WALL NOTE NINETEEN: 2013 VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL INTERVENTIONS DANIEL R. ARANT [email protected]
DATE OF INFORMATION: 19 JULY 2013
01. PURPOSE. This Wall Note lists the name, date of incident, and Wall location associated with each of the thirty service members that compose the 2013 Wall Interventions. A short summary of the incident associated with each name is included. The names are divided into four categories: (01) name additions, (02) names whose remains have been identified and whose symbol was changed from a plus to a diamond, (03) names whose remains have been identified and who already had a diamond symbol, and (04) a name which did not have a symbol. As of 20 June 2013 the Department of Defense (DOD) military unaccounted for number is 1,614. The Wall “missing” number is 736. See Wall Note Eighteen: U.S. Unaccounted For in Southeast Asia and East Asia (Update Four) for an explanation of why there is an 878 number difference.
02. DISCLAIMER. This Wall Note in not an official publication of the U.S. National Park Service (USNPS), the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF), or the DOD. Linda R. M. SEALE and USNPS volunteer Donald ADAM provided proofreading support. Any errors are solely mine. Comments/corrections are solicited.
03. ANNOTATED MAPS/CHARTS. The annotated 1:50,000 scale AMS maps and 1:500,000 scale TPC charts are provided through the courtesy and permission of U.S. Army tanker (1st Battalion, 69th Armor) Viet Nam veteran Ray SMITH. Click on the orange icons on the maps for amplifying information.
A. http://www.rjsmith.com/Vietmap.html
B. http://www.rjsmith.com/Viet-MR-map.html
04. PHOTOGRAPHS. All photographs were taken by me. USNPS volunteer Donna PRINCE provided photo editing support.
05. SUMMARY. During May 2013, the following Interventions were completed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial (VVM).
A. Four names were added.
B. Thirteen names had their remains identified and their status was changed from “MIA” (plus symbol) to “KIA” (diamond symbol).
C. Twelve names had their remains identified, but they were already denoted with diamond symbols.
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D. One name did not have a symbol; a diamond symbol was added.
06. NAME LIST SUMMARY. The rank/rate held at the time of the incident is followed by the posthumous rank/rate, if applicable.
A. FOUR NAME ADDITIONS.
(01) ABE3 Clark David FRANKLIN, USN. 15E 094
a. Date of Incident: 24 April 1966. Date of Death: 24 April 1966.
(02) Sgt. Dennis R. SIVERLING, USMC (Ret.). 18E 023.
a. Date of Incident: 03 February 1966. Date of Death: 18 January 1976.
(03) Sp4 Raymond Clark THOMPSON, Sr., USA. 08W 036.
a. Date of Incident 06 June 1969. Date of Death: 27 October 2010.
(04) PFC Lester J. VEAZEY, USMC (Ret.). 35E 002.
a. Date of Incident 20 January 1968. Date of Death: 06 June 1977.
B. THIRTEEN NAMES CHANGED FROM “MIA” (PLUS SYMBOL) TO “KIA” (DIAMOND SYMBOL).
(01) Lt. Col. Clarence Finley BLANTON, USAF. 11 March 1968. 44E 013.
(02) Maj. (Lt. Col.) Robert Mack BROWN, USAF. 07 November 1972. 01W 090.
(03) Maj. (Col.) Joseph CHRISTIANO, USAF. 24 December 1965. 04E 036.
(04) TSgt. (CMSgt.) William Kevin COLWELL, USAF. 24 December 1965. 04E 036.
(05) 1st Lt. (Capt.) Dennis Lee EILERS, USAF. 24 December 1965. 04E 037.
(06) Capt. (Maj.) Larry James HANLEY, USAF. 04 November 1969. 16W 029.
(07) SSgt. (CMSgt.) Arden Keith HASSENGER, USAF. 24 December 1965. 04E 037.
(08) Maj. (Col.) Derrell Blackburn JEFFORDS, USAF. 24 December 1965. 04E 037.
(09) Maj. (Col.) Wendell Richard KELLER, USAF. 01 March 1969. 30W 005.
(10) 1st Lt. (Maj.) Aado KOMMENDANT, USAF. 08 August 1966. 09E 114.
(11) 1st Lt. (Capt.) Virgil Kersh MERONEY, III, USAF. 01 March 1969. 30W 006.
(12) MSgt. (CMSgt.) Larry C. THORNTON, USAF. 24 December 1965. 04E 038.
(13) Sgt. (SFC) Gunter Herbert WALD, USA. 03 November 1969. 16W 025.
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C. TWELVE NAMES THAT WERE ALREADY DENOTED WITH A DIAMOND (“KIA”).
(01) LCpl. Merlin Raye ALLEN, USMC. 30 June 1967. 22E 086.
(02) PFC Daniel Andrew BENEDETT, USMC. 15 May 1975. 01W 129.
(03) PFC James Joseph JACQUES, USMC. 15 May 1975. 01W 131.
(04) Capt. James Montgomery JOHNSTONE, USA. 19 November 1966. 12E 086.
(05) Sgt. John Robert JONES, USA. 05 June 1971. 03W 066.
(06) Lt. Richard Lee LAWS, USN. 03 April 1966. 06E 080.
(07) PFC James Rickey MAXWELL, USMC. 15 May 1975. 01W 131.
(08) Lt. Dennis William PETERSON, USN. 19 July 1967. 23E 092.
(09) PFC Richard William RIVENBURGH, USMC. 15 May 1975. 01W 132.
(10) Lt. (j.g.) (Lt.) William Edward SWANSON, USN. 11 April 1965. 01E 103.
(11) A1C Jerry Mack WALL, USAF. 18 May 1966. 07E 084.
(12) Maj. James Lafayette WHITED, USA. 19 November 1966. 12E 093.
D. ONE NAME THAT WAS MISSING A STATUS SYMBOL.
(01) 2nd Lt. Dennis Michael SKOGERBOE. 24 August 1969. 19W 110.
07. CHRONOLOGICAL LISTING AND DESCRIPTION OF INCIDENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FOUR NAME ADDITIONS.
A. 03 FEBRUARY 1966.
(01) Sgt. Dennis R. SIVERLING enlisted in the Marine Corps on 18 August 1959 at the age of seventeen. Dennis had nine siblings, to include three brothers who also served in the Viet Nam conflict. His last tour in the Marine Corps was with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 261 (HMM-261). Dennis qualified as a crew chief on the squadron’s Sikorsky UH-34D Seahorse helicopters. During the period Dennis was assigned to HMM-261, the squadron made deployments to Viet Nam either to land bases in I Corps or as part of the Special Landing Force (SLF) aboard the U.S. Navy helicopter carrier USS Valley Forge (LPH 8).
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U.S. MARINE CORPS UH-34D SEAHORSE. 1968.
(02) At the end of May 1965, South Vietnamese forces (Army/Ranger/Marine) suffered significant losses at the Battle of Ba Gia. Ba Gia (Quang Ngai Province) was about 20 miles south of Chu Lai (Quang Tin Province). The official U.S. Marine Corps history states that 392 South Vietnamese were killed or missing. In early July 1965 Ba Gia was attacked again, with significant South Vietnamese losses. On 03 July 1965, Sgt. SIVERLING, who had Vietnamese language training, assisted in the evacuation of Vietnamese civilians from the beleaguered Ba Gia outpost. Initially, it was a desperate “mob scene,” but Sgt. SIVERLING was ultimately able to restore calm and played a significant role in the orderly evacuation of the Vietnamese civilians. In August 1965, HMM-261 participated in Operation Starlite, the first regimental-size battle that U.S. forces participated in since the Korean War. The enemy force was the 1st People’s Liberation Armed Forces (PLAF)/Viet Cong (VC) Regiment. ((Note: The October-November 1965 Ia Drang Valley Campaign was fought against People’s Army of Viet Nam (PAVN)/North Vietnamese Army (NVA) units.))
(03) Sgt. SIVERLING was wounded in the abdomen on 03 February 1966 while he was participating in the Marine Corps’ Operation Double Eagle, which was fought in southern I Corps (Quang Ngai Province) in conjunction with the U.S. Army’s Masher/White Wing, which was fought in northern II Corps (Binh Dinh Province). Marine Corps records show that Sgt. SIVERLING was wounded during operations in the vicinity of Van Ly, Quang Nam Province. Some news accounts state the incident area was about three miles to the northeast of Van Ly, in the vicinity of Thach Tru.
a. http://www.rjsmith.com/mo-duc-2-nf.html.
b. Generally, the SLF was composed of an infantry battalion landing team (BLT), a composite helicopter squadron, and U.S. Navy ships. The SLF participated in both combat and pacification operations.
c. One of the Army units participating in Masher/White Wing was the 3rd Brigade of the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), commanded by newly-promoted Col. Harold G. MOORE, who had commanded the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry at the 14-16 November 1965 battle at LZ X-Ray.
(04) Dennis was a patient in various military hospitals and in the VA hospital in Minneapolis. He eventually settled in his hometown of Ladysmith, Wisconsin. Although he suffered paralysis, he bought a small farm and learned to drive a tractor with just his hands. He also learned to snowmobile. One of Dennis’ brothers, Randy, said: “He did not want anybody to feel pity for him.” Dennis died from his wounds on 18 January 1976.
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(05) Among Sgt. SIVERLING’s decorations are the Bronze Star, nine Air Medals, and the Purple Heart. He was also awarded the Navy/Marine Corps Combat Aircrewman’s Wings.
(06) 18E 023.
B. 24 APRIL 1966.
(01) ABE3 Clark David FRANKLIN, USN was killed on the morning of 24 April 1966 while working on the flight deck of USS Ranger (CVA-61). The carrier was operating on Dixie Station and was conducting the first operations of the day against targets in South Viet Nam. After an initial report, a clarifying entry in the deck log of Ranger states: “1226. RECEIVED REPORT THAT THE DEATH OF FRANKLIN OCCURRED DURING THE COURSE OF HIS DUTIES AS CATAPULT SUPERVISOR AND AS A RESULT OF HIS BEING STRUCK IN THE BACK BY THE LEADING EDGE OF THE WING OF AN F4B AIRCRAFT DURING A CATAPULT LAUNCH.”
a. In the early days of the U.S. buildup in Viet Nam, there were not enough land bases/air assets available for strike missions in South Viet Nam. Gen. William C. WESTMORELAND, USA requested that an aircraft carrier be stationed off the coast of South Viet Nam to support ground forces. On 16 May 1965, Dixie Station was established and was maintained for fifteen months, until sufficient land-based assets were established.
(02) An article in the Carlsbad Current-Argus (New Mexico) reported that ABE3 FRANKLIN loved to race cars, won many trophies, and one day hoped to win the Indianapolis 500.
(03) ABE3: Aviation Boatswains Mate (Equipment) 3rd Class (E-4). The catapult crews wear green jerseys. ABEs operate and maintain catapult-launching equipment on aircraft carriers. The Navy’s description of this enlisted rating includes that duties are performed mostly outdoors, in all climatic conditions, and in fastpaced and often potentially hazardous environments.
(04) In April 1965, U.S. Navy carrier aircraft began to fly regular missions in South Viet Nam. ((Navy Yankee Team photo reconnaissance missions began in Laos in May 1964 – after a major Pathet Lao (PL)/PAVN (NVA) offensive in the Plain of Jars; Pierce Arrow was conducted on 05 August 1964 – after the Gulf of Tonkin incidents; Flaming Dart missions took place in February 1965 – in response to PLAF (VC) attacks on U.S. installations in Sai Gon, Plei Ku, Camp Holloway, and Qui Nhon; and the Navy’s first Rolling Thunder strike occurred on 15 March 1965.))
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(05) One of the pilots lost during the Ranger cruise when ABE3 FRANKLIN was killed was Douglas A-1J Skyraider pilot Lt. (j.g.) Dieter DENGLER (Attack Squadron 145) who was shot down over Laos, captured, and escaped. His exploits are the subject of a book, a TV documentary, and a movie (Rescue Dawn).
(06) During the 05 August 1964 Pierce Arrow operation, USS Constellation (CVA-64) pilots Lt. (j.g.) Everett ALVAREZ, Jr., USN was captured (released on 12 February 1973) and Lt. (j.g.) Richard C. SATHER, USN was killed (01E 060).
TU HOA LO (“HA NOI HILTON”). 2010.
(07) 15E 094.
C. 20 JANUARY 1968.
(01) PFC Lester J. VEAZEY joined the Marine Corps in February 1967 at the age of nineteen. In Viet Nam, he served with India Company, 3rd Battalion, 26th Regiment (Marines), (“I”/3/26) 3rd Marine Division. On 20 January 1968, “I”/3/26 left its position on Hill 881S and conducted a patrol in the direction of Hill 881N. These hills were about 7-8 kilometers (4.2-4.8 miles) northwest of Khe Sanh Combat Base (KSCB); see map cite, below. The 3/26 Command Chronology for 20 January 1968 reports that at 0939H “I”/3/26 “was taken under fire from fixed positions in the vicinity of XD773451 (an area south of Hill 881N). Continuing to its objective, “I”/3/26 again received heavy fire from enemy bunkers. By the early evening, “I”/3/26 had returned to Hill 881S. One of the casualties on 20 January 1968 was PFC VEAZEY. An initial medical report regarding PFC VEAZEY’s condition stated: “He sustained a gunshot wound to both frontal lobes of the brain from hostile rifle fire while engaged in action against hostile forces.”
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KHE SANH COMBAT BASE. 1968.
a. http://www.rjsmith.com/Khe_Sanh_Lang_Vei_Monster_01.html
(02) PFC VEAZEY spent one year as a patient in various military hospitals. He was eventually moved to a nursing home in Enid, Oklahoma. Lester VEAZEY died on 06 June 1977. The cause of death was: “Central Nervous System Thermal Dysfunction – due to a massive traumatic brain injury to frontal lobes due to gunshot wound of head – enemy action Vietnam.”
(03) Much has been written about the comparison of Khe Sanh (before, during, and after the siege) to the French defeat at Dien Bien Phu in 1954. Some of the topics addressed are: (01) whether the goal of PAVN Sr. Gen. (4-star) Vo Nguyen GIAP was to have a second “Dien Bien Phu” victory or whether the goal was to draw U.S. forces away from the populated areas for TET-68 and (02) the advantages of U.S. airpower, artillery support, and that the U.S. controlled some of the strategic hill areas around the KSCB. Some references are listed in paragraph 11.
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MOUNTAINS OVERLOOK DIEN BIEN PHU. 1999.
M-24 CHAFFEE TANK NEAR Brig. Gen. (2-star) CHRISTIAN de CASTRIES’ HEADQUARTERS. DIEN BIEN PHU. 1999.
a. http://www.rjsmith.com/Dien_Bien_Phu_Cropped.html
(04) The 26th Regiment (26th Marines) was one of the two infantry regiments (26th and 27th) of the 5th Marine Division that was reactivated for service in the Viet Nam conflict. Elements of the division’s artillery regiment (13th Regiment) were also activated for Viet Nam service. The reactivated units served with either the 1st or 3rd Marine Divisions in Viet Nam. (The 5th Marine Division participated in the Iwo Jima - now Io To – campaign, and its 2nd Battalion, 28th Regiment raised both flags on 23 February 1945.)
(05) 35E 002.
D. 06 JUNE 1969.
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(01) Sp4 Raymond C. THOMPSON, Sr. was drafted into the Army. He served with “B” Company, 121st Signal Battalion, 1st Infantry Division as a multichannel transmission systems specialist. The headquarters of the 1st Infantry Division was at Lai Khe, Ben Cat District, Binh Duong Province, III Corps, located about 25 miles north by west of Sai Gon’s Tan Son Nhut (now Nhat) airport. Lai Khe was nicknamed “Rocket City” because it was the target of frequent 122-mm rocket attacks.
(02) Ray’s widow, Patty, said that Ray loved the Army and might have made it a career. On 06 June 1969, Sp4 THOMPSON was wounded by a rocket. Patty described the wounds: “He lost four ribs, his spleen, a kidney, and almost 10 feet of intestines, along with one-third of his stomach.” Ray was eventually declared 100% disabled.
(03) Ray used the GI Bill to receive a degree in fine arts from Florida Atlantic University. He subsequently returned to college and enrolled in medical courses, which qualified him to be employed as a health technician at the Veterans Hospital in Riviera Beach, Florida. Ray received superlative praise from senior hospital staff for his heartfelt and dedicated service to the hospital’s patients. Ray died from his wounds on 27 October 2010 at St. Mary’s Hospital in West Palm Beach, Florida.
(04) 08W 036.
FOUR NAMES WERE ADDED TO THE WALL. MAY 2013.
08. CHRONOLOGICAL LISTING AND DESCRIPTION OF THE THIRTEEN INCIDENTS ASSOCIATED WITH NAMES THAT WERE CHANGED FROM “MIA” (PLUS SYMBOL) TO “KIA” (DIAMOND SYMBOL).
A. 24 DECEMBER 1965.
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(01) On 24 December 1965, a USAF AC-47D Spooky Gunship I assigned to the 4th Air Commando Squadron, 6250th Combat Support Group, flying from Da Nang, Quang Nam Province, I Corps, was lost on a mission over southern Laos. The AC-47D had a crew of six. The last radio transmission from Spooky 21 was a “Mayday” call. Search efforts failed to locate the aircraft.
(02) DOD reporting states that in 1995 a joint U.S./Laotian team received information that local villagers in Savannakhet Province “recalled seeing a two-propeller aircraft, similar to an AC-47D, crash in December 1965. A local man found aircraft wreckage in a nearby field while farming and led the team to that location. The team recovered small pieces of aircraft wreckage at that time and recommended further investigative visits.” Between 1999 and 2001, joint teams conducted four investigations, which resulted in the recovery of military equipment but no human remains. The site was investigated in 2010 and “recovered human remains, personal items, and military equipment. Three additional excavations in 2011 recovered additional human remains and evidence.” DOD reporting states that dental records and circumstantial evidence were used to identify the airmen. The crew of Spooky 21:
(03) Maj. (Col.) Joseph CHRISTIANO, USAF. 04E 036.
a. Remains Returned: 18 February 2010. Remains Identified: 05 March 2012.
(04) TSgt. (CMSgt.) William Kevin COLWELL, USAF. 04E 036.
a. Remains Returned: 18 February 2010. Remains Identified: 05 March 2012.
(05) 1st Lt. (Capt.) Dennis Lee EILERS, USAF. 04E 037.
a. Remains Returned: 18 February 2010. Remains Identified: 05 March 2012.
(06) SSgt. (CMSgt.) Arden Keith HASSENGER, USAF. 04E 037.
a. Remains Returned: 05 April 2011. Remains Identified: 05 March 2012.
(07 Maj. (Col.) Derrell Blackburn JEFFORDS, USAF. 04E 037.
a. Remains Returned: 18 February 2010. Remains Identified: 05 March 2012.
(08) MSgt. (CMSgt.) Larry C. THORNTON, USAF. 04E 038.
a. Remains Returned: 08 February 2010. Remains Identified: 05 March 2012.
(09) During the Southeast Asia conflict, the USAF converted a number of transport aircraft to gunships, namely: (01) AC-47D Spooky (Gunship I), (02) AC-130A/E/H Spectre (Gunship II), and (03) AC-119G/K Shadow/Stinger (Gunship III). Another transport conversion, the AC-123K Black Spot, did not carry guns but dropped cluster bombs.
(10) Fifty-three C-47 transports were converted to Gunship I configuration. Nineteen AC-47s were lost (15 in combat) with the loss of 92 airmen.
(11) AC-47 SPOOKY (GUNSHIP I) LOSSES IN SOUTHEAST ASIA.
a. 17 December 1965. 4th Air Commando Squadron, 6250th Combat Support Group. Page 10 of 32
b. 24 December 1965. 4th Air Commando Squadron, 6250th Combat Support Group.
c. 09 March 1966. 4th Air Commando Squadron, 14th Air Commando Wing.
d. 13 March 1966. 4th Air Commando Squadron, 14th Air Commando Wing.
e. 15 May 1966. 4th Air Commando Squadron, 14th Air Commando Wing.
f. 03 June 1966. 4th Air Command Squadron, 14th Air Commando Wing.
g. 08/09 January 1967. 4th Air Commando Squadron, 14th Air Commando Wing.
h. 18 February 1967. 4th Air Commando Squadron, 14th Air Commando Wing.
i. 23 March 1967. 4th Air Commando Squadron, 14th Air Commando Wing.
j. 28/29 March 1967. 4th Air Commando Squadron, 14th Air Commando Wing.
k. 26 April 1967. 4th Air Commando Squadron, 14th Air Commando Wing.
l. 02 October 1967. 4th Air Commando Squadron, 14th Air Commando Wing.
m. 14/15 February 1968. 4th Air Commando Squadron, 14th Air Commando Wing.
n. 16 March 1968. 14th Air Commando Wing.
o. 04/05 May 1968. 4th Air Commando Squadron, 14th Air Commando Wing.
p. 04/05 May 1968. 4th Air Commando Squadron, 14th Air Commando Wing.
q. 29 August 1968. 14th Special Operations Wing.
r. 13 December 1968. 3rd Special Operations Squadron, 14th Special Operations Wing.
s. 01 September 1969. 4th Special Operations Squadron, 14th Special Operations Wing.
B. 08 AUGUST 1966.
(01) On 08 August 1966, 1st Lt. (Maj.) Aado KOMMENDANT, USAF and Capt. (Lt. Col.) Charles Milton WALLING, USAF were flying a F-4C Phantom II assigned to the 557th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 12th Tactical Fighter Wing based at Cam Ranh Bay, Ninh Thuan Province, II Corps. The Phantom was vectored to a target area about 20 miles from Bien Hoa, Bien Hoa Province, III Corps; the mission was to support engaged ground troops. Because of low cloud cover, a low-level ordnance delivery was required. A forward air controller (FAC) reported that after the Phantom’s fourth run against the target, there was a ground explosion about five miles east of Phuc Vinh. No parachutes were seen nor were survival radio beepers heard. Dense foliage and the presence of a strong contingent of enemy ground troops precluded a thorough search. According to DOD reporting, in 1992 a joint U.S./Vietnamese team investigated the crash site. A metal identification tag inscribed with Maj. WALLING’s name and some military equipment were recovered. The site was again excavated in 2010; this produced human remains and additional supporting information. “Scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command and the Armed Forces DNA Identification
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Laboratory used circumstantial and material evidence, along with forensic identification tools including mitochondrial DNA in the identification of the remains.”
(02) The symbol for Lt. Col. Charles M. WALLING was changed from a plus to a diamond in 2012. 09E 119. See Wall Note Sixteen: 2012 Vietnam Veterans Memorial Interventions.
a. Remains Returned: 13 April 2013. Remains Identified: 30 November 2011.
(03) 1st. Lt. (Maj.) Aado KOMMENDANT, USAF. 09E 114.
a. Remains Returned: 13 April 2010. Remains Identified: 30 November 2011.
C. 11 MARCH 1968.
(01) On 11 March 1968, Lt. Col. Clarence Finley BLANTON, USAF was part of a team of seventeen USAF technicians and two CIA paramilitary officers, which was associated with navigation and radar installations on top of a 5,800 foot mountain - Phou Pha Thi (Pha Thi Mountain) in Laos. Near the bottom of the mountain was Lima Site 85 (LS-85), one of a number of landing sites used by Air America for operations in Laos. The Pha Thi Mountain site also generally became known as LS-85. LS-85 was located about 14 miles from the border with North Viet Nam and about 144 miles southwest of Ha Noi.
a. http://www.rjsmith.com/Lima-Site-85.html
(02) Increased air combat operations in Laos required the installation of air navigation aids for tactical aircraft. One of these aids was a portable TACAN (tactical air navigation) system. TACAN stations were deployed in various areas in Laos. In very simple terms, a TACAN station provides an aircraft with range and bearing information from the station, which is read on the aircraft’s instrument panel. A TACAN station became operational at LS-85 in September 1966.
(03) Another issue that needed to be addressed was the requirement for accurate bombing during the poor weather conditions associated with Rolling Thunder targets in the Ha Noi region. Poor weather could be expected during the October to April monsoon season. The primary USAF aircraft for Rolling Thunder missions was the Republic F-105 Thunderchief, which unlike the Navy/Marine Corps Grumman A-6 Intruder, was not an all-weather aircraft. According to Timothy CASTLE (One Day Too Long: Top Secret Site 85 and the Bombing of North Vietnam), about 75 per cent of Rolling Thunder sorties were carried out by the F-105. Other Rolling Thunder participants included the A-6 Intruder, the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk, and the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II. One solution was the installation of a MSQ-77 ground radar system, which could guide an aircraft to a specific point in the sky under poor visibility where bombs could be released. Installed on the top of Pha Thi Mountain, the portable version of the MSQ-77, the TSQ-81, had an effective range of about 175 miles, which could cover the Ha Noi area. The TSQ-81 became operational in November 1967 under the codename Commando Club.
(04) Because of potential political complications vis-à-vis the July 1962 Geneva Convention, the USAF personnel manning LS-85 were “sheep-dipped” – that is, they were discharged from the Air Force and became civilian employees of Lockheed Air Service Corporation, a subsidiary of Lockheed Aircraft Corporation. They were to be re-instated into the Air Force after their tour. The personnel would serve rotating shifts. Seemingly, the topography of Pha Thi would prevent enemy forces from approaching/climbing the mountain on three Page 12 of 32 sides. The fourth side would be protected by CIA-led Hmong tribesmen, who would provide a delaying action so that the sheep-dipped USAF personnel could be rescued by helicopter. The first attack by enemy forces came on 12 January 1968 in the form of a “bombing” mission by two Soviet-designed Antonov An-2 Colt bi- planes. (The An-2 Colt was originally designed as a utility aircraft for agricultural and forestry work.) The “bombs” were mortar rounds dropped through tubes through holes cut into the fuselage. Two other Colts orbited the area and did not engage in the bombing. One or both of the “bombers” were shot down by a crewman using a hand-held weapon on an Air America UH-1D helicopter. The two orbiting Colts escaped without damage. A static display in the Air Force Museum in Ha Noi features what is purportedly to be one of the orbiting Colts. The museum also has a display of the attack on LS-85; see photos, below. On the night of 10/11 March 1968 Pha Thi came under an enemy artillery and ground attack, to include enemy sappers who scaled one of the “un-scalable” faces of the mountain.
(05) The immediate results of the attack were: (01) five USAF survivors, (02) twelve USAF killed/missing, and (03) two CIA paramilitary officer survivors. One USAF Douglas A-1E Skyraider pilot was shot down over the site on 13 March 1968.
a. CMSgt. Richard Loy ETCHBERGER, USAF was shot and killed during a helicopter extraction from Pha Thi on the day of the incident. He received a posthumous Medal of Honor on 21 September 2010.
b. The remains of a USAF technician, TSgt. Patrick Lee SHANNON, were returned in 2003 and identified in 2005. TSgt. SHANNON was part of the 2006 VVM Interventions.
c. The remains of the USAF A-1E pilot, Capt. (Col.) Donald E. WESTBROOK, were returned in September 1998 and identified in February 2007. Col. WESTBROOK was part of the 2007 VVM Interventions.
d. At present, nine USAF technicians remain unaccounted for. A complete list of the twenty-associated names may be found in paragraph 08.C.(09).
(06) According to DOD reporting, in 1994, a joint U.S./Laotian team investigated the Phou Pha Thi area without positive results. In 2003, a recovery operation resulted in the return and subsequent identification of TSgt. Patrick L. SHANNON. “From 1994 to 2009, in cooperation with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV) and the LPDR (Lao People’s Democratic Republic), teams pursued multiple leads from dozens of witnesses interviewed, including those involved in the attack. In 2005, a Laotian citizen provided U.S. officials an identification card bearing BLANTON’s name and human remains purportedly found at the base of Phou Pha Thi.” Scientists used “circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, such as mitochondrial DNA-which matched BLANTON’s sister.”
(07) The Lima Site 85 story is too complicated to relate in my very short missive, and I have not done it justice. The political, military, and subsequent legal complications have the makings of a fantastic movie (I wonder if Steven SPIELBERG is aware of LS-85). I recommend highly the Timothy CASTLE book. The Air Force museum in Ha Noi is off the beaten-path. I first visited it in 1999 and then in 2010. Some improvements were made, but it still needs a lot of “sprucing-up.” On a personal note, in May 2003 I met Lt. Gen. (two-star in the Vietnamese People’s Air Force) Tran HANH at the Wall and subsequently at a luncheon sponsored by the VVMF. Tran HANH was involved in the first air-to-air clash over North Viet Nam on 04 April 1965 and subsequently became the commander of the 921st Fighter Regiment (Sao Do – Red Star). He Page 13 of 32 sent me a letter of invitation to visit with him on my next visit to Ha Noi. I sent him an e-mail reply, which to my surprise, had been blown-up to large poster-size and is on display at the museum.
(08) http://www.rjsmith.com/Lima-Site-85.html
PURPORTED CREW OF ONE OF THE SURVIVING An-2 COLTs.
ANTONOV An-2 COLT. 2010.
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(09) The LS-85 associated names:
a. Lt. Col. Clarence Finley BLANTON, USAF. Radar Team One. Controller. 44E 013.
- Remains Returned: 18 January 2006. Remains Identified: 12 July 2012.
b. MSgt. James Henry CALFEE, USAF. Radar Team One. Crew Chief. 44E 014.
- Killed In Action/Body Not Recovered.
c. SSgt. John DANIEL, USAF. Radar Team Two. Board Operator.
- Survived
d. SSgt. James Woodrow DAVIS, USAF. Data Computer Operator. 44E 014.
- Killed In Action/Body Not Recovered.
e. CMSgt. Richard Loy ETCHBERGER, USAF. Radar Team Two. Crew Chief. Medal of Honor. 44E 015.
- Killed on day of incident. Body recovered.
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f. Howard FREEMAN. CIA.
- Survived.
g. SSgt. Henry Gerald GISH, USAF. Radar Team Two. Radar Technician. 44E 016.
- Killed In Action/Body Not Recovered.
h. TSgt. Willis Rozelle HALL, USAF. Cryptographic Technician. 44E 017.
- Killed In Action/Body Not Recovered.
i. TSgt. Melvin Arnold HOLLAND, USAF. Radio Repairman. 44E 021.
- Killed In Action/Body Not Recovered.
j. Sgt. Roger HUFFMAN, USAF. Combat Controller.
- Survived.
k. SSgt. Willie HUSBAND, USAF. Generator Repairman.
- Survived.
l. Sgt. Herbert Arthur KIRK, USAF. Teletype Repairman. 44E 018.
-Killed In Action/Body Not Recovered.
m. Sgt. David Stanley PRICE, USAF. Radar Team One. Radar Technician. 44E 019.
-Killed In Action/Body Not Recovered.
n. TSgt. Patrick Lee SHANNON, USAF. Radar Team One. Board Operator. 44E 021.
- Remains Recovered: 07 April 2003. Remains Identified: 31 October 2005.
o. John SPENSE. CIA.
- Survived.
p. Capt. Stanley J. SLIZ, USAF. Radar Team Two. Controller.
- Survived.
q. SSgt. Jack STARLING, USAF. TACAN Technician.
- Survived.
r. TSgt. Donald Kenneth SPRINGSTEADAH, USAF. Radar Team Two. Radar Technician. 44E 021.
- Killed In Action/Body Not Recovered.
s. Maj. (Col.) Donald Elliot WESTBROOK, USAF. A-1E Skyraider Pilot. 44E 043. Page 16 of 32
- Remains Returned: 03 September 1998. Remains Identified: 14 February 2007.
t. SSgt. Don Franklin WORLEY, USAF. Radar Team One. Radar Technician. 44E 023.
- Killed In Action/Body Not Recovered.
D. 01 MARCH 1969.
(01) Maj. (Col.) Wendell Richard KELLER, USAF and 1st Lt. (Capt.) Virgil Kersh MERONEY, III, USAF were flying a F-4D Phantom II assigned to the 433rd Tactical Fighter Squadron, 8th Tactical Fighter Wing and were shot down while they were attacking a truck park and storage area near Ben Karai Pass in Laos. DOD reporting states that between 1994 and 2011, U.S. and Laotian teams conducted several investigations of the crash site. “The teams located human remains, military equipment, a military identification card, and aircraft wreckage of an F-4, including an engine data plate and radio call-sign plate. During the 17 years, analysts evaluated the material evidence and the accounts of more than 40 eyewitnesses to confirm the information correlated with the crew’s loss location.” Dental comparisons, radiograph comparisons, and circumstantial evidence were used to identify the remains.
a. http://www.rjsmith.com/Mu-Ghia-Pass-Ban-Karai-Pass.html
(02) Capt. Virgil K. MERONEY, III was the son of Col. Virgil K. MERONEY, USAAF and USAF. The elder MERONEY flew the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt (487th Fighter Squadron, 352nd Fighter Group) and the North American P-51 Mustang in Europe during WW II. He was credited with nine aerial victories in the P-47 and was an escaped POW. He also flew combat missions in Korea. In Viet Nam, father (Deputy Commander for Operations and then Vice-Commander for the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing) and son flew as a crew in a F-4 Phantom II on at least two combat missions.
a. Maj. (Col.) Wendell Richard KELLER, USAF. 30W 005.
- Remains Returned: 29 November 2011. Remains Identified: 22 March 2012.
b. 1st Lt. (Capt.) Virgil Kersh MERONEY, III, USAF. 30W 006.
- Remains Returned: 16 November 2010. Remains Identified: 22 March 2012.
(03) The four main passes between North Viet Nam and Laos along the Ho Chi Minh Trail were from north to south: (01) Nape, (02) Mu Ghia (03) Ban Karai, and (04) Ban Ravine.
(04) http://www.rjsmith.com/Mu-Ghia-Pass-Ban-Karai-Pass.html
E. 03 NOVEMBER 1969.
(01) On 03 November 1969, Sgt. (SFC) Gunther Herbert WALD, USA, SSgt. (SFC) William Theodore BROWN, USA and Sp4 (SFC) Donald Monroe SHUE, USA, all assigned to MACV-SOG, 5th Special Forces Group (SFG), were part of Prairie Fire (formerly Shining Brass and finally Phu Dung) Reconnaissance Team (RT) Maryland, which was operating in Laos, near the border of Quang Tri Province, I Corps, Viet Nam. The team was attacked by a superior enemy force. Indigenous team members reported that SSgt. BROWN received
Page 17 of 32 a gunshot wound in the side and that both Sgt. WALD and Sp4 SHUE received numerous shrapnel wounds from a fragmentation grenade. The three Americans were left behind.
(02) A DD 1300 (Report of Casualty) form dated 16 August 1978 states that Sgt. WALD’s place of death was Laos. A 27 August 2012 DOD News Release states: “On Nov. 3, 1969, the men and six Vietnamese soldiers were part of a Special Forces reconnaissance patrol operating in Quang Tri Province, near the Vietnam- Laos border.” The News Release states that during 2007 a Vietnamese citizen led members of a joint U.S./Vietnamese investigation team to human remains that the Vietnamese citizen had discovered and buried near the ambush site. ““In 2008, a military identification tag for Brown was turned over to the U.S. Government from a U.S. citizen with ties to Vietnam. Finally, in April 2010, joint teams excavated a hilltop area near Huong Lap Village, recovering additional human remains, and military equipment, another military identification tag for Brown, and a “Zippo” lighter bearing the name “Donald M. Shue” and the date “1969.”” The report concludes: “Scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used circumstantial and material evidence, along with mitochondrial DNA – which matched that of some of the soldiers’ family members - in the identification of the remains.”
(03) SSgt. (SFC) BROWN (16W 022) and Sp4 (SFC) SHUE (16W 024) were part of the 2012 Wall Interventions and had their name symbols changed from a plus to a diamond. See Wall Note Sixteen: 2012 Vietnam Veterans Memorial Interventions.
(04) Sgt. (SFC) Gunter Herbert WALD, USA. 16W 025.
a. Remains Returned: 13 April 2010. Remains Identified: 06 January 2011.
(05) Operation Shining Brass/Prairie Fire/Phu Dung were cross-border reconnaissance operations into Laos. Teams were normally composed of three U.S. Special Forces and some nine Montagnard personnel. The coordinator for the first Shining Brass operation (RT Iowa) was the indomitable Finnish-born Capt. (Maj.) Larry THORN, (Lauri TORNI), USA. He fought in Finland’s 1939-1940 Winter War against the Soviet Union and in the 1941-1944 Continuation War against the Soviet Union. He was the recipient of the Mannerheim Cross. Maj. THORN 02E 126 was killed in a Vietnamese Air Force H-34 “Kingbee” helicopter loss on 18 October 1965 after RT Iowa was inserted into Laos. It seems that a rubbing of Maj. THORNE’s name is a “must-have” for Wall visitors from Finland.
(06) Interestingly, a number of MOH recipients received their MOH for action in Laos, but their citations read Viet Nam or “deep within enemy-held territory.” I assume this was associated with the 23 July 1962 Geneva Agreement concerning the neutrality of Laos.
F. 04 NOVEMBER 1969.
(01) On 04 November 1969, Capt. (Maj.) Larry James HANLEY, USAF was flying a Republic F-105D Thunderchief assigned to the 357th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 355th Tactical Fighter Wing and was attacking antiaircraft artillery (AAA) positions near Ban Soppeng, Khammouan Province, Laos. His aircraft was hit by ground fire and subsequently crashed. Neither Capt. HANLEY’s wingman nor a forward air controller witnessed the crash, and the location of the crash site was unknown.
(02) According to DOD reporting, in 1994 and 1998 joint U.S. /Lao teams investigated the possible crash site but the results were negative. On 24 February 2012, the Joint Prisoner of War Accounting Command (JPAC) Page 18 of 32 received remains from a Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) indigenous source, who found the remains at the crash site. “To identify the remains, scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence and forensic tools, such as dental comparisons and mitochondrial DNA, which matched HANLEY’s mother and sister.”
(03) VFW Post 3377 in Manchaca, Texas, reports that Maj. HANLEY had already completed a tour in Viet Nam and flew the F-4 Phantom II with the 435th Fighter Squadron, 8th Tactical Fighter Wing on 119 combat missions. He volunteered to return to Viet Nam “so some married man would not have to go.”
a. Capt. (Maj.) Larry James HANLEY, USAF. 16W 029.
- Remains Returned: 24 February 2012. Remains Identified: 08 March 2013.
G. 07 NOVEMBER 1972.
(01) On 07 November 1972, Maj. (Lt. Col.) Robert Mack BROWN, USAF (pilot) and Maj. (Lt. Col.) Robert David MORRISSEY, USAF (weapons system operator) were flying a General Dynamics F-111A Aardvark assigned to the 430th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 474th Tactical Fighter Wing on a low-level night strike against a ferry and ford about 30 miles from the Ban Karai Pass in southern Laos. The F-111A crew dropped its ordnance but soon disappeared. Search efforts were conducted until 20 November 1972 without success. I do not at this time have any information regarding the recovery of Lt. Col. BROWN.
a. Maj. (Lt. Col.) Robert Mack BROWN, USAF. 01W 090.
- Remains Returned: 07 June 1995. Remains Identified: 14 December 2011.
b. Maj. (Lt. Col.) Robert Davis MORRISSEY, USAF. 01W 090.
- Presumptive Finding of Death.
(02) The F-111 program had a somewhat inauspicious beginning. At the behest of Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNAMARA, the F-111A (informally named “Aardvark”) was the outgrowth of the TFX (Tactical Fighter Experimental), whereby the Air Force and Navy would develop a new fighter-bomber to be used by both services. The Air Force version was the F-111A; the Navy version was the F-111B. The F-111A first flew on 21 December 1964. The F-111B first flew on 18 May 1965. For a number of reasons, the F-111B proved unsuitable for carrier operations and the Navy canceled the F-111B program. The Air Force began to receive operational production F-111As on 17 July 1967 and the aircraft began to go into operational squadrons on 18 July 1967. The F-111A arrived in Thailand in March 1968 and underwent combat evaluation until 22 November 1968. Three aircraft were lost - probably because of design defects. The F-111A was redeployed to Viet Nam starting on 27 September 1972 and participated in the later stages of Linebacker I operations (Linebacker I: 10 May-23 October 1972). The F-111A also participated in Linebacker II (18-29 December 1972). A total of eleven F-111s were lost in Southeast Asia (SEASIA).
09. CHRONOLOGICAL LISTING AND DESCRIPTION OF INCIDENTS ASSOCIATED WITH NAMES THAT WERE ALREADY DENOTED WITH A DIAMOND (“KIA”).
Page 19 of 32
A. 11 APRIL 1965.
(01) On 11 April 1965, Lt. (j.g.) (Lt.) William Edward SWANSON, USN, assigned to Attack Squadron 95 (VA-95), Carrier Air Wing 9 (CVW-9), USS Ranger (CVA-61), was flying a Douglas A-1H Skyraider on a Steel Tiger armed reconnaissance mission over Khammouan Province, Laos. Lt. (j.g.) SWANSON and an accompanying Skyraider came under intense AAA fire. Lt. (j.g.) SWANSON’s aircraft was hit; no parachute was seen nor was a radio transmission acknowledged before the A-1H descended into the jungle canopy. According to DOD reporting, in October 2000 a joint U.S./Laotian team was investigating a different crash in Khammouan Province when local villagers provided information on a crash that happened nearby in the mountains north of the town of Boualapha. The joint team investigated and discovered pieces of aircraft wreckage and unexploded ordnance, the same type of ordnance an A-1H would carry. In 2009, a joint team found more supporting evidence. In 2010, a team found human remains and two data plates, which had serial numbers that matched Lt. (j.g.) SWANSON’S aircraft. “Scientists from the joint POW/MIA Accounting Command used circumstantial and material evidence to identify SWANSON’s remains.”
a. Lt. (j.g.) (Lt.) William Edward SWANSON, USN. 01E 103.
- Remains Returned: 29 July 2010. Remains Identified: 20 January 2012.
b. In a 20 July 2012 interview with the SunPost (Minneapolis, MN), Lt. SWANSON’s brother stated that USS Ranger was due to return to Pearl Harbor when she was extended for two weeks to conduct missions in Laos. Steel Tiger began on 03 April 1965; Lt. SWANSON was killed eight days later.
(02) Operation Steel Tiger was an air campaign directed against enemy troop and resupply efforts within the panhandle of southern Laos. Steel Tiger was preceded by Operation Barrel Roll, which began on 14 December 1964. Subsequently, Barrel Roll concentrated on northern Laos, primarily in support of the Royal Lao Government forces of Gen. Vang PAO (1929-2011), and Steel Tiger concentrated primarily on interdiction of the Ho Chi Minh Trail (Truong Son Strategic Supply Route). The very interesting Laotian air campaign can get a little complicated and included other operations such as: (01) Operation Commando Hunt (another Ho Chi Minh Trail interdiction campaign, which commenced on 15 November 1968 and became noted for the use of B-52 “interdiction boxes,” AC-130 Spectre gunships, and the “truck count”), (02) Operation Tiger Hound (commenced in December 1965 to augment Steel Tiger Ho Chi Minh Trail interdiction), (03) Operation Igloo White (associated with the so-called “McNamara Line”), and (04) the significant contribution of Air America. The U.S. air war in Laos and Cambodia continued for a time (adding names to the Wall) after the 27 January 1973 Paris Accords.
(03) Prior to the 18 September 1962 military service unified aircraft designation system, the A-1H was designated as the AD-6.
B. 03 APRIL 1966.
(01) On 03 April 1966, Lt. Richard Lee LAWS, USN was the pilot of a Vought F-8E Crusader assigned to Fighter Squadron 24 (VF-24), Carrier Air Wing 21 (CVW-21), USS Hancock (CVA-19). He was on a defense suppression mission against a POL (Petroleum, Oil, Lubricants) site about 20 miles northwest of Thanh Hoa, Thanh Hoa Province, North Viet Nam. The Crusader was hit by AAA as it came off its bomb run; it hit the side of a hill and exploded. There was no evidence that Lt. LAWS ejected from the aircraft. According to DOD
Page 20 of 32 reporting, from 1994 to 2003, joint U.S./Vietnamese teams conducted interviews and excavations of the crash site. Human remains, U.S. aircraft wreckage, personal effects, and life-support equipment were recovered. In 2006, additional human remains, aircraft wreckage, life-support equipment, and personal effects were recovered. Scientists “used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, such as mitochondrial DNA – which matched LAWS’ mother” to make an identification.
a. Lt. Richard Lee LAWS, USN. 06E 080.
- Remains Returned: 23 November 1995. Remains Identified: 03 December 2012.
C. 18 MAY 1966.
(01) On the night of 17/18 May 1966, A1C Jerry Mack WALL, USAF was crewmember on a Fairchild C- 123B Provider assigned to the 310th Air Commando Squadron, 315th Air Commando Wing, which was on a Candlestick (flare drop) mission in South Viet Nam’s Central Highlands. When the Provider was about 10 miles northeast of An Khe, An Tuc District, Binh Dinh Province, it was hit by ground fire and burst into flames; the aircraft crashed. The remains of three of the five crewmembers were recovered; one crewmember remains unaccounted for (see below). According to DOD reporting, joint U.S./Vietnamese teams conducted interviews and excavations of the crash site from 2007 to 2012, which resulted in the recovery of human remains, a military identification tag associated with A1C WALL, and C-123 wreckage. “In the identification of the remains, scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence and forensic tools, such as radio graphs, dental records, and mitochondrial DNA-which matched WALL’s mother.”
a. http://rjsmith.com/II-Corps-TZ.html
(02) The status of the C-123B crew.
a. Capt. Stanley Gilbert COX, USAF. 07E 080.
- Initial recovery.
b. MSgt. Raymond Charles JAJTNER, USAF. 07E 082.
- Initial recovery.
c. A1C (SSgt.) William John MOORE, USAF. 07E 083.
- Killed In Action/Body Not Recovered.
d. A1C Jerry Mack WALL, USAF. 07E 084.
-Remains Returned: 11 April 2011. Remains Identified: 13 August 2012.
e. 1st Lt. Albert Richard WILSON, USAF. 07E 083.
- Initial recovery.
D. 19 NOVEMBER 1966.
Page 21 of 32
(01) On 19 November 1966, Capt. James Montgomery JOHNSTONE, USA (pilot) and Maj. James Lafayette WHITED, USA (co-pilot) were flying a Grumman OV-1A Mohawk on a reconnaissance mission over Attapu Province, Laos. Capt. JOHNSTONE was assigned to the 131st Aviation Company, I Corps Aviation Battalion (PROV), 17th Aviation Group, 1st Aviation Brigade and Maj. WHITED was assigned to “HHC”, 223rd Aviation Battalion, 17th Aviation Group, 1st Aviation Brigade. While the crew was conducting a reconnaissance mission in an area of high ridges and valleys, the Mohawk made a climbing turn to clear a ridge- line when the aircraft’s port wing hit a tree. The OV-1A crashed immediately. The crew of a cover aircraft did not see any parachutes, nor were any survival radio transmissions heard. The cover aircraft crew and an arriving helicopter crew determined that the crash was not survivable. Hostile force activity in the area made a ground search impossible. According to DOD reporting, joint U.S. and Laotian teams conducted witness interviews and several investigations of the crash site from 1993 to 2009. “The teams located human remains, military equipment, an identification card bearing JOHNSTONE’s name, and aircraft wreckage of an OV-1A, which correlated with the last known location of JOHNSTONE’s (and WHITED’s) aircraft. To identify the remains, scientists from JPAC analyzed circumstantial evidence and used forensic identification tools, such as dental comparisons.”
a. Capt. James Montgomery JOHNSTONE, USA. 12E 086.
- Remains Returned: 05 June 2009. Remains Identified: 09 July 2012.
b. Maj. James Lafayette WHITED, USA. 12E 093.
- Remains Returned: 05 June 2009. Remains Identified: 09 July 2012.
E. 30 JUNE 1967.
(01) On 30 June 1967, LCpl. Merlin Raye ALLEN, USMC, assigned to “A” Company, 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, was a passenger on a USMC Sikorsky CH-46A Sea Knight helicopter assigned to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 265 (HMM-265), Marine Aircraft Group 16 (MAG-16). The Sea Knight crew of four was inserting an eight-man reconnaissance team (Nettle Rash II) into an area about 16 kilometers (10 miles) south of Phu Bai, Thua Thien Province, I Corps, when it was hit by automatic weapons fire from all sides. The helicopter experienced a massive in-flight fire and broke up on impact. Ultimately, three HMM-265 crewmen and three Nettle Rash II team members survived, but the helicopter pilot and four reconnaissance team members (three Marines and one Navy corpsman) were killed. A fourth “A”/3 Marine succumbed to burn wounds on 02 July 1967. At this time, I do not have any information concerning the recovery operations regarding LCpl. ALLEN. Those who died in the incident:
a. LCpl. Merlin Raye ALLEN, USMC. 22E 086.
- Remains Returned: 25 June 2012. Remains Identified: 23 August 2012.
b. Capt. John Alexander HOUSE, II, USMC. 22E 087.
- Killed in Action/Body Not Recovered.
c. HM3 Michael Barry JUDD, USN. 22E 088.
Page 22 of 32
- Remains Returned: 25 June 2012. Remains Identified: 23 August 2012. I assume HM3 JUDD will be a future Wall Intervention.
d. LCpl. John Dewey KILLEN, III, USMC. 22E 088.
- Killed in Action/Body Not Recovered.
e. LCpl. Dennis Mitchell PERRY, USMC. 22E 112.
- Died on 02 July 1967 from burn wounds.
f. Cpl. Glyn Linal RUNNELS, Jr., USMC. 22E 090.
- Killed in Action/Body Not Recovered.
(02) http://www.rjsmith.com/I-Corps-hue-a-shau-north-of-danang.html
(03) Thua Thien Province is now Thua Thien-Hue Province.
F. 19 JULY 1967.
(01) On 19 July 1967 Lt. Dennis William PETERSON, USN was the pilot of a Sikorsky SH-3A Sea King helicopter, which was on a search-and-rescue (SAR) mission over North Viet Nam for a downed U.S. Navy aviator. The SH-3A was assigned to Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron 2 (HS-2), Carrier Air Wing 14 (CVW-14), USS Constellation (CV-64) and had a crew of four. The helicopter was shot down and all four crewmen were killed. This is a story of selflessness and heroism, worthy of telling. It involves a number of entities.
(02) The USS Oriskany (CVA-34) was back on line for combat operations on 14 July 1967. This was her first combat operation since she suffered a fire on 26 October 1966, in which 44 men were killed. On 14 July 1967, the air wing lost one Attack Squadron 164 (VA-164) Douglas A-4E Skyhawk. On 15 July 1967, a VA- 152 A-1H Skyraider was lost. On 16 July 1967, Fighter Squadron 162 (VF-162) lost a Vought F-8E Crusader. On 18 July 1967, a VA-164 A-4E Skyhawk was shot down over North Viet Nam; the pilot was Lt. Cdr. Richard Danner HARTMAN, USN. Two other VA-164 Skyhawks, which were providing protective cover for Lt. Cdr. HARTMAN were hit and crashed. A SH-3A tried to rescue Lt. Cdr. HARTMAN, but the helicopter was turned away because of intense AAA. Other aircraft and helicopters were hit by ground fire. A U.S. Air Force HH-3E “Jolly Green Giant” was able to rescue one of the downed A-4 pilots - Lt. (j.g.) Larrie J. DUTHIE, USN. The second A-4E pilot - Lt. (j.g.) Barry T. WOOD, USN - was able to crash off the coast and was rescued by the USS Richard B. Anderson (DD-786). On 19 July 1967, Lt. PETERSON and his crew attempted to rescue Lt. Cdr. Hartman, but the helicopter was shot down over Ha Nam Province, North Viet Nam. Lt. Cdr. HARTMAN was able to evade for a few days but was eventually captured. It is assumed that he was killed at the time of his capture or died shortly thereafter.
(03) A DOD report states: “In October 1982, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV) repatriated five boxes of remains to U.S. officials. In 2009, the remains within the boxes were identified as FRYE, JACKSON, and McGRANE. In 1993, a joint U.S./SRV team investigated a loss in Ha Nam Province. The team interviewed local villagers who identified possible burial sites linked to the loss. One local claimed to have buried the crewmen near the wreckage but indicated that both graves had subsequently been exhumed. Between 1994 and Page 23 of 32
2000, three joint U.S./SRV teams excavated the previous site and recovered additional remains. Analysis from the Joint POW/MIA Command Central Identification Laboratory subsequently designated these remains as the co-mingled remains of all four crewmen, including PETERSON. DOD scientists used forensic tools and circumstantial evidence in the identification of the remains.”
a. A DOD Press Release states that Lt. PETERSON’s SH-3A took off from USS Hornet (CVS-12). Lt. PETERSON’s DD 1300 (Report of Casualty) shows that he was assigned to USS Constellation (CVA-64).
(04) The status of Lt. PETERSON, his crew, and Lt. Cdr. HARTMAN:
a. Lt. Dennis William PETERSON, USN. 23E 092.
- Remains Returned: 20 November 2000. Remains Identified: 21 October 2011.
b. Ens. Donald Patrick FRYE, USN. 23E 090.
- Remains Returned: 14 October 1982. Remains Identified: 26 October 1982.
c. AX2 William Braxton JACKSON, USN. 23E 091.
- Remains Returned: 14 October 1982. Remains Identified: 26 October 1982.
- AX2: Aviation Antisubmarine Warfare Technician 2nd Class (E-5).
d. AX2 Donald Paul McGRANE, USN. 23E 092.
- Remains Returned: 14 October 1982. Remains Identified: 26 October 1982.
e. Lt. Cdr. (Cdr.) Richard Danner HARTMAN, USN. 23E 086.
- Remains Returned: 06 March 1974. Remains Identified: 17 April 1974.
(05) The pilot of the HH-3E, Maj. Glen P. YORK, USAF, was awarded the Air Force Cross.
(06) On 26 October 1967, USS Oriskany VA-161 A-4E Skyhawk pilot Lt. Cdr. John Sidney McCAIN, USN was shot down over Ha Noi and captured. He was released on 14 March 1973. Lt. Cdr. McCAIN was almost killed in the 29 July 1967 USS Forrestal (CVA-59) fire, which claimed the lives of 134 ship’s company and air wing personnel.
G. 05 JUNE 1971.
(01) Sgt. John Robert JONES, USA was part of a Green Beret and Montagnard team that was defending a radio-relay and radio intercept site known as Hickory Hill, which was located in Quang Tri Province, I Corps. Enemy forces attacked the site on the night of 04 June 1971. On the morning of 05 June 1971, Sgt. JONES was reportedly killed by hostile fire. According to DOD reporting, from 1993 to 2010 U.S. and Vietnamese teams conducted investigations at the site and interviewed multiple witnesses, including those involved in the battle. “In 2011, another joint U.S./Vietnamese team located human remains in a bunker suspected to be the last known location of JONES.” Scientists “… used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, such as dental records and mitochondrial DNA – which matched JONES’ mother and brother.”
Page 24 of 32
a. Sgt. John Robert JONES, USA. 03W 066.
- Remains Returned: 08 September 2011. Remains Identified: 23 July 2012.
b. http://www.rjsmith.com/Khe_Sanh_Lang_Vei_Monster_01.html
(03) On 01 March 1971, the U.S. Army 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) departed Viet Nam. Green Berets still remained in Viet Nam, namely those associated with MACV-SOG. The SOG (Studies and Observation Group) Command and Control designations CCN (for North), CCC (for Central), and CCS (for South) were changed to: Task Force 1, Advisory Element; Task Force 2, Advisory Element; and Task Force 3, Advisory Element. Elements of Task Force 1, Advisory Element occupied Outpost Hickory, which was located just north of the former Khe Sanh Combat Base airstrip in Quang Tri province. Also at Outpost Hickory were indigenous soldiers, U.S. Army Rangers, and U.S. Army sensor operators. The leader of the Montagnard security force was English-born SSgt. Jon R. CAVAIANI, who received multiple wounds during the fight. He was subsequently captured and was released on 27 March 1973. SSgt. CAVAIANI was awarded the MOH for his defense of Outpost Hickory; he retired as a sergeant major.
H. 15 MAY 1975.
(01) On 15 May 1975, PFC Daniel Andrew BENEDETT, USMC; PFC James Joseph JACQUES, USMC; PFC James Rickey MAXWELL, USMC; and PFC Richard William RIVENBURGH, USMC, all assigned to “G” Company, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division (“G”/2/9 3rd MARDIV), were aboard a USAF 21st Special Operations Squadron (21st SOS), 56th Special Operations Wing (56th SOW) Sikorsky CH-53C helicopter (Knife-31). Knife-31 was shot down as it approached East Beach of Koh Tang (Tang Island), which was located about 60 miles off the southwest coast of Cambodia. There were 26 military personnel aboard Knife-31. Thirteen were rescued by the USS Henry B. Wilson (DDG-7). Thirteen others were unaccounted for: 10 Marines, two Navy corpsmen, and the USAF co-pilot. The unaccounted for included the four aforementioned Marines.
(02) The last American deaths in Southeast Asia (the “Viet Nam” conflict) were the result of the Khmer Rouge “Navy’s” seizure of the U.S. merchant ship, SS Mayaguez, off the southwest coast of Cambodia on 12 May 1975. (The U.S. had evacuated Phnom Penh on 12 April 1975). On 13 May 1975, twenty-three USAF personnel were killed in a 21st SOS CH-53C (Knife-13), helicopter crash. Knife-13 and other USAF helicopters were en route from Nakhon Phanom, Thailand, to U-Tapao, Thailand, for possible operations regarding the recovery of the Mayaguez crew. It was subsequently thought that the Mayaguez crew was being held on Koh Tang. The decision was made to insert Marines carried on USAF 40th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron (40th ARRS) HH-53C (Jolly Green) and 21st SOS CH-53C (Knife) helicopters onto Koh Tang to conduct a rescue operation. Knife-31 was in the first wave on East Beach.
(03) On 15 May 1975, thirteen men were lost in the Knife-31 crash; one USAF crewman was lost in a CH- 53C (Knife-21) crash after landing Marines on West Beach; one Marine was killed in the fighting on Koh Tang and left behind; and three other Marines were left behind on Koh Tang. Much has been written about the latter three Marines, and I will address the conclusion of the official Marine Corps investigation and other opinions in a future Wall Note. (See Wall Note Twenty: Status of Names Associated With The 12-15 May 1975 Mayaguez Incident for details concerning the names, Wall location, and status of the 41 servicemen who were lost during the Mayaguez Incident.) Page 25 of 32
(04) DOD reports released in October 2012 and May 2013 summarize the story of the return and identification of the thirteen formerly unaccounted for Knife-31 servicemen.
a. U.S. and Cambodian specialists conducted multiple joint investigations between 1991 and 2008. Additionally, on three occasions Cambodian officials turned over remains believed to be associated with American servicemen. In 1995, with support of the USS Brunswick (ATS-3), a U.S./Cambodian team conducted underwater recovery operations in the area of the Knife-31 crash. Personal effects, aircraft debris, and remains were found.
- The 1995 underwater recovery operations are addressed in the Ralph WETTERHAM book, cited in paragraph 11.B.(13). USS Brunswick, a salvage and rescue ship was decommissioned in 1996 and subsequently transferred to South Korea.
(05) The four Knife-31 names associated with the 2013 Wall Interventions:
a. PFC Daniel Andrew BENEDETT, USMC. 01W 129.
- Remains Returned: 25 August 1991. Remains Identified: 30 January 2013.
b. PFC James Joseph JACQUES, USMC. 01W 131.
- Remains Returned: 06 December 1995. Remains Identified: 23 January 2012.
c. PFC James Rickey MAXWELL, USMC. 01W 131.
- Remains Returned: 06 December 1995. Remains Identified: 23 January 2012.
d. PFC Richard William RIVENBURGH, USMC. 01W 132.
- Remains Returned: 06 December 1995. Remains Identified: 23 January 2012.
(05) On 15 May 2013, a single casket funeral was held at Arlington National Cemetery for the thirteen servicemen who were lost on Knife-31.
(06) In the literature, there are differences regarding the SS Mayaguez crew number; the unit identification of the USAF security police squadron; the unit association of Sgt. Paul J. RABER, USAF; and speculation concerning the left-behind Marines. I will address these issues in a future Wall Note.
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10. NAME THAT WAS MISSING A STATUS SYMBOL.
A. 2nd Lt. Dennis Michael SKOGERBOE, USA, “B” Company, 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division, was killed by mortar fire in Hau Nghia Province, III Corps on 24 August 1969. A diamond symbol was etched next to his name. 19W 110.
(01) The former Hau Nghia Province is now divided between Tay Ninh and Long An Provinces.
11. SELECTED REFERENCES / SUGGESTED READING.
A. GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS / OFFICIAL HISTORIES / GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS.
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(01) Anthony, Victor B. and Richard Sexton. The United States Air Force In Southeast Asia: The War In Northern Laos, 1954-1973. Washington, DC: Center For Air Force History, United States Air Force, 1993.
(02) Argo, Jr., Col. R.W., USA. “Analysis of the Khe Sanh Situation in Light of Previous Sieges.” Memorandum, 03 March 1968.
(03) Bolger, Daniel P. Americans at War: 1975-1986, An Era of Violent Peace. Novato, CA: Presidio, 1988.
(04) Brown, Maj. Peter C, USMC. “Investigation to Inquiries into the Circumstances Surrounding the Missing in Action Status in the Case of Private First Class Gary C. Hall 0331 USMC, Lance Corporal Joseph N. Hargrove 0331 USMC, and Private Danny G. Marshall 0311 USMC.” United States Marine Corps, Headquarters, 3rd Marine Division (-) (Reinforced) FMF, 7 June 1975.
(05) Carlile, Lt. Col. Donald E., USA. “The Mayaguez Incident-Crisis Management.” Military Review, October 1976.
(06) “Command Chronology: June 1967.” Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 265, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 1st Marine Air Wing, FMF, 05 July 1967.
(07) “Command Chronology: 01 January to 31 January 1968.” Headquarters, 3rd Battalion, 26th Marines, 3rd Marine Division (Reinf), FMF, 10 February 1968.
(08) “Command Dairy For 22 -30 June 1965.” Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 261, Marine Aircraft Group 16 (-), 1st Marine Air Wing, FMF Pacific, 03 July 1965.
(09) Correll, John T. “The Fall of Lima Site 85.” Air Force Magazine, April 2006.
(10) Dunham, Maj. George R., USMC and Col. David A. Quinlan, USMC. U.S. Marines In Vietnam: The Bitter End, 1973-1975. Washington, DC: History And Museums Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, 1990.
(11) Kissinger, Henry A. “Debrief of the Mayaguez Captain and Crew.” Memorandum to the President, 19 May 1975.
(12) Linder, James C. “The Fall of Lima Site 85.” Studies in Intelligence, Vol 38, No. 5, 1995.
(13) Nevgloski, Sr., Maj. Edward T., USMC. “An Analysis of the Special Landing Force During the Vietnam War From 1965-1969.” United States Marine Corps Command And Staff College, March 2008.
(14) Patrick, Urey R. Mayaguez Operation. Washington, DC: Center for Naval Analysis, Marine Corps Operations Analysis Group, April 1977.
(15) Seizure of the Mayaguez. Hearings and Reports Before the Committee on International Relations and Its Subcommittee on International Political and Military Affairs, House of Representatives. Ninety-Fourth Congress. Parts I-III – Hearings. Part IV – Reports of the Comptroller General of the United States. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1976.
(16) “The Mayaguez Incident 1975.” Camp Smith, Hawaii: Commander In Chief Pacific Command History, Appendix VI, 1976 Page 28 of 32
(17) Tilford, Earl H. The United States Air Force Search and Rescue in Southeast Asia. Washington, DC: Center for Air Force History, United States Air Force, 1992.
(18) Thompson, Wayne. To Hanoi And Back: The U.S. Air Force And North Vietnam, 1966-1973. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press, 2000.
(19) Vallentiny, Capt. Edward, USAF. The Fall of Site 85. Oahu, HI: HQ PACAF, Directorate of Tactical Evaluation, CHECO Division, 9 August 1968, declassified in 1988.
(20) Berger, Carl, ed. The United States Air Force in Southeast Asia: An Illustrated Account. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History, 1984.
B. BOOKS.
(01) Castle, Timothy N. One Day Too Long: Top Secret Site 85 and the Bombing of North Vietnam. New York: Columbia University Press, 1999.
(02) Conboy, Kenneth and James Morrison. Shadow War: The CIA’s Secret War in Laos. Boulder, CO: Paladin Press, 1995.
(03) Chun, Clayton K.S. The Last Boarding Party: The USMC and the Mayaguez 1975. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing, 2011.
(04) Guilmartin, Jr., John F. A Very Short War: The Mayaguez and the Battle of Koh Tang. College Station, TX: Texas A&M University Press, 1996.
(05) Mahoney, Robert J. The Mayaguez Incident: Testing America’s Resolve in the Post-War Vietnam Era. Lubbock, TX: Texas Tech University Press, 2011.
(06) Plaster, John L. SOG: A Photo History of the Secret Wars. Boulder, CO: Paladin Press, 2000.
(07) Plaster, John. SOG: The Secret Wars of America’s Commandos in Vietnam. New York: Onyx, 1997.
(08) Reminick, Gerald. An Act of Piracy: The Seizure of the American-flag Merchant Ship Mayaguez in 1975. Palo Alto, CA: Glencannon Press, 2009.
(09) Robbins, Christopher. The Ravens: The Men Who Flew In America’s Secret War In Laos. New York: Crown Publishing, 1987.
(10) Rowan, Roy. The Four Days of the Mayaguez. New York: W.W. Norton, 1975.
(11) Toperczer, Istvan. MiG-17 and MiG-19 Units Of The Vietnam War. Oxford, England: Osprey Publishing, 2001.
(12) Warner, Roger. Backfire: The CIA’s Secret War in Laos and Its Link to the War in Vietnam. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1995.
(13) Wetterham, Ralph. The Last Battle: The Mayaguez and the End of the Vietnam War. New York: Plume, 2001.
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(14) Wise, James E. and Scott Baron. The 14-Hour War: Valor on Koh Tang and the Recapture of SS Mayaguez. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 2011.
C. MAGAZINE / JOURNAL ARTICLES.
(01) “A Strong but Risky Show of Force.” Time, 26 May 1975.
(02) Brush, Peter. “Battle of Khe Sanh: Recounting the Battle’s Casualties.” Vietnam, June 2007.
(03) Cagle, Vice Adm. Malcolm, USN. “Task Force 77 in Action Off Vietnam.” Naval Review, May 1972.
(04) Davis, Maj. Joe, USAF. “Last Battle, Lost Men: Search Efforts for Koh Tang MIAs.” The VVA Veteran, October1999/November 1999.
(05) “Ford’s Rescue Operation.” Newsweek, 26 May 1975.
(06) Herr, Michael. “Khesanh”. Esquire, September 1969.
(07) Herr, Michael. “Conclusion at Khesanh.” Esquire, October 1969
(08) Hunter, Rick. “Three Marine MIAs-fate unknown?” VFW, May 2000.
(09) Hunter, Rick. “The Last Firefight.” Vietnam, August 2010.
(10) Isac, Eugene. “The Day The Sergeants Went To War.” Sergeants, July 2003.
(11) Lamb, Chris. “Belief Systems and Decision Making in the Mayaguez Crisis.” Political Science Quarterly, Winter 1984-1985.
(12) “‘Mayday’ for the Mayaguez.” Proceedings, November 1976.
D. NEWSPAPER ARTICLES.
(01) Burke, Matthew. “Fate of Marines Left Behind in Cambodia in 1975 Haunts Comrades.” Stars & Stripes, 04 April 2013.
(02) Gross, Natalie. “New Mexico Man Honored For Vietnam War Sacrifice Five Decades Later.” Carlsbad Current-Argus, 10 May 2013.
(03) Jones, Meg. “Ladysmith Marine’s Name Being Added to Vietnam Veterans Memorial.” Journal Sentinel (Wisconsin), 10 May 2013.
(04) Lantigua, John. “New Name on Vietnam Memorial: Ray Thompson, a West Palm Vet Who Helped Many Others.” The Palm Beach Post, 12 May 2013.
(05) “The Assault on Koh Tang.” Navy Times, 27 August 1975.
(06) “23 GIs Die In Thailand Helo Crash.” Pacific Stars & Stripes, 15 May 1975.
12. PREVIOUS WALL NOTES.
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A. TITLE AND DATE OF INFORMATION.
(01) WALL NOTE ONE. The Mayaguez Incident. 25 March 2007.
(02) WALL NOTE TWO. The Fall of Sai Gon: 30 April 1975. 06 May 2008.
(03) WALL NOTE THREE. The Search and Rescue Mission of 08 October 1963. 05 September 2008.
(04) WALL NOTE FOUR. U.S. Unaccounted For in Southeast Asia and East Asia. 06 March 2009.
(05) WALL NOTE FIVE. Arrangements of Names on the Wall: Sp4 Lose and the “Lost Platoon.” 15 April 2009.
(06) WALL NOTE SIX. The Incident of 08 July 1959. 14 July 2009.
(07) WALL NOTE SEVEN. Wall Names Associated With the People’s Republic of China. 18 November 2009.
(08) WALL NOTE EIGHT. U.S. Unaccounted For in Southeast Asia and East Asia (Update One). 27 February 2010.
(09) WALL NOTE NINE. 2010 Vietnam Veterans Memorial Interventions. 01 July 2010.
(10) WALL NOTE TEN. The Ia Drang Valley/Plei Ku/Plei Me Campaign. In Preparation.
(11) WALL NOTE ELEVEN. Medal of Honor Recipients on the Wall. 01 August 2011.
(12) WALL NOTE TWELVE. U.S. Unaccounted For in Southeast Asia and East Asia (Update Two). 10 March 2011.
(13) WALL NOTE THIRTEEN. 2011 Vietnam Veterans Memorial Interventions. 25 May 2011.
(14) WALL NOTE FOURTEEN. Billie Joe Williams and Billie Joe Williams. In Preparation.
(15) WALL NOTE FIFTEEN. U.S. Unaccounted For in Southeast Asia and East Asia (Update Three). 09 February 2012.
(16) WALL NOTE SIXTEEN. 2012 Vietnam Veterans Memorial Interventions. 23 May 2012.
(17) WALL NOTE SEVENTEEN. The Mayaguez Incident (Update One). In Preparation.
(18) WALL NOTE EIGHTEEN. U.S. Unaccounted for in Southeast Asia and East Asia (Update Four ). 11 March 2013.
(19) WALL NOTE NINETEEN. 2013 Vietnam Veterans Memorial Interventions. 19 July 2013.
(20) WALL NOTE TWENTY. Status of Names Associated With the 12-15 May 1975 Mayaguez Incident. 16 May 2013.
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END
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