Never Forget!

If there is information available about these men, the name will show as a hyperlink and you can click on the name to access the text. The work to obtain and enter information about each person is currently ongoing.

Special thanks are extended to Gary Roush of the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Associaton for providing much of the research and content in the helicopter data base and other pages on this site.

All stories, letters, and pictures are property of their respective authors and therefore fully copyrighted ©.
Information referred to as the Helicopter database is provided by and used with permission of the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association (VHPA) and is fully copyrighted All stories and letters are property of their respective authors and therefore fully copyrighted © by the VHPA.

Last update:02/01/2009

ADAMS, WILLIAM EDWARD	BAILEY, JON
BARTON, ROBERT JAMESON	BARRITT, WILLIAM STEPHEN
BERTA, ROBERT DEWITT	BIGELOW, RALPH WILLIAM
BLATTEL, DAVID LEE	BLOHM, RONALD ROY
BORCHART, WILLIAM H	BRESLIN, PATRICK JOHN
BRIGGS, ERNEST FRANK JR	BROWN, JOSEPH MARTIN LEROY
BUTLER, MERLE FLOYD II	CLEVE, REGINALD DAVID
DUNNAVANT, JAMES M JR	FORD, RICHARD WAYNE
GARDNER, SAMUEL RAY	HALL, WALTER RAY
HAMILTON, DENNIS CLARK	HARVEY, MICHAEL GAIL
HYDEN, DEE AARON	JENKS, RICHARD DALE
KEELER, LARRY DEAN	KNUTSEN, DONALD PAUL
LANE ALBERT LEROY JR	MC ALLISTER, ANGUS W JR
MEIER, GARY MICHAEL	NOETZEL, WILLIAM WESLEY
PACHECO, DONALD GONZALES	PETTY, ERNEST DE FOREST
PICKETT, DARREL MONROE	PICKLES, MICHAEL RICHARD
RAMSEY, JOHN LOUIS	RICHARD, PHILIP EUGENE
ROSE, DONALD RAY	SCHULTZ, SHELDON D
SCOTT, ROBERT L	SEARS, GORDON BERT
SHAFFER, BRUCE WILLIAM	SHELTON, WESLEY STEWART
SIZEMORE, ROBERT RALPH, JR	STOCKTON, DON EUGENE JR
TERRELL, GORDON LEE	TRAVER, JOHN GROVE III
WHALEY, JAMES GOODWIN	WILLIAMSON, JAMES D
WORKMAN, LANCE DAVIS	YEAGER, LARRY GENE

ADAMS, WILLIAM EDWARD

Captain Bill Adams was an original member of the 176th. As I remember he was in the 1st Platoon but soon after arrival in RVN assumed command of the TC Detachment. Bill was shot down on his second tour. At the time he was a Company Commander in the 1st Cav. Was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. Information provided by Ronald 'Ron' L. Roy.
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Incident Date 710525
054 MAJ William Edward Adams P A/227 AHB 1 CAV UH-1H 69-15704
054 CPT John Dehaas Curran P A/227 AHB 1 CAV UH-1H 69-15704
054 SP4 John Wayne Littleton CE 52 CAB UH-1H 69-15704
054 SP4 Dennis Charles Durand G A/227 AHB 1 CAV UH-1H 69-15704
055 SP4 Melvin Robinson CE A/227 AHB 1 CAV UH-1H 69-15704
Source: VHPA KIA PANEL03W.HTM
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Chickenman 6. A/227 AHB 1 CAV. Shot down while trying to rescue SP5 Littleton from Firebase 5. Received the Medal Of Honor.
Source: 1998 VHPA Membership Directory

BAILEY, JON

BARRITT, WILLIAM STEPHEN
Click Here for Helicopter Database record for UH-1H 68-16206

BARTON, ROBERT JAMESON
Click Here for Helicopter Database record for UH-1H 68-15237

BERTA, ROBERT DEWITT

BIGELOW, RALPH WILLIAM

BLATTEL, DAVID LEE
Click Here for Helicopter Database record for UH-1D 66-17075

BLOHM, RONALD ROY

-Under Revision-

BORCHART, WILLIAM H

BRESLIN, PATRICK JOHN
Click Here for Helicopter Database record for UH-1H 68-15237

BRIGGS, ERNEST FRANK JR
Click Here for Helicopter Database record for UH-1D 66-01172

SOLDIERS MIA FROM VIETNAM WAR ARE ACCOUNTED-FOR -DPMO Press release dated Aug. 2, 2007

BROWN, JOSEPH MARTIN LEROY

Body escort was Tim Mitchell.

-----Original Message-----

From: Gaieski, Thaddeus A
Sent: Friday, January 26, 2001 1:11 PM
Subject:
My name is Tedd Gaieski, Muskets '70-'71. I remember being on the flight line when word came in that Bob's ship went down. Rocky Wells was particulary upset and urged everyone to ready another aircraft for a possible rescue mission. I reasoned with him that it was futile because the word we had was that the aircraft exploded in flight. The scuttlebutt was that they had been struck by an errant arty round. On subsequent missions to that area we always circled that area to observed the impact site. Wreckage seemed to be scattered all over. Bob's passing, along with Mr. Petty, Joe Brown and D. Pickett, the other crew members, was a great loss that impacted all of us. They were well liked and very skilled at their MOS. Brown and Pickett were Hootch Mates of mine at the time of their demise. I think about the four of them often. They were good people! T.A. Gaieski Jr.

BUTLER, MERLE FLOYD II

An e-mail note dated 03/25/2001, from Ken Fritz identifying a picture of Angus McAllister provided this information about the loss of Angus and Merle Butler.

.....WO Angus McAllister.  He was the AC when his ship was shot down by .51 fire. He and WO Merle Butler lost the rotor head and blades at about 2000 ft. AGL  while on a Div Arty flt. in FEB '69.   WO Bruce Schaffer and I were flying a distant trail to them.

Ken

CLEVE, REGINALD DAVID
Click here for Refno 1733 Witness Statements from Library of Congress casualty files, records for John G. Traver, Reel 251, pages 27-33. Includes sketches pertaining to the aircraft explosion, landing attitude, and crash site. The records for John Traver were used for all four crew members because they were the most legible and all the crews records were basically identical.
Click here for Refno 1733 Case Summary Information 02/15/96

Click here for Helicopter Database record for UH-1H 68-15759

DUNNAVANT, JAMES M JR
Click here for Helicopter Database record for UH-1C 65-09563

FORD, RICHARD WAYNE

GARDNER, SAMUEL RAY
Click Here for Helicopter Database record for UH-1D 66-17075

HALL, WALTER RAY
Click here for Refno 1733 Witness Statements from Library of Congress casualty files, records for John G. Traver, Reel 251, pages 27-33. Includes sketches pertaining to the aircraft explosion, landing attitude, and crash site. The records for John Traver were used for all four crew members because they were the most legible and all the crews records were basically identical.
Click here for Refno 1733 Case Summary Information 02/15/96

Click here for Helicopter Database record for UH-1H 68-15759

HAMILTON, DENNIS CLARK
Click Here for Helicopter Database record for UH-1D 66-01172

SOLDIERS MIA FROM VIETNAM WAR ARE ACCOUNTED-FOR -DPMO Press release dated Aug. 2, 2007

HARVEY, MICHAEL GAIL

HYDEN, DEE AARON
Click Here for Helicopter Database record for UH-1H 68-16206

JENKS, RICHARD DALE

KEELER, LARRY DEAN
Click Here for Helicopter Database record for UH-1H 68-16206

KNUTSEN, DONALD PAUL
Click here for Refno 1733 Witness Statements from Library of Congress casualty files,  records for John G. Traver, Reel 251, pages 27-33. Includes sketches pertaining to the aircraft explosion, landing attitude, and crash site. The records for John Traver were used for all four crew members because they were the most legible and all the crews records were basically identical.
Click here for Refno 1733 Case Summary Information 02/15/96

Click here for Helicopter Database record for UH-1H 68-15759

LANE ALBERT LEROY JR

MC ALLISTER, ANGUS W JR

Click here for Helicopter Database record for UH-1D 63-12999

Click here for pictures of Angus McAllister

The following text is an excerpt from Chapter Six of the story "Wreckage Of Dreams", written by Brian Lambie.

THE BIG "GOOD BYE"

Angus Mcallister was a wonderful fun loving man from Biloxi, Mississippi. He had a loud and boisterous laugh but was warm and kind. I liked him immediately and we became very close friends in a very short time. In a place like that, if you did befriend someone, it was intense.

We would read each other's mail, share our most private thoughts and have the greatest times just talking. He was the kind of guy that would do anything for you. His pure unselfishness and grand lust for life burn in my memory!

After nine months in country we went on R & R to Hong Kong together and had a great time. We rode the rickshaws, employed our own tailor, ate in a real Chinese restaurant, visited the Peak, sailed on the ferry and made love to the women of Hong Kong. It was like we craved living. We packed all the life we could into six days.

A few weeks after our R & R, he went to the flight leader without my knowledge and told him he wanted to take my mission that day. He argued that he had recently had a few days off and that I had flown many consecutive days. The Flight Leader was impressed and, deciding that this made no difference to the mission, granted his request.

Without realizing how, I had my first day off in quite a while. I slept in late and was one of the last to eat breakfast. Shortly before I was finished, I overheard a conversation in a hushed but serious tone about one of our birds being shot down. I thought I heard mention of my birds tail number. Without stopping I ran to operations fearing the worst.

It had been confirmed. The tail number of my aircraft had been spotted in the wreckage. In shocked disbelief I learned that Butler (Blackbird), the Copilot who slept next to me; Ford, my Crew Chief who had one week left; Bailey, my Door Gunner with eleven days left; and Angus Mcallister, the Aircraft Commander and my best friend; were all dead!

There were no words only sobs.

MEIER, GARY MICHAEL
Click here for Helicopter Database record for UH-1D 66-17075

NOETZEL, WILLIAM WESLEY
The following information about William W. Noetzel was contributed by Stan Gray, Minuteman 14, on March 14, 2000.

We both lived in one of the First Flight platoon hootches. I was a fairly new guy and lived in a dog bed in the back corner of the hootch. Bill was a senior PP and had a nice AO at the front of the hootch. We were both assigned to fly as PPs on a two ship LRRP insertion on the 25th of April (I show 5 hours flown that day). Bill was scheduled to fly with CPT Craig and myself with CPT Markland. Bill said that if I was KIA the next day (25 Apr) that he wanted my Pentax camera and telephoto lens. No problem for me, but if Bill got killed, I wanted to move into his AO in the hootch. Well we made serious jokes like that back then didn't we?

At 0-dark thirty in operations we were informed that due to experience levels per aircraft, I would be flying with CPT Craig instead of CPT Markland as Markland was a fairly new AC and I was an FNG.

We inserted first with Markland and Noetzel in the high ship. After we dropped our grunts, the roles were reversed and Craig talked Markland to the drop site on the edge of a hill. (I believe the AO was west of Quang Ngai but don't quote me on it)

While they were in the LZ, Craig told them not to move laterally due to possible tail rotor strike. Within seconds they DID have a T/R strike and we watched helplessly as they tumbled and turned down the hill. When the aircraft came to a stop, we went in and picked them up. Markland carrying Noetzel to the aircraft and the crew and grunts carrying two of the LRRPs who were injured.

All the way to the 91st Evac, I watched Markland giving mouth to mouth to Noetzel but he was DOA on the helipad or probably DOA at the LZ as I never saw him move at all. The first guy I saw when we got back to the manor was Ron Handel, a hootchmate, and I broke the news to him.

I wouldn't take Bills room right away, couldn't, but later did when a new guy came in to claim it (Roger Petner I believe).

By the way, the Muskets (light fire team) were holding over a ridge to the north for us if needed. You know, the sneaky pete type of insertions the LRRPS did.

PACHECO, DONALD GONZALES

PETTY, ERNEST DE FOREST

-----Original Message-----

From: Gaieski, Thaddeus A
Sent: Friday, January 26, 2001 1:11 PM
Subject:
My name is Tedd Gaieski, Muskets '70-'71. I remember being on the flight line when word came in that Bob's ship went down. Rocky Wells was particulary upset and urged everyone to ready another aircraft for a possible rescue mission. I reasoned with him that it was futile because the word we had was that the aircraft exploded in flight. The scuttlebutt was that they had been struck by an errant arty round. On subsequent missions to that area we always circled that area to observed the impact site. Wreckage seemed to be scattered all over. Bob's passing, along with Mr. Petty, Joe Brown and D. Pickett, the other crew members, was a great loss that impacted all of us. They were well liked and very skilled at their MOS. Brown and Pickett were Hootch Mates of mine at the time of their demise. I think about the four of them often. They were good people! T.A. Gaieski Jr.

PICKETT, DARREL MONROE
-----Original Message-----

From: Gaieski, Thaddeus A
Sent: Friday, January 26, 2001 1:11 PM
Subject:
My name is Tedd Gaieski, Muskets '70-'71. I remember being on the flight line when word came in that Bob's ship went down. Rocky Wells was particulary upset and urged everyone to ready another aircraft for a possible rescue mission. I reasoned with him that it was futile because the word we had was that the aircraft exploded in flight. The scuttlebutt was that they had been struck by an errant arty round. On subsequent missions to that area we always circled that area to observed the impact site. Wreckage seemed to be scattered all over. Bob's passing, along with Mr. Petty, Joe Brown and D. Pickett, the other crew members, was a great loss that impacted all of us. They were well liked and very skilled at their MOS. Brown and Pickett were Hootch Mates of mine at the time of their demise. I think about the four of them often. They were good people! T.A. Gaieski Jr.

PICKLES, MICHAEL RICHARD
Here is an exchange of E-mail written by some guys who served with Mike Pickles in Vietnam.  This round of E-mail was spurred by an individual who was assigned to a unit that Mike supported as a slick pilot and a LOH pilot. The E-mail has been slightly edited to remove subjects not relevant to Mike Pickles.

Subj: minuteman

Carl,

Did you know a guy by the name of Junior Richman who was a crew chief on Mr. Pickles bird during '69 and maybe early '70. Can't remember just when Pickles got shot in his loach. I took my maiden flight to the field with Pickles and Richman. Took 3 attempts to get me in due to the unfriendly fire and damage to the birds that day. I was with B & E companies 4/31st Inf. 196th LIB which worked off of LZ West, LZ Siberia, Hawk Hill, LZ Baldy, when I was there. Just thought I'd ask if you knew Richman or Pickles.
Take care,
John "Doc" Lysinger
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Subj: Re: minuteman
Carl,
Thanks for responding. Pickles was a good pilot. He liked to agitate the dinks with his loach but they won in the end. I believe he could fly that bird upside down....
Again, thanks.

John "Doc" Lysinger

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Subj: Re: minuteman

Carl,

I don't know a lot about Pickles except he flew us quite a bit in June of 69. He flew me on my maiden flight to LZ West the first part of June '69. We made 3 attempts into AK Valley before I got in. Pickles was the pilot. He flew Charley Charley for our battalion part of the time. Richmon was a crew chief on a Huey. The thing that set Richmond off was the fact he wore a white helmet most of the time. Are you in contact with him? I remember Pickles just before he was shot flying Loachs. He would come out and hover right over the trees kind of duck in and out. They would shoot at him with a rifle alot of the time. Kind of cat and mouse. He really flew low and it got the best of him. He wasn't scared of anything and if somebody had to be inserted or extracted he was a good one to go get them. I've heard them say things have been bad enough he took the risk by himself without a co-pilot and crew. Left them all setting on a firebase and went by himself. I can't say whether this is true or not. Pickles was good and a Dustoff pilot by the name of Roberson was also outstanding. When the two of them were around there no worry about getting in or out. There was a pilot by the name of White who was wounded or later died in I think May '70. His whole crew was shot up. They came in unannounced over the wire on the north end of LZ West. The bird was shot up all over. I remember it taking all 4 to fly because of there wounds. I remember I could read the 1 pilot name "White". They were a mess, looked like a butcher shop. The bird's bubble was all shot up, tail shot up, everything was shot. This might have been a "Rattler" instead of a "Minuteman". Well I've went on long enough. Anyway I always appreciated the choppers and crew. Down on the ground wasn't any fun. We had several guys who transferred to the choppers as door gunners and maintainance in the fall and spring of '69 & '70 back in Chu Lai.
Take care and if I can be of help don't hesitate.

John "Doc" Lysinger

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Subj: Pickles

Carl,

Got your latest letter. I was a 11B to start with and did everything from RTO, gunner, sniper, etc. that you do in the field. I was one of the 4 surviving OJT Medics in that I know about. Otherwise we were infantry and crossed over and on the job training for 3 days as Medics and sent back out to a line company as a Medic. That was 3 days out of the field which was a relief....

Pickles made a lot flights in June for us and we always knew he'd make it in when he was on the radio. I wouldn't wanted to been in his crew in some ways because he took alot of risks but on the other hand he was a good pilot and could get it out of the bird. You could depend on him. The flight I was referring to was off of LZ West in June '69 to AK valley. I think we lost 5 or 6 men and had about 12 wounded the next day which was around the 15th. I was new in the company and didn't know everyone. We had pretty hard casualities in June in AK Valley, July it was Happy Valley, and August it was Hiep Duc which the book "Death Valley" was wrote about. I was SSgt. Shepard's RTO at that time. In Sept. it was the Human Wave assault on LZ Siberia. Things cooled down until after the first of the year and it started all over again and was going good when I left in June of 70.
Take care,

John

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Subj: Re: Pickles

Well, Doc, your info about Pickles' reputation has been verified several times over. It appears that he was something of a legend in his own time. Thanks for putting me on to such a great story. I did not know that he was the one dropping the calling cards. I had heard about that story (see below).

Here are some E-mail notes that I got from three 176th guys who flew with Pickles. You will enjoy them.
Carl Z.

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Subj: Pickles
John,
I am trying to verify info about Pickles in the forwarded E-mail. Did you know him?
Carl
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Subj: Pickles

you bet i knew him,,,,,,,,,, he and ralph bigelow were "requisitioned" to fly the loh's ,,,,,,, i'm only assuming that they flew the hughes,,,,, they might have been in bell's cuz that was about the same time frame for them bells to takeover,,,,,,,,

pick and i flew alot together,,,,, he flew smokey for us and took some shrapnel in early '70? when the gunships fired a little to close to the lz,,,,, he wasn't hurt bad,,,,,,,,,

i don't know anything about their demise except i heard they were "1 shot charlies" and both took it in the head,,,,,

for some reason i thought pick was kia before i was hit but on all documents that i've seen this is not the case,,,, i was hit on april 7th and he was a month or so after that,,,,, it just seems to me that he was killed before i left country,,,,,,,,,,,,, go figure,,,,,,, will fill you in on a couple war stories later,,,,,

ô¿ô

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From Minuteman 29/Musket 38:

Carl,

I flew quite a few times with Mike Pickles during my tour. I believe that he was into his second or possibly third tour when he was killed. I flew with him in Slicks, a few Smokey 500 missions, and covered him as a Musket during Smokey Missions. After he went to Loaches, (Informal Callsign: "Zippo", as he managed to set fire to just about everything, especially marijuana fields) I flew as a co-pilot with him a couple of times, until he scared the be-jesus out of me and after that I was satisfied with covering him on Dawn/Dusk patrols of the Rocket Pockets. He also perfected the "Snatch", while in Loaches, and there was a point that he was capturing almost as many as he was killing. He and his doorgunner carried handcuffs and they would sometimes come back to Chu Lai with a Dink or two dangling by one arm handcuffed to a seat stanchion or tie down ring, like a side of beef, outside the aircraft. He was one helluva pilot, totally dedicated to getting the job done. About going home, he said to me once that "I'll go home when the war ends, or they carry me out in a body bag." Unfortunately the latter happened. I have a few stories about him, most on the humorous side. Mike was one of the best, and I categorize him along with Angus (Mac) McAllister as those type of guys who ALWAYS got the job done, while screwing with the Army as best that they possibly could. I know that Maj. Detiveaux wanted a piece of his ass, but never had the balls to go after him. I think that was one of the reasons Mike went to Loaches. I know that he saved Bimbo Lent's and my collective asses with some bullshit line that only Detiveaux was stupid enough to believe. We really felt the loss when he was killed.

TTFN, EFC

Carl,

A little more amplification on Mike Pickles. The incident where he got wounded by rocket schrapnel. He was flying a Smoke Mission and started taking pretty heavy fire. I was flying with Bimbo Lent and we were doing our best to get the bad guys off of him when two rockets collided in flight. One continued towards the target but the other dropped almost straight down and impacted on the ground just left and forward of Smokey 500's nose. Mike took schrapnel in the leg and Detiveaux flying the C&C bird went ape-shit and really started screaming for blood. Mike just calmly radioed that he took hits from a B-40 explosion and that the Muskets should keep up the fire. Detiveaux tried to push the issue that evening but Mike insisted it was bad guys. We later talked with Mike at length and he said "that we were finally close enough with our cover fire to make him feel safe". That about sums up how Mike flew and handled himself.

TTFN, EFC

Editor's Note:
After the incident with the rockets colliding, Fast Eddy Covill and Bimbo Lent were scared shitless that Detiveaux was really going to put the screws to them. He had been actively hunting the Minutemen and Muskets that "Stand Up and are Counted" because of all the risks that were being taken. He was really after the Muskets for flying "over-gross" all the time and actually ordered them to never take on more than 800 lbs of fuel in their Charlie Models. As Musket 38 so aptly put it, "Well you can't take a fight anywhere or stay in the thick of it for too long on 800 lbs."  

So Fast Eddy Covill came up with the idea of taking on a full load of fuel and then during shutdown, pressing the fuel gauge test switch until the gauge read 800 lbs, then turning off the inverter to keep the gauge at 800 lbs. Detiveaux used to check the aircraft in the revetments to see if we were complying with his order and could never understand why we were still dragging the skids during takeoffs when the gauges all read 800 lbs. He never got wise to it, or just gave it up and never said anything more on the subject.  

Maj. Detiveaux was Americal Division Safety Officer in 1969 before he commanded the 176th AHC.

Needless to say, despitethe CO's efforts,  the Muskets contined to load up and fly over-gross for the remainder of the time that the unit was in Vietnam. That may be one of the reasons why so much mail commending the actions of the Muskets has been sent to the 176th site by men who were in ground units that the Muskets supported.

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Subj: Fwd: minuteman

Tom,

Did you know Pickles well? ... Pickles must have been quite a guy.

Carl

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Subj: Pickles

I knew Mike Pickles quite well when he was with the 176th and saw him a few times after he left to fly LOH's. Mike was well liked by everyone, and was fearless. He never refused a mission and was a gifted and savvy pilot. He loved to taunt the enemy, and would drop calling cards after a successful mission such finding a base camp etc. It was rumored that the Dinks hated and feared him so badly, that they put a price on his head. I can confirm that he did play cat and mouse with the enemy in order to draw fire so they would give their position away.
....

Bone

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Subj: Re: Picture Information

Ed,
...... Did you know Pickles?

Carl

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Re: Pickles

Carl,

I've read these letters and from my conservation with Pickles and what I seen out of him they're true to me. It was neat to watch him in the Loach just above the trees ducking in and out. Then let it rip!!! I never seen the handcuffs but he caused us to have to pick up several on the ground. Guess we're going to have to get in contact with Richman. I've heard him talk about some of these stories also.

Doc L

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As the above information about Mike Pickles was being edited, but was not yet published, the following unsolicited guest book entry about Mike Pickles was posted.

Entry of Jul 23, 1999 at 11:22 [EST]
From: Craig Singer - csinger@palihost.state.pa.us
How I found your page: From the ADVA web site
Comments about the web site: I served with A Company 1/6th 198th LIB (Gunfighters) from Jan 1969 to Jan 1970. Mike Pickles Minuteman 28 I believe pulled me and two other wounded grunts from the rice paddies in the rocket pocket on March 15, 1969. the Ides of March. I was sorry to hear that Mike did not make it. I still have his card with my Vietnam memorbilia. Found out about Mike from Dave Grieger. Thanks to all you guys who made life a little better for us grunts. Peace. Craig

carl,

....he was a great pilot and a great  american. .... i have a copy of a card i would like to send to you on mike, and maybe you can scan it in to your website. i have contact with seven members of my old company, we meet every other year on veterans day in dc and i will see if they have anything to add regarding "the minutemen". as i said before they brought our dinner (c rats) our clean clothes, our mail, our ammo and our replacements. and they hauled us out whether we were wounded dead or just going to the rear. i was part of several ca's with the 176th none that i cared for, one lrrp extraction (hot), that my platoon was "volunteered for", two medevac's (both as a patient) and really never had the opportunity to say thanks. i hope i am doing that now. the card I am going to send you has Mike on it as smokey 500 and minuteman 18 not 28. card says that he provided death and destruction 24 hours a day special mercinary rates, chu lai vietnam.

thank you carl. later.

craig

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Subj: Info for posting on MIKE PICKLES
Date: 12/22/2001 5:30:20 PM Eastern Standard Time
To: ctzipp@aol.com

Here is some more info for you on Mike Pickles, who was KIA while serving with D Troop 1/1 Cav in Chu Lai. I knew Mike well.

Mike was a friend and hoochmate. He came to the Sabres of D Troop from the 176th, I believe in early 1970, and started flying Scouts. I believe he came to D Troop to get closer to the action, and to try something different than the slicks he flew with the Minutemen. He was a fine pilot, a good guy and funny as hell. He had a bright quick smile, and could relate a story fast and funny. He often visited the Mintemen while off duty, so I know they thought well of him, too.

In battle, few were better. He was aggressive, brave and capable. He did several dozen Visual Recons with me, he as lead scout, and me as lead Snake. We worked well together.

He was killed in late April, and I was on the scene just after he went in. I still recall how I felt as our blues pulled him from the wreckage and evac'd him to Chu Lai Hospital, sort of like the opening scene from Mash. He was just north of the Tra Bong River, a few clicks west of Highway 1, working in the flatlands, when a one shot charlie got him. As I recall, his crewman was not seriously injured.

Mike was like most of us, a guy who loved to fly, and who did his duty as he saw it. He is one of the guys I see when I visit the wall.

Nick Lappos

nlappos@sikorsky.com

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RAMSEY, JOHN LOUIS
Click Here for Helicopter Database record for 66-16230

RICHARD, PHILIP EUGENE

ROSE, DONALD RAY
Click Here for Helicopter Database record for UH-1H 68-16206

SCHULTZ, SHELDON D
Click Here for Helicopter Database record for UH-1D 66-01172

SOLDIERS MIA FROM VIETNAM WAR ARE ACCOUNTED-FOR -DPMO Press release dated Aug. 2, 2007

SCOTT, ROBERT L

SEARS, GORDON BERT

SHAFFER, BRUCE WILLIAM

SHELTON, WESLEY STEWART
Click Here for Helicopter Database record for UH-1H 68-15237

SIZEMORE, ROBERT RALPH, JR

-----Original Message-----

From: Gaieski, Thaddeus A
Sent: Friday, January 26, 2001 1:11 PM
Subject:
My name is Tedd Gaieski, Muskets '70-'71. I remember being on the flight line when word came in that Bob's ship went down. Rocky Wells was particulary upset and urged everyone to ready another aircraft for a possible rescue mission. I reasoned with him that it was futile because the word we had was that the aircraft exploded in flight. The scuttlebutt was that they had been struck by an errant arty round. On subsequent missions to that area we always circled that area to observed the impact site. Wreckage seemed to be scattered all over. Bob's passing, along with Mr. Petty, Joe Brown and D. Pickett, the other crew members, was a great loss that impacted all of us. They were well liked and very skilled at their MOS. Brown and Pickett were Hootch Mates of mine at the time of their demise. I think about the four of them often. They were good people! T.A. Gaieski Jr.

STOCKTON, DON EUGENE JR
Click Here for Helicopter Database record for UH-1H 68-16206

TERRELL, GORDON LEE
Click Here for Helicopter Database record for 66-17075

TRAVER, JOHN GROVE III
Click here for Refno 1733 Witness Statements from Library of Congress casualty files, records for John G. Traver, Reel 251, pages 27-33. Includes sketches pertaining to the aircraft explosion, landing attitude, and crash site. The records for John Traver were used for all four crew members because they were the most legible and all the crews records were basically identical.
Click here for Refno 1733 Case Summary Information 02/15/96

Click here for Helicopter Database record for UH-1H 68-15759

Subj: John Traver
Date: 04/01/2002 11:56:27 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: (John Ryan)
To: ctzipp@aol.com

Thank you for posting the page with the tribute to John Grove Traver III. He was a flight school classmate and friend of mine. All of us in our class were devastated when we learned of John's death. I frequently think of  John and reflect on how his smile and friendship has stayed with me over the years.

In 1985 I was at Ft. Rucker for training on the UH60. As a civilian I got to watch from the safety of the officer's club one afternoon as the entire post ran past, singing those rah-rah songs as they puffed past. As an officer walked into the club, I recognized him as a classmate and called out to him. He turned, saw me and turned white as a ghost. When I asked him what was wrong, he replied that for years he thought that I was dead. When he described the details of what he had heard about my demise, I realized that he had thought I had been killed instead of John Traver. When I told him that the details were correct, but that the loss was John Traver, I saw in his face the horror of a new loss. He was glad that I was alive, but now had a new loss to mourn.

John was a great guy.

Anyway, thanks again for posting the tribute.

John Ryan

7/1 Cav Scout Pilot

WHALEY, JAMES GOODWIN

WILLIAMSON, JAMES D
Click Here for Helicopter Database record for UH-1D 66-01172

SOLDIERS MIA FROM VIETNAM WAR ARE ACCOUNTED-FOR -DPMO Press release dated Aug. 2, 2007

WORKMAN, LANCE DAVIS

YEAGER, LARRY GENE
Click here for Helicopter Database record for UH-1C 65-09563

Refno 1733 Witness Statements

FLIGHT'S FLIGHT PATH TRAIL'S APPROXIMATE FLIGHT FLIGHT PATH INDICATES APPROXIMATE LOCATION OF TRAIL UNDER FIRE INDICATES APPROXIMATE LOCATION OF TRAIL CRASH SITE

End of Refno 1733 Witness Statements

Refno 1733 Case Summary Information 02/15/96

2/15/96

Case Summary-information:

Refno: 1733 Name: HALL, WALTER RAY
Service: A LossRank: E4 Idate: 3/22/71 Status: BB
Ctry: LA Province: SAVANNAKHET
OffscopeCase: N  PriorityCase: N  FateDetermined: NA

Narrative:
On 22 March 1971 [NAME] , SP4 Donald P. Knutsen (crewchief), SP4 Walter R. Hall (door gunner), and WO1 John G. Traver (pilot) were the crew of a UH-1 H helicopter (tail #68-15759, callsign - Chalk 05) that was number five, in a flight of five, on an emergency resupply mission into Laos. Chalk 05 was carrying two ARVN passengers, ammunition, and explosives. Prior to reaching the landing zone (LZ), [NAME] reported he was taking heavy ground fire. Shortly thereafter, the other members of the flight observed the aircraft catch fire and explode. According to witnesses, the aircraft was approximately 4800-5000 feet above the ground when hit and it immediately began an uncontrolled vertical descent with no signs of auto-rotation. The helicopter exploded and burned on impact (vicinity XD666365) with no sign of survivors. SAR was not initiated due to enemy activity in the area. All witnesses to the crash believed there was no possibility of survivors.

On 24 August 1993, an element of JFA 92-7L investigated REFNO 1733 in Savannakhet province, Laos. The team interviewed residents from Ban Houaysan village and were led to a crashsite (vicinity XD645358) that was determined to be that of an operational loss. On 28 October 1992, an element of JFA 93-IL investigated the case in the Xepon District, Savannakhet Province, Laos. The team interviewed residents from Ban Kadap (XD570360) and Ban Chakiphin (XD558364). Residents from the second village led investigators to a crashsite (XD552370) they claimed to have discovered in 1973 while the area was being prepared for farming. According to witnesses, remains, including a skull and many other bones were scattered around the wreckage. The team conducted a surface search of the site that yielded numerous small pieces of wreckage consistent with that of a helicopter crash. Based on alleged remains, general location, and probable aircraft type (helicopter), the site may correlate with REFNO 1733. JTF-FA has recommended the site for excavation.

U.S. Government Information:

Wartime Live Sight :       Y     Special Reporting:   N

WartimeCrash Grave:     Y     WartimeMediaRpts: N

Dogtag Rpts:                   Y     PostwarMediaRpts:  N

Uncorrelated Rpts:          Y     Sign if Usg Info:        N

RemainsReported prior: Y

Narrative:

SUMMARY: Multiple sources provided identification media information and hearsay remains reporting relating to REFNO 1733. Reports provide the same or similar information in the standard dog tag format. Only three of the reports provide any location for where the alleged remains/dog tags were found. The locations provided are all approximately 30 kilometers from the record location. Information included in a Wartime Live Sighting/Grave Report does not appear to correlate to REFNO 1733; however, it is included because the incident took place within the general timeframe and location of the report. An uncorrelated report may correlate based on date and location.

DOG TAG REPORTING:

1. Source provided identification media data that pertained to REFNO 1733 along with hearsay information concerning the alleged remains of four Americans. Source accurately reported [NAME] name, religious preference and SSN, but inaccurately reported his service number. (Ref. JCRC Rpt T86-354dtg271800z Aug 86)

2. On 22 Aug 86, two Thai men and three Laotians were arrested by Thai police at a border check-point in Thailand. The men claimed a Lao resistance fighter sent them to contact the American consulate in order to submit the following items for reward: multiple small bone fragments, a piece of what appeared to be flight suit material (with zipper attached), and one dog tag (information correlates to [NAME] . During subsequent interviews with the men, investigators were told the remains had been found at the crashsite of a jet aircraft located near Ban Thakhong (XD3146). The sources claimed to have found three full sets of remains in the cockpit of a swept-wing jet aircraft. Analyst note: Correlation is based on identification media data only. No correlation to any specific crashsite near Ban Thakhong can be made without a more refined location. Ban Thakhong is located approximately 35 kilometers northwest of the record location for REFNO 1733 and the type of aircraft does not match. The dog tag and remains were subsequently turned over to JCRC and passed to CILHI for analysis (CILHI 0105-86). CILHI analysis determined the remains were most probably that of an animal. (Ref: JCRC RptT86-388dtg230007z Sep 86)

3. Source provided hearsay remains information that pertains to REFNO 1733. Source claims to have been in contact with members of the Lao resistance who allegedly had the remains of [NAME] and three others. Two of the names provided do not correlate with unaccounted for Americans. The source did not provide a location where the remains were reportedly found. Analyst note: The JCRC Investigators noted several inconsistencies with the sources story. There is insufficient information to make any possible correlation. (Ref: JCRC Rpt T86418dtg271840z Oct 86)

4. Source provided identification media data, an aircraft data plate, and a photograph of alleged remains. Source also provided identification media data for another individual who is not an unaccounted for American. Biographic data provided included portions of' [NAME] name, SSN, and service number as well as his religious preference. The racial origin of the remains could not be determined due to the poor quality of the photograph. The data plate was determined to be from an F-4. An ALOSS data base search yielded no incidents within 15 kilometers of the location where the items were reportedly found. Analyst note: A positive correlation can not be made based on inconsistencies in the source report. (Ref: JCRC RptT86-483 dated 01 Dec 86)

5. Source provided identification media data and hearsay remains information that correlates with REFNO 1733. Source claims to have obtained the information, second hand from a subsource. The sub-source reportedly had remains and a dog tag recovered from a crashsite in the Ta-Oi District of eastern Salavan Province. Analyst note: Correlation is based on identification media data only. The REFNO 1733 record location Is approximately 32 kilometers northwest of the location reported by the sub-source. (Ref: JCRC RptT86-488dtg172200z Dec 86)

6. Source, provided identification media data and alleged remains that correlate with another REFNO (0004). Source also reported that he had observed the remains of [NAME] (no further information.) Correlation is based on identification media data only. (Ref: JCRC RptT86-510dtg091800z Jan 87)

7. Source provided identification media data information and hearsay remains information that he claimed to have obtained from deceased sub-source. Correlation is based on identification media data only. According to the source,, only the dead sub-source knew the location of the alleged remains. (Ref: DIA letter dated 23 July, 1987)

8. Source provided identification media data and hearsay remains information that correlated to REFNO 1733. Source claims to have obtained the information from a Lao sub-source. The source claimed the remains were found in Mouang Phin (vicinity XD0927) but he did not know where they were currently being held and claimed to be acting only as an agent for the sub-source. Correlation is based on identification media data only. (Ref: JCRC Rpt T87-128 dtg 012112z May 87)

9. Source provided identification media data and hearsay remains information that correlated to REFNO 1733. Source obtained the information from a group of sub-sources that claimed to have the remains of [NAME] and information regarding 27 live Americans being held in Laos. The sub-sources required $70,000 prior to turning over any remains or providing any more information regarding the live Americans. Analyst note: There are several discrepancies in the name, SSN, and service number which cast serious doubt on the reliability of this report. Correlation is based on general identification media data only. (Ref: JCRC Rpt T88-008 dtg 252010z Feb 88)

10. Source provided identification media data and hearsay remains information that correlated to REFNO 1733. Source claimed that a member of his Lao resistance unit had the remains of [NAME] . Again, there were several discrepancies in the name [NAME] and SSN [DATA] . Source stated the remains were found in Xepon, Savannakhet Province (XD3244). The interviewer asked the source if he was aware that a Lao resistance fighter had been arrested 1986 who had in his possession one of [NAME] dog tags as well as several small bone fragments (see source report #2). The source said that he knew of the incident because the Lao involved was one of his men. The source claimed the other member of his unit claiming to have remains, had many pieces of bone, lower teeth, and part of a skull. Analyst note: JCRC reported this source's reliability is questionable based on a long history of involvement with POW/MIA reporting. Correlation is based on general identification media data only. (Ref:

JCRC Rpt T88-608 dtg 281825z Feb 89)

11. Source provided a list of names, including that of [NAME] , which he claimed to have received from members of a Lao resistance unit. No further information was provided. Correlation is based on name only. (Ref: JCRC Rpt T89-492 dtg 022002z May 90)

WARTIME LIVESIGHTING/GRAVE REPORT: A rallier from the 2nd squad, 1st Co, 18th BN, 210th RGT, 75th Artillery Division, who rallied to ARVN forces on 29 June 1973 provided the following information: Source obtained the information through personal observations. At approximately 1200 on 27 March 1971, source saw 8 US helicopters shot down at hill 500 (vic XD596556) in Savannakhet Province, Laos, by a unit of the NVA 591st Artillery RGT. All 8 helicopters were downed within a 30 minute period. The helicopters all crashed in the area of a stream at the base of Hill 500. At 1300 the same day, source and four others went to the crash site. One US crew member was wounded and three were killed. The source saw the three dead crew members from a distance of 10 meters but was unable to give a physical description of them. They took the wounded man to NVA hospital 42, of the B-70th military command HQ, at the Taloy slope (vicinity XD594559) Savannakhet Province, but the American had died en route due to loss of blood. The assistant Platoon Leader of the 25th Engineering Battalion, told the source that the American was buried in Taloy slope. When the source's Platoon returned to Hill 500 about ten days later, he saw about 15 or 16 graves marked with 40 x 30 centimeter sheets of metal at the foot of the hill. The writing on the markers was in yellow paint. All of the grave markers had "High Point 500" painted on them. Three of the markers had the number "05" painted on them. The 18th Battalion Political Officer said the "05" was an NVA designation for "US flying pirates" and the source thought these were the graves of the three US pilots he had seen. Vietnamese names were written on the other markers and the source thought these were the graves of ARVN soldiers killed in the crashed. A DIA evaluation of this report noted that analysis had identified 10 helicopter incidents involving 35 crew members that were lost within 20 miles of the location described by the source. All are US Army. None of the details of these incidents significantly matched those provided by the source. REFNO 1733 was included in this group. Analyst note: DPMO found reference to an army corps size NVA headquarters called the 70th Front (listed as 70B on order of battle overlays). This unit was designated in October 1970, to command the 304th, 308th and 320th NVA Divisions. The 70th Front was sent to Savannakhet Province to counter Operation Lam Son 719. Ref: DATA 21 Aug 1973.

UNCORRELATED REPORT: Report #5-293 (CS) states: One unidentified aircraft downed (vic 1632N 10636E) on 22 Mar 71. Two unidentified aircraft also downed (no location) on 22 Mar 71. Analyst note: The first aircraft claimed may correlate with REFNO 1733 based on date and general location. There is not enough information concerning the other two unidentified aircraft to make any correlation. If the "aircraft" being referred to were fixed-wing, this probably correlates with REFNO 1732 (F-100), the only fixed-wing aircraft lost over Laos on that date. A total of 10 U.S. helicopters were lost in the same vicinity between 20-22 Mar 71 making any specific correlation impossible.

Joint Investigations Information:
Number of Investig: 2.00                 JTFWitness:                 Y

FoundCrashsite:       Y                     Sign if lnfo Joint Invest Y

PotentialLocations:  N

Narrative:

On 24 August 1993, an element of JFA 92-7L investigated REFNO 1733 in Savannakhet Province, Laos. The team interviewed residents from Ban Houaysan village and were led to a crashsite (vicinity XD645358) that was determined to be that of an operational loss.

On 28 October 1992, an element of JFA 93-IL investigated the case in the Xepon District, Savannakhet Province, Laos. The team interviewed residents from Ban Kadap (XD570360) and Ban Chakiphin (XD558364). Residents from the second village led investigators to a crashsite (XD552370) they claimed to have discovered in 1973, while the area was being prepared for farming. According to witnesses, remains, including a skull and many other bones were scattered around the wreckage. The team conducted a surface search of the site that yielded numerous small pieces of wreckage that is consistent with that of a helicopter crash. A surface search of the area where remains were reported yielded negative results. Based on alleged remains, general location, and probable aircraft type (helicopter), the site may correlate with REFNO 1733. JTF-FA has recommended the site for excavation.

Unilateral Information:

UniInfo: OT .CtrvProvidedFilm: NA

Ctryoflnfo: VN CtryProvidedRemains: NA

ValueofInfo: U SignifInfoUniAction N

Narrative:

UNILATERAL INFO (OT) = P

Initial analysis of the 559 document did not attempt to correlate helicopter downings that occurred during Lam Son 719 due to the initial difficulty in sorting out the numerous losses; however, there is an entry for 22 Mar 71 that may correlate. An entry on page 45/line 17 states a helicopter was shot down by Company 4, Battalion 4, of an unidentified Regiment at 0715(L) on 22 Mar 71. This may correlate based on date and aircraft type (helicopter); however, the time does not correlate. The REFNO 1733 incident occurred at 1800(L). Analyst note: REFNO 1733 was the only helicopter lost over Laos on 22 Mar 71.

Knowledgeability Information:

SeaCtryKnowLoss: Y

WhichCtryKnew: VN

MoreInfo: P

Knowledge Narr:

A 559 document entry on Page 45/line 17 states a helicopter was shot down by Company 4, Battalion 4, of an unidentified Regiment at 0700(L) on 22 Mar 71. This may correlate to REFNO 1733 based on date and aircraft type. A correlation implies Vietnamese knowledgeability; however; it is unlikely the Vietnamese have any information that could maximize accountability. Witnesses interviewed during JFA 93-1 L claimed to have found the crashsite in 1973, and at that time, remains were reportedly scattered all around the crashsite. Additionally, there is a volume of dog tag and remains reporting by private individuals who all claimed to have found the items following the war, further supporting the notion there was no government exploitation of the crashsite.

Future Pursuit Information:
Further Pursuit Just: Y                 Ctry For Unilat Pursuit: NA

PursueWho:                                 HowToUnilat :              NA

CtryForJointPursuit: LA              TypeOftinilatLeads:      S

HowToJointPursue: JE                KindOfUSPursuit:        NA

Narrative:

PRIMARY: The crashsite located during JFA 93-IL (vic XD552237) has been recommended for excavation. Analyst note: Agree this is the primary method of pursuit; however, if the site does~not correlate or remains are not found, recommend proceed with unilateral pursuit in conjunction with oral history interviews with participants in Lam Son 719.

SECONDARY: UNlLATERAL/VIETNAM: A 559 document entry on page 45/line 17, states a helicopter was shot down by Company 4, Battalion 4, of an unidentified Regiment on 22 Mar 71. This may correlate based on date and aircraft type (helicopter.) Analyst note: A rallier report (see Wartime Livesighting Rpt) identified the 591st Artillery Regiment as operating in the general vicinity of the REFNO 1733 record location during Lam Son 719. DPMO found reference to an army corps size NVA headquarters called the 70th Front (listed as 70B on order of battle overlays). This unit was designated in October 1970, to command the 304th, 308th and 320th NVA Divisions. The 70th Front was sent to Savannakhet Province to counter Operation Lam Son 719. Recommend identify, locate and interview individuals assigned to these units during the period of interest.

Future Pursuit Deferred Information:
Why Deferpursuit: NA

How Where Off Scope: NA

Narrative:

Future Pursuit Information:

Why No Further: NA

Prev Attempt Recov: NA

Narrative:

INITIALCOORD: A-JOINT EXCAVATE FAX COORD 30 JUN

RECOORDI:

RECOORD2:

RECOORD3:

RECOORD4:

End of Refno 1733 Case Summary Information 02/15/96

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