Remembering Timothy Lang
I wrote a book about early helicopter operations in Vietnam during 1962-63 titled "Thunderbird Lounge" (by Major General Robert J. Brandt (R)). The story is about the 33rd Transportation Company (Light Helicopter) (H21) which became the 118th Airmobile Company during June 1963. Tim Lang was in the 33rd when it was stationed at Fort Ord, California. The 33rd moved to Vietnam in September 1962 in a secret move. Tim served with the unit until his death on August 30, 1963. The combat action in which Tim was killed is covered in some detail. He was the first 33rd soldier killed during the war.
Tim was a personal friend of mine and all the rest of the aviators in the unit. The book can be purchased online at either Barnes and Noble or Amazon/Borders.
Sincerely, Major General Robert J. Brandt (R) (email received 14 Oct 2003)

McGinnis, Piper Killed
    Killed 7 Feb 1966 in Viet Nam was Pfc. Dale Richard McGinnis, 22, son of Alphine C. McGinnis, W2221 1/2 Riverside. The day before, 6 Feb (1966), Pfc. Walter Piper Jr. was killed. He was the son of Mrs. Annie L. Dotson, E2204 Fourth, and Walter Piper of Texas.
    Last September, S.Sgt. Duane C. Schell, 26, son of Mr. and Mrs. Carl J. Molke, E10410 Fourteenth, was killed. His widow and children live at Junction City OR.
    In August 1963 Lt. Timothy M. Lang, 26, who was reared in Spokane but whose family had moved to Seattle, was killed in Viet Nam (Spokane Review, Spokane WA, 9 Mar 1966)
Correction of this article We believe this article was a "goof-up" by the newspaper... a Dale Richard McInnis died 7 Mar 1966 different state. We didn't find a newspaper retraction but did find a corrected article with no mention of McGinnis... Mistakes happened ... (a Darilee comment)

Birth 23APR40 Rank SGT Date of Death 19JUN64 P. of birth   Service Army Place S. Vietnam town of rec. Seattle Unit Special Forces Co. A5-113 Death Code Hostile, Died; Ground Casualty; Multiple Fragmentation Wounds Hometown   service # 19586063 Panel 01EAST - 54  married Married MIA   Medals   Tour Date   Comment   Cemetery Golden Gate National Cemetery, San Bruno CA

Birth 12OCT32 Rank CAPT Date of Death 29AUG64 P. of birth   Service Air Force Place Bien Hoa S. Vietnam Town of Record Los Angeles CA Unit 1ACS 34TACGP 2AD 13AF PACAF Death Code Hostile; Fixed Wing - Crew; Air Loss, Crash on Land Hometown   service # 3039058 Panel 01EAST - 63  married Married MIA -   Medals   Tour Date   Comment   Cemetery

Birth 21MAR31 Rank ADR1 Date of Death 08SEP64 P. of birth   Service Navy Place S. Vietnam town of rec. Spokane Unit VP-42, TF 72, 7th Fleet Death Code Hostile, Died; Fixed Wing - Crew; Air Loss, Crash - Land Hometown service # 531242456 Panel 01EAST - 105  married single Medals   Link UPNavy Tour Date   Comment Name added to wall 1986 Cemetery

State remembers 4 who died
Olympia --
    A band played God Bless America, a bugler blew Taps, a son and father were remembered and four Washington men who died in the Vietnam War were honored in a short but emotional ceremony at the state capital Friday.
    "It was very nice," said Julie Donaldson of Lacey, whose father, Elmer O. Wray, was killed in the Philippines in 1973 (sic).
    She held her 9-month old son, Steve, while her husband Wayne held their 2 1/2-year-old daughter, Sherry, throughout the ceremony. It was an emotional experience for her, she said quietly after the ceremony as a young woman wearing a shirt saying "I support Vietnam Vets" came up and hugged her.
    The parents of DeLoss "Jack" Anderson of Spokane also attended the ceremony and removed the tape over the name of their son, who died in the South China Sea in 1964. The names of Wray, Anderson, Gary Simkins of Port Angeles and Jan Miller of Spokane will be added to the national Vietnam War Memorial wall in Washington, D. C., in Memorial Day ceremonies later this month.
(Bellingham Herald, Bellingham WA, 17 May 1986)

Information from the U.S. Navy Patrol Squadron website
SAIGON (UPI)--A U. S. Navy patrol plane crashed while patrolling for submarines in the South China Sea off central Vietnam Tuesday, killing five of the 13-man crew. The eight survivors were rescued by the U. S. destroyer Maddox. A U. S. Navy spokesman at Sangley Point NAS in the Phillippines discounted the possibility that the twin-engined P-2 Neptune aircraft had been shot down. A U. S. Navy spokesman in Saigon said the plane was on a routine anti-submarine patrol mission about 75 miles off the coast and 340 miles northeast of Saigon when it went down. In Washington, the Navy identified the five men lost. They were: Lt. Cdr. John Clarence Thomas, whose wife, Ruth, lives at the Marine Corps Air Station at Iwakuni, Japan. Aviation Structural Mechanic/1C Michael John Ulicsni, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Ulicsni of Parkville, Minn. Aviation Machinist Mate/1C, Deloss William Anderson, son of Mr. and Mrs. D. L. Anderson of Spokane, Wash. Aviation Ordnanceman/2C Donald Frank Marit, husband of Mrs. Ruby Catherine Marit of Litchfield, Ill. Aviation Electrician's Mate/2C Weslie David Newborn, husband of Mrs. Pauline Newborn of San Diego, Ca..." Stars and Stripes, Manilia Phillipines Friday September 11, 1964 WEBSITE: http://www.pstripes.com/ Contributed by Terry pb4y-2@sbcglobal.net W Weaver sactek@dibbs.net

"...According to Pacific Stars and Stripes, a P2V was lost in the South China Sea on 08 SEP 64. Other sources say it was with VP-42. Destroyer Maddox picked up survivors. 5 men lost. Family of Aviation Ordnanceman/2C Donald Frank Marit are at Branson MO at this time; and say his body was not recovered. The names of the 5 lost were added to the Vietnam Memorial Wall in 1986. AC BUNO unknown. Do you have any further info I can pass on to the family? Kindest regards, Robert Jacobs robert_w_jacobs@earthlink.net..." [09NOV2003]

Birth 10OCT39 Rank SP5 Date of Death 08DEC64 P. of birth Service Army Place S. Vietnam town of rec. Seattle Unit MACV, Adv Team SD-5891 Death Code Ground Casualty - Burns Hometown service # 19650223 Panel 01EAST - 74   married Married MIA   Medals -   Tour Date   Comment   Cemetery

    Kurt Casey McDONALD

Birth 19AUG34 Rank LTC Date of Death 31DEC64 P. of birth Salt Lake City UT Service Air Force Place S. Vietnam Town of Record Seaside CA Unit 336th Tactical Fighter Sqd, Ubon Royal Thai AFB Thailand Death Code Hostile, died while missing; Fixed Wing - Pilot; Air Loss, Crash on Land Hometown   service # 529385132 Panel 01EAST - 80  married Single MIA - BNR Medals   Tour Date 17SEP64 Comment Kurt McDonald tribute Hit My Smoke Cemetery San Francisco National Cemetery, San Francisco CA University of Puget Sound, Tacoma WA, 1956

(MIA information extracted from PowNetWork.org) Kurt C. McDonald took off in marginal weather on 31 Dec 1964 to make a delivery to Camp A Shau, A Special Forces camp in the lower end of the A Shau Valley. A second plane was accompaning McDonald as he flew over thick "triple canopy" jungle in deteriating weather. At one point the planes made a 180 degree turn as each flew on to their destinations... McDonald disappeared into storm clouds. For information visit Pownetwork.org