanded
by Captain Frank Jaks, a Czechoslovakia by birth,
and tasked with the rescue mission. Vessel and Lewis
were part of the 3rd Platoon. Their helicopters
landed them directly in front of two heavily armed
Viet Cong Battalions and the 306 NVA regiment with
an estimated 1,000 soldiers. The entire 3rd
Platoon was annihilated.
10 Jul 65- William
Horner, SSG E-6, USASF, MACVSOG, Ops 34, Agent
Drop-KIA
18 Oct 65, Larry
Alan Thorne, Cpt 0-3, Norwalk, Conn; USASF,
Shining Brass, FOB#1, Kham Duc, Crashed outside of
Da Nang aboard Vietnamese CH-34, MIA along with the
Vietnamese Piot, Co-pilot, and Door Gunner
all whom were KIA.Cpt Thorne became missing after
inserting the first MACV-SOG mission from Kham Duc
into Laos. (Cpt Thorne was involved in the insertion
of the 1st Shining Brass Recon Mission
ran by Charles "Slate" Petry, Jim "Halo"
Smith, and William "Willie" Card [see Al
Friend’s story A Walk in Indian Country, Tales
From SOG], he was a passenger when the aircraft crashed).
18 Oct 65; Harley
B Piles, Maj 04 and Windfield W. Sisson,
Cpt, 0-3, USMC, SOG Liaison Officer, 0-1 Bird Dog,
FAC, OP 34-Da Nang Air Base,-MIA (Maj Pile was tasked
to orbit the 1st Shining Brass Recon Mission
ran by Charles "Slate" Petry, Jim "Halo"
Smith, and William "Willie" Card [see Al
Friend’s story A Walk in Indian Country, Tales
From SOG], to keep a watch on the weather and alert
fighter aircraft if the team got into trouble. The
aircraft crashed in bad weather as they were returning
to Da Nang)
28 Oct 65; Robert
J Fay, Commander, LTC 0-5, CO of US Naval
Advisory Det, Ban Dao Son Tra (Monkey Mountain), Op
3 1-Maritime Studies Branch; (Fatally wounded by mortar
round while inspecting compound perimeter (LTC Fay
was the commander of SOG Ops 31 and was the first
Navy "frogman" killed in Vietnam).
1966
29 Jan 66; Ronald
Terrance Terry, SSG E6, Niagara Falls, NY,
USASF, FOB #1, Ops 35, Shining Brass, KIA while on
recon-body not recovered. (The team came under fire
by the enemy causing the team to be split resulting
three men to be hiding in elephant grass where they
observed 7 enemy soldiers within a couple of feet
to their right and rear. These men opened fire on
the Viet Cong and fell three of them, SSG Terry was
heard yelling he had been hit and observed him holding
his right shoulder and then react as if he had been
hit again where Terry did not move again).
Feb 66, Luc
Luong Dac Biet (LLDB), An unidentified Vietnamese
Lieutenant and a Sergeant, Kham Duc, Ops 35,
Shining Brass, MIA (The facts regarding the loss of
these men are unknown).
15 Mar 66; David
Hugh Homer, Cpt 0-3, Pilot, Belmont, Mass,
USAF, FAC, MACSOG 32 (Air Studies Branch) and Glenn
David McElroy, LTC 0-5, Sidney, IL and John
Michael Nash, Cpt 0-3, Tipton, Indiana last
reported location in Laos near Khe Sahn- MIA (The
last known position was in Laos near Khe Sanh)
17 Mar 66, William
H Craig, Cpt 0-3, USASF, FOB #1, Kham Duc,
Ops 35, Reaction Force Commander, Killed due to accidental
discharge of his Swedish-K sub-machine gun when it
fell to the floor off the club’s bar and discharged.
(Cpt Craig was the commander of the Nung reaction
force on the North side of Kham Duc).
06 Apr 66, James
W Gates, Cpt 0-3, Mer Rouge, La., and John
W Lafayette, Cpt 0-3, Waterbury, Vermont;
Ops 32 (Air Studies Branch) Hue-Phu Bai Airfield,
Flying FAC in OV-1 crashed 30 kilometers inside Laos,
MIA. (Two OV-1 departed Phu Bai for a recon over Laos,
both were shot down. Another aircraft flew over the
area, observed the wreckage of both OV-1's and the
FAC saw the four men (two men per OV-1) alive on the
ground with both crews reporting they were alright.
Contact was lost with Cpt Gates and Lafayette as they
reported enemy forces closing in on them. The crew
of the other OV-1 were rescued).
03 Jul 66; Edwin
J McNamara, Cpt 0-3, USASF RT Nevada, Tm Leader
(One-Zero) and Donald J Fawcett, SSG
E-6, USASF Team Radio Operator (One-Two) were KIA-RR,
Ralph Joseph Reno, MSG
E-8, USASF Team Assistant Team Leader (One-One), Fayetteville,
NC, MIA; and Nine Vietnamese Soldiers
(names and Ranks unknown) were KIA (These 12 men were
assigned to FOB #2, OPS 35, KONTUM, SOG) and a CH-34
Vietnamese Helicopter crew consisting the VN
Pilot Nguyen Van Hoagn aka "Mustachio",
and Co-pilot and Door Gunner -names and ranks
unknown were also KIA. The aircraft was returning
from Kham Duc [after a mission] to Kontum, FOB 2 (flying
at 5,000 feet) when it hit a severe air turbulence
resulting in the aircraft "falling apart"
loss of the rear tail rotor (the tail , designed to
pivot for storage on aircraft carriers, had come loose,
swung around and chewed the helicopter to pieces in
mid air) causing the aircraft to rotate rapidly, falling
some (1,500 ?) feet in a tight spiral, throwing individuals
and debris over a large area. impacting the ground
nose first. Remains of 2 Americans and 5 Vietnamese
were recovered. MSG Reno and 4 Vietnamese soldiers
remains were not found after a 5 day aerial and ground
search.
29 Jul 66, Delmar
Lee Laws, SFC E-7, Mineral Point, Missouri
and Don Rue Sain SP/4, USASF, FOB 1,
Phu Bai, MACSOG Op 35 and Two Army
of Vietnam (ARVN) soldiers, name and ranks
unknown were on a recon mission. SFC Laws listed as
MIA and SP4 Sain and the two Vietnamese KIA-RR. (A
team of 3 Americans and 7 ARVN, conducting a recon
in the area Southwest of Khe Shan in Laos. The team
had stopped at a small stream as they were climbing
down the back slope of Co Roc Mountain, where SFC
Law was last seen crouched, signaling to the team
leader, reporting he had hears something to his rear.
Immediately the team came under fire from the rear
and flank positions by automatic weapons by an estimated
company size NVA unit. Two Vietnamese and SP/4 Sain
were immediately KIA. As the team rallied, SFC Laws
was unaccounted for. The team then moved to evade
the enemy. SFC Laws was not seen hit nor was he seen
again. Upon a recovery mission, the remains of the
two Vietnamese and SP/4 Sain along with a leg which
was later identified as belong to SFC Laws were recovered
(Sain’s body had been crudely booby-trapped with a
hand grenade). The recovery team reports, anyone caught
in the killing zone died instantly. Law is presumed
to have died due to the massive bleeding produced
from the severed femoral artery would have produced
death within minutes without the immediate services
of a medically trained surgeon. MSG Harry "Crash"
D. Whalen was able to evade the enemy and actually
walk out of Laos. Note: Identification was made through
the remaining clothing on the leg, Jungle boots, and
size of the boots).
28 Sep 66, Danny
Gene Taylor, SSG E-6, St Louis, Mo USASF,
and Two Nungs FOB
#1, Phu Bal, Ops 35 SOG, KIA body not recovered. (The
team was overran during a halt to make radio contact
by an aggressive enemy force near Khe Shan. Taylor
was the team’s RTO, One-Two, making radio contact
when the team came under fire by a Viet Cong element,
he re-shouldered his radio, firing on the enemy and
moved over and attempted to jump off of some rocks
when hit in the back by a machine gun bullet(s). Two
members of the patrol checked him for vital signs,
there were none. The team was forced to leave Taylor
due to the heavy enemy fire).
03 Oct 66; Raymond
Louis Echevarria, MSG B-8, New York, NY and
James Emory Jones, SFC E-7, Alpha, Georgia
and Eddie Lee Williams, SFC E-7, Miami,
FL, USASF, RT Arizona, FOB 1, Phu Bai, Ops 35 SOG,
and Three Vietnamese, name and ranks
unknown all MIA as a result of recon mission one mile
inside Laos west of the DMZ. (After insertion, the
team moved a short distance from the Landing Zone
and ran into an enemy soldier and fired upon him.
The team was met by heavy return fire from 360 degrees,
the team was surrounded, and most all the team members
were wounded. In an attempt to evade the enemy, they
split in order to escape. Echevarria called for extraction,
but due to the heavy enemy activity this was impossible
despite air strikes. Echevarra then reported their
situation was hopeless, stating in a calm voice "When
I quit talking, put the shit right on us!." A
few minutes later, the Air Force fighter bombers dropped
their loads across the team’s position. The team was
outnumbered almost 100 to 1. During this incident,
6 of the 7 helicopters attempting to extract the team
were hit as was one A-1 Sky raider. The only survivor,
a Vietnamese interpreter Bui Kim Tien, reports that
SFC Williams told him "Jones is dying and Ray
(Echevarria) is the same way. Tien further reported
he had evaded the enemy with SFC Williams who had
been wounded in the thigh after 2 Americans had been
killed and last saw him on 4 Oct when Williams sent
him to check some caves, at which point Tien was spotted
and forced to run from the area. Searches were conducted
on 4, 5, & 6 Oct with negative result. A month
later, an enemy POW reported he had seen a black man
with a wounded thigh, hands tied behind his back and
a noose around his neck, being led through villages
for public mockery until he was too weak to walk,
he was then executed.
10 Oct 66- Charles
Borowsky, SFC E-7, USASF, B-53, KIA on Security
Patrol (?) details not known-KIA
13 Oct 66, Charles
R. Vessel, SFC E-7 and Fedrick H. Lewis,
SFC E-7, USASF, and forty Nungs
Commandos of FOB-2, Kontum, Operation Crimson
Tide, KIA (Lewis Smith reports: Fredrick was known
as "Huckleberry" due to the straw hat he
wore and both were part of a mission, which is credited
as being the first to attempt to recover an American
POW (USAF Captain Carl E. Jackson), being held by
the Viet Cong at one of their R&R center located
at Soc Trang. A SOG size company element was formed
and commanded by Captain Frank Jaks, a Czechoslovakia
by birth, and tasked with the rescue mission. Vessel
and Lewis were part of the 3rd Platoon.
Their helicopters landed them directly in front of
two heavily armed Viet Cong Battalions and the 306
NVA regiment with an estimated 1,000 soldiers. The
entire 3rd Platoon was annihilated.
22 Oct 66- Michael
R. Newbern, SSG E-6, and Boyd W. Anderson,
SGT E-5, USASF, B-56, Recon mission-KIA
1967
22 Jan 67- Rowland
E. Gibson, SSG E-6, USASF, C&C, Spike
Team IN-KIA
03 Feb 67, Casimir
Niespodziany, 1LT 0-2, USASF, KIA-RR, MACV-SOG
Ops 35
07 Feb 67, George
K Sisler, lLt 0-2, Dexter MO, USASF, FOB 2
Kontum, Ops 35, MACV SOG, KIA-RR (Medal of Honor Winner)
Exploitation Force PIt Ldr; also James H Duncan,
SFC E-7, USASF, KIA has been indicated as being on
the mission with George K. Sisler who was KIA on same
date (?) (Exploitation Force Plt Ldr, when his EF
was hit on 3 sides by a Company size element. Lt Sisler
distinguished himself by exposing himself repeatedly
while rescuing his wounded men and killing the enemy
in the process. When the Plt came under an extremely
heavy attack, he picked up grenades and charged the
enemy single handedly, firing his weapon and throwing
hand grenades, which broke the enemy’s assault, compelling
the enemy to withdraw. He continued to move about
the battlefield directing fire. Sisler stood to direct
gun ships when a sniper’s round cut him down. He died
there. George Sisler was awarded the Medal of Honor
for his actions.
21 Feb 67, Domingo
R. S. Borja, SFC E-7, USASF, MACV-SOG, Ops
35, KIA-RR
06 Mar 67, Howard
B Carpenter,, SGT E-5, Youngstown, OH, USASF,
MACV-SOG, Ops 35 along with an unknown named
and number of other members of a Hatchet Force of
SF Det B-5O, Project "Omega," FOB-2,
Ops-35 all KIA-bodies not recovered (On operation
in the Tri Border area, his HF Company came under
hostile fire. SGT Carpenter left the safety of his
defensive position to recover wounded team members.
He immediately came into contact with 3 enemy soldiers
where he killed two of them then his weapon jammed
and he was shot killing him instantly. Because of
the adverse situation caused by continued enemy attacks
and the other wounded, the Hatchet Force Company had
to leave the dead behind)
23 Mar 67 Paul
A Conroy, Jr, SFC E-7, USASF, C&C Det,
Kham Duc, Nung Camp, Ops 35, KIA-RR (Killed when a
white phosphorus grenade exploded in his hand during
a training exercise).
25 Mar 67 Richard
Legate, Cpt 0-3, and Albert C Files,
Jr, SGT E-S, USASF, Spike Team, FOB 2 Kontum,
Ops 35, KIA-RR (Cpt Legate was hit by an enemy round,
which severed his femoral artery causing him to lose
a large amount of blood. Legate became unconsciousness
and died. SGT Files also died during the fire fight).
31 Mar 67 Robert
L Baldwin, Maj 04, US Air Force, UH-1 Helicopter
pilot, KIA-RR (His helicopter was lowering ammunition
to an Omega Recon Team when he was hit in the chest
by a 12.7 mm enemy round. The Co-pilot [new and inexperienced]
was stunned, sat frozen and unable to react causing
the aircraft to crash]
03 May 67 James
P Meade, Jr, WO, UH-IH Pilot, Ops 32 (Air
Studies Branch) KIA RR as a result of SOG operations.
03-04 Jun 67
Ronald James Dexter SFC E-7, Abilene,
TX; Billy Ray Laney, SFC E-7, Green
Acres City, FL - US Army Special Forces and
an unknown number of SCU Hatchet Force, FOB
1, Phu Bai, Ops 35; and Stephen P. Hanson,
Cpt 03, Pilot, Restful Lake, OH; John 0. Gardner,
1LT 0-3, CO-Pilot, Restful Lake, OH; and Timothy
R. Bodden, SGT E-5, Crew Chief, Downer Grove,
ILL- Members of The United States Marines Corps Aviation,
HNMI65, CH46 Helicopter Crew "Shark Three"
Khe Sahn Launch Site, FOB 1, Ops 32 were MIA-Presumptive
finding of death. (A total of 23 Americans were
lost; SOG raiders, Air Force and Marine Pilots and
crewman--plus twice as many Nungs). A company
size hatchet force raid, commanded by Maj Jerry Kilburn,
operating in Oscar 8 target area, 18-22 KM SE of Khe
Sanh, at an azimuth of 220 degrees, and near Route
#922, which contained the largest depot outside of
Hanoi, well defended with belts of antiaircraft guns.
The Hatchet Force (HF) arrived at Khe Sanh, remained
overnight at the Launch Site, and inserted early in
the morning. The terrain favored the enemy and the
area was within a horseshoe type land mass. Several
hundred SPAR (Special Agent Reports) had been intercepted
from the target area within a 24 hour period. These
radio transmissions were originated by the NVA and
were possibly associated with the Commanding General
of their Army Nuyen Van Gaip. At 0545, SGM
Billy William D. "Billy" Waugh boarded an
0-2 aircraft to fly FAC as the Covey Rider, flying
toward the target, staying in the "Gray Forrest"
area along Route #222. At about 0630, the FAC observed
the Condensation Trails of nine (9) B-52's. The FAC
performed 360's as the B-52 dropped their load, FAC
flew over the target area, noticed several secondary
fires, and actually watched as the NVA rolled what
appeared to be-barrels of gasoline from one of the
burning areas. The NVA were swarming, and immediately
took the FAC aircraft under fire with what was probably
a set of 12.7 AA guns. The FAC "hauled ass"
away from the area, and sent a transmission to "scratch
the infil, as the area was crawling with pissed-off
NVA." Too late, the transmission did not make
it in time. Due to the high hill range, just to the
North of the LZ, transmissions to the launch site
were not completed. The raid began with an Arc Light,
and as soon as the Arc Light was over, the raider
company arrived with the mission to conduct a BDA
of the arc light bombing, capture any WIA NVA, and
capture any NVA equipment in the area. The very first
Marine HUEY Gun ship across the intended LZ and was
shot down to the south of the LZ. The first CH-47
(Chinook) with troops, was noticed landing just to
the North of the intended LZ, this bird was shot down
as it lowered to the LZ and broke into two pieces
on impact. A second Chinook attempted landing, and
was also shot down, An H-34 (SOG rescue bird) came
into the area, to infiltrate troops, and was shot
down, landing to the South of Route "922. The
crew were seen fleeing from this bird, to the West
(Subsequently rescued). The approximate 100 SOG men
that were inserted were surrounded and had taken cover
in a few bomb craters. SFC Laney was last seen by
SFC Wilklow, wounded in the back after boarding the
a helicopter, the aircraft was hit by enemy fire,
then the pilot was shot, and it veered out of control
and crashed. After the aircraft crashed, it continued
to receive heavy fire, however, many of the personnel
were rescued. SFC Laney was last seen still in the
helicopter chest shot and probably dead. Due to the
enemy situation, he was not recovered and a later
search produced negative results . Two A-1E’s came
into the area, firing their guns, dropping napalm
as requested by the Team Leader. One of the A-1E’s
was shot through by a hail of green tracers, and rolled
over-crashing without a parachute. The 2nd
A-1E was shot almost to pieces, but the fine pilot
managed to land that bird at the Khe Sanh airstrip
(a hell of a feat). Two F-4's were performing close
air support, with one being blasted right in his forward
portion, causing that bird to crash. All this occurred
within 30 minutes of the insert. During the initial
day of insert, rescue attempts were made to recover
the WIA. Early morning of the second day, the remainder
of the Hatchet Force members were picked up. The NVA
were silent that day, as it appeared the NVA were
encouraging an exfiltration due to the 30-50 airstrikes
they had endured. SFC Dexter was last seen exiting
a downed CH-46 helicopter and taken as a Prisoner
of War, but never reached North Vietnam alive. A report
obtained from a captured Nung Commando who was later
released tells of Cpt Hanson, Lt Gardner, and Sgt
Bodden being executed by the North Vietnamese Soldiers.
Of the six Americans MIAs, only USMC Lance Corporal
Frank E. Cius, Jr. was confirmed by Hanoi. After Cius’s
release in 1973, he told Dexter’s brother that Ronald
Dexter had been captured but died in enemy hands.
Note: SFC Charles Wilklow was wounded and in enemy
hands. The enemy used him as bait to try and bring
in aircraft to rescue him. The enemy tended to ignore
him, thinking he was no risk due to his condition.
He had observed NVA in formations, giving orders,
etc., expecting to die any minute. After the 4th
day with maggots in his open wound, barely clinging
to life, he somehow managed to crawl away during the
night. Around mid day, the following day a FAC flew
overhead and SGM Waugh observed a body with a panel
over it and when the FAC made a second pass, the body
sat up and SGM Waugh recognized it was an American.
When Wilklow came to, he was looking into the face
of SSG Roy Pace, a Black American, who had performed
a one man bright light by repelling in to rescue him.
Wilklow was wearing a STABO rig and was extracted
by string.
15 Jun 67- Ben
D. Snowden, SFC E-7 (MSG E-8?), USASF, B-56-KIA-RR
and One unknown A-1 Skyraider
pilot-MIA-Presumptive finding of Death. Snowden,
a passenger in a CH-34 Kingbee attempting to rescue
recon team that technically belonged to project Omega
consisting of two Americans and four Nungs who were
surrounded by an enemy force. The enemy had the team
surrounded, but was not interested in destroying them.
The team was bait to draw in a helicopter. Due to
the steep slopes, the helicopter required a passenger
to help load the team. Just as the team leader lifted
one of his Nungs up to the helicopter, a massive volume
of fire erupted from a fixed, hidden machine gun hitting
the aircraft. The helicopter groggily rocked and lifted
away somehow making it back to SOG’s Dak To launch
site, riddled with sixty-eight bullet holes, its engine
out, it slammed into a ditch. Snowden had been hit
by nine times and had died. The A-1 was a propeller
driven aircraft, but saved the day for the team, it
received the exact heading to the hidden machine gun
from the team, rolled in, banked above the team and
executed a bombing run, dropping a shiny canister
that spun end over end just above the team, spewing
jellied gasoline into the small cave mouth which provided
cover for the machine gun, the napalm flashed eliminating
the machine gun allowing the team to be rescued. When
the A-1 was pulling away from the bomb run, it continued
taking fire until it belched smoke, nose up, with
the pilot ejecting and the canopy fall away with the
parachute drifting into the NVA positions. The team
was rescued by the same pilot who piloted the helicopter
that was shot up, who insisted on flying the rescue
mission because he knew the terrain.
03 Jul 67 Leo
Earl Seymour, SGT E5, Towanda, Penn, USASF
Spike Team Leader of ST Texas, FOB 1, Phu Bai, Ops
35 Recon patrol in Laos MIA-Presumptive finding of
death. (SGT Seymour called in two air strikes on a
discovered Viet Cong position. After the air strikes,
the team was directed to make a Bomb Damage Assessment
[BDA] but decided to set up an ambush on a trail junction
11 miles inside of Laos northwest of Ben Het in the
Dale Xow River Valley. Before the ambush location
could be completed, two large hostile columns converged
and noticed a propaganda poster tacked to a tree that
had not been there before and began a search of the
area, spotting the forward security element of the
team which opened fire on the hostile force and the
team came under heavy enemy fire. The team retreated
to a defensive position, and again came under enemy
fire. The team conducted an E&E maneuver. No one
saw Sgt Seymour after the defensive position came
under attack. No search was made due to the heavy
enemy activity in the area).
12 Jul 67 Samuel
Almendariz, SFC 3-7, McAllen, TX and Robert
Jospeh Sullivan, SFC E-7, East Almstead, NH,
USASF Spike Team Members, FOB 1, Phu Bai, Ops 35 Recon
mission of Savanakhet Province, Laos KIA-Remains Not
Recovered. (The team came under an attack that lasted
for four hours with a superior force. The only surviving
American reported that both SFC Almendariz and SFC
Sullivan had been mortally wounded. The team was ambushed,
not by men firing weapons, but NVA who leaped out
of nowhere. One NVA wrestled Sullivan’s weapon from
him, then shot him dead, spun around and shot SFC
Harry Brown through the shoulder, as another NVA shot
Almendaiz dead. Brown and half the team broke away
and ran and was able to get a radio message off. During
the rescue of Brown and the remainder of the team,
a single Kingbee flown by Cowboy with MSG Charles
Minnick without fire support and a shot up aircraft
(The bird had been shot up on the first attempt, returned
to Khe Sanh for refueling) A search conducted on 16
July of the area. No remains were located), Cowboy
was shot through the neck, but somehow, he flew the
Kingbee with one hand and slowed the bleeding with
the other while Minnick dragged the wounded aboard.
A search team was inserted on Jul 16, but was unsuccessful
in locating either Americans. NOTE: The legendary
"Bill Waugh" felt Cowboy’s valor should
have won him the Medal of Honor.
03 Aug 67- Arthur
H. Green, 1LT 0-2, USASF, B-56-KIA
23 Aug 67 Derex
Williams Jr., Cpt 03, US Air Force, Pilot,
"Covey," 2Oth Tac Air Support,
Da Nang Air Base, Ops 32 KIA-RR when his aircraft
crashed at the Khe Sahn airstrip after returning from
visual recon mission in Laos.
08 Sep 67- Albert
F. Sayer, Jr., CPT 0-3, USAF, FAC, C&C-KIA
09 Sep 67- William
E. Lawson, SFC E-7, USASF, FOB-1, Spike Team
MI, Assistant Team Leader-KIA
11 Oct 67- Glen
Locklear, MSG E-8, USASF, FOB-1, Plt Ldr-KIA
Ol Nov 67 Frank
Ray Noe, SFC E-7, of Kerman, CA who moved
to Hot Springs, Arkansas at age of 15, enlisted in
US Navy at the age of 17; after four years enlisted
in the US Army and joined the Special Forces. According
to official military notification of death records
to family, Noe was KIA in South Viet Nam as a member
of Special Forces Detachment A-502 but after release
of secret military documents it was discovered he
was KIA-RR on a recon mission in Laos along with Don
Albert Hawkins, SGT E-5, and David A.
Woods who was killed the following day, all
of whom were serving as Spike Team Members, FOB 1,
Phu Bai, Ops 35 (The team discovered a gray, enemy
communications wire and were directed to place a "Tap"
on it. However, due to heavy enemy activity in the
area, the team decided to "cut" the wire.
The enemy sent out an element to check the wire and
discovered the team resulting in a fierce fire fight.
SFC Noe and SGT Hawkins were killed on 1 Nov and SFC
Woods was killed on 2 Nov. A SGT Brown was wounded
in the shoulder and managed to escape and was rescued).
See individual memorial this site
01 Nov 67- Ferdinand
J. Quatrone, SFC E-7, USASF, KIA Unit unidentified
02 Nov 67 David
Alexander Woods, SFC E-7, KIA-RR, was a member
of the same Spike Team with Noe and Hawkins who were
KIA the day before.
09 Nov 67 Bruce
Raymond Baxter, MSG E-8, Lowell, Mass, Spike
Team Leader; Jospeh George Kusick, SGT
E-5, Bruin, Penn, Spike Team Radio Operator; USASF
FOB 1, Phu Bal, Ops 35 and Six Indigenous Team
Members; operating behind enemy lines in Laos
along with John William Armstrong, LTC
05, Dallas, TX, Ralph Wayne Brower,
Cpt 03, Stow, OH, Eugene Lunsford Clay,
SSG E-5, and Larry Wayne Maysey, SGT
E-5, Chester, NJ members of US Air Force, HH3, Jolly
Green 26, 37th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron,
Da Nang Air Base, Ops 32/80 All were KIA-Remains Not
Recovered. (Chip Fleming, aks: Allen F.,
Jr. writes: I was with RT Utah during this operation.
A SGT {name ?} and I were on our first Spike Team
mission after graduating from training in Kham Duc
when the team was hit by a reinforced company (we
though at the time) while in our RON site. The SGT,
me and 3 to 5 indig(?) got out on the first chopper
during a night extraction-most of us were wounded.
The others team members were KIA when their chopper
was either shot down or damaged during the extraction.
Air Force guys from NKP were also shot down later
while trying to extract the remainder of the team
in their Jolly Greens and possibly one Air Force Pilot
won the MOH [Cpt Gerald O. Young, USAF won the Medal
Of Honor that day for his extraordinary heroism, aggressiveness,
and concern for his fellow man]. The first extraction
was by Jolly Green 29 before being driven off by enemy
fire. Jolly Green 26 (came in about 20 minutes later
and picked up MSG Baxter and SGT Kusick, while lifting
off was hit by automatic weapons fire and crashed.
A recover team was inserted, found three charred remains,
two had ID tags and were identified as members of
the aircrew. The 3rd had no tag, but was
identified as SGT Kusick, radio operator as the AN/PRC
25 radio antenna was found with these remains. Another
set of remains were located away from the down chopper
and identified as a member of the recon element. However,
due to adverse weather conditions and enemy activity,
the remains could not be recovered ).
10 Nov 67 Michael
A. Hoglund, SGT E-5, USASF, FOB 2, Kontum,
Radio Operator, Project Omega (13-50), Killed by SFC
Allen, a friend, in an argument over a female. (Shot
with a 9mm pistol through a screened window of the
Project Omega Bldg, FOB2. Due to the secrecy of SOG,
the killer, SFC Allen was fined a carton of cigarettes
and reassigned from SOG suffering no further punishment).
15 Dec 67 Dan
Wagner, Jr. SFC E-7, USASF, FOB 2, Kontum,
Tm Ldr, RT Nevada, KIA-RR. (See Kedenburg, KIA 13
Jun 68)
16 Dec 67 Austin
R. Von Kieist, SFC E-7, USASF, FOB I Phu Bai,
Ops 35 KIA-RR.
21 DEC 67 Lee
D. Scurlock, Jr., SSG E-6, Restful Lake, OH,
USASF, FOB 1, Phu Bal, Ops 35, Recon Team operating
in Laos, MIA-Presumptive finding of death. (SSG Scurlock
was a member of a team operating 18 miles west of
Vietnam, on the Laotian-Cambodian boundary of the
tri-border region, which had come under heavy enemy
fire from the front and rear, rescue could not be
made by landing due to adverse terrain conditions;
thus, a rope ladder was deployed by the 119th
Aviation Company (Gator 376). As the last man to be
rescued, SSG Scurlock began to climb the ladder, after
the 3rd rung on the 1st attempt,
lost his grip, removed his rucksack and radio then
began to climb slowly, appearing weak and possibly
wounded, encouraged by the door gunner he climbed
to almost to the point of reaching outstretched hands
to give him help, he fell off the ladder fifty feet
to the ground, landed on his neck and head, rolled
down the hillside and was stopped by a small tree..
It is reported Scurlock was thrown from the ladder
when the aircraft’s windshield exploded because of
enemy fire causing the pilot to jerk the aircraft.
Heavy enemy activity precluded recovery and a later
search of the area did not find SSG Scurlock).
29 Dec 67 Donald
E. Fisher, LTC 05, of Halfway, Org; Charles
Peter Claxton, MAJ 04, of Chicago, ILL; Edwin
Neims Osborne, Jr., CPT 03 of Ralford, FL;
Frank C. Parker III, CPT 03 of Bridgeport,
Penn; Gerald Gordon Van Buren, CPT 03
of Toledo, OH; Gordon J. Wenaas, CPT
03 of Mayville, ND; Jack McCrary, SSG
E-5 of Madison, Tenn; Gean Preston Clapper,SGT
E-5 of Altoona, Penn; Edward Jospeh Darcy,
SGT E-5 of Portlandm Org; Wayne Allen Eckley,
SGT E-5 of Enterprise, Org; and James R. Williams,
SGT E of Charlotte, NC all USAF, Air Crew, C- 130,
"Combat Talon", l4th Special
Operations Wing, Ops 32/75, Nha Trang-Performing aerial
resupply mission over North Vietnam they never returned
MIA-Remains not recovered.
1968
04 Jan 68- Paul
H. Villa Rosa, SFC E-7, Recon Tm Ldr, David
R. Simons, SGT E-5; Ronald R.Watson,
Sp/4 E-4; Frank 0. Taboada, PFC E-3;
FOB 4, Da Nang, Ops 35, USASF. During a Recon mission
in Laos, the team was fiercely attacked by the enemy
who used flame throwers against the team. All KIA-RR.
(SFC Villa Rosa was killed by the flame thrower).
05 Jan 68-John
Gallagher, SSG E-6 of Hamden, Conn, USASF,
Spike Team Ldr, FOB-3, Khe Sanh, Ops 35, and Dennis
C. Hamilton, WOl, Pilot, of Barnes City, Iowa;
Sheldon D. Schultz, WOI, Pilot, of Altoona,
PA; Earnest Frank Bridggs, Jr., SFC
E-7, Crew chief, of Devine, TX and James D.
Willamson, SP/4, Door Gunner of Tumwater,
Washington assigned to 411th Transportation
Detch, 178th Avn Co, 14th Avn Bn, Americal Division,
Ops 32/75 (Air Studies Branch/Group) all MIA’s (The
helicopter was 20 miles inside Laos south of Lao Bao
and about 4,000 feet when it was observed to be hit
by ground fire and exploded and burst into flames
upon impact with the ground. Four attempts was made
into the area but had to be aborted due to heavy enemy
fire; however, no part of the aircraft was recognizable,
finally a team was inserted several days later and
found nothing). NOTE: Another source says the helicopter
was 2,000 feet and hit by 37mm anti-aircraft fire.
12 Jan 68, James
Derwin Cohron, SSG E-6, USASF and two
Vietnamese Team Members (Names unknown), Spike
Team "Indiana," FOB-1, Phu Bai, Ops 35,
Spike Team Members on Recon in Laos when ambushed.
MIA Presumptive finding of death. (The team moved
to a predetermined location at which time SSG Cohron
and the two Vietnamese were unaccounted for. Cohron
was the second man from the rear of the team formation,
when the team was ambushed, 1 mile inside Laos, south
of Khe Sanh. Initially, the team broke contact and
set up a defensive position on a small hill, after
evading through a gully. The terrain was heavily vegetated
with "elephant grass" which obstructed the
teams view of Cohron as well as well as their ability
to effect any contact with him. Air Support was requested
and the team being extracted. Two days later a search
team was inserted and these three individuals were
not found).
17 Jan 68-Samuel
F. Bench (Officer, rank unknown), USAF, 20th
Tactical Air Support, 0-1E Pilot, FAC "Covey,"
Ops 32 (Air Studies Branch), Killed in the crash when
trying to land at the Khe Sanh airstrip. KIA-RR.
29 Jan 68- Michael
T. Mahoney, SP/5, and Two Bru Montagnards,
FOB-3, Khe Sanh, Ops 35, KIA, Remains not recovered
(while on local patrol was surprised by a large enemy
force and received heavy enemy automatic weapons fire,
which caused the patrol to split into smaller groups
to escape the battlefield. SP/5 Mahoney and the two
commando’s deaths were reported by radio, but due
to enemy activity, their remains could not be carried
by the other soldiers).
29 Jan 68- Charles
Nichol Tredinnick, SFC E-7, FOB-3, Khe Sanh,
Ops 35, Special Forces Det A-21 "Snake Bite"
team 1st SFG Okinawa. KIA-RR (While on an "Operation
Pick-up" recovery force. SFC Tredinnick led a
five men assault on an enemy position capturing high
ground when he saw an enemy platoon size element maneuvering
to split the FOB element in half, he fired on the
attacking enemy forcing them to retreat. Another American
was shot and with complete disregard for his own safety
exposed himself to a hail of enemy fire and ran 40
meters and dragged the wounded American to safety
and when that position was threatened, he again exposed
himself to a hail of enemy fire when he was mortally
wounded).
29 Jan 68- Gary
L. Crone_ SSG E-6 USASF FOB-3, Khe Sanh, Ops
35, Assistant Senior Medic at FOB-3, due to leave
country on 30 Jan 68, KIA-RR. (SSG Crone volunteered
for a local recon mission in an area outside but near
the camp. During a firefight with a superior enemy
force, he was captured and executed. He was subsequently
intentionally decapitated by the enemy and abandoned
for discovery-SSG Crone death was a calculated execution).
29 Jan 68-
Charles Edward White, SFC E-7, of Bessemer,
AL, USASF Medic, FOB-5, Ban Me Thuot, Ops 35.MIA-Presumptive
finding of death. (The Recon team had made contact
with the enemy and had shot their way out and was
in the process of being extracted 16 miles inside
Cambodia west of Kontum via McGuire Rig with team
members Nang and Khong when SFC White reported over
the radio, "I'm having a problem with the rig."
A passenger on the helicopter looked out and saw SFC
White fall into the jungle below from 200 feet. He
was a large man, 6'4", 28 lbs. After getting
into the rig and as the chopper started lifting off,
he turned upside down and fell away. A search team
was inserted to look for him the following day, which
discovered a path that a falling body made through
the jungle canopy into thick bamboo, which was surmised
as being enough foliage to have safely broken his
fall, however, no trace was ever found of him. Due
to increased enemy activity no further search was
possible. Although, the Defense Department officially
listed him as dead, Fred Zabitosky’s bright light
team felt he was still alive and a POW. White had
only 3 days left in country before being rotated back
home).
02 Feb 68- Gilbert
L. Harnllton, SFC E-7, USASF, Spike Team,
Ops 35 while on a recon in Laos, the team came under
fire from a superior enemy force. KIA-RR
19 Feb 68- Douglas
J Grover, SSG E-6 of Cortland, NY, USASF,
FOB-2, Kontum, Ops 35 and Melvin C. Dye,
SGT E-5 of Carelton, Mich and Robert S. Griffith,
SGT E-5, of Hapevile, GA, door gunners,, and four
SCUTeam Members, RT Main; MIA, Presumptive
finding of death. an unidentified pilot
Died of wounds. Grover was the team leader (One-Zero)
with Fred Zabitosky "Zab" as the One-One,
and Purcell Bragg as the One-Two and six SCU were
inserted into a target Zulu Nine in the Bra, (Zab
was the official 1-0; however, for this mission the
role was reversed). The team discovered a bunker,
which NVA ran to man and began firing on the team.
Glover relinquished the one-zero status to Zab. Zab
directed Grover to take the team back to the LZ while
he initiated a delaying action. Shortly thereafter,
a NVA platoon came upon Zab’s delaying action and
he stopped them with claymores, grenades, and his
CAR 15. Zab then joined the remainder of the team
at the LZ, with Grover calling in air strikes. The
team was fighting off a large assault and the enemy’s
numbers were growing with four NVA companies converging
on the team. Two Hueys arrived and Brag with two of
the SCU boarded and were lifted off to safety. Zab
and Glover and four SCU boarded the second Huey and
it lifted off, almost clearing the LZ when it was
hit by an RPG sending the helicopter spinning the
tail boom into the main rotor and splitting the helicopter
into two pieces and crashing into the ground ablaze
in flames. Zab was thrown clear, but and as he regained
consciousness he found his clothes on fire. He suffered
severe burns, shrapnel wounds and several crushed
vertebrae and ribs. Rolling to extinguishing the burning
clothing he was able to extinguish his burning clothing.
The pilot and copilot were still strapped in their
seats in the burning in helicopter which had snapped
into behind the pilot’s section. The troop compartment
was in completely inflamed and the final cries of
the men trapped therein were heard by Zab, but there
was nothing he could do. Realizing the flames had
not completely engulfed the pilots, Zab, utilizing
everything he had and entered into the flames to recover
the copilot who had all his clothing burnt off and
then returned to rescue the pilot. Movement was observed
on the ground by another SOG soldier (Luke Nance)
who was aboard a Huey flying above the downed helicopter.
This helicopter made a decent and began engaging the
enemy. The SOG soldier jumped from the helicopter
and joined Zab in a fire fight with the enemy and
rescuing the pilot and copilot together. One of the
pilots died of the wounds which had covered 85% of
his body.
21 Feb 68- Paul
Melvin Douglas, SSG E-6, US Army Long Range
Reconnaissance Spike Team Leader, FOB-3 Khe Sanh,
Ops 35, KIA-RR. Presumptive finding of death (SSG
Douglas was not a member of SF nor Airborne qualified,
however, he had volunteered for SOG and based upon
his vast Recon experience, a man who had proven himself
and assigned to FOB 3 where he was killed by an enemy
mortar round explosion just after rising from a night's
sleep, he removed his protective flak vest in order
to change into a shirt for day time duty uniform and
was in the process of slipping off the sweater when
the mortar round exploded).
21 Feb 68- Robert
N. Baker, SFC E-7, USASF, FOB1-KIA
27 Feb 68- Duane
H. Snyder, SFC E7, USASF, B-56, 1ST
Co Cmdr-KIA
29 Feb 68- Harold
C. Whittaker, SSG E-6, USASF, B-50-Recon Mission-KIA
01 Mar 68- Jeffery
McClatchy, Jr, SP/5, USASF, Snake Bite Team,
1st SFGA, Okinawa, Hatchet Force Advisor, FOB 3, Khe
Sanh, Ops 35, KIA-RR (SP/5 McClatchy was killed by
his own claymore while on security patrol outside
of FOB-3).
06 Mar 68- Robert
Lopez, Maj 04 of Seattle, WA, USASF, Comrnander
FOB-I, Phu Bai, Ops 35 with William Henry Seward,
Maj 04, USMC of Atlanta, GA and Gary Lewis
Colombo, Lance Corporal (LPCL, E-4),
USMC, Aviation Branch, Ops 32 (Air Studies Branch)
were aboard a CH-46. Maj Lopez-KIA-RR, Maj Seward
and LPCL Colombo KIA-Remains not recovered (Their
helicopter was the lead helicopter of a flight of
two CH-46's that was supporting a SOG insertion attempt.
Their aircraft was hovering above an 80' canopy and
started receiving enemy fire and stared to descent
then fell to the earth, exploded, and burned).
22 Mar 68- Estevan
Torres, SFC E-7, Recon Tm Ldr; Linwood
Martin, SFC E-7, Asst Tm Ldr; John C.
Wells, SP/4, Recon Tm Radio Operator, USASF
and "Scouts" member, names
and ranks not known), FOB 5, Ban Me Thuot, Ops 35.
KIA'S-RR (The team was conducting Recon mission in
Northern Cambodia. The team destroyed by enemy action.
FOB-5's first men to die. The camp was named "Camp
Torres" in honor of the team leader).
27 Mar 68- Johnny
C. Calhoun, SSG E-6 of Newman, GA, USASF,
FOB-I, OPS 35,KIA-Remains not recovered (While awaiting
extraction from a successful recon mission in Laos,
the team was attacked by a superior enemy force 1-1/2
miles inside Laos south of Ta Bat in the A Shau Valley..
SSG Calhoun ordered a withdrawal and stood between
the team and enemy providing cover fire for the rest
of the patrol and while ordering the other five members
of the team to withdraw, he was hit 3 times in the
chest and stomach, fell to the ground and not move(
witnessed by Ho-Thong, interpreter, Calhoun slumped
to the ground, pulled the pin from a grenade, clutched
it to explode among the advancing enemy). His ultimate
fate is unknown because of the actual retreat of the
survivors. Twenty six hours after initial contact,
the team was finally extracted. Due to enemy hostilities,
a further search for SSG Calhoun was not made).
28 Mar 68- George
"Ron" Brown, SFC E-7 of Holly Hill,
FL; Alan "Al" Lee Boyer, SGT
E-5 of Missoula, Monana; Charles Gregory "Greg"
Huston of Sidney, OH, USASF, Spike Team
ASP, FOB-4, Da Nang, Ops 35, MIA-Presumptive finding
of death (On a recon mission 20 Kilometers northeast
of Tchepone, Laos. These three Americans were being
extracted by rope ladder due to the terrain preventing
landing, these individuals were on the rope ladder
when the CH-34 helicopter came under intense enemy
fire and the helicopter had to depart when the ladder
became caught in the trees and had to be cut away.
When last seen these three individuals were seen alive
and appeared to be unharmed. A search team was inserted
on 01 Apr 68 but failed to find any evidence of the
three Americans. ST Asp consisted of three Americans
and six (seven) indigs. They were assigned to FOB
4 but launched out of NKP. They were inserted by chopper
(AF 20th Helicopter Squadron call sign
"Pony Express" CH-3(?) On a wire-tap mission
several klicks NE of Tchepone. Around 11AM local time
on the 28th, they were compromised and
requested emergency extraction. The Pony Express chopper
could not land and lowered a rope ladder. Five of
the six indig successfully climbed the ladder to the
chopper. As the sixth indig was going up, Boyer started
up. At this point the ladder either broke or was cut
by ground fire and the indig and Boyer fell back to
earth. According to the chase medic on the extraction
chopper, SGT Dave Mayberry [also from FOB 4], his
last sighting of Brown and Huston before turning his
back to treat one of the wounded was that they were
still alive and returning fire. That was the last
they were seen. The Pony Express chopper apparently
did not try another extraction and requested assistance.
Several Jolly Greens were placed on stand-by at NKP
to help and others were diverted from another mission.
In addition, several A-1 Sandies were alerted. By
early afternoon, there was no further communication
with the team and the follow-up rescue effort was
called off. This would lead me to believe there was
no air support involved in the extraction attempt.
On 1 April SGT Chuck Feller [also from FOB 4] launched
out of NKP on a mission to search for Asp. They were
inserted by Pony Express and immediately came into
contact with enemy forces. Feller called for an emergency
extraction and a ladder had to be used. In fact, one
of his indigs dangled from the ladder all the way
back to NKP. While on the ground, they found no evidence
of Asp.-email, 9/27/99, John Kull). NOTE: RT ASP
WAS ALSO COMPLETELY LOST AGAIN ON 10 MAY 71.
04 Apr 68- Robert
L. Taylor, SFC E-7, USASF, Spike Team "Bear"
Team #7, FOB-3, Khe Sanh, Ops 35, Originally listed
as MIA but the finding changed to KIA-RR
10 Apr 68- Samuel
Jospeh Padgett, SFC E-7 of Tulsa, Oklahoma,
George N Deverall, CPT 0-3; Aubey
A. Bryan, SFC E-7; Charles F. Wilcox,
Jr. SFC E-7, USASF, FOB-4, Da Nang, Ops 35;
Crecencio Cardosa, SFC E-7; and a
Vietnamese Pilot, Co-Pilot and door gunner,
names and ranks unknown CH-34 (Kingbee) Aircrew, Vietnamese
Air Force, 2l9th Vietnamese Helicopter
Squadron, Da Nang Air Base, Ops 32. All KIA-RR and
identified except for SFC Padgett who is listed as
MIA-Presumptive finding of death. (Aircraft was caring
five newly assigned team leaders from FOB-4 to MAC
SOG Recon School at Kham Duc when the aircraft was
disabled by enemy fire and crashed and burned).
14 Apr 68- George
Quamo, Maj 0-4, US Army Infantry, Project
Elephant Commander, FOB-3, OPS 35 and a Vietnamese
U-17 Pilot and Co-Pilot, Vietnamese Air Force,
Da Nang Air Base, Ops 32. KIA-RR(While transporting
SOG documents, he was picked up by two Vietnamese
pilots at the Khe Sanh Airstrip and has not been heard
from since. He graduated from High School in Averill
Park, NY, 1958, enlisted in the Army and attended
OCS, Airborne, Pathfinder, and Ranger training. MIA-(Note;
Jun 26, 7 4 three bodies and the wreckage of a U-17
aircraft were recovered and the remains of Maj Ouamo
was positively identified).
15 Apr 68- Charles
M. Corry, S/5; Daniel F. Sandoval,
SP/5 and Dennis R. Thorpe, SGT E-5,
FOB-3, Khe Sanh, Ops 35, KIA inside the compound by
rocket shrapnel. KIA-RR
18 Apr 68- Stefan
Mazak, SFC E-7, USASF, 5th SFGA, Ops 35. KIA-RR
21 APR 68- Samuel
R. Hughes, SP/5, USASF, FOB-3, Khe
Sanh, Snake Bite Team, 1st SFGA, Okinawa, Ops 35.
(Killed due to shrapnel and had been slightly injured
on four previous occasions inside the FOB-3 compound
and had solicited SFC Robert Skully, senior medic
for Purple Hearts, he held a dubious FOB record and
had received five purple hearts for injuries inside
the FOB-3).
May 68- Vietnamese
Kingbee Pilot known as "Cowboy",
(Real name unknown) Captain, 219th Vietnamese
Helicopter Squadron, Ops 32. (Volunteered to extract
a SOG Recon Team in trouble and needed emergency extraction
in Laos when the all US helicopter pilots refused
to attempt the extraction. Cowboy made the extraction
saving the entire team and delivered them to FOB-2,
Kontum, and when attempting to return to his base,
became disoriented in the heavy overcast and crashed
into a mountain- KIA. Cowboy was involved with in
the extraction of the 1st SOG recon mission
during 1965. [From all SOG members: We pray for his
soul and may his spirit soar in the heavens. Seconded
by Tom Hunter]).
01 May 68- Joseph
L. Shreve, 1LT 0-2, USASF, FOB-2, Plt Ldr-KIA
02 May 68- Leory
N. Wright, SFC E-7 and Lloyd F. Mousseau,
SSG E-6, USASF, and four (+) SCU Nungs,
B-56, Recon Mission-KIA The team of three Americans
and nine SCU Nungs was inserted into the Fishhook,
Cambodia. Immediately upon insertion, engaged an enemy
squad, shooting their way clear only to be engaged
by a platoon size element a half hour later. The team
was able to work their way back to the LZ; however,
due to a massive number of NVA and heavy enemy fire
pinned the team down and forced away any rescue attempt.
The team was now engaged by several enemy companies
using mortars, RPG, and machine guns. The team leader,
Leory Wright was struck in the head by a single enemy
AK bullet, killing him. Lloyd Moussea, one-one, and
Brian O’Conner, one-two, were wounded several times.
Half of the SCU Nungs were dead and the other half
wounded. A one-man bright light team arrived, Roy
Benavides, a heavy set Yaqui Indian, wounded immediately
in the leg, continuing his rescue, bandaged the wounds
and injecting morphine the best he could as he called
in air strikes when wounded in the thigh. As he attempted
to recover Wright’s body, he was wounded again through
a lung, he pulled himself to his feet to discover
a Huey lying on it’s side. Benavides, then stumbled
to LZ to assist those survivors and was shot again.
Five minutes later, Benavides was shot once more and
another aircraft crashed. A lone helicopter then arrived
with Ronald Sammons, a Green Beret medic, and assisted
Benavides recover the crew members and members of
the recon team. During this process, while carrying
Mousseau, Benavides was clubbed in the head by an
NVA AK, knocking Benavides to his knees only to be
butt-stroked in the face and then bayoneted through
his left arm by the NVA soldier. Mousseau died on
the helicopter and Benevides survived to face a year
of hospitalization mending a total of seven major
gunshot wounds, twenty-eight shrapnel holes and a
bayonet wound. Roy Benavides died December 1998 of
those wounds he suffered so many years ago and I believe
his last written correspondence was to me where he
wrote on the 17th day of November 1998,
among other things he wrote: "I still have
a dream which I look forward to fulfilling: as you
know, Love for our Country and freedom for our loved
ones runs deep in the American soldier’s blood. Prayerfully,
I look forward to the time when a movie may be made
of my life. There is so much to tell the American
youth about struggles and perseverance that I firmly
believe the real message could so easily reach them
in a movie (story) of my life." Roy was
the last recipient of the Medal Of Honor for the Vietnam
War, being awarded to him by President Ronald Regan
thirteen years after the fact.
04 May 68- Kenneth
M. Cryan, SP/5, Assistant Tm, Paul Chester
King, PFC E-3, Tm Radio Operator of Waltham,
Mass USASF, Spike Team Alaska, FOB-1, Phu Bal, Ops
35 and Five Indigenous Team Members
(Names unknown), MIA-Presumptive finding of death
(Spike team Alaska was inserted on recon in the A
Shau Valley, Laos to penetrate an area thought to
conceal an NVA division. The team leader, John Allen,
and a SCU Nung moved away from the team, creeping
some distance and discovered enemy activity consistent
to an NVA headquarters. They rejoined their team and
attempted to move away from the location when they
were detected by the enemy. The team was then engaged
by the enemy as they went into a full run in an effort
to evade, suddenly Cryan collapsed, holding his right
thigh, grunting he’d be alright but could not stand.
Cryan had been hit with an AK round which shattered
his femur. One Nung was hit and died. The team then
moved to a bomb crater, carrying Crayn and the dead
Nung. The design of the crater afforded the team sufficient
cover from direct fire to permit an adequate defense
from direct attacks. King had been down in crater
tending to the wounded Cryan and trying to establish
radio contact with Covey as the team leader manned
the defense with the Nungs, until a stalemate was
achieved. King then made radio contact and the team
leader moved down into the crater with King moving
up to assume the defense. As the team leader began
talking, King peeked over the brim of the crater and
was immediately struck by a bullet, flipping him backwards,
his skull blown away. The fight continued with Air
support providing the required fire support by dropping
500 lb bombs, cluster bombs, and napalm. Huey’s arrived,
but refused to extract the team because of the enemy
activity in the area, even when the enemy was placed
on the run by air support, the choppers refused to
come to the team’s rescue. The fighting had continued
into the hours of darkness. The enemy was throwing
grenades into the crater and the team was picking
them up and throwing them back into the enemy before
they exploded. Now dawn was approaching, with the
team leader railing the Nungs, as the NVA attempted
a final assault. The team leader and the five Nungs
stood at the critical moment to repel the assault,
cutting down a line of NVA, seconds before they could
over run the team. Within a few seconds, the assault
was over and the team leader stood alone with one
surviving Nung and the wounded Cryan. Finally, a Jolly
Green arrived dropping a three-seated jungle penetrator
but because of the thin air at the altitude, only
two men could be extracted. The team leader remained,
with Cryan and the Nung to be extracted. As the two
men were being lifted out of the crater, the enemy
focused all their fire power on the two individuals
being hoisted away, killing them. The team leader
then called an air strike on himself, he burred himself
among the dead for protection. Once the bombing halted,
the team leader slipped away from the crater, running
directly into the enemy, killing many as he passed
among them. Shortly a Kingbee came into to extract
Allen, but was hit, crashed, and exploded. Using all
his wit, the sole survivor of RT Alabama managed to
finally evade the enemy and was rescued.
12 May 68- Ronald
J Miller, SFC E-7, USASF, FOB-1, KIA while
on a company-sized operation.
20 May 68- Robert
D. Plato, MSG E-8, Hatchet Force, KIA-RR John
Hartley Robertson, SFC E-7, USASF, FOB-1,
Phu Bai, Ops 35 and a Vietnamese Pilot, Co-pilot,
and door gunner names unknown) SFC Robertson
and the Vietnamese, MIA-Presumptive finding of death.
(These individuals were on a kingbee helicopter, CH34,
4 miles inside Laos, south of A Shau; on a medical
evacuation helicopter and to resupply a recon team
and hatchet force in combat with the enemy when the
helicopter came under intense enemy fire, smashed
into the trees, and caught fire in the A Shau Valley,
Laos. SFC Robertson was the Covey rider who supported
RT Alabama on 4 May 68).
23 May 68- Glenn
Oliver Lane, SFC E-7 Tm Ldr, of Odessa, TX;
Robert Duval Owen, SSG E-6 Radio Operator
of Chatham, Mass; Nine Chinese Nung members
names and ranks unknown of RT Idaho operating in Laos
west of A Loui.. USASF, FOB-I, Phu Bai, Ops 35 are
listed as KIA or captured, MIA Presumptive finding
of death and one indigenous Recovery/Search
team member of RT Oregon KIA. On May 20th,
a 12 man recon team was inserted during the morning
hours and at 1024 hours made their last radio contact
reporting they could not talk because they had NVA
all around them. On May 22nd, another 12
man recon team was inserted [RT Oregon] and detected
an area about 50 meters away which showed signs of
a fire fight with concussion grenades had exploded.
This second team was attacked by a Company size element
and was extracted with one indig killed and 7 members
wounded.
30 May 68- Robert
H. Sanders, SSG, E-6, USASF. 5th SFGA, Det
B-56, Project SIGMA, FOB-6, Ho Ngoc Tao, Ops 35, KIA-RR
(Killed by friendly helicopter fire as he was dressed
in "black pajamas" and mistaken as an enemy
soldier when he ran into an open field to signal and
guide incoming helicopters. Due to the tactical situation,
the pilot was firing at everyone in enemy uniforms).
03 Jun 68- John
Salazar, SFC B-7, Ops 35, FOB 6 (Ho Ngocv
Tao) Project SIGMA B-56, KIA-RR
13 Jun 68- John
J. Kedenburg, SP/5, USASF, FOB 2, Kontum,
RT Nevada, Ops 35, KIA-RR, Medal of Honor Winner.
The team was attacked and encircled by a Battalion
sized enemy force. SP/5 Kendenburg assumed command
of the team and broke out of the encirclement. The
team moved to an possible extraction point and Kedenburg
conducted the rear guard action against the enemy.
His action allowed the team to reach the LZ with of
one SCU unaccounted for. A perimeter defense was established
and TAC air support and extraction helicopters arrived.
Half of the team was extracted leaving Kendenburg
and 3 indig personnel who harnessed themselves to
the slings and as the helicopter was about to lift
off when the unaccounted forth man appeared. SP/5
Kedenburg gave up his place on the sling, directing
the helicopter to leave. Witnesses aboard the helicopters
watched Kedenburg engaged the enemy single handily,
killing six enemy soldiers before he collapsed, mortally
wounded. The last air strike went on top of Kedenbur’s
location. (Note: Kedenburg was on the operation with
RT Nevada on 15 Dec 67 when One-Zero, Dan Wagner,
Jr. was killed. Somehow, Kedenburg was able to get
Wagner’s body out and earned the leadership position
of RT Nevada).
15 Jun 68- Francis
B Manuel, MSG E-8, USASF, PLT LDR, RIF, KIA
21 Jun 68- Charles
D. Boyer, SFC E-7, USASF, C&C, Sqd Ldr,-KIA
02 Jul 68- Clarence
C. Ratliff MAJ 04, USASF, 5th SFGA, Ops 35,
KIA-RR
04 Jul 68- John
B Reed, CPT 0-3, USASF, 5th SFGA, Ops 35,
KIA-RR
23 Jul 68- Thomas
J. Tomczak, SGT E-5, USASF. 5th SFGA Ops 35,
FOB-2. Kontum, KIA-RR
05 Aug 68- Thomas
0. Hudson, 550, B-6, USASF, 5th SFGA, FOBA,
Marble Mountain, Da Nang, Ops 35, KIA-RR
23 Aug 68- Talmadge
H. Alpin, Jr, SSG E-6, William H. Bric,
III, PFC E-3, Thadeusz M Kepezyk,
SFC B-7; Donald R Kerns, SFC B-7, James
T Kickliter, SGT E-5; Charles R. Norris,
MSG B-8; Richard E. Pegram, Jr SGM,
E-9, Paul D Potter, 1LT (One week remaining
on his tour, killed in his bed while asleep when a
grenade landed beside his bed and exploded); Rolf
E. Rickmeyers, SFC E-7; Anthony J Santana,
SP/4; Gilbert_A Secor, MSG E8; James
W. Smith, SGT E-5; Robert J. Uyesaka,
SGT E-5 Howard S Varni, SSG E-6, Harold
R. Voorheis, SFC, E-7; Albert M. Waker,
SFC E-7; Donald W. Welch, SFC E-7; USASF,
5th SFGA, FOB4 (Command & Control North), Marble
Mountain, Da Nang, Ops 35 and 16 Indigenous
Personnel and camp workers laborers, and team
members ALL KIA-RR, The CCN compound was attacked
by enemy demolition, suicide element of more than
100 NVA which had infiltrated into the compound throwing
satchel charges and firing away with AK rifles. The
fighting raged on for more than three hours. (One
source, reports 28 Americans and 41 Montagnard Commandos
were killed).
23 Aug 68- Stanley
L. Sieting, SGT E-5. USASF. 5th SOA. CCN.
Ops 35. KIA-RR (He was killed in another action and
in an other area than those during the attack on FOB-4
(CCN) compound).
24 Aug 68- John
B Miller, 1LT 0-2, USASF, Marble Mountain,
KIA
30 Aug 68- Tadeusz
Sosniak, MSG E-8, USASF, 5th SFGA, SOG, Saigon,
KIA-RR
02 Sep 68- James
D. Peoples, 1LT 0-2, USASF, FOB-1-KIA
05 Oct 68- James
Daniel Stride SSG E-6 of Denison, TX; USASF
5th SFGA, FOB-4, Da Nang, Ops 35 and Albert
Dwayne Wester, MAJ, Helicopter Pilot of Terrell,
TX; Gregory Paul Lawrence, SGT E of
Mineral Point, Missouri USAF, 2Oth Special
Operations Squadron Ops 32 (Air Studies Branch).-Officially
MIA, Presumptive finding of death (A "Bright
Light" mission on body recovery operation where
SSG Stride was the team leader. After moving about
100 meters from the touch down point, the team was
ambushed during the burst SSG Stride was shot three
times and the team medic determined he had been killed.
The team split and forced to leave Stride behind.
Maj Wester and SGT Lawrence, members of a gunship,
were aiding the recovery and their helicopter was
shot down and they were killed
30 Oct 68- Gary
L. Matson, SGT E-5, USASF, FOB-I, Phu Bai,
Ops 35, Killed-RR (SGT Matson in advertently entered
a minefield at FOB 3, Mai Loc, and set off an antipersonnel).
15 Nov 68- James
Douglas Birchim, 2LT 0-1, of Independence,
CA, USASF, CCC, Kontum, Ops 35 and one Special
Commando Unit Team Member, Operating in Laos
on a recon mission.(The recon team was engaged by
enemy forces and a Commando Team Member was Killed
in a pitched battle with an enemy force. Upon extraction,
during the hours of darkness Lt Birchim and a young
SF NCO, both wounded, managed to latch themselves
together in a single McGuire rig. As they were dangling
from a rope through a violent, heavy tropical storm,
holding on to each other in pitch blackness. Upon
landing in South Vietnam, there was only ice laden
clothes and gear and an unconscious, shivering young
NCO passed out with rope burns cuts deep into his
hands where he had tried to hold onto Lt Birchim..
Lt Birchim was gone, falling to the jungle floor below
and listed as Presumptive finding of death).
16 Nov 68- William
Michael Copley, SP/4 of Northridge, CA, USASF,
CCC, Kontum, Ops 35, MIA-Presumptive finding of death
-The Recon Team was inserted in Laos on 13 Nov and
was engaged by the enemy where SP/4 Copley was shot
that day in the initial burst of enemy fire, SSG Robert
Loe, the team leader aided Copley evade the enemy.
Loe then administered 1st aid, the enemy
continued to pursue the team, Loe ignored the enemy
and continued 1st aid until Copley’s face
turned white, Loe and the remaining team was then
forced to retreat and were extracted. Search procedures
were conducted through Nov 16th without
success. See