13 Jan 70- Glenn Ernest Tubbs; SGT E-5 of Amarillo, TX, USASF, CCS, Ban Me Thout, Ops - MIA-Presumptive finding of death. SGT Tubbs, a member of a river crossing team, was lost in the swift current in a river crossing of a deep channel of the San River close to the Cambodian border 12 miles northwest of Duc Co. One team member took the rope across and the other team members used the rope to assist in the crossing; however, Tubbs, the last member to cross, begin to have trouble when he was near the center of the river, losing grip of a rope, he was swept away, observed going under a six times after being carried over some deep rapids about 50 feet downstream from the rope. The team member chased after him, two by swimming back across the stream, he had disappeared and was not seen again.

Glenn E Tubbs Fr SF Honor Roll

07 Feb 70- Steven M Kuster, SP/5, USASF, CCC-KIA. Kuster was one of my squad leaders.  (I was a platoon sergeant in Co A.) Kuster had taken his squad up to Ben Het (I think, might've been Dak Pek), I forget exactly why; maybe just for additional security or to secure the landing strip during a lull in the frequent sieges up there.  This was a special assignment; usually we never detached a squad to do anything, much less support someone else's camp.  But those were the orders. I couldn't remember when this happened, real late in my tour.  I came back in February '70, and his date of death is Feb 70 also .. so it must've been within a week or so of my return.  We used to joke about Kuster's name (although not in front of him; he was just a young NCO, buck sergeant I believe, and pretty new to SF and all this).  You know, "Kuster" and Custer, Little Big Horn, etc.  But you know SF humor, usually pretty dark.  We never dreamed ...Kuster had his entire squad piled onto an M-151 jeep, going to take them down to the river below the camp for a quick bath. The jeep ran over a buried (either 122mm rocket or 155mm howitzer round, I forget which now), I'm told command-detonated.  It blew the jeep to crap, and everyone on it.  SF team heard the explosion, sent people to investigate, found the platoon interpreter hobbling up the dirt road for help, hurt leg but otherwise basically unharmed.  They went down the road, found the jeep upside down, blown to hell, bodies scattered all around in the middle of a grass fire. They put out the fire, recovered the bodies. I don't want to receive any email, calls or letters from begrieved family members.  I have nothing to tell them that would make them feel better, or make his loss worth while. David Kirschbaum, SGM, USA SF (Ret), Plt Sgt, Co A Hatchet Force CCC

12 Feb 70- Walter K. Dennis, SFC E-7, USASF, SOG20, NCOIC-Non-hostile, died of illness

25 Feb 70- Bobbie R. Baxter, SFC E-7, USASF, B-53-Non-hostile, died of Vehicle loss or crash Bien Hoa Province, South Vietnam

28 Feb 70- William (Bob) Boyles, SFC of Waltrous, PA, and approximately Special Commando Soldiers (Exact Number unknown) USASF CCC; Konturn, Ops 35; a Vietnamese Choctaw helicopter pilot, and a Co-Pilot, and Door Gunner form the 219^th Vietnamese Air Force, Da Nang, Ops 32-All listed as MIA, Presumptive finding of death. This Vietnamese crew had volunteered to perform a resupply and pick up wounded men of Hatchet Force Company B, Kontum, in the mist of a fire fight in Operation Halfback in Laos, on top of the same hill Hatchet Force Company A had occupied back on 4 March 69. Having just loaded the wounded Commandos the helicopter was hit by a B-40 rocket. SFC Boyles was last seen standing inside the aircraft. The area was searched thoroughly, but remains were found after the fire. William (Bob) Boyles is pictured on the right, Fred Zabitozky, CMH Recipient is far left, and Warren (Bud) William center. Photo by Bud William 

William Boyer

      05 March or 5 May 1970 (official records say 5 March)- Charles Garvin Dougan, CW2 &  Robert Ira Rabb,1LT,  James Laurence Howell, SGT, Crew Chief , James Delvin Smith,  SP4,  Gunner of the 195th AHC-KIA-RR due to helicopter crash in support of CCS Operation UH-1H tail number 68-15525 was shot down in the vicinity of the Quan Loi Air field-Some members of the  believe that all 4 men mentioned above were KIA in the same aircraft crash, Phuoc Long, SVN out of Quan Loi into Cambodia.  It was a gun ship that was hit with a rocket and went down killing all crew (Note: on the same date and that the records are mistaken - which date is correct is a matter of contention. [Filed by Tyler Furbish-195th historian]

06 Mar 70- James W. Finzel, MSG E-8, 35yo, USASF, CCN, Da Nang, Ops 35 Non-Hostile (Drowned at CCN)-RR The following is submitted by Col. Larry Greene: "I remember Sgt McKee was swimming with SSG Finzel the day Finzel drowned. (Finzel) was a big, muscular guy who owned a monkey that had a taste for rum and coke (the monkey). There was another NCO swimming with them but I don't remember his name. He could have been Finzel's 1-1. I had just gotten to know Finzel before he died. Both of ur teams had been at Phu Bai in isolation trying to get into the AO, but either the weather or activity on the LZs had prevented it. Finzel's team finally got in and stayed for about 5 days or so. My team got in and got shot out after a few hours. We had come back to Da Nang about the same time.

24 Mar 70- Jerry Lynn Pool, 1LT 0-2, RT one-two of Freeport, IL,  John Arthur Boronski , SSG E-6, Tm One-Zero, of Ware, Mass, Gary Alan Harned, SGT, Tm One-one, of Springboro, Pa USASF and Special Command Scouts (Number and names unknown) CCC, Kontum, RT Pennsylvania, Ops 35 and Michael Davis O'Donnel, Cpt, Pilot of Springfield, Ill, John Charles Hosken, Co-Pilot, WOI, 0-2 of Chagrin Falls, OH; Rudy Morales Becerra, SP/4 of Richmond, TX and Berman Ganoe, Jr. SP/4 of Belleview, FL US Army UH-IH Helicopter Crew from the 170th AHC, Tail # 262, Ops 32/75-MIA, Presumptive finding of death. A recon team which had been engaged with an enemy force in Cambodia for three days, requested extraction. The UH-1H, 170th AHC responded in support of the team. The landing zone in the tri-border area 14 miles inside Cambodia, had enemy forces closing in, the pilot, ignoring his own safety attempted the extraction. The helicopter set-down on the LZ , the entire team boarded the aircraft and having just loaded the recon team, and in an effort to depart, the helicopter started its assent reaching an altitude of about 100 feet when an explosion was observed in the aircraft. The aircraft continued to fly for about three hundred meters when another explosion occurred. No bodies were seen being thrown clear of the exploding aircraft. The aircraft crashed and burned uncontrollably. No rescue was attempted due to heavy enemy fire. See "No Name Creek" Tales from SOG, Also see the "Into the Killing Zone, Mar 24, 70," Tales from SOG  Subj:    RT Pennsylvania/Bikini Red Three Funeral and Interment Services From: (Clyde Sincere). :

On 24 March 1970, RT Pennsylvania, MACVSOG OP-35 from CCC consisting of three U.S. and five Indigenous long-range reconnaissance patrol members were being extracted while under heavy enemy contact by a UH-1H helicopter flown by members of the 170th Aviation Company, 17th Aviation Group, lst Aviation Brigade.  Immediately following the extraction, Major Michael D. O'Donnell transmitted that he had the entire eight man team on board and was departing the area.  As the aircraft began its ascent, there was an explosion in the aircraft.  The helicopter continued for about 300 meters when another explosion caused the aircraft to crash.  Aerial search and rescue efforts were initiated, however, there was no sign of life at the crash site.  In January of 1994, a joint search team interviewed Le Thanh Minh of Kontum.  Minh reported that in April 1993 while searching for aluminum, he located a crash site in Cambodia.  He stated he found human remains, three dog tags, a first aid kit and a rucksack.  He also heard that people from Laos had discovered a watch, a gold ring and an AR15.  He further indicated that the crash site was spread over a 100 meter area.  He stated that the tail section of the aircraft was visible and engraved with the number "262". He gave the dog tags to the team, two were Berman Ganoe, Jr. and one belonged to John C. Hosken, (both crew members of the Huey).  In January of 1998, a joint search team entered the area of the crash site and this time they were successful in locating the aircraft.  The remains of all of the crew and team members were recovered, along with dog tags, weapons and other personal effects.  After many years, the brave men of Bikini Red Three and RT Pennsylvania were on their way home.     At 1300 hours, 16 August 2001, A group funeral service was conducted at the Old Post Chapel, Fort Myer, Virginia the for:   Michael D. O'Donnell - Major, Aircraft Commander, 170th AviationCompany. John C. Hosken, CWO-3, Pilot, 170th Aviation Company. Jerry L. Pool, Captain, RT Pennsylvania - "One-Zero"; John A. Boronski, SFC, RT Pennsylvania - "One-One"; Gary A. Harned, SFC, RT Pennsylvania - "One-Two";     Berman Ganoe, Jr., SSG, Door Gunner, 170th Aviation Company; Rudy M. Becerra, SSG, Crew Chief, 170th Aviation Company. 

    Interment at Arlington National Cemetery followed the funeral service. There was one casket containing the remains of some of the above honored men.  There were some family members who elected to have their loved ones remains interred near their homes of record.  For instance, SSG Rudy Beccera's family is having him interred at Greenlawn Cemetery in Rosenberg, Texas with full military honors on Sunday, 19 August 2001 at 1400 hours. Family members of both the aircraft crew and RT Pennsylvania participated in the services with full military honors.  Seven National colors were presented to family members in a very somber interment service. 

    A number of SOA and SFA members were also present to honor these fallen comrades: Michael Ash, SOA # 1432-GL; Robert Bechtoldt, SOA # 146-GL and his son John; Neil Coady, SOA # 565-GL and his wife Kathy; William Deacy, SOA # 1303-GL; R.J. Graham, SOA # 184-GL and his wife Joan.  Also two friends of R.J. came:  John and Ryan Long; Wally Johnson, President, Chapter XI, SFA; Robert Jack, SOA # 414-GL; Al Keller, SOA # 1488-GL; William Lueders, SOA # 664-GL; Gene McCarthy, SOA # 256-GL; Lloyd O'Daniel, SOA # 1469-GA; Clyde Sincere, SOA # 010-GL; Michael Wilson, SOA # 1338-GA;         James L. Young, Pending SOA Membership, his wife Candy and daughter Elizabeth. Additionally approximately 60-75 family members and guests were in attendance. Regards, Clyde

03 Apr 70- Everett B Cofer, SSG E-6, USASF, RT PICK, CCS, Da Nang, Ops 35 Remains Recovered. Everett was on a Recon Mission with RJ Graham [filed by William "Bill" Deacy]

3 Apr 70-Helring, Carl J., SP/4, attached to MACSOG 80'S from 11/01/69 until his death from the 525th MI BN, drowned in recreational center swimming pool Gia Dinh Province, South-Non Hostile. The virtual wall has him assigned to 519TH MI BN, 525TH MI GROUP.

06 Apr 70- Andrew Thomas Brassfield, SSG E-6, USASF Recon Tm Missouri, CCN, Da Nang, Ops 35, -KIA, body not recovered. On an intelligence gathering Recon mission in Laos. The team stopped for a rest and came under came under intense enemy fire and all team members were wounded and SSG Brassfield was fatally wounded. Brassfield?s remains had to be left behind in an effort to break contact with the enemy.

15 Apr 70- Michael V Kuropas, SSG E-6 USASF,  VIRGINIA?, CCC-KIA (Kuropas was with RT Ohio before joining VIRGINIA)

15 Apr 70- Dennis W. Neal, SSG E-6, USASF, CCC, Recon Team Montana-KIA. RT Montana was on Bright Light duty, when the call came. WO James Lake and WO William McDonald of the 170^th AHC flew into Kontum with a special plea. Several of their men, dead and wounded, were trapped on LZ Orange located outside the perimeter of the Special Forces (SF) Camp at Dak Seang. Their helicopter had been shot down during an insertion attempt of ARVN soldiers with the mission to secure the LZ and assist the SF camp at Dak Seang should the enemy attempt to besiege it. The enemy surrounded LZ Orange and using the trapped crew as bait to sucker in helicopters and inflict casualties. With the heavy enemy fire, rescue attempts throughout the day had not been successful. A number of aircraft had been lost and Headquarters, by this time, had decided that rescue of the downed crew was not possible without an unacceptable further loss of men and aircraft. Two pilots from the 170^th AHC arrived at Kontum requesting assistance. The team leader, SFC Joe Samples, and team members SSG?s Joe Samples and Dennis Neal volunteered to insert on the LZ and effect a rescue of the downed crew. During their briefing, they were informed that the LZ was a real bad one and that it was now known to be occupied by a Division Headquarters for the NVA, surrounded by fortified positions. Both Samples and Sheppard were determined to go in, but Neal had reservations. Neal said it was a trap, and going in was probably suicide. Both Samples and Sheppard agreed, but pointed out that was the only chance the men at LZ Orange had, and that was what Bright Light was all about. Neal agreed with reservation, and the Team Boarded the two helicopters. RT Montana divided their team into two segments. SFC Samples and SSG Neal boarded the helicopters with two of the SCU, Nat and Song. SSG Sheppard loaded the remaining three SCU, Dil, Prinh, and Nhong, and himself on the chase ship. Upon arriving and trying to figure out the best possible manner to breach the enemy?s defenses, WO McDonald, pilot, notified Sample and Neal they were going in. McDonald dropped the Huey into a steep dive and headed to the valley floor. The chase ship right behind him, McDonald leveled off above the valley floor, staying low and fast up the side of the mountain to the LZ. Immediately, he reported extensive fire from 360 degrees, but pressed on. As he reached the LZ, the helicopter was taking extremely heavy concentrated small arms and RPG fire from all sides. Behind the pilot, Neal had been struck several times and lay unconscious against the back of the right bulkhead behind the pilot seat. Samples had been struck twice, but was conscious. Both SCU severely wounded. The bird slammed into the LZ, but was able to rescue several of the down crew and take off. When the helicopter was on the ground, several of the crew were hit as well as Sample being hit twice more. The helicopter was able to make it down to the besieged SF Camp where SFC Mike Sheppard picked up Neal, who started to speak, and then after a few words, died in Sheppard?s arms. NOTE: See full story of this action in "Tales from SOG," Dak Seang by Col Summers.

Dennis W. Neil Fr SF Honor Roll

17 Apr 70- Jerry L Prentner, SFC B-7, USASF, CCS, Ops 35, Accidental Gun Shot- KIA-RR

08 May 70- Charles J. Hein, Jr, SGT E-5, USASF, CCC-KIA

C. Hein (left rear) From SF Honor Roll

Sidney man gave his life to save fellow soldiers By TESS GRUBER NELSON, Staff Writer

12 May 70- Robert Francis Preiss, SSG E-6 of Cornwall, NY, USASF, Recon Team Cobra, CCN, Da Nang, Ops 35 KIA - Body not recovered. While on a recon mission in Laos, the team was engaged by a North Vietnamese Army squad size unit while the team was on a rest break and SSG Preiss was mortally wounded. Due to the enemy situation, the team was enforced to withdraw leaving Preiss?s remains behind. A search team was inserted on the 18^th and it appears the battle area had been sterilized and a large rock slide had occurred. The only indication of Preiss? presence is the smell of decomposing flesh from beneath the rock slide.

25 May 70- Robert L. Coleman, SSG E-6, USASF, RT NEW JERSEY, CCN, Da Nang, Ops 35, KIA-RR Coleman, a member of a team on a recon mission in Laos. The team was attacked by a North Vietnamese Unit and Coleman was shot in the spleen and bled to death before medical assistance could be provided.

30 May 70- Brian J DeVaney CWO of the 17Oth AHC, a native Canadian, who's last day of flying was the day before. One of his last missions was to insert a SOG recon team from CCC in the BRA area of the Ho Chi Minh Trail on 28 March. On the 30^th, he learned the team was now in trouble and need to be extracted from the area, he felt it was his responsibility to extract the team since he had inserted them and therefore took the mission. Upon the approach to extract the team, the helicopter came under intense fire from a RPD Machine Gun, raking the chopper from front to rear while it hovered in an effort to pick up the team under fire. Several rounds entered from the rear of the aircraft. Two rounds hit SP/4 John P. Martin, Of the 17Oth AHC, crew chief, sitting directly behind the pilot DeVaney, one round hit Martin in the left thigh and one hitting the left tibia and going through the right Femur. One of these rounds that hit Martin passed through about a 1/4" inch crack in the Armor Plating protecting the pilot hitting CWO DeVaney’s armor chest plate bouncing back into his heart killing him instantly. The aircraft rolled, crashed and burned. SP/4 Martin came to from being unconscious, he was under the fuel cell of the aircraft, as he began to crawl away, Lt John W Naurot, of CCC's Recon Team, left the safety of the bomb crater and retrieved Martin by pulling him to safety in the crater. How the other crew members consisting of the Co Pilot Taylor and B.J got to the crater is not clear, Either the Co-Pilot and other members got to the crater themselves or the other members of the Recon Team exposed themselves to the hail of bullets by crawling out and pulling the crew back to safety. One SCU scout was also KIA in this incident. All members were rescued by another 170^th Helicopter who lost 4" of tail rotor in the extraction. (Information provided by John P. Martin and edited by Robert Noe)

04 Jun 70- Mark H. Rivest, 1LT 0-2, USASF, PLT LDR CCC-KIA in Laos

10 Jun 70- Vyrl E. Leichlieter, 1LT 0-2, USASF, CCS, Plt Ldr-KIA small arms fire

30 Jun 70- William Stephen Sanders CPT 0-3, Pilot, FAC, of Winthrop, Maine USAF, 23rd Tac Air Spt, and Five crew members of an HH53, Captain Leroy C. Schaneberg, pilot; Major John W. Goeglein, co-pilot; SSgt Marvin E. Bell, flight engineer; SSgt Michael F. Dean, pararescueman; and MSgt. Paul L. Jenkins, pararescueman 40TH ARRS, 3RD AIR RESCUE GROUP, 7TH AF , Ops 32,MIA. His aircraft was shot down while providing support for a SOG recon team in Laos. The back seat rider escaped and was rescued. (Filed by William "Bill" Sheldon: CPT William Sanders, USAF, was flying a mission out of MLT 3, NKP. Back seater was SFC Albert Mosiello, USASF, CCN, MLT 3. Mosiello stated they were hit in the side by apparently a 37mm AAA round. He debriefed that the explosion probably killed CPT Sanders. Mosiello ejected, and was under canopy for 4 - 10 seconds. An HH 53 Jolly Green from 37th ARRS was launched from Danang to recover Mosiello. Sandys (A1s were covering). As the HH53 made an approach to hover, an NVA fired an RPG into the rotor of the HH53. The aircraft rolled out of the sky and exploded in a huge fireball. All 6 crew members were presumed KIA. 56th SOW commander, COL Sam Crosby informed me the 37th was launching another HH53, and asked if I desired to arm the A1s with tear gas for fire suppression. I affirmed, and as soon as the tear gas was down, the 2nd HH53 picked Mosiello out on a penetrator. I flew an electronic search of the crash site the following morning, with CPT Fred Parrot, FAC pilot 23rd TASS. No radio signals detected, no movement in or near the site. An NVA company was observed moving to the area. We pickled 2 pods of HE rockets into the NVA, and then departed the area. I sat on a KIA/MIA board. CPT Sanders was presumed to be KIA, but as I recall the status remained MIA for a long time.

Marvin E. Bell From Vietnam Virtual Wall

On 30 June 1970, Captain William S. Sanders, pilot, and SFC Albert E. Mosiello, observer, were conducting a visual reconnaissance mission in an OV-10A (tail number 68-3807, call sign "Nail 44"). Due to mission requirements for handheld photography NAIL 44 was flying below the usual minimum of 1500 feet. The aircraft was taken under fire and hit by a 37mm AAA shell in its left side adjacent to the pilot's position. With his pilot unresponsive and the OV-10 no longer airworthy, Mosiello ejected. The OV-10 had gone down in heavily forested, rugged mountains about 3 miles west of the Lao/South Vietnamese border and 12 miles south of the demilitarized zone (DMZ). A second FAC in the vicinity heard SFC Mosiello's emergency beeper and made radio contact with the downed observer. He then initiated Search and Rescue operations. A HH-53C JOLLY GREEN helicopter from the 40th Air Rescue/Recovery Squadron (ARRS) at Udorn RTAFB, Thailand, was immediately dispatched to the area of loss. The HH-53 crew consisted of

Notes from The Virtual Wall

On 10 August 1970 D Troop, 1/1 Cavalry, was tasked with inserting a Special Forces reconnaissance team into Laos about 26 kilometers west of Ngok Tavok. The aircraft, UH-1H tail number 68-16520, When the helicopter lost power and crashed when it was about 25 feet above the ground in the landing zone. SP4 Crowley and one passenger were trapped inside the aircraft. A medic from another helicopter entered the wreckage and managed to free the passenger, but Crowley was firmly wedged between the aircraft and the ground. After two or three minutes of effort, the medic gave up trying to free him. The medic determined that Crowley was dead, as there was no pulse and he could get no response from him. All personnel were extracted and another rescue team was inserted just before dark, but was unable to get back to the wrecked aircraft because of enemy activity. The second team was extracted the next day, and no further efforts were made to go back to the crash site. SP4 Crowley was classed as Killed in Action, Body Not Recovered. His remains were recovered on 26 June 1998 and officially identified on 22 April 2000.