MACV-SOG MIA/KIA Chronological
List
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 219th Vietnamese Air Force, Da
Nang, Ops 32-All listed as MIA, Presumptive finding
of death. This Vietnamese crew had volunteered to
perform a resupply and pick up wounded men of Hatchet
Force Company B, Kontum, in the mist of a fire fight
in Operation Halfback in Laos, on top of the same
hill Hatchet Force Company A had occupied back on
4 March 69. Having just loaded the wounded Commandos
the helicopter was hit by a B-40 rocket. SFC Boyles
was last seen standing inside the aircraft. The area
was searched thoroughly, but remains were found after
the fire.
02 Mar 70- William Anthony Evans,
SGT E-5 of Milwaukee, WI, Michael 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, 35yo, USASF, CCN, Da Nang, Ops 35 Non-Hostile
(Drowned at CCN)-RR The following is submitted by
Col. Larry Greene: "I remember Sgt McKee was swimming
with SSG Finzel the day Finzel drowned. (Finzel) was
a big, muscular guy who owned a monkey that had a
taste for rum and coke (the monkey). There was another
NCO swimming with them but I don't remember his name.
He could have been Finzel's 1-1. I had just gotten
to know Finzel before he died. Both of ur teams had
been at Phu Bai in isolation trying to get into the
AO, but either the weather or activity on the LZs
had prevented it. Finzel's team finally got in and
stayed for about 5 days or so. My team got in and
got shot out after a few hours. We had come back to
Da Nang about the same time.
14 Mar 70- Thomas P O’Neill,
SSGT E-6, USMC, Force Recon, Intel Sec, US Naval Advisory
Det, Camp Fay, Da Nang, Ops 31/37 KIA-RR. As a volunteer
member of an ambush team to capture or kill Viet Cong
tax collectors, he was positioned as well as the other
ambush team members by a Naval Ship Officer who had
no prior knowledge of ground combat operations. O’Neill
with a Force Recon Gunnery-Sergeant were placed in
a patch of bushes in the center of a "Y"
trail. The main ambush force was placed along a ridge
line overlooking the "Y" intersection. The
Naval Commander anticipated the VC would enter the
trail nearest the main ambush force; however, the
VC tax collectors entered the trail on the far side
of the "Y"; away from the ambush location.
The ambush commander, fearing the VC would escape,
gave the signal to open fire causing friendly fire
to pass through the position where O’Neill and the
Marine were located, killing O’Neill and wounding
the marine.
24 Mar 70- Jerry Lynn Pool,
1LT 0-2, RT one-two of Freeport, IL, John Arthur
Boronski, 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 170th
AHC flew into Kontum with a special plea. Several
of their men, dead and wounded, were trapped on LZ
Orange located outside the perimeter of the Special
Forces (SF) Camp at Dak Seang. Their helicopter had
been shot down during an insertion attempt of ARVN
soldiers with the mission to secure the LZ and assist
the SF camp at Dak Seang should the enemy attempt
to besiege it. The enemy surrounded LZ Orange and
using the trapped crew as bait to sucker in helicopters
and inflict casualties. With the heavy enemy fire,
rescue attempts throughout the day had not been successful.
A number of aircraft had been lost and Headquarters,
by this time, had decided that rescue of the downed
crew was not possible without an unacceptable further
loss of men and aircraft. Two pilots from the 170th
AHC arrived at Kontum requesting assistance. The team
leader, SFC Joe Samples, and team members SSG’s Joe
Samples and Dennis Neal volunteered to insert on the
LZ and effect a rescue of the downed crew. During
their briefing, they were informed that the LZ was
a real bad one and that it was now known to be occupied
by a Division Headquarters for the NVA, surrounded
by fortified positions. Both Samples and Sheppard
were determined to go in, but Neal had reservations.
Neal said it was a trap, and going in was probably
suicide. Both Samples and Sheppard agreed, but pointed
out that was the only chance the men at LZ Orange
had, and that was what Bright Light was all about.
Neal agreed with reservation, and the Team Boarded
the two helicopters. RT Montana divided their team
into two segments. SFC Samples and SSG Neal boarded
the helicopters with two of the SCU, Nat and Song.
SSG Sheppard loaded the remaining three SCU, Dil,
Prinh, and Nhong, and himself on the chase ship. Upon
arriving and trying to figure out the best possible
manner to breach the enemy’s defenses, WO McDonald,
pilot, notified Sample and Neal they were going in.
McDonald dropped the Huey into a steep dive and headed
to the valley floor. The chase ship right behind him,
McDonald leveled off above the valley floor, staying
low and fast up the side of the mountain to the LZ.
Immediately, he reported extensive fire from 360 degrees,
but pressed on. As he reached the LZ, the helicopter
was taking extremely heavy concentrated small arms
and RPG fire from all sides. Behind the pilot, Neal
had been struck several times and lay unconscious
against the back of the right bulkhead behind the
pilot seat. Samples had been struck twice, but was
conscious. Both SCU severely wounded. The bird slammed
into the LZ, but was able to rescue several of the
down crew and take off. When the helicopter was on
the ground, several of the crew were hit as well as
Sample being hit twice more. The helicopter was able
to make it down to the besieged SF Camp where SFC
Mike Sheppard picked up Neal, who started to speak,
and then after a few words, died in Sheppard’s arms.
NOTE: See full story of this
action in "Tales from SOG," Dak Seang
by Col Summers.
17 Apr 70- Jerry L Prentner,
SFC B-7, USASF, CCS, Ops 35, KIA-RR
08 May 70- Charles J. Hein,
Jr, SGT E-5, USASF, CCC-KIA
12 May 70- Robert Francis Preiss,
SSG E-6 of Cornwall, NY, USASF, Recon Team Cobra,
CCN, Da Nang, Ops 35 KIA - Body not recovered. While
on a recon mission in Laos, the team was engaged by
a North Vietnamese Army squad size unit while the
team was on a rest break and SSG Preiss was mortally
wounded. Due to the enemy situation, the team was
enforced to withdraw leaving Preiss’s remains behind.
A search team was inserted on the 18th
and it appears the battle area had been sterilized
and a large rock slide had occurred. The only indication
of Preiss’ presence is the smell of decomposing flesh
from beneath the rock slide.
25 May 70- Robert L. Coleman,
SSG E-6, USASF, CCN, Da Nang, Ops 35, KIA-RR Coleman,
a member of a team on a recon mission in Laos. The
team was attacked by a North Vietnamese Unit and Coleman
was shot in the spleen and bled to death before medical
assistance could be provided.
04 Jun 70- Mark H. Rivest,
1LT 0-2, USASF, PLT LDR CCC-KIA
10 Jun 70- Vyrl E. Leichlieter,
1LT 0-2, USASF, CCS, Plt Ldr-KIA
30 Jun 70- William Stephen
Sanders CPT 0-3, Pilot, FAC, of Winthrop,
Maine USAF, 23rd Tac Air Spt, and Six crew members
of an HH53, 37th ARRS, Ops 32,MIA. His aircraft was
shot down while providing support for a SOG recon
team in Laos. The back seat rider escaped and was
rescued. (Filed by William "Bill" Sheldon: CPT William
Sanders, USAF, was flying a mission out of MLT 3,
NKP. Back seater was SFC Albert Mosiello, USASF, CCN,
MLT 3. Mosiello stated they were hit in the side by
apparently a 37mm AAA round. He debriefed that the
explosion probably killed CPT Sanders. Mosiello ejected,
and was under canopy for 4 - 10 seconds. An HH 53
Jolly Green from 37th ARRS was launched from Danang
to recover Mosiello. Sandys (A1s were covering). As
the HH53 made an approach to hover, an NVA fired an
RPG into the rotor of the HH53. The aircraft rolled
out of the sky and exploded in a huge fireball. All
6 crew members were presumed KIA. 56th SOW commander,
COL Sam Crosby informed me the 37th was launching
another HH53, and asked if I desired to arm the A1s
with tear gas for fire suppressiom. I affirmed, and
as soon as the tear gas was down, the 2nd HH53 picked
Mosiello out on a penetrator. I flew an electronic
search of the crash site the following morning, with
CPT Fred Parrot, FAC pilot 23rd TASS. No radio signals
detected, no movement in or near the site. An NVA
company was observed moving to the area. We pickled
2 pods of HE rockets into the NVA, and then departed
the area. I sat on a KIA/MIA board. CPT Sanders was
presumed to be KIA, but as I recall the status remained
MIA for a long time.
(?) Jul 70, A Special Commando
Scout, Bru, PIt Ldr, Co A, Hatchet Force This
SCU was killed while he and some of the PIt Scouts
along with SFC Robert Noe were resting and swimming
on the South China Beach of CCN compound after being
returned from an extended tour of security duty of
Hickory Radio Relay site. While in the water with
some of his Plt members, a hand grenade was thrown
into their midst and exploded resulting in his death.
04 Jul 70- Charles Franidin
Bookout. SFC E-7 of Oklahoma City, OK, USASF,
CCN, Da Nang, Ops 35 KIA, Body not recovered. The
team was on Recon in Laos which was ambushed where
he was wounded, examined by a team member who found
a single bullet hole in Bookout’s back. A few moments
later stopped breathing. Because of the tactical situation,
his body could not be extracted at the time. (Added
by Fred Wunderlich, "Lightning": The team’s
11, Oliveras, confirmed a head shot)
05 Jul 70- Richard L Smith,
MSG E-8 and George Lishchynski (also
spelled Lishcnynsky), USASF, CCC-KIA
13 Jul 70- David B. Hayes,
SFC E-7, USASF, RT CA, CCC-KIA
17 Jul 70- George W. Rogers,
SFC E-7, USASF, CCN, Died in a Beach Rescue and awarded
the Soldier’s Medal.
25 Jul 70- Peter M. Vanderweg,
SFC E-7, USASF, Co A, CCC-KIA
13 Aug 70 Al Cheesman,
Cpt; George D. Henry, Cpt; Terry
D. Reams, SSG; and William L. Ripley,
Sgt, USAF, 21 St Special Ops Sqd, Ops 32, Nakhon Phanom
RAFB, Thailand, performing a CH-3E helicopter (Tail
# 63-9681) Thailand-KIA-RR "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" -Info by Jim Williams,
361st AHC & 2nd source, Mike Taylor; also [Harve
Saal's Legends who has the incident as "day/month
unknown, 1969"]). (Special Note: Filed by Maj William
"Bill" Sheldon, Cmdr of MLT-3: The crash of an HH3
killing Cheeseman, Reams, Henry and Ripley, was not
Prairie Fire related. The HH3 was on a training flight
inside Thailand. The crew and AC were daily SOG assets.
On this mission, Cheeseman, an experienced PF pilot,
was acting as IP for a couple of new pilots. Apparently,
they were shot down north of Ubon RTAFB by a 12.7,
14.5 or 50 cal, in Thailand. The AC did land upside
down, and as I recall there was one USAF pilot, (the
student I believe) escaped through the canopy hatch.)
14 Aug 70- John A. Premenko,
SGT E-6, USASF, CCS, Recon Tm Radio Op-KIA
21 Aug 70- James E. Holder,
SSG E-6, USASF, Recon, CCN-KIA
31 Aug 70 - Unnamed Covey Pilot,
CPT 0-3, USAF Ops 32/75 and Charles H Gray,
SFC E-7, FAC Covey Rider, Ops 35, KIA-RR. OV-1O aircraft
was shot down in Laos. (Having met SFC Gray a number
of times while on Bright Light standby duty at the
Mobile Launch Site in Quang Tri, and tipping a few
beers together, I found him to be a very dedicated
and likeable person who enjoyed what he was doing.
I felt I could rely on him coming to my rescue, regardless
of the circumstances -RL Noe)
4-7 Sep 70-Three unnamed SCU
Hatchet Force Company B, Operation Tailwind, Kontum
Operating deep in Laos, within 45 miles of Chavane,
Company B performed one of the most successful Hatchet
Force operations. In this operation, 3 SCU Montagnard
killed, 33 wounded and all 16 Americans wounded. For
their efforts, they secured the most important intelligence
find on the NVA 559th Group since the war.
15 Sep 70- William R. Goolsby,
1LT 0-2, CCS, New Assignment-Death Non Hostile
20 Sep 70- Anthony B. Appleton,
CCN, Da Nang, Ops 35 died as a result of a non hostile
action as a result of a self inflicted wound - not
on the wall.
05 Oct 70 - David "Babysan"Arthur
Davidson, SP/5, Tm Ldr of East Riverdale,
Maryland, and Fred Allen Gassman, SGT,
Asst Tm Ldr of Ft Walton Beach, FL and Two Special
Commando Scouts of RT Fer-de-Lance, CCN Da
Nang, Ops 35 on Recon 12 miles inside Laos west of
Ta Bat--KIA, Bodies not recovered. After the team
was inserted in Laos, it made contact with an enemy
force. Gassman contacted an aircraft and reported
that Davison had been hit by a long burst of enemy
fire and had fallen off a cliff and that the team
was receiving ground fire from three sides. Gassman
was requesting an 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.
