LỰC LƯỢNG ĐẶC BIỆT MỸ TRÊN CHIẾN TRƯỜNG VIỆTNAM
Chiến Ś Biệt Kích Hoa Ky Không Trở Về
I wanted to list these men’s names to honor their service and sacrifice to our nation. Many of
you would not be aware of their fate otherwise, and for their families, it remains an unanswered
tragedy. -Hist2004
Klaus Yrurgen Bingham, Staff Sergeant, reconnaissance team member, Task Force I Advisory Element. Born 14 December 1943 in Metz, France. Entered service on 17 June 1965 at New Orleans, Louisiana. Missing in action since 10 May 1971, after his long-range reconnaissance team 'Asp" was inserted into western Quang Nam Province 12 miles from Laos on 3 May; past initial radio contact, no further contact was ever made.
John Arthur Boronski, Staff Sergeant, reconnaissance patrol member, Command and Control Central, MACV-SOG. Born 24 July 1944 in Northampton, Massachusetts. Entered service on 22 June 1964 at Springfield, Massachusetts. Missing in action since 24 March 1970, when UH- I H helicopter lifted him and other team members from landing zone in the tri-border area 14 miles inside Cambodia; aircraft racked by explosions during ascent, continued forward aflame for 200 yards, and disappeared into the jungle, where it crashed.
Alan Lee Boyer, Sergeant, reconnaissance patrol member, Command and Control, MACV-SOG. Born 8 March 1946 in Chicago, Illinois. Entered service on I I January 1966 at Butte, Montana. Missing in action since 28 March 1968, when last seen 15 miles inside Laos northeast of Tchepone during extraction, having started to climb a rope ladder that broke as the Vietnamese H-34 helicopter moved away because of hostile weapons fire.
George R. Brown, Sergeant First Class, reconnaissance patrol leader, Command and Control, MACV-SOG. Born 19 September 1935 in Daytona Beach, Florida. Entered service on 22 October 1952. Missing in action since 28 March 1968, when last seen alive and unwounded with two other Special Forces sergeants and one Vietnamese sergeant awaiting extraction from an area 15 miles inside Laos northeast of Tchepone by helicopter, which was driven off by ground fire; later search of area failed to reveal any trace of the team.
William Theodore Brown, Staff Sergeant, reconnaissance patrol member, Command and Control North, MACV-SOG. Born 20 February 1945 in Chicago, Illinois. Entered service at La Habra, California. Date of entry not available. Missing in action since 3 November 1969, when his reconnaissance patrol was attacked by a numerically superior force 30 miles inside Laos near Ban Chakevy Tai; he was shot through the body just below the rib cage in the initial burst of automatic weapons fire and was last seen lying wounded on the ground as their position was about to be overrun, as related by an indigenous team member who evaded capture.
Michael Paul Burns, Specialist Fourth Class, reconnaissance patrol member, Command and Control North, MACV-SOG. Born 25 April 1947 in Oconto Falls, Wisconsin. Entered service on 14 February 1968 at El Paso, Texas. Missing in action since 31 July 1969, when his reconnaissance patrol was attacked 1.5 miles inside Laos west of Hue just prior to extraction; last seen by Pan and Comen, the surviving commandos, lying on his back with severe head wounds, possibly dead, after incurring blast of a B-40 rocket.
Johnny C. Calhoun, Staff Sergeant, reconnaissance patrol leader, Command and Control, MACV-SOG. Born 14 July 1945 in Roanoke, Alabama. Entered service on 18 January 1963 at Atlanta, Georgia. Missing in action since 27 March 1968, when his team was attacked 1.5 miles south of Ta Bat in the A Shau Valley and he provided covering fire for rest of patrol while ordering the other five members to withdraw; hit several times in the chest and stomach and last seen by interpreter Ho-Thong as he slumped to the ground, pulled the pin from a grenade, and clutched it to explode among advancing enemy, but his ultimate fate was unknown because of the rapid retreat of the survivors.
Donald Gene "Butch" Carr, Captain, assistant launch officer, Mobile Launch Team 3, Task Force I Advisory Element. Born 10 December 1938 in East Chicago, Indiana. Entered service on 12 October 1961 at East Chicago, Indiana. Missing in action since 6 July 1971, while flying a visual reconnaissance mission in an Air Force OV-10 aircraft from the 23d Tactical Aerial Surveillance Squadron (tail number 634) piloted by Lt. Daniel Thomas, which disappeared 15 miles inside Laos west of Ben Het.
James Derwin Cohron, Staff Sergeant, reconnaissance patrol member, Command and Control North, MACV-SOG. Born 11 November 1938 in Leon, Iowa. Entered service on 9 January 1968, in Centerville, Iowa. Missing in action since 12 January 1968, while a member of Spike Team "Indiana," as the second man from the rear of the team formation, when ambushed 1 mile inside Laos south of Khe Sanh; team broke contact by evading through a gully and set up defensive position on a small hill where called for helicopter extraction while waiting in vain for Cohron and two indigenous soldiers; tall elephant grass obstructed their vision, and efforts to reach him via squad radio failed.
William Michael Copley, Specialist Fourth Class, reconnaissance patrol member, Command and Control North, MACV-SOG. Born 22 May 1949 in Columbus, Ohio. Entered service on 31 July 1967 at Los Angeles, California. Missing in action since 16 November 1968, when patrol was ambushed 16 miles inside Laos west of Ben Het prior to establishing overnight positions; he was seriously wounded by automatic weapons fire and cried out to SSgt. Roger T. Loe, "Help me, I'm hit!"; Loe carried him on his back until he tripped after traveling a short distance, tried to administer first aid until Copley's face showed signs of death, and was forced to leave because of pursuit by hostile forces.
David Arthur Davidson, Staff Sergeant, reconnaissance patrol member, Command and Control North, MACV-SOG. Born 8 March 1947 in Washington, D.C. Entered service at East Riverdale, Maryland. Date of entry not available. Reenlisted on 18 May 1968 in the Republic of Vietnam. Missing in action since 5 October 1970, after his patrol had established its overnight position 12 miles inside Laos west of Ta Bat and was attacked by a hostile force; according to the two surviving indigenous patrol members, Davidson was hit once in the head and fell down a ridge, after which he lay motionless with a probable fatal head wound.
Ricardo Gonzalez Davis, Sergeant First Class, reconnaissance patrol leader, Command and Control North, MACV-SOG. Born 17 March 1941 in Fort Stockton, Texas. Entered service at Carlsbad, New Mexico. Date of entry not available. Reenlisted on 30 May 1967 at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Missing in action since 20 March 1969, when his six-man patrol was attacked 11 miles inside Laos west of Kham Duc; Sgt. James C. La Motte was two feet away when Davis was hit by rifle fire in upper chest and face and said, 'Jim, Jim!' and fell; the assistant patrol leader advanced to Davis's position seven minutes later but detected no signs of life, whereupon the patrol was forced to evacuate the area because of advancing hostile soldiers.
Ronald James Dexter, Master Sergeant, reconnaissance patrol member, Command and Control, MACV-SOG. Born Born 23 July 1933 in Chicago, Illinois. Entered service on 2 September 1951 at Chicago, Illinois. Missing in action since 3 June 1967, when last seen exiting a downed CH-46 helicopter as it was being grenaded by approaching hostile forces 15 miles inside Laos west of the A Shau Valley; the Nung commander, Mr. Ky, saw several men in a large bomb crater firing red star clusters from a flare gun as Ky was lifted out on the last helicopter.
Raymond Louis Echevarria, Master Sergeant, reconnaissance patrol leader, Command and Control, MACV-SOG. Born 16 September 1933 in Brooklyn, New York. Entered service on 3 December 1950 in New York City. Missing in action since 3 October 1966, when patrol was inserted 1 mile inside Laos west of the DMZ and immediately engaged in firefight under adverse circumstances; sole survivor, interpreter Bui Kim Tien, last heard of him when SFC. Eddie L. Williams had told Tien, "Jones is dying and Ray (Echevarria) is the same way."
Danny Day Entrican, First Lieutenant, reconnaissance patrol leader, Task Force I Advisory Element. Born 12 August 1946 Brookhaven, Mississippi. Entered service on I October 1969 at Fort Devens, Massachusetts. Missing in action since 18 May 1971, after his reconnaissance team "Alaska" was inserted into the Da Krong Valley in Vietnam on 15 May and overwhelmed in a firefight three days later 1 mile from the Laotian border; surviving commando Truong Minh Long and interpreter Truong To Ha stated that they rolled downhill after hostile search party detected them hiding in bush, at which point Entrican was apparently wounded and yelled at them to move out.
John Theodore Gallagher, Staff Sergeant, reconnaissance patrol member, Command and Control North, MACV-SOG. Born 17 June 1943 in Summit, New Jersey. Entered service on 25 December 1962 at New Haven, Connecticut. Missing in action since 5 January 1968, when aboard the second helicopter transporting patrol 20 miles inside Laos south of Lao Bao, which was struck by 37-mm antiaircraft fire at an altitude of 2,000 feet; it went into an uncontrollable spin and exploded in flames upon impact with ground; heavy ground fire prevented search attempts.
Fred Allen Gassman, Sergeant, reconnaissance patrol member, Command and Control North, MACV-SOG. Born 5 September 1947 at Eglin Field, Florida. Entered service at Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Date of entry not available. Reenlisted on 10 February 1969. Missing in action since 5 October 1970, after his patrol had established its overnight position 12 miles inside Laos west of Ta Bat and was attacked by a hostile force; Gassman radioed the overhead aircraft for emergency extraction and, as he attempted to retrieve the homing device, stated on the radio, 'I've been hit, and in the worst way," followed by several groans before the radio went dead. According to the two surviving indigenous patrol members, Gassman was last seen lying motionless with a large hole in his back.
Douglas J. Glover, Staff Sergeant, reconnaissance patrol member, Command and Control, MACV-SOG. Born 2 May 1943 in Cortland, New York. Entered service at Cortland, New York. Date of entry not available. Reenlisted on 17 October 1965 at Fort Myer, Virginia. Missing in action since 19 February 1968, when reconnaissance team was being extracted 4 miles inside Laos west of Dak Sut; as the helicopter ascended from the landing zone, it nosed over and crashed, bursting into flames; the pilot, co-pilot, and one team member survived but left six persons missing because of hostile fire; later recovery efforts detected only five badly burned unknown remains.
Gary Alan Harned, Sergeant, reconnaissance patrol member, Command and Control Central, MACV-SOG. Born 7 July 1950 in Meadville, Pennsylvania. Entered service on 10 September 1968 at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Missing in action since 24 March 1970, when UH-1H helicopter lifted him and other team members from landing zone in the tri-border area 14 miles inside Cambodia; aircraft racked by explosions during ascent, continued forward aflame for 200 yards, and disappeared into the jungle, where it crashed.
Charles Gregory Huston, Sergeant, reconnaissance patrol member, Command and Control, MACV-SOG. Born 29 September 1945 in Houston, Ohio. Entered service on 5 October 1965 at Cincinnati, Ohio. Missing in action since 28 March 1968, when last seen alive and unwounded with two other Special Forces sergeants and one Vietnamese sergeant awaiting extraction 15 miles inside Laos northeast of Tchepone by helicopter, which was driven off by ground fire; later search of area failed to reveal any traces of team
James Emory Jones, Sergeant First Class, reconnaissance patrol member, Command and Control, MACV-SOG. Born 3 September 1939 in Enigma, Georgia. Entered service on 23 July 1957 at Milledgeville, Georgia. Missing in action since 3 October 1966, when patrol was inserted 1 mile inside Laos west of the DMZ and immediately engaged in firefight under adverse circumstances; sole survivor, interpreter Bui Kim Tien, last heard of him when SFC. Eddie L. Williams had told Tien, "Jones is dying and Ray is the same way."
John Robert Jones, Sergeant, light weapons leader, Task Force I Advisory Element. Born 20 February 1949 in Louisville, Kentucky. Entered service on I July 1968 at El Paso, Texas. Missing in action since 5 June 1971, at Hickory Hill radio relay site north of Khe Sanh in Quang Tri Province, which was overrun in heavy combat by a battalion-size North Vietnamese force in adverse weather which prevented air support; he was not found despite search by helicopter and low-flying aircraft.
Harold William Kroske, Jr., First Lieutenant, reconnaissance patrol leader, Command and Control South, MACV-SOG. Born 30 July 1947 in Trenton, New Jersey. Entered service on 29 June 1966 at Mercer, New Jersey. Missing in action since 11 February 1969, when patrol was engaged 12 miles inside Cambodia west of Bu Dop and he killed several hostile troops along a trail; he then motioned the point man, Diep Chan Sang, to come with him; there was a sudden burst of gunfire, Kroske dropped his weapon, grabbed his stomach, and fell; Spec. 4th Class Bryan 0. Stockdale tried to approach him, received no response when he called out his name from twenty feet away, whereupon the patrol was forced to withdraw because of heavy automatic weapons fire.
Frederick Krupa, Captain, platoon leader, Exploitation Company A, Task Force 2 Advisory Element. Born 2 September 1947 in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Entered service on 25 June 1965 at Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Missing in action since 27 April 1971, when his special commando unit was about to conduct a helicopter insertion 2 miles from Laotian border northwest of Plei Djereng, Vietnam; hostile forces opened up on his UH-1H helicopter when it was three feet off the ground, and he fell forward; SCU Company A commander Ayom grabbed his right shoulder but let go when Ayom's hand was struck by bullet; last seen lying next to a log sprawled out on his back, not moving or making a sound, by crew chief Sp. 4th Class Melvin C. Lew during helicopter ascent.
Glen Oliver Lane, Sergeant First Class, reconnaissance patrol leader, Command and Control North, MACV-SOG. Born 24 July 1931 in Diboll, Texas. Entered service on 30 June 1951 in Odessa, Texas. Missing in action since 23 May 1968, after his six-man spike team "Idaho' was infiltrated just across the Laotian border west of A Loui by helicopter on 20 May 1968, and all further contact with patrol was lost; spike team 'Oregon' inserted into area for search on 22 May immediately contacted large hostile force and was extracted.
Billy Ray Laney, Sergeant First Class, reconnaissance patrol member, Command and Control, MACV-SOG. Born 21 August 1939 in Blanch, Alabama. Entered army 3 August 1960 with two years of navy service. Missing in action since 3 June 1967, aboard CH-46 helicopter downed 15 miles inside Laos west of the A Shau Valley; last seen by SFC. Wilklow and Nung soldier lying wounded on floor of helicopter, between one crew member with a broken back and the door gunner with head wound, as hostile forces approached, tossing grenades at aircraft.
James Martin Luttrell, Staff Sergeant, reconnaissance team member, Task Force I Advisory Element. Born 14 December 1935 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Entered service on 29 March 1954 at Wamatosa, Wisconsin. Missing in action since 10 May 1971, after his long-range reconnaissance team "Asp' was inserted into western Quang Nam Province 12 miles from Laos on 3 May 1971; past initial radio contact, no further contact was ever made.
Dennis Paul Neal, Captain, reconnaissance patrol leader, Command and Control North, MACV-SOG. Born I February 1944 in Quincy, Illinois. Entered service on 28 June 1966 in Clearwater, Florida. Missing in action since 31 July 1969, when his six-man patrol was attacked just prior to extraction 1.5 miles inside Laos west of Hue, and last seen by Pan and Comen, surviving commandos, after he was severely wounded in chest by a B-40 rocket blast, when they turned him over to take off one of his emergency UHF radios prior to retreating because of wounds and intense fire; forward air control aircraft heard the second emergency radio transmit "Help, help, help, for God's sake, help," but search teams later dispatched to area were unsuccessful.
Charles Vernon Newton, Staff Sergeant, patrol leader, Detachment B-52 DELTA, Fifth Special Forces Group. Born 10 May 1940 in Canadian, Texas. Entered service on 16 December 1959 at Canadian, Texas. Missing in action since 17 April 1969, when Reconnaissance Patrol 6, which had been inserted into Thua Thien Province on 14 April, was ambushed by numerically superior Vietcong force 9 miles from Laotian border; last heard from by radio transmission to circling aircraft requesting assistance, whereupon radio con- tact was lost.
Robert Duval Owen, Staff Sergeant, reconnaissance patrol member, Command and Control, MACV-SOG. Born 21 December 1938 in Lynchburg, Virginia. Entered service on 30 July 1954 at Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Missing in action since 23 May 1968, after his six-man spike team 'Idaho' was infiltrated just across the Laotian border west of A Loui by helicopter on 20 May, and all further contact with patrol was lost; spike team 'Oregon' inserted into area for search on 22 May immediately contacted large hostile force and was extracted.
Norman Payne, Sergeant, reconnaissance patrol member, Command and Control North, MACV-SOG. Born on 14 July 1939 in Greenville, Alabama. Entered service on 8 July 1957 at Cleveland, Ohio. Missing in action since 19 December 1968, when his reconnaissance team was attacked 6 miles inside Laos west of the A Shau Valley just before nightfall; last seen by the team leader, Sp. 4th Class Donald C. Sheppard, as Payne left the team to join another group, which had slid down an embankment; Sheppard later followed this route along a creek bed, but efforts to locate Payne failed. During extraction, Sheppard heard garbled emergency radio transmission, the last word of which sounded like "bison' (the code name for Payne), but a later ground search was blocked by hostile activity.
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