WALL NOTE SIXTEEN: 2012 VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL INTERVENTIONS
DANIEL R. ARANT [email protected] DATE OF INFORMATION: 23 MAY 2012
01. PURPOSE. This Wall Note lists the names and locations of the twenty-three service members that compose the 2012 Wall Interventions. The names are divided into three categories: (01) Name Additions, (02) Status Changes, and (03) a Spelling Correction. As in previous years, the original 2012 VVMF list included the names of those whose remains were returned and identified and who already had a diamond symbol; the final 2012 VVMF Interventions list did not include this category. Since I already did most of the research regarding these names, I include them in this Wall Note; their stories include examples of the methodology of how remains are returned and identified. Paragraph 05 contains: (01) a list of all the names, (02) date of incident, (03) date of death, (04) date remains were returned, and (05) date remains were identified. Paragraphs 06 and 07 contain a chronological description of the incidents associated with each name. This information may be helpful for rangers and volunteers to answer Wall visitor questions.
A. For the “down-in-the-weeds” readers, “value-added” Indochina historical comments may be found in paragraphs: (01) 06.B. (26 May 1966 Incident), (02) 07.A. (15 March 1966 Incident), (03) 07.D. (03 July 1966 Incident), (04) 07.I. (07 February 1968 Incident), and (05) 08. A Special Note.
02. DISCLAIMER. This Wall Note is not an official publication of the U.S. National Park Service (USNPS), the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF), or the Department of Defense (DOD). I am in debt to Captain Henry “Hank” Schultz, USN (Ret.) for providing informative information concerning details of the 26 May 1966 U.S. Navy EA-3B Skywarrior incident. As always, nonpareil researcher Bruce Swander was of great assistance in providing me with backup documents vis-à-vis a number of the Interventions cases. My thanks to Linda R. M. Seale for proofreading support. But 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.
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A. Overall Maps of Viet Nam.
(01) http://www.rjsmith.com/Vietmap.html
(02) http://www.rjsmith.com/Viet-MR-map.html
04. SUMMARY. During May 2012, the following Interventions were completed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial (VVM).
A. Ten names were added.
B. Twelve names had their remains identified and their status was changed from “MIA” (plus symbol) to “KIA” (diamond symbol).
C. Ten names had their remains identified, but they were already denoted with diamond symbols. (These names are not included on the final VVMF Interventions list).
D. One name was a corrected name spelling.
05. NAME LIST SUMMARY. The rank held at the time of the incident is followed by the posthumous rank, if applicable.
A. TEN NAME ADDITIONS.
(01) ATC Joseph William AUBIN, USN. 09E 012.
a. Date of Incident: 26 May 1966. Date of Death: 26 May 1966.
(02) PFC Johnny Owen BROOKS, USA. 16W 106.
a. Date of Incident: 14 November 1969. Date of Death: 24 September 2011.
(03) Sp4 David Lawrence “Larry” DECKARD, USA. 28W 094.
a. Date of Incident: 24 March 1969. Date of Death: 06 January 2006.
(04) Lt. (j.g.) David McLean DESILETS, USN. 10E 077.
a. Date of Incident: 04 September 1966. Date of Death: 04 September 1966.
(05) ATR3 Richard Carl HUNT, USN. 07E 112.
a. Date of Incident: 26 May 1966. Date of Death: 26 May 1966.
(06) PFC Larry Morgan KELLY, USA. 19W 095.
a. Date of Incident: 22 August 1969. Date of Death: 12 June 2010. (VVMF lists the Wall location as 19W 094 and the date of death as 14 June 2010.)
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(07) AN Albert Kalahana KUEWA, USN. 02E 042.
a. Date of Incident: 18 September 1964. Date of Death: 18 September 1964.
(08) Lt. Walter Allan LINZY, USN. 08E 017.
a. Date of Incident: 26 May 1966. Date of Death: 26 May 1966.
(09) Cpl. Frank A. NEARY, USMC. 15E 096.
a. Date of Incident: 24 February 1967. Date of Death: 22 November 2006.
(10) ATR3 Richard Dwaine STOCKER, USN. 15E 036.
a. Date of Incident: 26 May 1966. Date of Death: 26 May 1966.
B. STATUS CHANGES: TWELVE NAMES CHANGED FROM “MIA” (PLUS) TO “KIA” (DIAMOND).
(01) Capt. Charles Ronald BARNES, USA. 29W 050.
a. Date of Incident: 16 March 1969.
b. Remains Returned: 27 June 2000. Remains Identified: 08 August 2011.
(02) Capt. (Col.) Leo Sydney BOSTON, USAF. 07E 007.
a. Date of Incident: 29 April 1966.
b. Remains Returned: 26 April 2000. Remains Identified: 04 April 2011.
(03) Lt. (j.g.) (Lt. Cdr.) Edward James BROMS, Jr., USN. 50W 041.
a. Date of Incident: 01 August 1968.
b. Remains Returned: 04 August 1993. Remains Identified: 12 September 2011.
(04) SSgt. (SFC) William Theodore BROWN, USA. 16W 022.
a. Date of Incident: 03 November 1969.
b. Remains Returned: 13 April 2010. Remains Identified: 06 January 2011.
(05) Capt. (Maj.) Thomas Edward CLARK, USAF. 33W 084.
a. Date of Incident: 08 February 1969.
b. Remains Returned: 16 November 2005. Remains Identified: 03 June 2011.
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(06) Cdr. Frank Clifford GREEN, Jr., USN. 01W 055.
a. Date of Incident: 10 July 1972.
b. Remains Returned: 09 December 2008. Remains Identified: 01 November 2010.
(07) 1st Lt. (Maj.) Bruce Edward LAWRENCE, USAF. 53W 021.
a. Date of Incident: 05 July 1968.
b. Remains Returned: 26 June 1998. Remains Identified: 31 May 2011.
(08) Sp4 (SFC) James Leslie MORELAND, USA. 38E 007.
a. Date of Incident: 07 February 1968.
b. Remains Returned: 12 April 1995. Remains Identified: 13 October 2010.
(09) Maj. (Col.) Gilbert Swain PALMER, Jr., USAF. 41E 053.
a. Date of Incident: 27 February 1968.
b. Remains Returned: 17 November 2009. Remains Identified: 19 May 2011.
(10) Sp4 (SFC) Donald Monroe SHUE, USA. 16W 024.
a. Date of Incident: 03 November 1969.
b. Remains Returned: 13 April 2010. Remains Identified: 06 January 2011.
(11) Maj. (Lt. Col.) Edward Dean SILVER, USAF. 53W 023.
a. Date of Incident: 05 July 1968.
b. Remains Returned: 26 June 1998. Remains Identified: 31 May 2011.
(12) Capt. (Maj.) Charles Milton WALLING, USAF. 09E 119.
a. Date of Incident: 08 August 1966.
b. Remains Returned: 13 April 2010. Remains Identified: 30 November 2011.
C. STATUS CHANGES: TEN NAMES THAT WERE ALREADY DENOTED WITH A DIAMOND (“KIA”). When the Wall was dedicated on 13 November 1982, the killed in action/body not recovered (KIA/BNR) names were denoted with a diamond (“KIA”) symbol. Therefore, when these remains are returned/identified no status change is required. On an ancillary note, there are many names on the Wall with a diamond symbol with no remains returned/identified.
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(01) PFC Wayne BIBBS, USA. 01W 040.
a. Date of Incident: 11 June 1972.
b. Remains Returned: 29 July 2008. Remains Identified: 07 February 2011.
(02) Lt. Cdr. William Patrick EGAN, USN. 07E 008.
a. Date of Incident: 29 April 1966.
b. Remains Returned: 22 December 2009. Remains Identified: 11 February 2011.
(03) Sp4 (Sgt.) David Earl LEMCKE, USA. 64E 016.
a. Date of Incident: 21 May 1968.
b. Remains Returned: 23 June 2011. Remains Identified: 12 September 2011.
(04) Maj. (Lt. Col.) Glenn David McELROY, USA. 16E 095.
a. Date of Incident: 15 March 1966.
b. Remains Returned: 18 November 2008. Remains Identified: 05 February 2010.
c. The Army Report of Casualty Summary form states: “He was officially reported as missing as of the fifteenth day of March 1966. … death is presumed to have occurred on the sixteenth day of March 1967.” The VVMF Directory of Names lists the casualty date as 16 March 1967. See entry for Capt. John Michel NASH.
(05) Capt. John Michel NASH, USA. 06E 011.
a. Date of Incident: 15 March 1966.
b. Remains Returned: 18 November 2008. Remains Identified: 05 February 2010.
c. The U. S Army Report of Casualty form states: “He was officially reported as missing as of the fifteenth day of March 1966. … death is presumed to have occurred on the sixteenth day of March 1966. The VVMF Directory of Names lists the casualty date as 15 March 1966. See entry for Maj. (Lt. Col.) Glenn David McELROY.
(06) Sp4 Marvin Foster PHILLIPS, USA. 11E 020.
a. Date of Incident: 26 September 1966.
b. Remains Returned: 24 June 2010. Remains Identified: 29 July 2011.
(07) MSgt. Ralph Joseph RENO, USA. 08E 126.
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a. Date of Incident: 03 July 1966.
b. Remains Returned: 13 April 2010. Remains Identified: 01 October 2010.
(08) Capt. Darrell John SPINLER, USAF. 22E 032.
a. Date of Incident: 21 June 1967.
b. Remains Returned: 17 November 2010. Remains Identified: 05 January 2011.
(09) 1st Lt. David Albert THORPE, USAF. 11E 041.
a. Date of Incident: 03 October 1966.
b. Remains Returned: N/I. Remains Identified: 05 January 2011.
(10) Sp4 Robin Ray YEAKLEY, USA. 01W 041.
a. Date of Incident: 11 June 1972.
b. Remains Returned: 29 July 2008. Remains Identified: 07 February 2011.
D. CORRECTED NAME SPELLING.
(01) Cpl. Roland Mark SETTIMI, USA. 24W 036.
a. Name corrected from Ronald Mark Settimi. 25W 084.
06. CHRONOLOGICAL LISTING AND DESCRIPTIONS OF INCIDENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE TEN 2012 NAME ADDITIONS.
A. 18 SEPTEMBER 1964.
(01) AN Albert Kalahana KUEWA, USN. 02E 042.
a. AN (Airman E-3) Albert K. Kuewa was serving on the USS Ranger (CVA-61) in the South China Sea. On 18 September 1964, he was struck and killed by an aircraft propeller while he was carrying out his duties on the carrier’s flight deck.
b. USS Ranger with Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW-9) embarked made its first Viet Nam- associated Western Pacific (WESTPAC) deployment from 05 August 1964 - 06 May 1965.
B. 26 MAY 1966.
(01) ATC Joseph William AUBIN, USN. 09E 012.
(02) ATR3 Richard Carl HUNT, USN. 07E 112
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(03) Lt. Walter Allan LINZY, USN. 08E 017.
(04) ATR3 Richard Dwaine STOCKER, USN. 15E 036.
a. This paragraph is a synopsis of the incident; paragraphs that follow provide backup/explanatory information. On 26 May 1966, ATC Joseph W. Aubin, ATR3 Richard C. Hunt, Lt. Walter A. Linzy, and ATR3 Richard D. Stocker were part of a crew of seven onboard a U.S. Navy Douglas EA-3B Skywarrior. The crew was composed of: (01) pilot, (02) navigator, (03) enlisted plane captain, and (04) four electronic warfare specialists (one officer evaluator and three enlisted electronic warfare equipment operators). The four Wall name additions associated with the EA-3B incident were the members of the electronic warfare specialist team. The aircraft was assigned to Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron One (FAIRECONRON ONE) or VQ-1. The three flight crew members and the four electronic warfare specialists were assigned to VQ-2. On 26 May 1966, USS Enterprise (CVAN-65) was scheduled to conduct eight cycles of air strikes against targets in North Viet Nam. Two onboard VQ-1 EA-3B Skywarriors were scheduled to support the air strikes and each EA-3B was to cover four cycles, alternating after every two cycles. The mission of the EA-3Bs was to provide the fighter (F-4B Phantom II) and attack (A-4C Skyhawk) aircraft with early warning information concerning the enemy radar threat, specifically, radars associated with surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), antiaircraft artillery (AAA), and MiG fighter bases. On 25 May 1966, one of the Skywarriors had a hydraulic failure. The remaining aircraft could not support all eight strike cycles. The new plan was for a second EA-3B to be flown directly from Naval Air Station Cubi Point, Philippines, to the combat area, cover Enterprise’s first two combat cycles, and land aboard the carrier. The now two operational Skywarriors would alternate to provide combat support for the strike aircraft. En route to the combat area, the Cubi Point Skywarrior began to encounter light to moderate rain and some buffeting. (An approaching typhoon was moving into the area faster than predicted.) When the aircraft was about 155 miles from Cubi Point and flying at an altitude of about 31,000 feet, the aircraft began to experience severe buffeting. The aircraft went nose over and the pilot lost control. At the same time, both of the aircraft’s jet engines alternatively flashed fire. When the EA-3B descended to an estimated 18,000 to 15,000 feet, the pilot ordered the crew to bail out. The four electronic warfare specialists, ATC Aubin, ATR3 Hunt, Lt. Linzy, and ATR3 Stocker, bailed out of the aircraft. There was a delay among the three flight crew members in the cockpit in exiting the aircraft. Almost by serendipity, when the Skywarrior had descended to an estimated 12,000 to 10,000 feet, the pilot regained control of the aircraft and no further bailouts were made. The bailout location of the four crewmen was reported to search and rescue forces, and the aircraft returned safely to Cubi Point. A subsequent search of the area located Lt. Linzy’s life vest. The remains of ATR3 Stocker were found on 31 May 1966. ATC Aubin, ATR3 Hunt, and Lt. Linzy remain missing.
b. It was determined initially that the four electronic warfare specialists were lost on an operational mission and not on a combat mission. Recently, the navigator’s logbook came to light. An entry in the logbook showed clearly that the flight was coded as a combat mission:
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4V2. A VVMF Press Release states that Navy records document that the aircraft was “participating in a combat mission en route to a target within the defined combat zone.” The breakdown of the 4V2 code, which was used at the time:
- 4: Instrument Flight Rules (IFR).
- V: Combat mission, reconnaissance.
- 2: Electronic countermeasures (ECM) or radar.
c. VQ-2 was homebased in Rota, Spain, but because of requirements beyond the capacity of VQ-1, some VQ-2 aircraft, flight crews, and electronic warfare specialists augmented VQ-1 during the Viet Nam conflict.
d. There are many instances of names on the Wall whereby an aircraft crashed en route to or en route from a Viet Nam mission. For example, in 1986, 110 names were added to the Wall. Ninety-five of these were “Servicemen who died during the Vietnam War outside the war zone while on or in support of direct combat missions.” The 95 names included those who died in aircraft crashes associated with Okinawa, Guam, Wake Island, Taiwan, Thailand, and the Indian Ocean (“special case.”).
e. I do not have a copy of the official accident investigation report, but Capt. Hank Schultz, USN, (Ret.) after a conversation with the EA-3B’s navigator, opined that a major cause of the incident may have been the icing of the aircraft’s Pitot tube and/or wing slat(s).
- The Pitot tube is a device located on the outside of an aircraft. The tube has two holes that measures the differential between stagnation and static pressure and is one of the methods to calculate the aircraft’s airspeed. If the Pitot tube ices, the pilot’s airspeed indicator may show that his airspeed is higher than it actually is. Eventually, this may cause the aircraft to stall.
- During an aircraft’s takeoff, lift may be enhanced by temporarily increasing the area of the wing by movable slats located on the front of the wing. If a slat fails to retract properly (e.g., due to icing), this could result in an asymmetry that could result in buffeting. Next time you are on a commercial flight, note the movement of the slats (front of the wing) and the flaps (rear of the wing).
f. For enlisted personnel, the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard use the term rate instead of rank; the term rating refers to the individual’s occupational specialty. Pay grades in all U.S. services for enlisted personnel go from E-1 to E-9. The Navy and Coast Guard may also use the term petty officer, going from petty officer third class (E-4) to master chief petty officer (E-9). Navy and Coast Guard warrant officers and officers use the term rank. Since the Viet Nam era, many of the Navy’s ratings have been abolished or consolidated.
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- ATR3. (01) AT: Aviation Electronics Technician (02) R: Radar and Radar Navigation Equipment. (03) Petty Officer 3rd Class. (04) Pay Grade: E-4.
- ATC. (01) Chief Aviation Electronics Technician. (02) Chief Petty Officer. (03) Pay Grade: E-7.
g. The twin- jet engine Douglas A-3 Skywarrior (affectionately known as the “Whale”) was originally designed to deliver nuclear weapons from aircraft carriers. It was the heaviest Navy aircraft to be operationally deployed on aircraft carriers (see the paragraph following regarding a heavier aircraft association with a carrier). The prototype flew on 28 October 1952 and was first deployed operationally in 1956. As the size and weight of nuclear weapons decreased, carrier- based fighter-sized aircraft such as the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk could deliver tactical nuclear weapons. Also, the Navy’s strategic deterrence mission was also invested in Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarines (FBM). Modified A-3 airframes proved extremely useful in aerial tanker, photographic reconnaissance, electronic reconnaissance and electronic countermeasures, trainer, and transport roles. Author Capt. Robert C. “Barney” Rubel, USN, (Ret.) states that “… of the 281 A-3s built, 108 (38 percent) were lost …” Twenty-one of these aircraft losses were associated with the Viet Nam conflict, resulting in 43 fatalities.
- During feasibility tests in October and November 1963, Lt. James H. Flately, III, USN and Lt. Cdr. W.W. “Smokey” Stovall, USN flew a USMC Lockheed KC-130F Hercules on and off the USS Forrestal (CVA-59). The highest gross take-off weight was 121,000-lbs. A total of 29 touch-and-goes and 21 unarrested landings were completed.
h. The EA-3B was specially configured for the Tactical Signal Exploitation System (TASES) mission. In lieu of a bomb bay, the EA-3B was configured with a pressurized compartment, which could accommodate one evaluator and three electronic countermeasures (ECM) operators. The electronics equipment included signal analyzers, recorders, and direction finders. The EA-3B was distinguished by its ventral “canoe,” which contained some of the electronic equipment. For a primer on the many aspects and acronyms associated with Viet Nam era electronic warfare, see paragraph 09.B.(16).
i. Interestingly, the operable EA-3B on board Enterprise on 26 May 1966 is now a part of the Patriot’s Point Naval and Maritime Museum in Charleston Harbor. It is on board the USS Yorktown (CV-10/CVA-10/CVS-10). Another EA-3B may be seen at National Vigilance Park, a part of the National Cryptologic Museum adjacent to the National Security Agency (NSA) at Ft. Meade, Maryland. The other two EA-3Bs associated with the 26 May 1966 “story” were eventually lost at sea during aircraft carrier operations.
j. If the reader is a fan of conspiracy theories, the Internet is chockfull of articles “proving” that a Douglas A-3 Skywarrior and not a Boeing 757 crashed into the Pentagon on 11 September 2001.
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k. USS Enterprise (CVAN-65) was the U. S. Navy’s first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. Her first WESTPAC combat deployment was 26 October 1965-21 June 1966. During this period, Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW-9) lost twenty aircraft, to include twelve A-4C Skyhawks.
(05) A-3 SKYWARRIOR SERIES LOSSES ASSOCIATED WITH THE VIET NAM CONFLICT. Twenty-one aircraft were lost in a variety of combat and operational incidents, resulting in 43 deaths.
a. 27 December 1964. A-3B. VAH-4. USS Hancock (CVA-19). One Killed. Three Survived.
b. 24 February 1965. A-3B. VAH-2. USS Coral Sea (CVA-43). One Killed. Three Survived.
c. 25 May 1965. A-3B. VAH-4. USS Oriskany (CVA-34). Four Survived.
d. 01 April 1966. A-3B. VAH-4. USS Enterprise (CVAN-65). Three Killed.
e. 12 April 1966. KA-3B. VAH-4. USS Kitty Hawk (CVA-63). Four Killed. (Note: This aircraft was shot down by a PRC MiG aircraft. See Wall Note Seven: Wall Names Associated With The People’s Republic of China.)
f. 26 May 1966. EA-3B. VQ-1. Cubi Point, P.I. Four Killed (VQ-2 electronic warfare technicians). Three survived (VQ-2 flight crew).
g. 13 June 1966. RA-3B. VAP-61. USS Hancock (CVA-19). Three Killed.
h. 02 October 1966. A-3B. VAH-2. USS Coral Sea (CVA-43). Four Survived.
i. 08 March 1967. A-3B. VAH-4. USS Kitty Hawk (CVA-63). Three Killed.
j. 28 July 1967. KA-3B. VAH-4. USS Oriskany (CVA-34). Two Killed. One Survived.
k. 25 August 1967. RA-3B. VAP-61. Cubi Point/Da Nang. Three Killed.
l. 14 October 1967. RA-3B. VAP-61. Cubi Point/Da Nang. One Killed. One Survived.
m. 21 October 1967. KA-3B. VAH-4. USS Oriskany (CVA-34). Four Survived.
n. 03 November 1967. KA-3B. VAH-8. USS Constellation (CVA-64). Three Killed.
o. 01 January 1968. RA-3B. VAP-61. Cubi Point/Da Nang. Three Killed.
p. 17 February 1969. KA-3B. VAH-10. USS Coral Sea (CVA-43). Three Killed.
q. 08 August 1969. RA-3B. VAP-61. Cubi Point/Da Nang . Four Survived.
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r. 16 May 1970. EKA-3B. VAQ-135. Cubi Point/Da Nang. Three Killed.
s. 04 July 1970. EKA-3B. VAQ-132. USS America (CVA-66). Three Survived.
t. 18 June 1971. EKA-3B. VAQ-130. Da Nang. Three Killed.
u. 21 January 1973. EKA-3B. VAQ-130. USS Ranger (CVA-61). Three Killed.
v. The U.S. Air Force version (in fact a substantially new airframe) of the Douglas A-3 Skywarrior was the Douglas B-66 Destroyer. The USAF did not deploy the B-66 bomber version in Viet Nam, but it did deploy photographic reconnaissance and electronic warfare variants, designated RB-66B, RB-66C, EB-66B, EB-66C, and EB-66E. Fourteen of the aircraft were lost, resulting in 28 fatalities and 12 POWs. An EB-66C shot down on 02 April 1972 by a surface-to-air missile (SAM) was the famous Bat-21. One of the crewmen on board a RB-66C lost to a SAM on 20 July 1966 was Capt. (Col.) Norman A. McDaniel. Capt. McDaniel became a POW. During the Veterans Day 1996 Wall ceremonies, Col. McDaniel shared the speaker’s platform with Phan Thi Kim Phuc (The Girl In The Picture: The Story of Kim Phuc, the Photograph, and the Vietnam War). Unlike the Navy A-3 and variants, the Air Force B-66 and variants had ejection seats.
C. 04 SEPTEMBER 1966.
(01) Lt. (j.g.) David McLean DESILETS, USN. 10E 077.
a. Lt. (j.g.) David M. Desilets served as communications officer on board USS Pyro (AE- 24). While Pyro was on a deployment in the South China Sea, David Desilets died of meningitis on 04 September 1966.
b. USS Pyro was a Suribachi-class ammunition ship, which supplied Tonkin Gulf-deployed aircraft carriers with ordnance. She was decommissioned on 31 May 1994
D. 24 FEBRUARY 1967.
(01) Cpl. Frank A. NEARY, USMC. 15E 096.
a. Cpl. Frank Neary served with Delta Company, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. On 24 February 1967, Frank Neary was wounded by small arms fire while he was on a patrol in Binh Son District, Quang Ngai Province, the southernmost Province in I Corps. Frank Neary died on 22 November 2006. The Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery determined that: “Cpl. Neary died of a stroke due to an intracranial bleed, chronic thrombolytic therapy, and occluded bypass graft of his left leg.” The Marine Corps reviewed the records and determined that he died of the wounds he sustained in combat in Vietnam.
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b. In late spring 1967, the U.S. Army assumed control over the two southern provinces (Quang Ngai and Quang Tin) of I Corps and the Marine Corps then concentrated on the three northern provinces of I Corps (Quang Tri, Thua Thien, and Quang Nam).
c. http://www.rjsmith.com/I-Corps-chu-lai-south.html
E. 24 MARCH 1969.
(01) Sp4 David Lawrence “Larry” DECKARD, USA. 28W 094.
a. Sp4 David L. Deckard served with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry (Mechanized), 4th Infantry Division (“Ivy Division” – Steadfast and Loyal). After August 1967, the full 4th Division served in II Corps. His military occupation specialty (MOS) was armor crewman. On 24 March 1969, Larry Deckard was driving an armored personnel carrier (APC) when it was hit by a B-40 rocket. Multiple shrapnel wounds subsequently resulted in the loss of Larry Deckard’s ability to use his legs; he was confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life. The Army determined: “Sp4 Deckard was diagnosed with chronic respiratory failure and the Army determined that his death was directly connected to his wounds received in Vietnam.” Larry Deckard died on 06 January 2006.
b. One of Larry’s brothers, Virgil Deckard, served in Viet Nam with the 23rd (Americal) Infantry Division. Virgil’s son, Sgt. Matthew L. Deckard, USA, 4th Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, was killed on 16 September 2005 during Operation Iraqi Freedom. An improvised explosive device (IED) detonated near his M1A1 Abrams tank.
c. The B-40 was the PAVN/PLAF (VC) designation for the Soviet manufactured RPG-2 or Chinese Type 56. The B-40 was a portable rocket launcher, which had a 40mm tube and fired an 82mm warhead.
d. http://www.rjsmith.com/entire-taor-nf.html
F. 22 AUGUST 1969.
(01) PFC Larry Morgan KELLY, USA. 19W 095.
a. Larry Kelly enlisted in the Army in 1968. He served with Charlie Company, 3rd Battalion, 8th Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division (“Ivy Division- Steadfast and Loyal) in the Central Highlands of II Corps. Larry Kelly was wounded on 22 August 1969. The Army determined: “PFC Kelly died as a result of his wounds (combat or hostile related) sustained in the combat zone during the Vietnam War.” According to a VVMF press release, Larry Kelly died on 14 June 2010. Newspaper obituaries and Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery list the date of death as 12 June 2010.
G. 14 NOVEMBER 1969.
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(01) PFC Johnny Owen BROOKS, USA. 16W 106.
a. PFC Johnny O. Brooks was drafted into the Army in March 1969. In Viet Nam, he served with Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Regiment, 1st Brigade 1st Infantry Division (“The Big Red One” - Victory). The 1st Infantry Division served in III Corps. Johnny Brooks arrived in Viet Nam on 01 September 1969 and was wounded severely by mortar fire on 14 November 1969. He became a double amputee (losing one leg in Viet Nam and the other soon after) and also suffered brain damage. He died on 24 September 2011, two days after his 62nd birthday and the 42nd anniversary of his wedding to his wife, Flora. The Army determined: “PFC Brooks died as a result of wounds (combat or hostile) sustained in the combat zone during the Vietnam War.”
b. http://www.rjsmith.com/Dau_Tieng_and_Michelin_Complete.html
c. The 1st Infantry Division departed Viet Nam in April 1970.
07. CHRONOLOGICAL LISTING AND DESCRIPTIONS OF INCIDENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE TWENTY-TWO 2012 STATUS CHANGES.
A. 15 MARCH 1966.
(01) Maj. (Lt. Col.) Glenn David McELROY, USA. 16E 095.
(02) Capt. John Michel NASH, USA. 06E 011.
a. This story has a number of “subsets” and ancillary information that may not be very familiar to the reader.
b. On 15 March 1966, Capt. (Lt. Col.) David Hugh Holmes, USAF, assigned to the 22nd Tactical Air Support Squadron (22 TASS), 505th Tactical Air Control Group (505 TACG), detached to Khe Sanh, was flying a Cessna 0-1E Bird Dog along Route 9 in Savannakhet Province, Laos, on a Tiger Hound mission; see paragraph 07.A.(02)g. Capt. Holmes spotted a truck park about ten miles northwest of Sepone (Xepone). He was subsequently shot down. A second O-1E arrived on the scene and spotted the wreckage of Capt. Holmes’ Bird Dog; Capt. Holmes was slumped in the cockpit. At this time, a U.S. Army Grumman OV-1A Mohawk aircraft appeared in the area. I do not know, but I assume that the OV-1A was on a separate mission. It may, however, have arrived in the area if the crew was aware of the Capt. Holms incident.
c. The OV-1A was assigned to the 20th Air Surveillance and Targeting Detachment (20th ASTA DET), 17th Aviation Group, Field Force, Viet Nam. The pilot of the Mohawk was Capt. John Michel Nash, USA and the observer was Maj. Glenn David McElroy, USA. Maj. McElroy was assigned to Special Detachment-5891 (SD-5891), MACV Advisors, MACV. The Mohawk was shot down by a fusillade of anti-aircraft fire. One parachute was seen by the pilot
Page 13 of 34 of the second O-1E, but it seems that the Mohawk crewman descended into the resulting fireball. Fighter-bombers subsequently made strikes against the area. A search force found no evidence of the three aviators.
d. According to DOD reporting, in 1988 a joint U.S./Laotian search team surveyed the crash site and found Mohawk wreckage and crew-related equipment, to include a dog tag bearing Capt. Nash’s name. Between 2005 and 2009, joint U.S. /Laotian teams “interviewed witnesses, investigated, surveyed, and excavated the crash site several times. They recovered human remains, more aircraft wreckage, and crew-related equipment. Scientists used forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence to identify the crew.” The two Army aviators were buried in a single casket on 30 November 2011 at Arlington National Cemetery.
e. The incident occurred on 15 March 1966. According to an Army Report of Casualty, the Army declared for both aviators: “… death is presumed to have occurred on the sixteenth day of March 1967.” The VVMF Directory of Names lists the date of casualty for Capt. Nash as 15 March 1966 and the date of casualty for Lt. Col. McElroy as 16 March 1967.
f. Capt. (Lt. Col.) Holmes (06E 010) is listed by DOD as Presumptive Finding of Death (PFOD).
g. Operation Steel Tiger commenced on 03 April 1965. Simply, it 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 ground 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 campaigns 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.
h. Note that Capt. Nash was assigned to Field Force Vietnam (FFV) and the incident date is 15 March 1966. On 15 March 1966 FFV “stood down” and two corps-level organizations were formed: I Field Force Vietnam (II Corps Tactical Zone) and II Field Force Vietnam (III Corps Tactical Zone). III Marine Amphibious Force (III MAF) remained the Corps-level organization in I Corps (XXIV Corps was created in I Corps on 15 August 1968 but was under operational control of III MAF). No corps-level organization was created in IV Corps.
B. 29 APRIL 1966.
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(01) Capt. (Col.) Leo Sydney BOSTON, USAF. 07E 007.
a. On 29 April 1966, Maj. Albert Edward Runyan, USAF, the pilot of a McDonnell RF- 101C Voodoo, assigned to the 20th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (20 TRS), 460th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing (460 TRW), was shot down about 65-mi northwest of Ha Noi. Capt. Leo S. Boston was the pilot of a Douglas A-1E Skyraider assigned to the 602nd Air Commando Squadron, 14th Air Commando Wing. Capt. Boston was part of an effort to search for and rescue Maj. Runyan. Capt. Boston was flying with another A-1E and had just crossed the Laotian border into North Viet Nam when the two aircraft became separated. There were reports of enemy air activity in the area. Capt. Boston did not return from the mission. (One report that I read states that Capt. Boston was shot down by a MiG-17.)
b. According to DOD reporting, between 1996 and 2005, joint U.S./Vietnamese teams “analyzed numerous leads, interviewed villagers in Son La Province, and conducted excavations that recovered aircraft wreckage, human remains, and crew-related equipment.” Mitochondrial DNA was also used in the identification of Capt. Boston.
c. Maj. Albert E. Runyan was captured on 29 April 1966 and released on 12 February 1973.
C. 29 APRIL 1966.
(01) Lt. Cdr. William Patrick EGAN, USN. 07E 008.
a. Lt. Cdr. William P. Egan was the pilot of a Douglas A-1H Skyraider assigned to Attack Squadron 215 (VA-215), Carrier Air Wing 21 (CVW-21), USS Hancock (CVA-19). On 29 April 1966, Lt. Egan and another Skyraider were on a Steel Tiger mission in Laos aimed at attacking trucks along the Ho Chi Minh Trail near Ban Senphan, Khammouan Province. Lt. Cdr. Egan failed to recover from his attack run and may have been shot down by small arms fire. The other Skyraider pilot witnessed the crash and felt that the incident was not survivable.
b. According to DOD reporting, between 1994 and 1998, joint U.S. and Laotian teams “analyzed leads, interviewed villagers, surveyed possible crash site locations, and conducted excavations.” The searches resulted in the recovery of crew-related equipment and aircraft remains that were associated with Lt. Cdr. Egan’s Skyraider, but no human remains were found. “In late 2009, a Laotian farmer turned over bone fragments recovered from his field, approximately 10 meters from a joint excavation site.” Mitochondrial DNA was also used to identify the remains of Lt. Cdr. Egan.
D. 03 JULY 1966.
(01) MSgt. Ralph Joseph RENO, USA. 08E 126.
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a. MSgt. Ralph J. Reno, was assigned to Forward Operating Base 2 (FOB-2), Command and Control Central (CCC), MACV-SOG, 5th Special Forces Group. He was a passenger on a Vietnamese Air Force (VNAF) Sikorsky H-34 Kingbee helicopter when it crashed in Quang Tin Province, I Corps, close to the border with Laos. There were no survivors. Two other U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers were on the helicopter; their remains were recovered soon after the crash. Vietnamese crew and passengers totaled twelve.
- SSgt. Donald James FAWCETT, USA. 08E 123.
- Capt. (Maj.) Edwin Joseph MacNAMARA, USA. 08E 127.
b. According to DOD reporting, the H-34 took off from Kham Duc, South Viet Nam, and crashed in the mountains of Quang Nam Province, I Corps, after the aircraft experienced severe turbulence. (Former Quang Tin Province is now included in an “expanded” Quang Nam Province. Kham Duc is in Phuoc Son District.) Between 1993 and 1997, joint U.S. and Vietnamese teams attempted to survey the crash site but were hampered by the steep mountainous terrain and dense foliage. The wreckage was located in September 1999 and excavation began in 2000, during which human remains and military equipment were recovered. A joint team returned in 2007 and a second excavation was recommended. In 2010, more human remains and military equipment were recovered. DNA samples helped to identify the remains of MSgt. Reno.
c. According to former SOG veteran and author John L. Plaster, MSgt. Reno was a member of Shining Brass Reconnaissance Team (RT) Nevada. See paragraphs 09.B.(12) and 09.B.(13). The H-34 “was flying RT Nevada back to Kon Tum when not far from Kham Duc his (the pilot’s) helicopter fell apart at 500 feet.” Shining Brass (later renamed Prairie Fire and then Phu Dung) was the code name for highly classified reconnaissance missions by Green Berets into Laos under the aegis of MACV-SOG (Military Assistance Command Vietnam-Studies and Observation Group). I assume the Kingbee had extracted RT Nevada from Laos, made an interim stop at Kham Duc, and crashed en route to its base in Kon Tum.
d. I do not have a full-accounting, but it seems that it was routine for U.S. special operations forces who were killed in Laos or Cambodia to be listed as being killed in South Viet Nam or “deep within enemy-held territory.” This includes Medal of Honor citations.
E. 08 AUGUST 1966.
(01) Capt. (Maj.) Charles Milton WALLING, USAF. 09E 119.
a. On 08 August 1966, Capt. Charles M. Walling and 1st Lt. (Maj.) Aado Kommendant were flying a F-4C Phantom II assigned to the 557th Tactical Fighter Squadron (557 TFS), 12th Tactical Fighter Wing (12 TFW) based at Cam Ranh Bay. The Phantom was vectored to a target area about 20-miles from Bien Hoa, III Corps; the mission was to support engaged ground
Page 16 of 34 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 beepers heard. Dense foliage and the presence of a strong contingent of enemy ground troops precluded a thorough search.
b. I do not have any details regarding the eventual location of the wreckage and the identification of the two crewmen other than that both remains were returned on 13 April 2010 and identified on 30 November 2011.
c. 1st Lt. (Maj.) Kommendant (09E 114) was not included on the 2012 Interventions list. I do not know the reason and can only guess that it may be a primary-next-of-kin (PNOK) issue.
F. 26 SEPTEMBER 1966.
(01) Sp4 Marvin Foster PHILLIPS, USA. 11E 020.
a. On 26 September 1966, Sp4 Marvin F. Phillips was the gunner on a Bell UH-1B Iroquois/Huey helicopter gunship assigned to the 114th Assault Helicopter Company (114th AHC), 13th Aviation Battalion, 1st Aviation Brigade. The pilots were Maj. Norman Lee Dupre and Capt. Henry Lee Mosburg. There was also an unidentified crew chief. The UH-1B was supporting a combat assault near the mouth of the Co Chien River (Song Co Chien) in then Vinh Binh Province, IV Corps. During a pass over the target area, the Huey was hit by small arms fire and one of its 2.75-in folding fin aerial rockets (FFAR) ignited. The Huey’s tail separated; the aircraft crashed in the Song Co Chien and the crew cabin submerged. Only the crew chief escaped. The remains of Maj. Dupre (11E 019) were recovered. DOD lists Capt. Mosburg (11E 020) as Killed in Action/Body Not Recovered (KIA/BNR).
b. According to DOD reporting, joint U.S. and Vietnamese teams conducted searches and witness interviews between 1992 and 1998 and searched possible burial locations for Sp4 Phillips. In 2010 Viet Nam “notified U.S. officials that a villager in Tra Vinh Province was in possession of human remains thought to be related to a U.S. aircraft crash. Following an interview with the villager, the remains were turned over to the joint U.S./SRV team. At the time he recovered the remains, there were three U.S. aircraft crashes in the water near the villager’s home.” The identification of Sp4 Phillips was aided by dental records and mitochondrial DNA.
c. Vinh Binh Province has been renamed Tra Vinh Province. The Song Co Chien is one of the tributary rivers of the Me Cong River (Song Cuu Long).
G. 03 OCTOBER 1966.
(01) 1st Lt. David Albert THORPE, USAF. 11E 041.
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a. On 03 October 1966, 1st Lt. David A. Thorpe was the navigator on a Lockheed C-130E Hercules assigned to the 776th Troop Carrier Squadron (776 TCS), 314th Troop Carrier Wing (314 TCW), which was on a flight from Tan Son Nhut Air Base, III Corps, to Nha Trang Air Base, II Corps. The flight failed to arrive at Nha Trang. The crash site and human remains were discovered on 11 October 1966, located about 40 miles west of Nha Trang.
b. According to DOD reporting, “Between 1984 and 1996 Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) received human remains tentatively linked to Thorpe and the other crew members from various sources including refugees from the Vietnam War and Vietnamese citizens. But lacking advanced scientific tools and complete records during this time period, JAPAC was unable to make an individual identification of Thorpe’s remains so he was buried as part of a group at Arlington. Other remains associated with the entire group were held at JAPAC’s laboratory for future testing.” Later technologies such as mitochondrial DNA analysis allowed 1st Lt. Thorpe’s remains to be positively identified.
c. DOD reporting states that the cause of the crash is unknown. Some non-official reporting indicates that the cause of the crash could have been hostile fire or sabotage.
d. There were four other crewmen on board the aircraft.
- Capt. Jerome Joseph SMITH, USAF. 11E 041. I have not seen any DOD reporting that describes the procedures by which Capt. Smith was identified.
- 1st Lt. (Capt.) James Howard Graff, USAF. 11E 039. DOD reporting states that mitochondrial DNA and dental records allowed for a positive identification of Capt. Graff.
- SSgt. Raymond Lee WHEELER, USAF. 11E 042. I have not seen any DOD reporting that describes the procedures by which SSgt. Wheeler was identified.
- A1C Billy Jack CLAYTON, USAF. 11E 038. I have not seen any DOD reporting that describes the procedures by which A1C CLAYTON was identified.
H. 21 JUNE 1967.
(01) Capt. Darrell John SPINLER, USAF. 22E 032.
a. Flying from Plei Ku, Capt. Darrell J. Spinler was the pilot of a Douglas A-1E Skyraider assigned to the 1st Air Commando Squadron (1 ACS), 14th Air Commando Wing (14 ACW). On 21 June 1967, Capt. Spinler and another A-1E were attacking targets along the Xe Kong River near Ban Phon in southern Laos. Capt. Spinler’s aircraft was hit by ground fire as he was coming off a napalm run on the target. The pilot of the other aircraft did not see Capt. Spinler eject from the aircraft, nor did he see any sign of the downed pilot.
b. According to DOD reporting, in 1993 a joint U.S./Laotian team interviewed villagers who claimed that they witnessed the crash and that Capt. Spinler’s body landed on the river bank but
Page 18 of 34 was subsequently washed away during the rainy season. The 1993 team found wreckage relating to an A-1E. In 1995, DOD determined that the remains were not recoverable. In 1999 and 2003, the joint team revisited the area and concluded that Capt. Spinler’s remains were carried away by the river. But in 2010, a full excavation was conducted; this led to the recovery of “aircraft wreckage, human remains, crew-related equipment, and personal effects.” Dental X-rays were also used in the identification of Capt. Spinler’s remains.
I. 07 FEBRUARY 1968.
(01) Sp4 (SFC) James Leslie MORELAND, USA. 38E 007.
a. Sp4 James L. Moreland was assigned to Detachment A-113, 12th MSF CO, Mobile Strike Force, Company C, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces. He was killed when elements of the People’s Army of Viet Nam (PAVN), also known as the North Vietnamese Army (NVA), attacked and subsequently overran the U.S. Army Special Forces (USASF)/Civilian Irregular Defense Group (CIDG) camp at Lang Vei on the night of 06/07 February 1968. A numerically superior PAVN ground force was supported by artillery and armored forces. Twenty-four Green Berets were present at the Lang Vei camp. Seven were killed and three were captured. Of those not killed, all but one were wounded. All 24 were decorated for heroism: one Medal of Honor, one Distinguished Service Cross, 19 Silver Stars, and three Bronze Stars with Valor device. All were awarded the Presidential Unit Citation (Navy). The story of Lang Vei is associated with the 1968 Tet Offensive and the siege of Khe Sanh Combat Base (KSCB), which was located in northwestern Quang Tri Province, I Corps. If I knew Stephen Spielberg, Randall Wallace, or Ridley Scott, I would try to convince them to make a movie of this extraordinary and intense episode of the Viet Nam conflict. On a more operational and strategic level, the fall of Lang Vei raised such issues as: (01) the dispute between MACV commander Gen. William C. Westmoreland and U.S. Marine Corps senior leadership regarding the need to establish a major combat base at Khe Sanh (search and destroy vs. pacification), (02) the true purpose of PAVN Sr. Gen. (four star) Vo Nguyen Giap in attacking Khe Sanh, e.g., visions of a second 1954 Dien Bien Phu-like victory/draw U. S. forces from the populated areas for the forthcoming Tet attack, (03) the lack of a single overall commander in the area – a. conventional Marine units, b. Marine Combined Action Platoons (CAP) pacification units, c. U. S. Army Special Forces, d. U. S. Army District-Province advisors, and e. U. S. Army Studies and Observation Group (SOG) clandestine forces, (04) Marine Air versus the Single Air Manager concept, and (05) the decision by the commander of the 26th Marines at KSCB not to attempt a rescue of Lang Vei while the camp was under attack. I recommend the interested reader to review sources listed in paragraph 09 for differing views regarding these and other issues associated with Lang Vei, KSCB, and Tet-68.
b. One of the primary missions of the Green Berets in Viet Nam was the organization and training of Civilian Irregular Defense Groups (CIDG), which were recruited primarily from South Viet Nam’s Montagnard (Mohn-tanh-yar) population. USASF/CIDG camps were
Page 19 of 34 established along the mountainous border regions to guard against PAVN infiltration and to defend hamlets and villages. Lang Vei was such a camp. Green Beret presence normally was an A-Team (A-Detachment) composed of two officers and ten cross-trained enlisted specialists in areas such as weapons, demolitions, intelligence, medical, and communications. USASF also advised indigenous Mobile Strike Forces (MSF) or “Mike Forces” that carried out offensive operations into communist-controlled areas. In February 1968, the 24 Green Berets at the Lang Vei camp represented members of (01) the “C” Company headquarters element in Da Nang (Company C, 5th Special Forces Group Airborne, 1st Special Forces), (02) members of an A- Team (Detachment A-101, 5th Special Forces Airborne, 1st Special Forces), and (03) a MSF (Detachment A-113, 12th MSF Company, Mobile Strike Force, Company C, 5th Special Forces Group Airborne, 1st Special Forces). A small number of South Vietnamese Special Forces (Luc Luong Dac Biet - LLDB) was also at Lang Vei. Sp4 James L. Moreland was assigned to the MSF. The Lang Vei camp was located along National Highway (Quoc Lo) 9 - QL-9, about 7.0 km (4.2 mi) southwest of KSCB ((see maps paragraph 07.I.(01)n.o.p.q.)) and about 2.4 km (1.5 miles) east of the border with Laos. (All distances are “air miles” and not existing “road route miles.”)
c. On 21 January 1968, KSCB came under artillery and mortar attack. One of the ammunition storage points received a direct hit, resulting in the loss of 1,500 tons of ordnance. The U.S. Army Huong Hoa District (Quang Tri Province) Advisory Team at Khe Sanh Village, located about 3.5km (2.1 miles) south of KSCB, and the nearby USMC Combined Action Platoons (CAP-O-1 and CAP-O-2) also came under attack. U.S. rescue forces responding to the Khe Sanh Village attack lost four soldiers.
- Pvt. (SSgt.) Jerry W. ELLIOTT, USA. 35E 005. 282nd Assault Helicopter Company, 14th Aviation Battalion, 17th Aviation Group. Presumptive Finding of Death (PFOD).
- SSgt. (SFC) Billy David HILL, USA. 35E 006. 282nd Assault Helicopter Company. Presumptive Finding of Death (PFOD).
- WO-1 Gerald Leroy McKINSEY, Jr. 282nd Assault Helicopter Company. 35E 008.
- Lt. Col. Joseph Phillip SEYMOE. Advisory Team 4, MACV Advisors, MACV. 35E 008.
d. On 24 January 1968, the Royal Laotian Government’s Battailon Volunteer 33 (BV-33) – Volunteer Battalion 33 - camp at Ban Houei Sane, Laos, was overrun by the PAVN 24th Regiment, 304th Division. (Some authors incorrectly refer to BV-33 as the Royal Laotian Elephant Battalion.) Ban Houei Sane was about 5 km (3 miles) west of the border with South Viet Nam and about 7.4 km (4.5 miles) west of Lang Vei camp. BV-33 monitored PAVN activity associated with the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Soviet-supplied PT-76 amphibious tanks supported the PAVN attack. Military and civilian refugee survivors of the attack on the BV-33 camp walked across the border to the vicinity of the Lang Vei camp.
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e. On 31 January 1968, newly arrived Team A-101 member Sp4 John Arthur Young was captured when he was on a patrol with some Laotians of BV-33. Sp4 Young was eventually sent to Ha Noi and was released on 16 March 1973.
- While in captivity in North Viet Nam, Sp4 Young along with four other soldiers and three Marines became known as the “Peace Committee.”
f. On the early evening of 06 February 1968, Lang Vei camp came under intense mortar and artillery fire. At about midnight 06/07 February 1968, PAVN ground units including two battalions of the 24th Regiment, 304th Division, one battalion of the 101st D Regiment of the 325C Division, and two sapper companies attacked the camp. The attack was supported by PT- 76 tanks of the 198th Armored Battalion. A total of 11 tanks (reporting varies between 10 and 12 tanks) approached the camp from three directions. As I mentioned, the ensuing battle between the USASF/CIDG/MSF/LLDB and the PAVN would make for a riveting movie, too involved to describe here. The surviving defenders held out until the late afternoon of 07 February when they were able to evacuate the destroyed camp.
g. The following paragraph is a very brief description of the events surrounding the death of Sp4 James Moreland. A more complete account of the attack on Lang Vei and the situation concerning the fate of Sp4 Moreland may be found in the Combat After Action Report-Battle of LANG VEI, dated 12 August 1968. This report includes a general narrative of events and statements of the survivors.
- “GOOGLE”: Combat After Action Report-Battle of LANG VEI.
h. One of the factors that saved the lives of a number of Green Berets was the heavily reinforced concrete tactical operations center (TOC) bunker, which was built by U.S. Navy Seabees. The TOC withstood (01) tank shelling, (02) satchel charges, (03) gas-grenades, (04) fragmentation-grenades, (05) flamethrowers, and (06) infantry weapons. Sp4 James Moreland had received a severe head wound (it was determined that he required immediate surgery if he was to live) and was placed inside the TOC. Survivors in the TOC later testified that Sp4 Moreland became delirious and incoherent to the point of possibly shooting his comrades. One of the medics had the unenviable task of injecting Sp4 Moreland (head wound) with morphine. When the TOC was evacuated, there was no conclusive conclusion whether Sp4 Moreland was deceased, but it was determined that other lives would be put at great risk if there was an attempt to carry his lifeless body from the TOC. There was hope that he would be recovered after the battle. An officer, 1st Lt. Thomas E. Todd, who was in another part of the camp, checked the TOC before he escaped from the compound and reported that he saw the lifeless body of Sp4 Moreland under debris and thought Sp4 Moreland was dead. Again, read the Combat After Action Report. .
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i. Author William R. Phillips states that: A Board of Inquiry concluded: “Sp4 James L. Moreland was dead or dying when seen by Lt. Todd at 1700 hours, 7 Feb 68. If alive he would not have survived the night without expert medical treatment.”
j. I have no details regarding the recovery and identification of Sp4 (SFC) Moreland’s remains. The remains of Kenneth Hanna and Charles W. Lindewald, Jr. (neither in the TOC bunker) were recovered and identified in 2004.
k. The disposition of the seven killed and the three POWs:
- SFC Eugene ASHLEY, Jr., USA. 37E 077. Medal of Honor.
- SFC Harvey G. BRANDE, USA. Silver Star. POW. Released: 16 March 1973.
- SFC Earl Frederick BURKE, USA. 37E 076. Silver Star.
- SFC (Sgt. Maj.) Kenneth HANNA, USA. 37E 083. Silver Star. Remains Returned: 15 January 2004. Remains Identified: 08 September 2004.
- SFC (MSgt.) James William HOLT, USA. 37E 084. Silver Star. Presumptive Finding of Death (PFOD).
- SFC (MSgt.) Charles W. LINDEWALD, Jr., USA. 38E 005. Silver Star. Remains Returned: 15 January 2004. Remains Identified: 08 September 2004.
- Sp4 William G. McMURRY, USA. Silver Star. POW. Released: 16 March 1973.
- Sp4 (SFC) James Leslie MORELAND, USA. 38E 007. Silver Star. Remains Returned: 12 April 1995. Remains Identified: 13 October 2010.
- Sgt. (SFC) Daniel Raymond PHILLIPS, USA. 38E 010. Silver Star. Presumptive Finding of Death (PFOD).
- SSgt. Dennis L. THOMPSON, USA. Silver Star. POW. Released: 05 March 1973.
l. The PT-76 was the standard reconnaissance light tank for the Soviet Army. It was designed to overcome water obstacles. The PT-76 was also employed by the Soviet Naval Infantry for amphibious landings. It had a 76.2mm main gun and a 7.62mm machine gun.
m. The Green Berets first arrived in Khe Sanh on 08 July 1962. In December 1963, a team commanded by Capt. Floyd “Jim” Thompson arrived at Khe Sanh. On 26 March 1964, Capt. Thompson was an observer on a Cessna O-1F Bird Dog flown by USAF Capt. Richard L. Whitesides (19th Tactical Air Support Squadron, 34th Tactical Group). The aircraft was shot down. Capt. Whitesides 01E 048 was killed. Capt. Thompson was captured and became the conflict’s longest-held military POW; he was released on 16 March 1973. Floyd Thompson
Page 22 of 34 retired as a colonel and died on 16 July 2002. DOD lists Capt. Whitesides as Killed in Action/Body Not Recovered (KIA/BNR). His name is denoted with a diamond “KIA” symbol.
n. http://www.rjsmith.com/Khe_Sanh_Lang_Vei_Monster_01.html
o. http://www.rjsmith.com/Co_Roc_Ridge_Laos.html
p. http://www.rjsmith.com/Route_9_Laos.html
q. http://www.rjsmith.com/Tchepone_North_East.html
J. 27 FEBRUARY 1968.
(01) Maj. (Col.) Gilbert Swain PALMER, Jr., USAF. 41E 053.
a. On 27 February 1968, Maj. Gilbert S. Palmer and Capt. Thomas Thawson Wright were flying a RF-4C Phantom II assigned to the 14th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (14 TRS), 432nd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing (432 TRW). The solo photo-reconnaissance mission was against targets in Quang Binh Province, North Viet Nam. The aircraft never returned and it was thought that it may have been shot down over Laos. Earlier in the day, a U.S. Navy Lockheed OP-2E Neptune assigned to Observation Squadron 67 (VO-67) was shot down during a sensor drop mission in the vicinity of Ben Kari Pass in Laos. A beeper was reportedly heard later in the day. But there was some confusion whether, if this was a beeper transmission, was its origin from an OP-2E or a RF-4C crewman. There was no resolution. (See: Code Name Bright Light: The Untold Story of U.S. POW Rescue Efforts During the Viet Nam War referenced in paragraph 09.B.(23).
b. According to DOD reporting, in 1999 a joint U.S./Laotian team was taken to an aircraft crash site in Savannakhet Province near the border with Viet Nam by a local villager. “Aircraft wreckage from an RF-4 reconnaissance aircraft was found. Additional investigations of the crash site, between 2001 and 2010, recovered human remains and military equipment specific to Palmer’s aircraft.” Mitochondrial DNA was also used to identify Maj. Palmer.
c. DOD lists Capt. (Col.) Thomas T. Wright as Presumptive Finding of Death (PFOD). 41E 057.
d. The USN OP-2E had a crew of nine. Seven were rescued by search-and-rescue forces; the remains of one other were returned in 1996 and identified in 1999; one other crewman is currently classified as PFOD.
K. 21 MAY 1968.
(01) Sp4 (Sgt.) David Earl LEMCKE, USA. 064E 016.
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a. Sp4 David E. Lemcke was assigned to B Battery, 1st Battalion, 40th Artillery, 108th Artillery Group, XXIV Corps, a 105mm self-propelled howitzer unit located in the Dong Ha area of Quang Tri Province, I Corps. On 21 May 1968, Sp4 Lemcke and four other servicemen were in a personnel bunker. An accidental discharge of a weapon ignited a box of illumination grenades and set off other ammunition. Two of the servicemen near the bunker’s entrance escaped. Sp4 Lemcke and the two others were presumed dead.
b. According to DOD reporting, multiple investigations of the site were conducted by U.S. and Vietnamese teams. “Early investigations were unable to excavate the bunker site due to a large quantity of assorted unexploded ordnances scattered throughout the area.” After the site was deemed safe, human remains were discovered and Sp4 Lemcke’s dog tags and prescription eyeglass lenses were recovered. Dental analysis was also used to identify Sp4 Lemcke.
c. Also killed in the blast were:
- Cpl. Brent R. JONES, USA. 64E 015.
- LCpl. Steven Lynn ZOBEL, USMC. 65E 004.
L. 05 JULY 1968.
(01) 1st Lt. (Maj.) Bruce Edward LAWRENCE, USAF. 53W 021.
(02) Maj. (Lt. Col.) Edward Dean SILVER, USAF. 53W 023.
a. On 05 July 1968, Maj. Edward D. Silver and 1st Lt. Bruce E. Lawrence were flying a F-4C Phantom II against a target in the vicinity of Dong Hoi, Quang Binh Province, North Viet Nam. Reporting indicates that Maj. Silver was assigned to the 391st Tactical Fighter Squadron (391 TFS), 12th Tactical Fighter Wing (12 TFW) and that 1st Lt. Lawrence was assigned to the 557th Tactical Fighter Squadron (557 TFS), 12 TFW. Maj. Silver’s wingman reported that Maj. Silver’s Phantom burst into a fireball as the aircraft approached its target. No ejection was observed.
b. According to DOD reporting, in 1993 a joint U.S./Vietnamese team investigated a possible site related to the crash. The investigation was hampered by harsh terrain and safety considerations. “From 1998 to 2000, joint U.S./SRV teams interviewed witnesses, excavated several aircraft crash sites in the area, and recovered human remains. Additional recovery of military equipment, related to Lawrence’s crash, confirmed that two individuals were in the aircraft at the time of the incident.” Mitochondrial and nuclear DNA were also used to identify the two airmen.
M. 01 AUGUST 1968.
(01) Lt. (j.g.) (Lt. Cdr.) Edward James BROMS, Jr., USN. 50W 041.
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a. Lt. (j.g.) Edward J. Broms, Jr. was the pilot of a Douglas A-4C Skyhawk assigned to Attack Squadron 66 (VA-66), Carrier Air Wing 10 (CVW-10), USS Intrepid (CVS-11). On 01 August 1968, he was making an attack on a target at Dong Dun, about thirty miles south of Vinh, North Viet Nam. He reported that he was receiving heavy anti-aircraft fire and was not heard from further. A search of the area proved negative.
b. I have no further information concerning the recovery and identification of Lt. Cdr. Broms’ remains other than his remains were recovered on 04 August 1993 and identified on 12 September 2011.
N. 08 FEBRUARY 1969.
(01) Capt. (Maj.) Thomas Edward CLARK, USAF. 33W 084.
a. Capt. Clark was the pilot of a North American F-100D Super Sabre assigned to the 416th Tactical Fighter Squadron (416 TFS), 37th Tactical Fighter Wing (37 TFW), Phu Cat. On 08 February 1969, Capt. Clark was on a defense suppression mission in Savannakhet Province, Laos. As Capt. Clark was preparing to attack an antiaircraft artillery (AAA) position near Ban Kapay, about 25 miles west of the DMZ, his aircraft was hit by AAA. Other pilots on the mission did not see a parachute or any other evidence that Capt. Clark survived the crash.
b. According to DOD reporting, joint U.S./Laotian teams searched the impact area in 1991 and 1992 and recovered aircraft wreckage and associated military equipment. Interviews with locals resulted in the recovery of Capt. Clark’s identification tags and human remains that had been collected shortly after the crash. An excavation in 2009 recovered dental remains, which were able to identify Capt. Clark.
O. 16 MARCH 1969.
(01) Capt. Charles Ronald BARNES, USA. 29W 050.
a. Capt. Charles R. Barnes was a crewmember on a Beech UC-21A Ute assigned to Command Aircraft Company, 210th Aviation Battalion, 12th Aviation Group, 1st Aviation Brigade. On 16 March 1969, the UC-21A was on a routine logistics support mission between Long Thanh and Hue/Phu Bai. Several intervening stops were scheduled with passengers deplaning and boarding along the way. The last leg of the flight was flown under instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). The aircraft disappeared as it was making its approach to Hue/Phu Bai. Besides Capt. Barnes, one other crewman and three passengers were on board the aircraft. Both a sea and ground search were conducted for eight days with no results.
b. A July 2005 DOD report stated that in 1988 and 1989 the Vietnamese gave the U.S. several boxes of remains, which included the dog tags of two of the missing men (SFC Raymond E. Bobe and Capt. David R. Smith). “Also in 1989, a Vietnamese refugee in the Philippines was interviewed and turned over human remains as well as a rubbing of an
Page 25 of 34 identification tag for Bobe.” Between 1993 and 1999 U.S. investigators conducted seven investigations, which included Vietnamese nationals who reportedly had knowledge of the UC- 21A crash. An excavation in April and May 2000 in an area about 25-miles from Da Nang produced aircraft debris and human remains. Mitochondrial DNA and other forensic procedures helped to identify four of the soldiers. All four were returned on 07 April 1988 and identified on 05 April 2005.
- Sp4 (SSgt.) Michael Lero Batt, USA. 29W 050. Passenger.
- PFC (SFC) Raymond Edward Bobe, USA. 29W 051. Passenger.
- Maj. (Lt. Col.) Marvin Lee Foster, USA. 29W 052. Passenger.
- Capt. David Roscoe Smith, USA. 29W 056. Pilot.
c. An April 2012 DOD report states that Capt. Barnes’ remains were identified by the use of mitochondrial DNA in 2011.
d. http://www.rjsmith.com/Phu-Bai-Airfield-01.html
P. 03 NOVEMBER 1969.
(01) SSgt. (SFC) William Theodore BROWN, USA. 16W 022.
(02) Sp4 (SFC) Donald Monroe SHUE, USA. 16W 024.
a. On 03 November 1969, SSgt. William Theodore Brown, Sgt. Gunther Herbert Wald, and Sp4 Donald Monroe Shue, all assigned to MACV-SOG, 5th SFG, were part of Prairie Fire Reconnaissance Team (RT) Maryland, which was operating in Laos. The team was attacked by a superior enemy force. Indigenous team members reported that SSgt. Brown received 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.
b. DOD reporting seems to “sidestep” the issue that the Green Berets were operating in Laos. DOD reporting states that the three soldiers and six Montagnards were part of a “Special Forces reconnaissance patrol operating in Quang Tri Province, near the Viet Nam-Laos border.” On 11 November 1969, a search team only found web gear that belonged to Sp4 Shue. Between 1993 and 2010, U.S., Laotian, and Vietnamese teams conducted multiple interviews regarding the incident. Laotian and Vietnamese teams also conducted unilateral investigations. In April 2010, “joint teams excavated a hilltop near Huong Lap Village and recovered human remains, non- biological material evidence, a military identification tag for one of the missing soldiers, and a “Zippo” cigarette lighter bearing the name Donald M. Shue and the date 1969.” Mitochondrial DNA was used to aid in the identification of Sp4 Shue and Sgt. Brown. The DOD classification for Sgt. (SFC) Gunther H. Wald 16W 025 is Presumptive Finding of Death (PFOD).
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c. The original name for Prairie Fire Laos cross-border operations was Shining Brass and finally Phu Dung.
Q. 11 JUNE 1972.
(01) PFC Wayne BIBBS, USA. 01W 040.
(02) Sp4 Robin Ray YEAKLEY, USA. 01W 041.
a. On 11 June 1972, Capt. Arnold Edward Holm, Jr., USA was the pilot of an OH-6A Cayuse assigned to F Troop, 8th Cavalry, 11th Combat Aviation Group, 1st Aviation Brigade. His gunner was PFC Wayne Bibbs and his observer was Sp4 Robin Ray Yeakley. The Cayuse was flying a reconnaissance mission in Thua Thien Province. The period was during the North Vietnamese Eastertide (Nguyen Hue) Offensive, which included armor, surface-to-air missiles and artillery employed in a three-pronged conventional attack on South Viet Nam. Heavy fighting took place in I Corps; Thua Thien was the second South Vietnamese province south of the DMZ. (Hue City was in Thua Thien Province.) The OH-6A was searching for enemy activity around potential landing zones when it was probably hit by enemy fire and exploded. There was no evidence that any of the three crewmembers escaped.
b. A second Cayuse belonging to the same squadron entered the crash area and was in turn hit by enemy fire and neither of the crew of two was seen to escape. The pilot of the second helicopter was 1st Lt. James Russell McQuade, USA and his gunner/observer was Sp4 James Edward Hackett, USA.
c. According to DOD reporting, between 1993 and 2008, joint U.S. and Vietnamese teams “interviewed witnesses, investigated, surveyed, and excavated possible crash sites several times. They recovered human remains, OH-6A helicopter wreckage, and crew-related equipment – including two identification tags bearing Yeakley’s name. Scientists from JPAC used forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence to identify the crew.”
d. Capt. Holm, PFC Bibbs, and Sp4 Yeakley were returned on 29 July 2008 and identified on 07 February 2011. Capt. Holm 01W 040 is not on the 2012 Interventions list. I do not know why, but I surmise that it may be associated with PNOK matters.
e. 1st Lt. McQuade 01W 040 and Sp4 Hackett 01W 040 were returned on 07 October 1994 and identified on 24 November 1999.
- See the vignette in paragraph 08 regarding family acceptance of the DOD findings.
f. Thua Thien Province is now called Thua Thien-Hue Province.
R. 10 JULY 1972.
(01) Cdr. Frank Clifford GREEN, Jr., USN. 01W 055.
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a. Cdr. Frank C. Green was the pilot of a Douglas A-4F Skyhawk assigned to Attack Squadron 212 (VA-212), Carrier Air Wing 21 (CVW-21), USS Hancock (CVA-19). Cdr. Green was the lead on a night reconnaissance mission over North Viet Nam when he spotted truck lights near Dam Khan, about fifty miles south of Ha Noi. Cdr. Green began his attack and his wingman saw Cdr. Green’s aircraft fly into the ground and explode. There was no evidence that Cdr. Green escaped the crash. The crash site was located but heavy enemy defenses prevented any potentially fruitful rescue attempt.
b. I do not have any information concerning the details of the recovery/identification of Cdr. Green’s remains other than that his remains were returned on 09 December 2008 and were identified on 01 November 2010.
08. A SPECIAL NOTE.
A. The following is a copy of a poignant “open letter” written on 20 October 1999 by a member of the same Army helicopter company, “F” Troop, 8th Cavalry (Blueghost), concerning the identification of 1st Lt. James Russell “Jimmy” McQuade, who was involved in the 11 June 1972 incident (paragraph 07.Q). The letter gives some insight into the “acceptance” process of the family regarding the DOD findings.
(01) On a related note, a F/8 Cavalry (Blueghost) helicopter was shot down (three crew killed and one crew captured) on 02 April 1972 during the initial attempt to rescue Lt. Col. Iceal E. “Gene” Hambleton, USAF aka Bat-21B.
B. “I’m writing a broadcast letter to bring as many people up to date on the status of two of our Vietnam War MIA’s: 1st Lt. James (Jimmy) R. McQuade and his scout observer Sp4 James E. Hackett, both of F Troop, 8th Cavalry. While searching for possible survivors in the crash of scout platoon leader Capt. Arnold (Dust) E. Holm and his two observers, Wayne Bibbs and Robin Yeakley, McQuade’s OH-6A tail number 67-16275, was shot down in the middle of a sizeable NVA force west of Hue on 11 June 1972 during the Easter Offensive. None of the bodies was recoverable at the time due to high intensity, concentrated fire. Knowing it was unlikely any crewmember had survived the two explosive crashes was little comfort to those of us who had to abandon them. But it was the only rational decision considering the overwhelming odds F/8 found on the battlefield that day. As many of you know, Jimmy’s mom, Patty, and I were pen pals for many years, but never actually met until the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend this year. Along with Jimmy’s surviving brothers Jack and Jeff and sister Judi, we had a wonderful time enjoying smoked salmon, salad, and wine on a cool, sunny spring day. We promised to all get together again soon after. Sadly, Patty passed away unexpectedly a few weeks later, right after I returned from the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association annual reunion in Nashville. Wife Lynn and I joined the family at Patty’s memorial in hometown Hoquiam, Washington, a small logging community on the Pacific coast. We took comfort knowing she had learned the joint Task Force-Full Accounting office had tentatively identified Jimmy’s remains
Page 28 of 34 in a recovery effort in Vietnam before she died. Jack and Judi had recently given blood samples to the Army for DNA analysis and we were waiting for the final results, but other hard evidence, such as the date plate from his aircraft and personal effects, indicated they had found her son. Yesterday, Saturday October 16, Lynn and I were invited to Judi’s lovely West Seattle house for another special occasion, when a representative from the Army’s Mortuary Affairs office would present the official findings of the Central Identification Lab-Hawaii (CIL-H) to the family. Like the gathering over Memorial Day, the day was perfect and the mood festive as we enjoyed good food and spirits waiting for the big news to arrive. Instead of a stiff military officer arriving in an OD sedan, we were surprised to see a civilian arrive in a rented coup dressed in a fine double-breasted suit. John was a bit stiff and formal at first, but was quickly put at ease with a plate of appetizers and a glass of Riesling as the group made small talk on the deck outside the kitchen. After an hour or so it was time to convene around the fireplace in the living room to review the findings. John produced a 1-inch spiral binder containing all information leading to McQuade and Hackett’s final disposition. He apologized in advance for the heavy dose of technical lingo and acronyms, but was required to read several pages from the report verbatim. We listened intently as he described the DNA and dental comparisons and circumstantial evidence. It was soon evident that, twenty-eight years since their final heroic mission, both men’s remains had been successfully recovered. Then John hesitated and reached into his brief case, pulling out a small plastic bag. He then presented Judi with Jimmy’s St. Christopher medallion, the same she and her mom had presented him at graduation ceremonies at Ft. Rucker when Jimmy graduated from flight school. They’d ended up in New Orleans in a grand celebration before he departed for Vietnam. The personalized inscription on the back was unmistaken. We took it out of the bag and slowly passed it around for each to inspect. I was last and held it for a moment, visualizing it as hung ever present around his neck. It had been next to his breast when the LOH (note: light observation helicopter) exploded. After a Q&A session, the family accepted the findings as official, thus ending more than a quarter century of mystery. Satisfied, Judi signed the forms on behalf of the family. Then we all convened to the dining room for a wonderful dinner. Later, John informed us that Jimmy’s gunner Hackett’s family had also accepted the report, so funeral arrangements would be the next step. Of the hundred- plus bone fragments and teeth recovered, some were Jimmy’s and some James’ but some were co-mingled and will be buried at Arlington on a future date. The families must now decide on dates and locations where the identified remains will be put to rest. It will take a couple weeks to a month at least for the military to review the families’ findings and make it official, but that’s just a formality John said. I will inform you all on dates/locations as soon as arrangements are made so you can plan to attend if possible. Though this is not “official” until reviewed by an official board to make sure all the “i’s” and “t’s” are dotted and crossed (about three more weeks). I wanted to give you all the good news now as it unfolds. So please raise a glass in a silent moment to a couple more heroes who are finally coming home! My best, Mike Austin. Blueghost 41/23 1971-1972.
09. SELECTED REFERENCES.
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A. OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS.
(01) Albright, John and John A. Cash and Allan W. Sandstrum. Seven Firefights in Vietnam. Washington, DC: Office of the Chief of Military History United States Army, 1970.
(02) Berger, Carl, editor. The United States Air Force in Southeast Asia, 1961-1973: An Illustrated Account. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History United States Air Force, 1984.
(03) Department of the Army. After Action Report: Battle of Lang Vei. Company C, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces, APO San Francisco, 1986.
(04) Grossnick, Roy A. Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons, Vol. I. Washington, DC: Naval Historical Center, Department of the Navy, 1995.
(05) Grossnick, Roy A. United States Naval Aviation: 1910-1995. Washington, DC: Naval Historical Center, Department of the Navy, 1997.
(06) Nalty, Bernard. Air Power and the Fight for Khe Sanh. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. United States Air Force, 1973.
(07) Nalty, Bernard. The War Against Trucks: Aerial Interdiction in Southern Laos, 1968- 1972. Washington, DC: Air Force History and Museums Program United States Air Force, 2005.
(08) Pearson, Lt. Gen. Willard. The War in the Northern Provinces: 1966-1968. Washington, DC: Department of the Army, 1975.
(09) Schulimson, Jack and Lt. Col. Leonard A. Blasiol, USMC and Charles R. Smith and Capt. David A. Dawson, USMC. U.S. Marines in Vietnam: The Defining Year, 1968. Washington, DC: History and Museums Division Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, 1997.
(10) Staaveren, Jacob Van. Interdiction in Southern Laos: 1960-1968. Washington, DC: Center for Air Force History, 1993.
(11) Vongasavanh, Brig. Gen. Soutchay, RLAF. RLG Military Operations and Activities in the Laotian Panhandle. Washington, DC: U.S. Army Center of Military History, 1981.
B. BOOKS.
(01) Clarke, Bruce B. G. Expendable Warriors: The Battle of Khe Sanh and the Vietnam War. Westport, CN: Praeger, 2007.
(02) Dougan, Clark and Stephen Weiss. The Vietnam Experience: Nineteen Sixty-Eight. Boston: Boston Publishing Company, 1983.
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(03) Drez, Ronald J. and Douglas Brinkley. Voices of Courage: The Battle for Khe Sanh. New York: Bullfinch Press, 2005.
(04) Ford, Ronnie E. Tet 1968: Understanding the Surprise. London: Frank Cass, 1995.
(05) Francillon, Rene J. McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Since 1920: Volume I. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 1988.
(06) Hammel, Eric. Khe Sanh: Siege in the Clouds. Pacifica, CA: Pacifica Press, 1989.
(07) Herr, Michael. Dispatches. New York: Alfred A. Knof, 1977.
(08) Murphy, Edward. Semper Fi Vietnam: From Da Nang to The DMZ Marine Corps Campaigns, 1965-1975. Novato, CA: Presidio, 1997.
(09) Nichols, Cdr. John B., USN (Ret.) and Barrett Tillman. On Yankee Station: The Naval Air War Over Vietnam. New York: Bantam Books, 1987.
(10) Phillips, William R. Night of the Silver Stars: The Battle of Lang Vei. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 1997.
(11) Pisor, Robert. The End of the Line: The Siege of Khe Sanh. New York: W. W. Norton, 1982.
(12) Plaster, John L. SOG: A Photo History of the Secret Wars. Boulder, CO: Paladin Press, 2000.
(13) Plaster, John. SOG: The Secret Wars of America’s Commandos in Vietnam. New York: Onyx, 1997.
(14) Prados, John. The Blood Road: The Ho Chi Minh Trail and the Vietnam War. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 1999.
(15) Prados, John and Ray Stubbe. Valley of Decision: The Siege of Khe Sanh. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1991.
(16) Richardson, Doug. An Illustrated Guide to the Techniques and Equipment of Electronic Warfare. New York: Arco Publishing, 1985.
(17) Rottman, Gordon L. Khe Sanh 1967-68: Marines Battle for Vietnam’s Vital Hilltop Base. Oxford, UK: Osprey, 2005.
(18) Smith, Douglas V., (ed.). One Hundred Years of U.S. Navy Airpower. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 2010.
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(19) Sorley, Lewis. Westmoreland: The General Who Lost Vietnam. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2011.
(20) Stockwell, David B. Tanks in the Wire: The First Use of Enemy Armor in Vietnam. Canton, OH: Daring Books, 1989.
(21) Stubbe, Chaplain Ray, USN (Ret.), editor. Sedgwick D. Tourison, Jr., translator. B5-T8 in QXD: The Secret Official History of the North Vietnamese Army of the Siege at Khe Sanh. Wauwatosa, WI: 2006.
(22) Stubbe, Chaplain Ray, USN (Ret.). Battalion of Kings: A Tribute to Our Fallen Brothers Who Died Because of the Battlefield of Khe Sanh, Vietnam. Milwaukee, WI: Khe Sanh Veterans, Inc., 2005.
(23) Veith, George J. Code Name Bright Light: The Untold Story of U.S. POW Rescue Efforts During the Vietnam War. New York: The Free Press, 1998.
(24) Westmoreland, William C. A Soldier Reports. Garden City, New York: Doubleday, 1976.
(25) Zaffiri, Samuel. Westmoreland: A Biography of General William C. Westmoreland. New York: William Morrow, 1994.
C. MAGAZINE/JOURNAL ARTICLES.
(01) Brush, Peter. “The Plight of the Elephant.” Vietnam, February 2005.
(02) Craig, Sgt. Maj. William T. USA (Ret.). “Armored Assault on Lang Vei.” Vietnam, February 1995.
(03) East, Capt. Don, USN (Ret.). “A History of U.S. Navy Fleet Air Reconnaissance (Part 1: The Pacific and the VQ-1).” The Hook, Spring 1987.
(04) East, Capt. Don, USN (Ret.). “A History of U.S. Navy Fleet Air Reconnaissance (Part 2: The European Theater and the VQ-2).” The Hook, Summer 1987.
(05) Miranda, Joseph. “The PAVN and Tet.” Command, September-October 1992.
(06) Prados, John. “Khe Sanh: The Other Side of the Hill.” The VVA Veteran, July-August 2007.
(07) Wood, Capt. Sidney E., USN (Ret.). “VQ-1 in Vietnam.” Naval Intelligence Professionals, Fall 1993.
10. PREVIOUS WALL NOTES. (TITLE AND DATE OF INFORMATION).
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A. WALL NOTE ONE. The Mayaguez Incident. 25 March 2007.
B. WALL NOTE TWO. The Fall of Sai Gon: 30 April 1975. 06 May 2008.
C. WALL NOTE THREE. The Search and Rescue Mission of 08 October 1963. 05 September 2008.
D. WALL NOTE FOUR. U.S. Unaccounted For in Southeast Asia and East Asia. 06 March 2009.
E. WALL NOTE FIVE. Arrangements of Names on the Wall: Sp5 Lose and the “Lost Platoon.” 15 April 2009.
F. WALL NOTE SIX. The Incident of 08 July 1959. 14 July 2009.
G. WALL NOTE SEVEN. Wall Names Associated With The People’s Republic of China. 18 November 2009.
H. WALL NOTE EIGHT. U.S. Unaccounted For in Southeast Asia and East Asia (Update One). 27 February 2010.
I. WALL NOTE NINE. 2010 Vietnam Veterans Memorial Interventions. 01 July 2010.
J. WALL NOTE TEN. The Ia Drang Valley/Plei Ku/Plei Me Campaign. In Preparation.
K. WALL NOTE ELEVEN. Medal of Honor Recipients on the Wall. 01 August 2010.
L. WALL NOTE TWELVE. U.S. Unaccounted For in Southeast Asia and East Asia. (Update Two). 10 March 2010.
M. WALL NOTE THIRTEEN. 2011 Vietnam Veterans Memorial Interventions. 25 May 2011.
N. WALL NOTE FOURTEEN. Billie Joe Williams and Other Wall Stories. In Preparation.
O. WALL NOTE FIFTEEN. U.S. Unaccounted For in Southeast Asia and East Asia (Update Three). 09 February 2012
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