Special Operations.Com

MACV-SOG

KIA / MIA   Chronology

1964-1973

Compiled and Maintained by Cpt Robert L. Noe, U.S. Army MACVSOG, Retired

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 3^rd 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 3^rd 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 1^st 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 1^st 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 3^rd 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 3^rd 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 2^nd 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 4^th 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," 2O^th 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 3^rd 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 119^th Aviation Company (Gator 376). As the last man to be rescued, SSG Scurlock began to climb the ladder, after the 3^rd rung on the 1^st 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", l4^th 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 411^th 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, 20^th 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, 1^ST 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 20^th Helicopter Squadron call sign "Pony Express" CH-3(?) On a wire-tap mission several klicks NE of Tchepone. Around 11AM local time on the 28^th, 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, 2l9^th 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, 219^th 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 1^st 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 17^th 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 20^th, 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 22^nd, 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, 2O^th 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 1^st aid, the enemy continued to pursue the team, Loe ignored the enemy and continued 1^st 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 16^th without success. See individual memorial this site.

23 Nov 68- James R. Golding, SSGE-6. USASF. CCC. Kontum,Ops 35, Killed-RR (Killed by a Terrorist Viet Cong hand grenade in a village outside of the CCC compound wile celebrating a successful recon op with some of his Chinese Nung team members. Although armed, SSG Golding was caught off guard by a Viet Cong who observed him in the restaurant).

27 Nov 68- Richard W. Casey, SGT E-5, USASF CCS, Ban Be Thuot, Ops 35, KIA-RR

30 Nov 68- Samuel Kamu Toomey, III, Maj 04, CCN’s S-3, Operations Officer; Raymond Clark Stacks, ILT 0-3 of Tenn; Klaus Dieter Scholz, SSG E-6 of TX; Arthur Edward Baden Jr. SGT E-5 of New Jersey, Richard Allen Fitts, SP/5 of Mass; Michael Howard Mein, SP/4 of New York; Gary Russel Labohn, SP/4 of Michigan, USASF, CCN, Da Nang, Ops 35 (All were aboard a Vietnamese Air Force CH-34 helicopter returning from a visual recon of target areas based on a "Spot Report" by RT Sidewinder of a NVA cache across the boarder. The aircraft was shot down from an altitude of 3,000 feet by 37mm antiaircraft fir, crashed and exploded 10 miles inside Laos east of Tchepone. No ground search was initiated because due to the crash site being in a denied area. On Mar 23, 1990 these seven American soldiers remains were buried in Arlington National Cemetery their remains were recovered from the crash site in Mar 89).

13 Dec 68- John Scoff Albright II, 1LT 0-2 of Huntington, WVA; Joseph Peter Fanning, 1LT 0-2 of Long Island City, NY; Fred Lee Clarke, Tech-SGT of Troutman, NC; Morgan Jefferson Donahue, ILT 0-2 of Alexandria, VA; Samuel F Waler, Jr., SSGT E-5, USAF, C-123, Blackbird, Ops 32 (Air Studies Branch), MIA-Presumptive finding of death (These men became missing as a result of colliding with another US aircraft in Laos)..

15 Dec 68- David A. Lenchner, ILT 0-2, USASF, CCC, KIA

19 Dec 68- Norman Payne, SGT of Cleveland, OH. USASF. CCN, Da Nang, Ops 35 MIA-Presumptive finding of death (While on operations inside Laos west of the A Shau Valley. The team became split as they were setting up their RON position, they were attacked by 15 enemy soldiers. SGT Payne was last seen moving away from the position to join the other element by sliding down an embankment. He was last seen by the Team Leader, SP/4 Donald C. Sheppard. Sheppard later followed the same route along a creek bed, but efforts to locate Payne failed. During the extraction, the team leader heard garbled emergency radio transmission, the last word sounded like "bison", code name for Payne. No further search was permitted by the hostile forces in the are

29 Dec 68- Robert Francis Scherdin, PFC E-3, USASF, CCN, Da Nang, Ops 35 MIA-Presumptive of death (PFC Scherdin was the Asst Tm Ldr operating 4 miles inside Cambodia west of Dak To when Team Leader took 4 men to check out an area and left PFC Scherdin with the rear element. The rear element came under heavy automatic weapons fire as they were moving up to the Team Leader’s position when he was wounded. Montagnard Commando Nguang was Scherdin fall on his right side, tried to help him stand, but Scherdin only groaned and would not get up. The Commando was then wounded himself at which time he realized he had also been left by the Vietnamese and then left Scherdin and was extracted with the team. The Team Leader’s element was extracted first, then the rear element, but PFC Scherdin was not recovered and left behind at the time due to the heavy enemy activity, a search of the area the next day could not find PFC Scherdin and the rescue team had to evacuate due to heavy enemy activity).

30 Dec 68- James R Jerson, 1LT 0-2, USASF, Hatchet Force, PIt Ldr, CCC, and an unknown number of SCU, Kontum, Ops 35, KIA-RR. (Lt Jerson and his hatchet force with SFC Robert "Bob" Howard was inserted into the area where PFC Scherdin, who was lost the day before, to recover PFC Scheridn’s remains. Knowing they might be ambushed, they both climbed a hill, a Chinese claymore exploded, wounding Howard and Lt Jerson, leaving them without a weapon. When Howard regained consciousness, he observed the NVA using a flamethrower on the SCU’s bodies. Howard confronted these NVA and they walked away, he then moved Lt Jerson to an area with thick brush as NVA passed them to engage the main SOG force and then worked his way down hill where he found a single Green Beret. Securing a .45 from the Green Beret, he and the SF trooper fought their way back to where Lt Jerson was hidden, killing a number of NVA. After six hours of fighting on the hill, Howard, Lt Jerson was back in a friendly perimeter, urging Howard to keep up the defense and denying morphine for his pain. Howard had once again been wounded a number of times and was in severe pain (Howard had been wounded in several other engagements with SOG previously). The hatchet force was assaulted a number of times during the night with Howard calling fire from the "Spectre C-130 through the defensive position, twice that night. A night extraction was executed via light provided by dropped parachute flares. Howard was the last aboard and lying aboard the aircraft, holding Lt Jerson until he passed out. When Howard became lucid he learned Lt Jerson had succumbed to his injuries. (Note: Howard was awarded the Medal of Honor).

1969

(?) 1969 Phil Strout CCS recon - not sure month -KIA

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

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

? Jan 69- An entire Special Commando Unit and Helicopter Crew (names and ranks unknown) from CCN, Da Nang (This element was sent in to look for PFC Scherdin who was KIA on 29 Dec 68 This entire element was lost in a helicopter crash after the search and the information they had gathered regarding the loss of PFC Scherdin was now gone forever).

0l Jan 69- James M Hall, SSG E6; Wayne L Hawes, SP/4, and Michael J McKibban, E-6, CCN-KIA. 0l Jan 69- James M Hall, SSG E6; Wayne L Hawes, SP/4, and Michael J McKibban,  E-6, CCN-KIA. "The following is a bit fuzzy and could be wrong, but here's what I THINK happened. The helicopter were in the air, en route to the PZ. They were in radio contact with the team when they heard a scream, then silence. When they got there, they found the bodies of the Americans in the PZ and recovered them. A search of the area found the scattered, terrified SCU. The SCU said the Americans let their guard down at the last minute because the aircraft were inbound. The SCU said they tried to warn the Americans, but to no avail. Therefore, the SCU pulled back from the Americans to establish a defense, when the NVA (who had apparently been following them) popped up out of the grass/brush and opened fire, killing the Americans." An investigation was conducted because "the Americans were found dead in the PZ and the SCU were picked up from different locations in the vicinity of the PZ, We were suspicious of the SCU because none of them were hurt. The SCU were kept isolated from each other and interrogated at length. Their stories were pretty much the same. The following is what appears to happen as best as we could piece it together - The mission went well and the team was in the PZ. All the Americans were killed, An autopsy showed that the slugs were from AK47's-not M-16's like the SCU were carrying (Col. Randy Givens)

08 Jan 69- Bill F William Jr, SP/4 and Gerald F Apperson, SFC E-7 USASF, CCN Recon-KIA

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

29 Jan 69- Charles D Bullard, SSG E-6 USASF, CCC, Kontum, Ops35 lost in Laos on a recon mission, KIA-RR (He was shot and killed while on a recon mission in Laos).

29 Jan 69- William Edward Campbell, Maj 04, of Mc Allen, TX and Robert E Hoton, CPT 0-3, USAF, Ops 32 (Air Studies Branch)-MIA-Presumptive finding of death (During an attempted recovery of a SOG team, their helicopter came under enemy fire and crashed).

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

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

14 Feb 69- Tim L. Walters, SSG E-6, USASF, Ops 32, ALO-CCN-KIA

02 Mar 69- William Anthony Evans, SGT E-5 of Milwaukee, WI and Michael Frederic May, SP/5 of Vassar, Mich USASF and three Special Commandos, CCS, Ban Mc Thout, Ops 35, MIA, Presumptive finding of Death. A team of two Americans and four SCU were inserted into the "Fish Hook" in Cambodia where the team was overran by large enemy force. The surviving SCU related he had snap-linked the bodies of Evans and May together in hopes they could be extracted later. The SCU was forced to evade the enemy and a subsequent fly over the following day no bodies could be seen. Enemy activities in the area prevented any further search.

04 Mar 69- David J. Warczak, SFC E-7, USASF, B-50, Recon Team Leader-KIA

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

05 Mar 69- Earl W Himes, SGT E-5 and Sanderfield A Jones, SP/4, MLT-1, CCN-KIA

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

14 Mar 69- James L Ripanti, ILT 0-2, USASF, CCC-KIA. Lt Ripanti’s team had been hit SSW of Leghorn. He was seriously wounded and couldn’t be moved to an LZ. They had to use the McGuire rig to get him out. I was decided to take him to Leghorn first so they could get him on board the ship. The RTO said he didn’t think Ripanti would survive the long haul back to the ropes. The RTO had gone out with him, taking the radio. The 361^st had difficulty finding the "little people" Special Commando’s; however, they used those day-glo panels and the Gladiator slicks were willing to go down and pick them up separately(Info by Jim Williams, 361 AHC).

18 Mar 69- Margarito Franandez, Jr, SFC E-7 and Barry Daniel Murphy, SGT E-5 and Four Special Commandos KIA CCS; Ban Me Thout, Ops 35 in Cambodia performing a Bomb damage Assessment SFC Frenandez remains recovered, SGT Murphy Remains not recovered. Killed in the "Fish Hook" area in support of Operation Breakfast when the team became engaged with a superior enemy force.

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

22 MAR 69- Richard F Salazar, SFC E-7, USASF CCC, Kontum, Ops 35, Remains recovered

26 Mar 69- Frank A. DiFigila, COL 0-6, USAF, 20^th Special Operations Squadron, Ops 32/75 (Air Studies) died in his UH-1F helicopter, Remains Recovered Helicopter tail #63-131158.

26 Mar 69- Robert B Sheridan, 1LT 0-2, USASF, Special Operations Augmentation (SOA), Ops 35, KlA-RR

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

18 Apr 69- John F. Holan, SFCE-7, SOA, Died not as a result of enemy hostile action awarded a Soldier’s Medal

23 Apr 69- Donald "Covey Ross" B Ross, SFC E-7, USASF, #Covey Rider, FAC, MLT 3, CCN, Da Nang, Ope 35 and a FAC Pilot, name and rank unknown, 23rd Tactical Air support, Ops 32/75 (Air Studies) were KIA-RR while flying in support of a recon team in trouble

24 Apr 69- Jerry "Mad-dog"Michael Shriver, SFC E-7 of Sacramento, CA, Plt SGT Exploitation Force, Gregory M Harrigan, lLT, Asst Exploitation Force Plt Ldr; Ernest C. Jamison, SGT, USASF and An unknown number of Special Commando Scouts (names and ranks unknown) CCS, Bam Me Thout, Ops 35. Shriver MIA-presumed dead and Harrigan and Jamison KIA-RR. The nickname "Mad-dog" was given to Shriver by radio Hanoi. A 25 man exploitation force on a reinforcing mission became engaged immediately upon being inserted into enemy held territory 1 ½ miles inside Laos west of the DMZ’s southern boarder by an entrenched superior company sized enemy force with fortified machine gun positions . Fighting from bomb craters, the force called for air strikes and as fighter aircraft dropped napalm around their positions, Shriver and one SCU was last observed by Cpt Paul D. Cahill attempting to move behind a machine gun position and were last seen moving into a tree line. Shriver maintained radio contact for four hours at which time transmissions ceased. It is known Shriver had been wounded three or four times during the fighting. An enemy soldier was observed to be in possession of the same type weapon Shriver had been using. The commander of the force was wounded in the right eye resulting in total blindness for 30 minutes. The enemy fired at everything and bodies of the exposed dead force members were machine gunned repeatedly. By this time, over half of the force was either killed or wounded. Approximately forty five minutes later, 1Lt Harrigan, the assistant force team leader was killed. A1-E "Sky Raiders" bombed and rocketed the area while the NVA applied heavy ground fire wounding one door gunner. Several attempted extractions had to be aborted. With the force commander and assistant commander wounded or dead, the third in command called for napalm to be dropped ten yards from his position resulting in him and nine SCU in his bomb crater being burned by the napalm. The fight raged on for seven hours in an intense battle then finally three helicopters were able to drop in and extract fifteen wounded members of the force. With movement noted in another crater, a fourth chopper came in with a Lieutenant aboard from CCS who retrieved the badly wounded radio operators and a body from the crater. The helicopters were receiving fire the entire time and lifted off immediately after the individuals were aboard. Ten air strikes and 1,500 rockets were required to extract the few survivors of the team. No further insertion could be made into the enemy stronghold. Jun 12^th, 1970, a search recover team was inserted into the battle area and human remains were recovered and identified; however, the remains of SFC Shriver was not recovered. One of many stories about Mad-dog is the report where he and his team was surrounded by the enemy and as air support arrived to provide support, inquired as to his situation, Mad-dog is credited as reporting something to the effect, "we have them right where we want them, surrounded from the inside out!" (This quote may not be exact, it’s something I heard when I was at CCN and seen elsewhere in writing, which is characteristic of a SOG soldier and marks Shriver as one of SOG’s many legends). NOTE: Page 234, of John Plaster’s book, The Secret Wars of America’s Commandos in Vietnam contains the following: "It was Mad Dog Shriver who’d spoken the most famous rejoinder in SOG history: His team surrounded and the CCS staff concerned he might be overran, a FAC told Shriver, ‘It sounds pretty bad.’ And Shriver replied, ‘No, no. I’ve got ‘em right where I want ‘em-surrounded from the inside."

26 Apr 69- Beverly C. Ware, SP/4, USASF, CCS or B-36(?)- KIA

06 May 69- Kenneth L. Dulley, SFC E-7, USASF, CCS-KIA

09 May 69- Frederick J Magsamen, SGT E-5 USASF, Ops 35, KIA-RR

13 May 69- Bruce Carleton Bessor, 1LT 02, of Fairfax, VA, USA Aviation Pilot FAC of the 219^th Aviation Company, Ops 32 and Mike John Scott SFC E-7 of Newark, NJ, USASF, Covey Rider FAC, CCN, Da Nang, Ops 35 MIA-Presumptive finding of death. In a O-1G aircraft flying (FAC) radio relay for a recon team in the Vietnam/Laos border west of Kham Duc. The team had radio contact with the aircraft and could hear 15 rounds of 37mm anti-aircraft fire from their position and the sputtering of the engine then all contact with the aircraft was lost. When a search aircraft attempted to enter the suspected crash area, they had to retreat due heavy enemy fire. An aerial search conducted on the 18^th failed to reveal anything.

23 May 69- Rudolph G. Machata, SSG E-6, RTT OP; Howard S. Hill, SGT E-5, Medic; Phillip W. Strout, SP/4, USASF, CCS, Ops 35-KIA

25 May 69- Ronnie B Hogbin, SFC E-7, USASF, CCN, Da Nang, Ops 35, KIA-RR

29 May 69- Lee B Sinclair, SGT E-5, USASF, CCN-KIA

17 Jul 69- Dennis W Bingham, SP/4 USASF, CCC-KIA

25 Jul 69- Vencent F Sabatinelli, 1LT 0-2, USASF, Expoitation Force, CCN, Da Nang, Ops 35 KIA RR while performing operations in Laos, target area "AS-1" in the A Shau Valley.

27 Jul 69- Steven Nagy, SSG E-6, USASF, CCN, Recon Tm CL, Team Leader-Died of wound(s)(?)

30 Jul 69- Samuel W Waithour, SP/4, USASF, Camp Long Thanh, 0ps34/38 was killed while at the 'One-Zero/Team Leader's School" KIA-RR

31 Jul 69- Dennis Paul Neal, 1LT 0-2 of Tarpin Springs Fl; Michael Paul Burns, SP/4 of El Paso, TX, USASF, and Two Special Commandos CCN, Da Nang, Ops 35 MIA-Presumptive finding of death. Two Americans and two SCU were severely wounded during an initial attack and overran by an unknown size enemy force 1-1.2 miles inside Laos west of Hue. The surviving team members had been split from the team and they were able to evade the enemy and extracted. The surviving member reported that they believed their seriously wounded comrades had been killed; However, when last heard, a radio transmission was heard "help, help, help, for God’s sake help!" Two wounded team members had to be left behind due to heavy enemy activity encountered. An immediate aerial search was conduct without success. Another search was conducted two later without success. Due to heavy enemy activity and concentration in the area, no further search was made. NOTE: Surviving Commando reported Burns was lying on his back with severe head wounds, possibly dead, after incurring blast of a B-40 rocket and Neal was severely wounded in the chest by the B-40 blast.

26 Aug 69 - Kenneth W. Worthley, SSG E-6, USASF, CCC, Recon Tm Flordia, Team Leader-KIA-RR Worthley, One-Zero, Bob Garcia, One-One, and a new man, Dale Hanson, One-Two, inserted into Northern Cambodia. Inserting uneventful, however, shortly thereafter, two trackers had picked up their trail, Garzia fired killing one and then taking an M-79, he killed another NVA. Brush started to break around them, apparently, they were being followed by a company size element. The team was now on the run when Hanson left middle finger was shot off. It was now getting dark, the team hid in a narrow gully for the night. At dawn, the team moved into the jungle where the team encountered two NVA who were killed by Worthley. One of the NVA was identified as probable Chinese Colonel intelligence officer. Again, the team was on the run as more NVA arrived and was hot on their trail. The team worked themselves to a bamboo grove, adequate for a STABO rig extraction. Garcia calling in air strikes to hold the enemy at bay. The first Huey arrived and dropped four ropes, Three SCU and Worthley’s body were extracted. Worthely had been shot through the neck and died at the LZ. A second helicopter arrived and extracted the remainder of the team. (Note: The documents captured from the intelligence officer contained the name of double agents in South Vietnam, including the name of the double agent that was executed by Col Robert Rheault, 5^th SFGA’s commander in 1969. Col Rheault had been charged with murder and imprisoned for several months. He was released shortly after the death of Worthley).

27 Aug 69 - Peter Hinchman McMurray, (Age: 24 years 0 months and 6 days) 1LT 0-2, USASF SOA, CCN, 1st Plt Ldr, Co A, Da Nang, Ops 35, of Duxbury, MA., Non-Hostile Death- Remains Recovered, and Two Special Commando of CCC, Kontom-KIA. SOG had directed CCN to put a CCC platoon onto Co Roc Mountain; in addition, a Support Platoon from CCN and a Recon Team from CCN were to be inserted. The Support Platoon was commanded by Lt McMurray. As a Kingbee (H34) helicopter made its approach to the LZ, its rotor blade hit the hillside and the aircraft crashed into the LZ. McMurray was killed either by a blade or a rock sent spinning by the blade. A short time later, SOG notified CCN that enemy intercepts indicated the enemy knew of the insertion and that the CCC platoon was moving south off of Co-Roc to their (enemy's) area of operation (AO). The enemy planned to attack that night. BG (then Major) George "Speedy" Gaspard flew to Co-Roc where he coordinated activities, toe poppers and obstacles were already set around the perimeter. The CCC platoon was notified of the impending attack and was hit about 4 am by a B40 rocket attack with two Commando Killed and four Wounded. After daylight, that platoon was picked up. The Recon Team continued to move toward the river bottom and continued its mission. Gen Gaspard and the support personnel were picked up-(Information furnished by BG Gaspard). Col (then Cpt). Randy Givens reports Lt. McMurray was his roommate and Lt McMurray was a Platoon Leaders in Company A and not in Company B and confirms the information furnished by BG Gaspard. THERE IS A DIFFERENT, INTENTIONAL MISREPRESENTATION OF EVENTS INVOLVING THE DEATH OF LT McMURRAY RECORDED IN THE BOOK, 15 Months in SOG, A Warrior's Tour, by Thom Nicholson, Colonel (then Cpt), US Army Retired, Ivy Books. The misrepresentation appears to be a deliberate, intentional effort by the author to falsify a variety of events to document Cpt Nicholson as a "Heoric Field Officer" with 12 months of service with SOG, not 15! Although the book is written as non- fiction it is essentially fiction with no historical value: General Gaspard writes that Lt McMurray was a fine young officer and deserves a better fate.. Col. Nicholson states he was the Company Commander of Co B and Lt McMurray as his Executive Officer. A Recon Team had found and reported a 6-8" pipeline which had been constructed in the Mu Gia Pass area where the Route 911 of the Ho Chi Minh trail comes out of North Vietnam and enters Laos. Two Platoons form Company B were inserted into the location where the pipeline was discovered with the mission to destroy and disrupt the oil supply going to Vietnam and during the extraction of the element, the last chopper was loaded with the two Americans and two SCU. As the helicopter began its ascent, it was engaged by frontal enemy machine gun which killed the Pilot and Co pilot resulting in the helicopter crashing. One of the SCU had been thrown from the helicopter and was dead, then the body of McMurray was located, he also had been thrown out of the helicopter as it was spinning to the ground when the helicopter blade hit him in the chest killing him.

28 Aug 69- Richard K. Joecken, SP/4, USASF, CCC, Sqd Ldr-KIA

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

23 Sep 69- Stephen J Chaney, CPT 0-3, USASF SOA, CCS, Bam Me Thout, Ops 35, Killed-RR. Chaney was the assistant operations officer (S-3).

26 Sep 69- Ronald Marcel Goulet, CPT 0-3, Ops 35, Killed-RR

27 Sep 69- Mark L. Brown, SP/4, USASF, CCS, Radio Operator-KIA

28 Sep 69- Michael A Piacentino, SSG E-6 USASF CCN-KIA

08 Oct 69- James L. Gasseling, SGT E-5, USASF, CCS-KIA

09 Oct 69- Lawrence D. Acre, MAJ 0-4, Launch Site Cmdr; William H. Morris, Jr., CPT 0-3, Asst Launch Site Cmdr and Robert R. Miller, SFC E-7, Launch Site NCOIC, MLSS, USASF, CCS.-KIA The commander was taking SFC Miller who was a replacement along with other staff on a fly over of the Area of Operation to familiarize them to the operational area. The Helicopter crashed in the Quan Loi area, all personnel on board, including air crew were killed.

20 Oct 69- William Wentworth Stubbs, SSG E6 of Newport, WA, USASF and Four Special Commandos RT California, CCC, Kontum, Ops 35 MIA-Presumptive finding of Death. The team was performing a recon mission 20 miles inside of Laos northeast of Nakhon Phanom and had stopped for a break. As the team stared to move away, Stubbs was with the team’s point element when the team was attacked by a numerically superior enemy force. During the initial burst, Stubbs was observed being shot several times in the head at close range by automatic weapons fire. Three hand grenades were thrown at Stubbs position. Due to enemy fire, the team was unable to move to his position and retrieve Stubbs. The team was forced to withdraw leaving Stubbs behind. A search was conducted on the 21^st without success.

25 Oct 69- Joseph V Whelan, Cpt 0-3, Plt Ldr and Ronald H. Bozikis, SSG E6 SQD LDR, Co B, Exp Force, CCN-KIA

25 Oct 69- Charles E. Shultz, SGT E-5, USASF, CCN, Squad Leader-KIA

03 Nov 69- William T Brown, SSG E-6 of La Habra, CA, Tm Ldr; Gunter

Herbert Wald, SGT E-5 of Bergen, NJ, Asst Tm Ldr, and Donald Monroe Shue, SGT E-5, Tm Radio Op, USASF, SOA, CCN, Da Nang, Ops 35, MIA-Presumptive finding of death. The team was attacked by a numerically superior enemy force at night while in their RON position 30 miles inside Laos near Ban Chakevy Tai. The NVA, stripped to their shorts, came in silently with only AK’s and grenades. Brown was wounded in the side, and Walt and Shue wounded by fragmentation. Both were last seen lying wounded on the ground as the team’s position was about to be overran. Due to heavy enemy activity, the remaining team had withdraw leaving the three Americans behind. Adverse weather prevented a search until the 11^th. The search team discovered "web gear" belonging to the wounded Americans, but nothing more.

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

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

03 Dec 69- Wayne M Anderson, SGT E-5, USASF Co B Exp Force, CCC-KIA

12 Dec 69- William E. Spencer, SFC E-7, USASF, CCC, Spike Team IL, Asst Tm Ldr-KIA

15 Dec 69- David A Lenchner, ILT 0-2, USASF, RT AZ CCC-KIA

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 (SSG 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 SCUs 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, SFC 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. SSG 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, SSG 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, CPT 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 approximately Special Commando Soldiers (Exact Number unknown) USASF CCC; Konturn, Ops 35; a Vietnamese Choctaw helicopter pilot, and a Co-Pilot, and Door Gunner form the 219^th 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 Federick 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, USASF, CCN, Da Nang, Ops 35 KIA-RR

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, SSG 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'Donnel Cpt, 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-IH 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. See "No Name Creek" Tales from SOG, Also see the "Into the Killing Zone, Mar 24, 70," Tales from SOG.

03 Apr 70- Everett B Cofer, SSG 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, SSG E-6 USASF, RT VT, CCC-KIA

15 Apr 70- Dennis W. Neal, SSG 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 170^th 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 170^th 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 18^th 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, of Winthrop, Maine USAF, 23^rd Tac Air Spt, Pilot, FAC, 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.

(?) 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.

20 Jul 70- Cpt David W. Ayers, Co Pilot, US Army Helicopter 68?16550, Co A, 101st Abn Bn, 101st Abn Div. KIA body not recovered. Air loss Shot down in Laos, died on impact, helicopter burned before body could be removed. Cpt Ayers, 25 years old from Simi, Ca., arrived in country Jun 70 and this was his initial checkout flight with Co A.

25 Jul 70- Peter M. Vanderweg, SFC E-7, USASF, Co A, CCC-KIA

13 Aug 70 Al Cheesman, Cpt; Geroge D. Henry, Cpt; Terry D. Reams, SSG; and William L. Ripley, Sgt, USAF, 21 St Special Ops Sqd, Ops 32, Nakhon Phanom RAFB, Thailand, performing a CH-3E helicopter (Tail # 63-9681) extraction mission in Laos was damaged due to heavy enemy fire and on returning back to base the aircraft suddenly turned upside down and burst into flames, and crashed in Thailand-KIA-RR (Info by Jim Williams, 361^st AHC & 2^nd source, Mike Taylor; also [Harve Saal’s Legends who has the incident as "day/month unknown, 1969"]).

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 559^th 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 airstrike 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 "Lighning": Gassman ran with Lighning 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, SSG E-6, USASF, CCN Da Nang was on operations with Co A, Hatchet Company and was KIA,-RR. SSG 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, "Lighning": Teeder was a personal, close friend and he stayed pass 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.

1971

17 Jan 71- Perry M. Smith, SGT E-5, USASF, CCS-KIA

21 Jan 71- Joseph J. Slifka, Jr. ILT 0-2, USASF, CCS, OPS 35. died during an Remain Over Night (RON) incident where 1Lt Slifka stepped out of the perimeter to relieve himself. The team had taken along a Captain who was unaware of the team’s procedures, as a strap hanger, who heard a noise and fired in the direction of the noise, killing Lt Slifka. However, other records have Lt Slifka as being killed as a result of a motor vehicle accident on 21 Jan 72 (Details furnished by a CCS member)

22 Jan 71- Kenneth Lovelace, SSG E-6. USASF Instructor, Recon Tm Ldrs School, B-53, Long Than, Ops 38; Frank A. Celano, SGT E-5 and Hugh D. Opperman, SGT E-5, USASF, CCC, Kontum, Ops 35 KIA These three individuals were attending the SOG Reconnaissance Team Leader’s Course and while a on Recon, they were engaged by an unexpected enemy which overwhelmed them by number.

28 Jan 71- Arthur A. Smith, SGT E-5, USASF CCN, Da Nang, Ops 35, died as a result of Non Hostile Action

29 Jan 71- David Ives Mixer, SGT E-5 of Darien, Conn, USASF, CCC, RT Colorado, Kontum, Ops 35 MIA-Body not recovered. While on a recon mission operating in Laos that made contact with an enemy force. The enemy used B-40 rocket propelled grenades against the team and one exploded directly in front of Mixer. He was checked by a team member, he was covered with blood and did not respond, thought to be dead and was left behind in the effort to break contact with the enemy. Due to heavy enemy activity his remains were left behind. NOTE: Mixer was SOG’s final MIA in Laos.

15 Feb 71- Marvin Maurice Leonard, W02, Pilot of Grand Rapids, Mich; Barry Frank Fivelson, WO-2 of Evanston, Ill; James Harry Taylor, 2LT 0-1 of Oroville, CA; Everett Crone, SP/4 of Whittier, CA; Willis Calvin Crear, SP/4 of Birmingham, CA and John Lynn Powers, SP/4 of Mackay, Idaho, USA Aviation, Co C, 159^th Avn Bn, Ops 32/75,MIA- Presumptive finding of death. On a SOG resupply mission in Laos their helicopter (CH-47C) caught fire and exploded in the air, and crashed in a area replete with enemy activity. There were no indications of survivors.

18 Feb 71- Ronald "DOC" Leonard Watson, CPT 0-3 of El Paso, TX; Allen "Baby Jesus"Richard Lloyd, SGT E-5 of St Charles, Minn; USASF, CCN, Da Nang; RT Intruder, Ops 35 and George Phillip Berg, WO-1 of Belford, NJ Air Craft Commander; Gregory Stephen Crandall, WO-1; Gerald Ernest Woods, WO- 1, Pilot; Walter Edward Demsey, Jr, SP/4, Crew Chief of Glendora, NJ; Robert Joseph Engen, SP/4 of Stockton, CA; Walter Edward Lewellen, SP/4 of New Albany, IN; Gary Lee Johnson, PFC E-3, Door Gunner of Malibu, CA A/101US Army Aviation, Comanchero 19, UH-1H #68-15255. MIA-Presumptive finding of death. With less than 2 weeks before the end of US-led teams in the A Shau in Laos . Upon insertion the team encountered the enemy and engaged them, killing two and the remainder dispersed. The team worked their way to an LZ and a Huey was making a STABO rig extraction. All 3 Americans hooked up and as the helicopter lifted off, it was hit. A door gunner cut one of the ropes loose and SSG Sammy Hernandez fell 30-45 feet before the helicopter went off a cliff with the other two Americans still on the ropes. The helicopter crashed and exploded Killing these 13 men. " On 19 Feb, a Special Forces recovery team was inserted at the crash site to search the area. Woods and Berg were found dead in their seats. Johnson’s body was found in a tree. One leg of Demsey, the burned CE, was found in the cargo compartment. All remains were prepared for extraction, and the team left to establish a night defensive position. Enroute, the team found the remains of Lloyd and Watson, still on their rope slings, in the trees on the edge of a cliff. Because of the rugged terrain and approaching darkness, the rescue team leader decided to wait until morning to recover these two remains. However, the following morning, the search team came under intense fire, and te team leader requested an emergency extraction, and in so doing left all remains behind." by http://www.a101avn.org/KIA~MIA.html. Hernandez was rescued. (See 19 Feb for continued action). Note: See RT Intruder in the "individual memorial" section.

19 Feb 71- James "Woodstock" Larry Hull, 2LT 0-1 of Lubbock, TX USAF, FAC Pilot, OPS 32/75 and William "Jose" M. Fernandez, SFC E-7, USASF FAC Covey Rider, TF2AE- Kontum (CCC), LT Hull last seen providing air support for a SOG recon team listed as MIA; SFC Fernandez KIA-RR. (Added by Fred Wunderlitch, "Lightning": This mission was a continuation of the action from 18 Feb and before. My team did the bright light on the 0-2 crash site. We were able to pull Jose out, but Woodstock was pinned between the engine and seat. "Your text is a little unclear if it implies that Hull might be MIA, but there is no doubt in my mind that he was KIA). "As always the devil is in the detail and the passage of time has dimmed but certainly not erased the memory of what was a rather hectic period. Frankly, everything went to shit that week on nearly all the operations. I saw Sammy go out with Doc and Lloyd, and Cliff come up when things got tough on that one while other missions were also in trouble. We all suited up as brightlight (rescue/reaction) teams. We were listening to the radios, always an agonizing trial where you feel beyond doing anything about it, and heard of the chopper and then later the covey crash. I was to go after the covey aircraft and picked only three others from my team; my 11 (assistant team leader in SOG jargon) Kloecki, who's status I do not know, and two of our local commandos (SCU). Knowing the terrain I planned to rappel in and we did so from a Huey to a thick forest of tall saplings on the hillside just in Lao. It seemed that the O-2 had gone in as a flat spin and cleared a hole down to the ground. The whole top and wing section was shredded down, exposing the cockpit. There were firefights going on in the East, seemingly about a kilometer away, and a lot of aircraft activity in the area. Both Jose and Woodstock were dead and the crash had broken nearly every bone in their bodies. I literally rolled up poor Jose's legs stuffing him into the body bag. Woodstock was wedged tight in the wreckage, especially as the custom was for the pilot to sit well forward. The O-2 gun sight had taken the top of his head off and he was crushed in the seat between the engine shoving back and the rear fuselage. We could not get him out. An HH-53 was sent to get us. One of my SCU started firing from the perimeter around the wreck site but we could not see the bad guys. The HH-53 Parajumper even came down to look with us at the wreck but there was no way to get Woodstock out and there was still a lot of action in the area. We were all hoisted up, along with Jose's body. Onboard, I asked the crew chief if we were going over the hill to get the other team, but he said there was another chopper. It turned out that there wasn't but, like I said, it was a less than agreeable day in a week of unpleasantness. I went back to Lao in 91/92 as part of an oil exploration seismic operation for explosive ordnance clearing... We were in the A/O (Area of Operations) as we used to call it, but I was never quite close enough to this particular area to try and check it out. As I've said, I believe that the general action for the RT Intruder brightlight was about a kilometer East of the covey crash site. Being fairly mountainous territory, I gather that the chopper healed over down the ridge and could be even further from the extraction site." (Frederick Wunderlich, Dec 99) 

10 Apr 71- Robert N. Fiesler, SGT E-5, USASF, TF2AE (CCC), Recon Mission-KIA

20 Apr 71- Kevin D. Grogan, SGT E-5, USASF, Co C TA2AE (CCC)-KIA

27 Apr 71- Frederick Krupa, CPT 0-3 of Scranton, PA USASF, Training Support Hqs, Tng Advisory Op, MIA-Presumptive finding of death. Version 1: As Krupa was about to insert his Special Commando Unit 2 miles from the Laotian border northwest of Plei Djereng, Vietnam, when the helicopter was about 3 feet from the ground it came under enemy fire. Krupa fell forward with the SCU Company A Commander Ayom grabbed his Krupap’s right shoulder but let go when his (Ayom) hand was struck by a bullet and Krupa fell out of the helicopter. Krupa was last seen lying next to a log sprawled out on his back, not moving or making a sound by crew chief SP/4 Melvin C. Lewis as the helicopter started its ascent. Version 2: Krupa was last seen Krupa was a passenger aboard the helicopter to insert troops onto a LZ. The helicopter was hit by enemy fire and Krupa was observed getting hit in the chest and fall from the aircraft. The helicopter then lifted off without realizing what had happened to Krupa. Upon learning of the incident, the pilot attempted to radio for assistance, but his radio had been hit..

28 Apr 71- Donald F. West. SGM E-9, USASF TF1AE (CCN)-KIA

29 Apr 71- Albert McCoy, Jr. SSG E-6, USASF, TF1AE (CCN)-KIA

10 May 71- Klaus Y. Bingham, SSG E-6 of Wahiawa, Hawaii, James Martin Luttrell, SSG E-6 of Fayetteville, NC; and Lewis Clark Walton, SSG E-6 of Cranston, RI USASF, Recon Tm Asp, TF1AE (CCN), Da Nang, MIA- Presumptive finding of death. RT Asp was inserted 12 miles East of Laos in the A Shau Valley (Quang Nam Province) on 3 May without ground fire or radio transmission and was never seen heard from again on 13 May 71. On 4 May the area was searched by FAC without success. Two pilots reported seeing a mirror and panel signals on 5 May about 50 meters from the LZ and the FAC again searched the area and attempted to establish radio contact, the FAC saw two persons wearing dark green fatigues locating signal panels. Helicopters were launched but could not perform an extraction due to adverse weather. The FAC remained on station until 5 PM without making communication contact with the team. May 6 found the weather again prohibited an extraction attempt and May 7 found extraction or insertion of a search team an impossibility due to enemy fire. Adverse weather prevented insertion until 14 May. On May 14 the search team was inserted without success of locating RT Asp. NOTE: THIS IS THE SECOND TIME ST/RT ASP WAS LOST. ON 28 MAR 68, ST ASP WAS LOST THE FIRST TIME.

17 May 71- Dale Allen Pearce, WO-1 of Mentor, OH; David Pecor Soyland, WO-1 of Rapid City, SD, and Two Door Gunners (Names and ranks unknown) UH-IH helicopter aircrew, Ops 32/75 Three bodies were recovered and one is listed as MIA. These men were lost when their helicopter was shot down while attempting an extraction of a recon team.

18 May 71- Danny Day Entrican, 1LT 0-2 of Brookhaven, Mass and Dale W Dehnke, SSG E-6, Gary L. Hollingsworth, SP/5, USASF, TF1AE (CCN), RT Alaska, 0ps32 Lt Entrican MIA-Presumptive finding of death. SSG Dehnke and the scout was KIA-RR. RT Alaska was inserted in the Da Krong Valley on 15 May 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.

20 May 71- Scott H. Newport, CPT 0-3, TF3AE (CCS), Ban Me Thout, Ops 35 Killed while participating in SOG activities, RR

05 Jun 71- John Robert Jones, SGT E-5, USASF, TF1AE (CCN), Training Advisory Op, Da Nang, KIA. Jones was performing defense duties of a remote radio relay site "Hickory Hill" ( Hill 950) located deep in enemy held territory at Khe Sanh when attacked by a battalion size enemy force. The site is normally defended by two Americans and about 40 Indigenous soldiers. However, there were 27 Americans and 67 SCU, which includes a squad from L Co, 75^th Rangers defending the site this date. Evacuation started but due to adverse weather conditions, the evacuation was halted leaving SGT Jones and Jon Cavaiani, SSG E-6, with about 20 indigenous soldiers who fought on through the night SGT Jones was KIA- and his body not recovered and SSG Cavaiani was captured and untimely released in 1973. SSG Cavainai was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his action as he was originally thought to have been killed in action.

22 Jun 71- Madison Alexander Strohlein, SGT E-5 of Philadelphia, PA, USASF TF1AE (CCN), Da Nang, Ops 35 MIA. Strohleim was inserted behind enemy lines via parachute (HALO) into the Ta Ko area during a night recon mission with SGM William "Billy" Waugh and SFC James O. Bath who was injured was on the jump. Five hours later he requested medical evacuation then after four more hours he reported enemy activity/movement all around him. A WACO City recovery team was inserted on 23 Jun could not locate SGT Strohlein, however, his weapon, radio, and map was found. Indications are Stroheim was captured, although the North Vietnamese denies any knowledge. Please see: http://www.a101avn.org/SOG.htm which is a letter written by Richard A Bittle, Crew Chief on one of the birds that went in to recover the team and tells of the efforts to find Stroheim, also see "SOG HALO EXTRACTION" in the Tales From SOG.

26 Jun 71- Sebastion E. Deluca, MSG E-8, SOG, Ops 80, NCOIC-Officially Listed as a Death Non Hostile, There’s more to this incident, which indicates he was Killed in Action for his country and fellow Americans by a hostile force. Deluca’s knowledge regarding missing Americans combined with the bureaucracy decisions prevent effective recovery of the Americans, lead him to take a bold, heroic, but unwise initiative to act on his own that resulted in his death in Laos in an effort to secure the release of some Americans.

06 Jul 71- Daniel W. Thomas, 1LT 0-2, Pilot, Covey, 23^rd Tactical Aerial Surveillance Squadron, tail # 634, USAF Ops 32/75 and Donald Gene "Butch" Carr, CPT 0-3 of San Antonio, TX, USASF, Special Mission Advisory Op, Deputy Cmdr MLT-3 (CCN), NKP, MIA-Presumptive finding of death. While performing an orientation flight in an OV-10 aircraft over Laos (15 miles inside Laos west of Ben Het) for newly assigned Cpt Carr made a radio contact reporting they were over their target area but due to adverse weather conditions, could not observe the ground. That was the last radio transmission and have not been heard from since. Search and rescue efforts were made without success.

11 Jul 71- Team Pike Hill, (names unknown), Monkey Mountain FOB, Camp Black Rock, Da Nang, Ops 36, MIA. An all Cambodian soldier team was inserted into "Zone Alpha" in Cambodia and after making a scheduled radio contact on Jul 2^nd, the entire team was never heard from again-

11 Jul thru 24 Aug 71- Three Special Commando scouts KIA in the PHU DUNG operational area.

05 Aug 71- Cinkosky, David Edward, Cpt. 03, U.S. Army Aviation, O-1E pilot of the 219th Aviation Co. 4th Plt., CCS, MLS/N of Post Falls, The back seat was a Montanyard 1-0. (names unknown) TF3AE (CCS), Ban Me Thuot, flying visual Recon over Cambodia came under intense enemy fire and crashed. KIA-RR. (Added by: Dale Bennett-Snoopy - 3, . The crash site is shown in Plaster's Photo book Page 122. None of the NVA that fired on Dave survived that day. Four 20th SOS Guns expended all of their ordinance on the target ( 40,000 rounds of mini-gun and 56 X 2.75 rockets.) The MIKE FAC then put in 3 sets of Tac-Air. All structures were completely destroyed and the whole hill was lowered about 2 meters. Both bodies were recovered. I was the high bird on this mission- DALE R. BENNETT, Snoopy - 3 SOA 910GL)

07 Aug 71- Loren "Festus" D. Hagen, 1Lt 0-2, Medal of Honor Winner and Oran L. Bingham, SGT E-5 and Bruce A. Berg, TF1AE (CCN), RT Kansas performing Recon deep in enemy held territory KIA-RR In a battle with odds of 107 to 1, RT Kansas of 14 commandos (six Americans and eight SCU) faced a formidable foe of an entire regiment, supported by a second regiment. One NVA regiment was able to overrun the Special Forces’ Kham Duc camp in 1968 and it only took one third of a regiment to completely overrun the Special forces camp at Lang Vei in one night. Here RT Kansas equipped with only what they had on their backs, CAR 15's, grenade launchers and one M-60 machine gun faced an onslaught greater than the men at the Alamo. Clearly, RT Kansas was an unwanted guest and the NVA intended to remove the team without delay. The team had taken up a position on a small hill, spent the night, receiving probing activities during the night, as dawn approached, trucks began to arrive filled with NVA. The onslaught came with a single, well placed RPG round, which smashed into Berg’s bunker exploding, collapsing it. This was the signal for the assault. Lt Hagen went to check Berg but was cut down in the massive enemy fire and died. Bingham left his bunker to reposition the claymores and died within six feet of his position with a bullet striking him in the head. A SCU jumped up and was cut down immediately. SGT Bill Queen lay wounded, SGT Tony Anderson having sustained multiple wound, but fighting and commanding the situation, and SGT William Rimondi unwounded and fighting. The enemy came in great numbers, so close rolling over the hill, they were inches from the end of the CAR 15 muzzles. Then air support arrived with massive fire power which broke the enemy’s attack and the enemy fled for cover. By this time Rimondi was suffered multiple wounds. Hueys arrived and the remaining team members and some of the teams dead were recover. Three hours later, SGT Anderson, although wounded, returned with the bright light team and recovered the dead. Berg’s remains were not located. Three Americans and three SCU died in this action with a confirmed 185 NVA dead, a kill ratio of 31:1.

13 Aug 71- Mark H. Eaton, SGT E-5, USASF, Recon, TFlAE (CCN)-KIA

? Aug 71- ARVN Tm/Asst Tm Ldrs and Five Special Commando Scouts (Names and ranks unknown) MIA

? Aug 71 - Five Special Commando scouts KIA and one Scout MIA (names unknown) performing Spike Team duties in the Demilitarized Zone.

14 Sep 71- Heinz K. Roesch, CPT 0-3 and Don R. Gilbreth, MSG E-8, TF1AE (CCN), Da Nang, Ops 35 Killed while riding a jeep which hit a mine outside the compound KIA-RR

? Oct 71- Two Special Commando Scouts (Names unknown) KIA in base area 702

11 Oct 71- Audley "Audie" D. Mills, SFC E-7, USASF, TFlAE (CCN), Da Nang, Ops 35 KIA-RR He was killed when his six man recon team made contact with an enemy force while performing Recon in South Vietnam. He called for assistance and a "Prairie Fire" emergency, but before being extracted, he was killed. SOG’s final death due to ground operations.

? Oct 71- Two Special Commando Scouts (names unknown) MIA.

? Oct 71- Five Special Commando Scouts (names unknown) KIA

29 Oct 71- Gene W. Stockman, SFC E-7, USASF, TF1AF (CCN), Died as a result of a vehicle accident (?)

? Nov 71- Special Commando Scout (Name unknown) MIA after a fire fight with the enemy

? Nov 7- Earth Angel Team Members (Name and Number unknown) failed to return after being trapped in an enemy ambush MIA-Bodies not recovered

? Dec 71- Pilot, 0-1G aircraft and Photographer (Names unknown) MACSOG 20, Intel Div, Flying a photo recon mission the aircraft was shot down. KIA-RR

12 Dec 71- Benard J. Moran, Jr., MSG E-8, USASF, SOG, Ops 20, NCOIC-KIA

19 Dec 71- Peter Charles Forame, 2LT 0 1 and Thomas William Skiles, WO- 1 MACVSOG, MACV, Saigon, MIA. These men were lost in Cambodia while flying a SOG mission.

1972

21 Jan 72 Joseph J. Slifka, 1Lt, and Panormitis Stavlas, 1LT 0-2, TF1AE (CCN) died as a result of a vehicle accident. (See 21 JAN 71 regarding Joseph Slifka).

28 Jan 72- Lawrence McFie Oxx, 1Lt 0-2, USASF, TFIAE (CCN), Da Nang, Ops 35 KIA-RR. Lt Oxx is remembered by one fellow SOG member as being a large man, like an Ox, who snored loudly. On one mission, the team had him wear his gas mask at night to help keep him quite.

28 Jan 72- Panormitis Stavlas, 2LT 0-1, USASF, TF1AE (CCN), Club Officer-Death Non Hostile

13 Feb 72- James W. Kiehne III, SGT, USASF, TA(?)FE-KIA

06 Apr 72- John Henry Call III, ILT 0-2 of Potomac, Md; Alen Jones Avery, TSGT E-6 of Auburn, WA, Roy Dewitt Prater, TSGT E-6 of Tiffin, OH; James Harold Alley, SGT E-4 of Plantation, FL; and William Roy Pesaron, SGT E-4, USAF, MACSOG 80 (Recovery Studies Division) Aircrew of a Jolly Green Giant on a search mission searching for missing air crew members, their helicopter was shot down All were KIA

26 May 72- Charles D. Gipson, SSG E-6, USASF, TFIAE (CCN)-KIA

05 Jun 72-Calvin T, Gore, MAJ 04; Charles L. Floff, ILT 0-2, Amdee Chapman, Jr., SFC E7 Kenneth L. Barnen, SGT E-5, USASF, Task Group, Strategic Technical Directorate Advisory Team their aircraft was shot down after take off and died as a result of ongoing MAC SOG type missions after the official closure of SOG. All KIA. Note: Aircraft crash which lists a Maj Calvin T Gore1 ILt Charles L Flott; SFC A!ldee Chapman Jr; and a SGT Kenneth L Barnett USASF all of TA2AE (CCC) from one source and from another source this same crash also contained a NQ Borras, Maj; CL Flott, Cpt; R Mendoiza, LTC; and a WSMullen, Cpt. The CL Flott is Charles L. Fllott of TF1AE and the WS Mullen is Captain Walter S Mullen of TAIFE (CCN) The LTC R. Mendolza and Maj NQ Borras appears to be the air crew.

05 Jun 72- Andrew F. Underwood, LTC 0-5, USASF, TF3AE (CCS), SOG SA-Death Non Hostile

14 Jun 72- Paul H. Lawing, Jr., SGT E-5. Specific unit not identified.

1973

15 Dec 73- Richard M. Rees, CPT 0-3, JCRC, Survey Team Leader-KIA

--SOURCES--

The above named losses and narratives are complied from various documents, books, Official Records, and personal accounts. Some of the sources include SOG "MACV Studies and Observations Group" 5 Volume books by the late Harve Saal; Who’s Who in MACVSOG by Steve Sherman; SOG The Secret Wars of American’s Commandos in Vietnam by John Plaster; Reflections of a Warrior by Frank Miller; Vietnam Magazine; Green Beret Magazines; Green Berets at War, U.S. Special Forces in Southeast Asia 1956-1975, by Shelby L. Stanton; Internet websites; Telephone calls, email, and stories from Helicopter pilots/crews supporting SOG operations; individual SOG members; and family members; as well as my personal memory. Anyone with any additions or corrections please contact me so that the below memorial can be updated.

The source; 15 MONTHS IN SOG, A WARRIOR’S TOUR, by Cpt Thom Nicholson written as non-fiction, but appears to be fiction, has many wrong dates, wrong assignments, various individuals involved in missions that were killed, events, and descriptions, etc., that do not match actual, verifiable data. The only individuals mentioned in this book who were killed and their names verified was Paul Potter, KIA 23 Aug 68; Maj Samuel Toomey killed 30 Nov 68; and 1Lt Peter McMurray died 27 Aug 69 instead of 22 Jun 69 as reported in the book. All other individuals recorded as killed by Cpt Nicholson appears to be fictitious. Thus, the only event used from this source is on Peter McMurray, only because of the similarities of his official cause of death and that related in the book. According to official records, McMurray’s death is recorded as Non-hostile; however, in the book, the events show his death as a result of hostile action. A disclaimer was inserted.