Birth 01JUL44 Rank LT Date of Death 02OCT69 P. of birth   Service Navy Place N. Vietnam Town of Record Tenino Unit 7TH FLEET VRC-50 Death Code Non-Hostile,Died; Fixed Wing Crew - Air Loss, Crash at Sea Hometown   service # 531425626 Panel 17WEST - 30   married Single MIA - BNR Medals   Tour Date   Comment   Cemetery

(Extracted MIA report from P.O.W. Network) Richard Allen Livingston was born 1 Jul 1944. He was the Co-Pilot of a C2A "Greyhound" Cargo aircraft assigned to Fleet Support Squadron 50, Atsugi NAS, Japan. On 2 Oct 1969 the aircraft departed Cubi Point Naval Air Station, Republic of the Philippines on a shuttle flight to various aircraft carries in the Gulf of Tonkin in Vietnam. The Aircraft was inbound to the USS Constellation and had established contact with the Ship. The Carrier's radar lost contact with the plane about 10 nautical miles from the Constellation. Helicopter search and rescue efforts were immediately initiated from the ship. An oil slick and debris was quickly spotted . There were no sign of survivors and no bodies were recovered. Five Crew Members died as did their 20 passengers including Kenneth Morton Prentice of Tacoma WA.
More information at P.O.W. Network

Kenneth Morton PRENTICE

Birth 26MAY46 Rank ADJ2 Date of Death 02OCT69 P. of birth Greenville OH Service Navy Place N. Vietnam Town of Record Tacoma Unit 7TH FLEET, VF-142, TF 77, USS Constellation Death Code Non-Hostile, Died; Fixed Wing - NonCrew; Air Loss, Crash - Sea Hometown   service # 535460359 Panel 17WEST - 31   married Single MIA - BNR Medals National Defense Medal, Vietnam Service Medal and the Navy Unit Commendation Medal Tour Date   Comment   Cemetery

K. M. Prentice Was '64 Grad of Curtis High   Petty Officer 2.C. Kenneth M. Prentice, 23, of 8306 43rd Place W., who was killed last Thursday in a plane crash in the Gulf of Tonkin off Vietnam, was a 1964 graduate of Curtis High School. Mr. Prentice, a jet mechanic, was born in Greenville OH, and lived in Tacoma many years before entering the Navy 3 1/2 years ago. He was on his third tour of duty in Vietnam and had received the National Defense Medal, Vietnam Service Medal and the Navy Unit Commendation Medal. He attended Washington State University and Green River Community College. Survivors include his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Mayo S. Prentice; three brothers, PO 2.C. Ron Prentice, of Memphis TN, Tom of Ellensburg, and Terry, of Seattle; his grandfather, Paul T. Prentice, of San Rafael CA; and his grandmother, Mrs. Walter Morton, of Englewood OH. Private military memorial services were held Sunday at the Navy Chapel in Bremerton. (Tacoma News Tribune, Tacoma WA, 7 Oct 1969)

(Extracted MIA report from P.O.W. Network) Kenneth Morton Prentice was born 26 May 1946. He was assigned to Attack Squadron 142, USS Constellation. On 2 Oct 1969 he was a passenger aboard a C2A "Greyhound" Cargo aircraft assigned to Fleet Support Squadron 50, Atsugi NAS, Japan. On that day the aircraft departed Cubi Point Naval Air Station, Republic of the Philippines on a shuttle flight to various aircraft carries in the Gulf of Tonkin in Vietnam. The Aircraft was inbound to the USS Constellation and had established contact with the Ship. The Carrier's radar lost contact with the plane about 10 nautical miles from the Constellation. Helicopter search and rescue efforts were immediately initiated from the ship. An oil slick and debris was quickly spotted . There were no sign of survivors and no bodies were recovered. Five Crew Members, including the aircraft's Co-Pilot, Richard Allen Livingston of Tenino, died as did the Kenneth Morton Prentice and 19 other passengers.
More information at P.O.W. Network

Paul LeRoy GRAFFE

Birth 19AUG46 Rank CAPT Date of Event 03OCT69 P. of birth   Service Army (Reserve) Place Kontum, S. Vietnam Town of Record Shelton Unit 225th Aviation Company, 223rd Aviation Battalion ,17th Aviation Group, 1st Aviation Brigade Death Code Non-Hostile, Air Loss, Crash on Land, died missing Hometown   service # 538424744 Panel 17WEST - 34   married Married MIA - BNR Medals   Tour Date ... Comment   Cemetery

(Extracted MIA report from P.O.W. Network) Paul Leroy Graffe was born 19 Aug 1946 and became a member of 225th Aviation Company, 223rd Aviation Battalion, 17th Aviation Group, 1st Aviation Brigade. He was the Pilot of a OV1C Mohaw and was on a late afternoon surveillance mission on 3 Oct 1969 over Military Region 2 (Cambodia, Laos and South Vietnam.) flying out of Phu Hiep, South Vietnam. On 5 Oct 1969 the wreckage of his plane was spotted by search aircraft a top a 7,000 foot peak in a mountain range north of the city of Kontum. Inclement weather prevented a team being inserted and no visual or electronic contact was made with the downed crew. On 7 Oct 1969 another attempt was going to be made however, there were signs that the downed aircraft was being used as bait for a trap. Rescue attempts were abandoned and the crewmembers were declared MIA.
More information at P.O.W. Network

Ralph Donald RABER

Birth 23NOV48 Rank PFC Date of Death 03OCT69 P. of birth   Service Army (Draft) Place Hua Nghia, S. Vietnam Town of Record Seattle Unit 25th Inf Div, C Co, 2nd Bn, 27th Inf Death Code Hostile, Died; Ground Casualty; Artillery, Rocket, Mortar Hometown   service # 532506487 Panel 17WEST - 36   married Single MIA -   Medals   Tour Date 20JUL69 Comment kolchak.org/alumni.vn/ Cemetery

Ralph Raber is Killed in Vietnam Army Pfc. Ralph D. Raber, 20, was killed last Friday in Vietnam. The son of Mrs. Winona J. Carlson, 5720 46th Ave. S. and Stanley Raber, Lake Stevens. Private Raber was a machine-gunner's mate. He entered the service last February and went to Vietnam in August. He was a member of the Northwest Evangelistic Center. Other survivors are his maternal grandmother, Mrs. Cora Marlatte, Seattle; three brothers, Robert, Hollywood CA, Richard, Seattle, and Ronald Raber, Lake Stevens; a sister, Mrs. Ernie Todd, Lake Stevens; two half-brothers, Patrick and Shawn Keenehan, Seattle and a stepbrother, William E. Carlson, Enumclaw. (Times, Seattle WA, Friday, 10 Oct 1969)

William L. ERICKSON Jr.

Birth 14MAY48 Rank SP4 Date of Death 05OCT69 P. of birth   Service Army (Draft) Place Kien Tuong, S. Vietnam Town of Record Seattle Unit 1st Avn Bde, 125th Avn Co, 58th Avn Bn, 165th Avn Grp Death Code Hostile, Died Wounds; Ground Casualty; Artillery, Rocket, Mortar Hometown   service # 538484513 Panel 17WEST - 43   married Single MIA -   Medals   Tour Date 05OCT69 Comment   Cemetery

William Erickson Killed in Vietnam Army specialist 4 William L. Erickson, Jr., 21, of 14930 57th Ave. S., was killed in action in Vietnam Sunday, the Defense department announced yesterday. Specialist Erickson, born in Seattle, was a graduate of Foster High School He had attended Renton Vocational School and Highline Community College before entering the Army in the Spring of 1968. He went to Vietnam in January with an air-traffic-control unit. Surviving are his parents, Mr. and Mrs. William L. Erickson, Sr., and a sister, Mrs. W. R. Mayhew, Seattle. Funeral arrangements were to be arranged at Washington Memorial Funeral Home. (Times, Seattle WA, Oct 1969)

James Lee GASSELING

Birth 10MAR48 Rank SGT Date of Death 08OCT69 P. of birth Yakima Service Army Place Darlac, S. Vietnam Town of Record Yakima Unit Special Forces, SOA,CCF, 5th SP Grp Death Code Hostile, Died; Ground Casualty; Gun, Small Arms Fire Hometown   service # 532489185 Panel 17WEST - 49 married Single Link Special Forces Medals   Tour Date 22APR69 Comment   Cemetery     Marquette High School, Yakima WA, 1966

Jim Gasseling Picture sent by classmate Jerry Morse

Valley soldier, Sgt. Gasseling killed in Viet A Yakima area soldier Sgt. James Lee Gasseling has been killed in Vietnam. Mr. and Mrs. Joe Gasseling, Rt. 1, Yakima received word Sunday that their son was missing in action. They received a telegram Tuesday evening confirming his death on 8 Oct (1969). Sgt. Gasseling, 21, had been in the U.S. Army 18 months, the last six overseas as a member of the Green Berets branch of Special Forces. He was born in Yakima and lived most of his life in the Toppenish area. He attended Toppenish Elementary School and was a 1966 graduate of Marquette High School in Yakima. He also attended Yakima Valley College for one year. Sgt. Gasseling was a member of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Moxee. Besides his parents, he is survived by two brothers and a sister Allen, Kevin, Lori Ann all at home. Langevin-Mussetter Funeral Home has charge of arrangements, pending the arrival of the body from Vietnam. (Yakima Herald-Republic, Yakima WA, 16 Oct 1969)

Lawrence Dale ACRE

Birth 02FEB35 Rank MAJ Date of Death 09OCT69 P. of birth   Service Army Place Binh Long, S. Vietnam Town of Record Spokane Unit Special Forces, SOA CCS 5th SF Grp Death Code Hostile, Died; Helicopter - NonCrew; Air Loss, Crash - Land Hometown   service # 518345612 Panel 17WEST - 53   married Single Link Special Forces Medals   Tour Date 17SEP69 Comment   Cemetery

Lawrence Acre death date 9 Oct 1969 is listed with Spokane service men. He is mentioned in his nephew's, Steven T. Schooler, obituary.. "Spec. 4 Steven T. Schooler of the United States Army, 173rd Air Borne Brigrade died in action 13 Nov 1969 in Vietnam, The son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Schooler of Rock Island he was born in Wenatchee 16 Dec 1949. He attended Rock Island Grade School. Sterling Junior High and was graduated in 1966 from Eastmont High School. He attended Rock Island Community Church and was active in schools sports especially in track team. He enlisted in the Army one day after graduation from high school. He took his basic training at Fort Lewis and Volunteered for paratroop training at Fort Benning GA. After completing his training he transferred to a special unit of the Paratroop Rangers,completing this training at Fort Bragg NC. He served in Vietnam since June of this year. Surviving besides his parents are: five brothers, Robert C., Lyman, Roy, Hal and Larry all at home. He was preceded in death by his sister Lynn Schooler in 1963, and by his uncle, Maj. Lawrence Acre, five weeks ago in Vietnam. Military services will be announced by Telford Chapel of the Valley. (Wenatchee Daily World, Wenatchee Nov. 1969)

John Paul SOUTHWICK

Birth 09JUN50 Rank PFC Date of Death 19OCT69 P. of birth   Service Marines Place Quang Nam, S. Vietnam Town of Record Spokane Unit B SEC, 3rd Mil Police, 1st Mar Div Death Code Non-Hostile, Died Illness/Injury; Ground Casualty; Accidental Homicide Hometown   service # 536520190 Panel 17WEST - 91   married Single MIA -   Medals   Tour Date 14JUL69 Comment   Cemetery

Obituary Services are pending at Hiplinger's Funeral Home for Marine Pfc. John P. Southwick, 19, son of John H. Southwick N5108 1/2 Market, and Mrs. Geraldine Southwick, #3404 Cleveland. Marine Corps officials reported Tuesday Pfc. Southwick was accidentally shot Sunday (19 Oct 1969) with an M16 rifle. The bullet entered the stomach area. The accident occurred while the serviceman was on guard duty at Da Nang, Vietnam. Pfc. Southwick was graduated from John Rogers High School in 1968. He entered the Marine Corps in January and went over-seas in July. He was wounded by mortar fire on 6 Sep (1969) his father said. In addition to his parents, survivors include three brothers, Richard, 11, and Raymond, 17, both with their mother, and James L., Spokane; a sister, Mrs. Carl (Janet) Wagger, Millwood; a grandfather Harry L. Southwick, E517 Lacrosse, and a grandmother, Mrs. Mamie Case, here. (The Spokesman-Review, Spokane WA, (24 Oct 1969)

William W. W. STUBBS

Birth 06AUG49 Rank SSGT Declared Dead 04JAN77 P. of birth Oak Harbor WA Service Army Place Laos Town of Record Newport Unit Special Forces, RT California Death Code Hostile, Died Missing; Ground Casualty; Gun, small arms fire Hometown   service # 559846274 Panel 17WEST - 99 Married Single MIA - BNR Medals   Book The Secret Wars of America's Commandos in Vietnam SOG by John L. Plaster Link Special Forces Cemetery

Missing In Action
A Tribute to a Fallen American Hero
William Wentworth Wilbur “Bill” Stubbs: Rank: Sergeant; Branch of Service: U.S. Army Special Forces; Born: 6 August 1946 in Oak Harbor, Washington; and Home of Record: Newport, Washington. During the Vietnam War, Sergeant Stubbs served with the Special Operations Augmentation-Command and Control Central (SOA-CCC), 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), which supported covert operations conducted by the Military Assistance Command-Vietnam, Studies and Observation Group (MAC-V SOG), most often referred to, although incorrectly, as Special Operations Group. CCC was stationed at a forward operations base designated FOB # 2, a Special Forces compound about a mile south of the bridge heading into Kontum City in the Republic of Vietnam (RVN, a.k.a. South Vietnam). The compound was split into two sections because it straddled the main highway leading to Plieku. The FOB’s Tactical Operations Center (TOC), the Reconnaissance Company and motor pool were located in the eastern section and the Hatchet Companies, mess hall and main club were in the western section.
RT California:
Bill was assigned to the Reconnaissance Company as an Assistant Team Leader (One-One) on Reconnaissance Team (RT) “California.” The other United States Army Special Forces (USSF) soldiers on the RT at the time of the fateful mission were Sergeant First Class Richard “Dick” Gross, the Team Leader (One-Zero), and Staff Sergeant Robert “Bob” Mohs, Radio Operator (One-Two). In addition to the USSF members, ten Vietnamese Montagnards, known affectionately as “Yards” to American soldiers, most of whom were of the Sedang Tribe, comprised the remaining element of RT California. These Montagnard warriors were volunteers who belonged to a Special Commando Unit (SCU, pronounced Sioux) that supported SOG operations and, just as the USSF members, had a hierarchy from Team Leader down the lowliest Scout. The SCU team also included an interpreter, who was the second in the chain of command.
The Mission:
In mid-October of 1969, RT California was given the mission to conduct an eight-day, intelligence-gathering mission into eastern-central Laos to locate and report on enemy movements in a target area designated “S-7.” The operational area (AO) in which S-7 was situated in was a region laced with multiple primary and secondary east-west arteries of the Ho Chi Minh Trail that crossed over into South Vietnam south of the major US base at Kham Duc.
After pre-mission preparations and the RT’s brief back to the FOB Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Frederick T. “Fred” Abt, and his S-2 and S-3 officers, the team for this mission-consisting of the three USSF personnel and six selected SCU members-moved from the FOB on the 18th by a US Army C-7 “Caribou” aircraft and was flown to the Special Forces A-Team border camp at Dak Pek, where it spent the night. After the weather cleared the next morning, California launched aboard a South Vietnamese Air Force (VNAF) CH-34 helicopter from the special operations air support unit, known by their call sign “Kingbees,” and was flown into the AO and inserted onto their landing zone (LZ) in the target area. As was routinely done for most missions of this type, the Kingbee aircraft was escorted by several US Army AH-1 “Cobra” Gunships, which stood by on station to assist in the event of the LZ being hot or if the RT made contact once on the ground shortly thereafter. This entire flight operation was controlled by an onsite Forward Air Controller (FAC), call sign “Covey,” with a crew of one USAF pilot and one USSF controller, known as a “Covey Rider,” flying in a light aircraft such as an L-19/O-1 “Birddog,” O-2 “Skymaster,” or OV-10 “Bronco.”
No Contact:
On the second day (October the 20th) at approximately 1130 hours, the team stopped for a short break in a thickly wooded area on a steep mountainside in the vicinity of the Ho Chi Minh Trail to rest and establish the team’s scheduled radio check with the Covey. However, unbeknownst to the RT at the time the Covey was conducting “ball games” much farther south, a term used to mean that the Covey was inserting or extracting other recon teams into or from their respective target areas, thus contact was never made. During the rest break SGT Stubbs was located up-slope in the team’s defensive position while Bob Mohs, who was in the center of the formation, periodically attempted to establish contact with the FAC and Dick Gross was further down-slope with the point element. The RTs normally had three scheduled radio contacts during the course of a day. The first in the morning around sunrise, which would let the FOB know the team had made it safely through the night and was on its way to continue with their assigned mission. Next came the noon contact, which was used to report the team’s present location and any significant findings. Lastly was the evening contact, shortly before nightfall, when the team again reported findings and where the position of the RON (rest over night) logger would be.
The Ambush:
It was, as RT California remained stationary during this break, when a North Vietnamese Army (NVA) unit, an enemy force estimated to be of platoon size, moved into position and ambushed it. In the initial phase of the ensuing firefight, Bill Stubbs was struck several times in the head and upper body at close range by enemy automatic weapons fire and was last seen slumped lifelessly over this rucksack and presumably dead, killed in action (KIA). His death was followed shortly thereafter by five of the SCU Montagnards being wounded (WIA) to varying degrees of severity by enemy gunfire (three became incapacitated enough that they had to be assisted or carried as they could not move on their own), and Dick was injured with a twisted knee when he fell backwards while trying to take cover from the massive amount of incoming automatic weapons fire. As the barrage fire continued, enemy troops threw hand grenades, three of which landed in SGT Stubbs’ general location, thereby inflicting more fatal wounds upon him. Because of the intense and accurate enemy gunfire, team members were unable to move up the steep slope to reach Bill and retrieve his body. Although the RT was badly shot up, it was still able to produce enough firepower to keep the enemy at bay and from totally over-running their position. After about five minutes of hellish intensity, the surviving members of RT California were forced to withdraw while still under heavy enemy fire, thus leaving Stubbs and much of their equipment behind. The team retreated in the opposite direction from where Stubbs was because he had been at the point of the ambush, as well as it being easier and faster to evade downhill while transporting the wounded. The site of the ambush was in rugged jungle-covered mountains approximately 19 miles west-southwest of Kham Duc, South Vietnam; and four miles southwest of the Laotian-South Vietnamese border just northeast of Nakhon Phanom, in Attopeu Province, Laos at geographical coordinates 180524N-1050000E (grid coordinates YB705987). See map below. Of the enemy, its KIAs and WIAs were unknown.
Evasion and Escape:
The battered RT, with Dick on the point and Bob in the tail-gunner’s positions, eluded pursuit over the next five hours, having to break contact several times with suppressive automatic weapons fire and maneuver by the able survivors during the first hour of running gun battles from the dogged NVA pursuit that would close to within a few yards distance at times. All the while those members who were more able transported the most severely wounded through the harsh terrain. After reaching the riverbed, the team moved uphill to find a clearing on high ground that was suitable enough to serve as a pick up zone (PZ) for a helicopter to extract them, in addition to a site that the remaining fighters could establish as a defensive position to thwart the enemy in the event of another attack and tend to the wounded. The most severely injured were carried up the hillside in a leapfrog manner (first one a ways up and then return for another to bring up) for the entire climb, as not everyone was able to carry the wounded as they did when going downhill, which was far more easier and quicker. Once secure the RT was then able to make radio contact with friendly forces by use our emergency radios (URC 90) switched to the guard frequency. Our first sighting of a friendly and of what we believed as contact was with an unidentified fast mover (USAF jet aircraft) that was in the area, which over-flew our position at a low altitude.
Air support of two USAF A-1 “Sky Raider” aircraft were dispatched to suppress the ambush site, as well as any enemy that might be moving to our present location, while a U.S. Army UH-1 “Iroquois” slick helicopter, more commonly known as a “Huey,” swooped in to extract the RT from the selected PZ. The team was returned directly to our FOB Launch Site located on the airstrip at Dak To, RVN where the Huey had to be refueled because of the flight length and load. From there we were immediately transported by the same chopper to the FOB at Kontum. All of the wounded Yards were sent to a hospital that was established to specifically attend to the SCU Montagnards, as well as their families.
Epilogue:
The following day a Special Forces Bright-Light Team, which remains on-call at the Dak To launch site and has the mission of conducting search and rescue (SAR), along with SFC Gross was inserted back into the target area. However, no trace of Bill Stubbs or any of the equipment left behind by the RT at the ambush site was to be found; the NVA had swept the area after the skirmish and recovered everything of value. Likewise, SAR personnel found no sign of a freshly dug grave anywhere in or around the immediate area of the ambush. By the day’s end, the formal search for Stubbs was concluded and the Bright Light Team and Dick were extracted and returned to Dak To.
In January 1970, a board of inquiry formally listed, then Staff Sergeant, William Wentworth Wilbur Stubbs as missing in action (MIA) as a result of the action on the 20th October 1969 in Laos. Stubbs was also recognized for his selfless act courage by engaging the enemy in a manner so furiously that it held the enemy force in check, thus giving the RT enough time to regroup and save itself even though it cost him the ultimate price-his life-while saving the lives of those of his team mates. And for his heroic actions on that unforgettable, fateful day, an event that will dwell indelibly in the minds of those that lived through the horrendous experience and had to suffer his loss, SSG Bill Stubbs was posthumously awarded the Silver Star, Purple Heart, and the RVN Gallantry Cross with Silver Star medals for his deeds and sacrifice. As a note, Bill had previously received an Army Accommodation Medal for Valor for actions in August of 1969.
William has also been memorialized, in a national sense of memory, by being listed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial’s black granite wall adjacent to the Washington-Lincoln Mall in Washington, DC and the Vietnam War Memorial on the State Capital Building grounds in Olympia, Washington. Later at the request of Bill’s mother, who had since divorced his Father, had Bill’s name added to her home state, Oregon, Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Portland. On all of these memorials, you will notice the “+” sign to the left of his name, indicating that he is MIA-Gone, but not forgotten… De Oppresso Liber (personal memories from Bob Mohs)

The Secret Wars of America's Commandos in Vietnam SOG Four men from Washington State are mentioned in this book. Bill Stubbs is mentioned briefly in Chapter 9 The Snatchers . The chapter is about the need to capture enemy soldiers and the three ways to do so by "disabling the candidate with a carefully placed gunshot; knocking him senseless with explosives; or just plain grabbing him." Stubbs went out on one of these missions to a place where another mission had failed. This one failed also as Stubbs was spotted first and fatally shot the NVA. pages 164-165 The Secret Wars of America's Commandos in Vietnam SOG by John L. Plaster, copyright July 1998, published Onyx

Kerry Brent LOVE

Birth 04JUL48 Rank 2LT Date of Death 23OCT69 P. of birth Walla Walla Service Army (Reserves) Place Quang Tri, S. Vietnam Town of Record Mesa Unit 101st Abn Div, A Co, 2nd Bn, 506th Inf Death Code Non-Hostile, Died; Helicopter - NonCrew; Air Loss, Crash - Land Hometown   service # 533482994 Panel 17WEST - 109   married Single MIA -   Medals   Tour Date 13SEP69 Comment   Cemetery     Richland High School, Richland WA, 1966

Mesa Soldier Killed. Second Lt. Kerry B. Love, 21, Mesa, died Thursday in Vietnam in a helicopter accident. Love, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert F. Love, Hollingsworth Road, Block 20, had been in Vietnam since 1 Oct (1969). His mother reports he had disembarked from an Army helicopter and was killed when it overturned at take off. The lieutenant was serving with the 101st Airborne Divisions Third Brigade near the demilitarized zone. His parents had not learned of his assignment but he was branch infantry and would probably have been assigned to command a 40-man infantry platoon. He was commissioned upon completion of six months Officer Candidate School, at Fort Benning GA. 15 March. A 1966 graduate of Richland High School he attended Columbia Basin College for a year in 1966 -67. He was born 4 Jul 1948, at Walla Walla. (Tri-City Herald, Pasco, Kennewick, Richand WA, 28 Oct 1969)

Accident Report (provided by Bruce Swander)
    A UH-1H helicopter (4 crew/10 passengers) were in the middle of a combat assualt of inserting 180 soldiers from A Co, 2nd Bn, 506th Infantry - 101st Abn. 6 helicopters were involved, and this was their third time there that day dropping off infantrymen. The area had been cleared out as a Landing Zone by the engineers, but there were some tree stumps still there - some about 3' high. 6 men (including 2LT Love) exited to the right, the other 4 men exited to the left...and all moved about 30' away from the helicopter.
    The pilot lifted off about 2' to a hover and did a take-off check....as maximum power was going to be needed to prevent hitting some stumps in front of him. All guages looked fine, and power was applied. What he didn't know was that on the right side there was a stump protruding at about a 60 degree angle. The skid had slid under it, but didn't touch it (which would have registered a signal). On full take-off, the skid connected - causing the helicopter to topple hard to the right. The helicopter crashed, and the large rotor blades impacted the ground and the six soldiers next to it....killing all 6. All of the crew survived, with only the door-gunner receiving a lacerated leg when it tipped over. There were no injuries to the other soldiers that had exited to the left. The helicopter was destroyed, the rest of the troops landed, and the war went on. (email received 23 Oct 2003

Information on Kerry Love, from Richland High School, Richland, WA. The military shows his address as Mesa, Wa., as that is where his parents moved after Kerry graduated and Mr. Love retired from Hanford. Kerry went to public schools in Richland. Kerry was a friend of mine, and we went to Officer Candidate School, Ft. Benning, GA., at about the same time. We were in different student battalions, but I did get a chance to see him once in Vietnam....just prior to his death. He was a nice person....quiet, reserved, intelligent, humorous, friendly.
    My dad knew Kerry's father....and dad reported that the family was devastated, of course...and they had a hard time reconciling the loss. It is important to note that while the record states his death was non-hostile, he was participating in an air assault when the Huey crashed.....

(1LT) Jim Schildknecht, "Screaming Eagles" Veteran
Plt. Ldr., 2/"Cobra" Co/1/327th Infantry/101st Abn Div
Cmndr, Tiger Force Recon, "Easy" Co/1/327th Infantry/101st Abn Div
Vietnam, 9/'69 - 9/'70

David Nelson HEBERT

Birth 19SEP49 Rank PFC Date of Death 25OCT69 P. of birth   Service Marines Place Quang Nam, S. Vietnam Town of Record Kirkland Unit Co K, 3 Bn, 7 Mars, 1 Mar Div Death Code Hostile, Died; Ground Casualty; Gun, Small Arms Fire Hometown   service # 557805251 Panel 17WEST - 17   married Single MIA -   Medals   Tour Date 28 July 1969 Comment   Cemetery

Thomas Richard FOSTER

Birth 28MAY47 Rank SGT Date of Death 27OCT69 P. of birth   Service Army (Draft) Place Thua Thien, S. Vietnam Town of Record Seattle Unit 101st Abn Div, E Co, 3rd Bn, 187th Inf Death Code Hostile, Died; Ground Casualty; Other Explosive Device Hometown   service # 532447514 Panel 17WEST - 23  married Single MIA -   Medals   Tour Date 10MAY69 Comment   Cemetery

Brian John MORROW

Birth 07MAY50 Rank SGT Date of Death 31OCT69 P. of birth Tacoma Service Army Place Tay Ninh, S. Vietnam Town of Record Tacoma Unit 1st Cav Div, B Btry, 2nd Bn, 19th Arty Death Code Non-Hostile, Died; Helicopter - NonCrew; Air Loss, Crash - Land Hometown   service # 537529693 Panel 16WEST - 10   married Single MIA -   Medals   Tour Date 15DEC68 Comment   Cemetery

Sgt. Morrow Was Born Here Sgt. Brian J. Morrow, 19, of 1901 Norma Road NE, who died 31 Oct (1969) in a helicopter crash while on a mission in Vietnam, was born in Tacoma and was graduated from Stadium High School in 1968. He was a member of the Lutheran Church. In Vietnam, Sgt. Morrow was with the 1st Air Calvary Division of the U. S. Army. Survivors include his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Houston S. Morrow, and two brothers, Robert H. and James B., all of the home; a sister, Mrs. Laura J. Casey, of Tacoma; his grandmother, Mrs. Anna Laursen, of Tacoma, and his grandfather, H. S. Morrow Sr., of Philadelphia. Services will be announced by Brookside Mortuary. (Tacoma News Tribune, Tacoma Wa, 08 Nov 1969)