WILLIAM WALLACE NEWTON

Birth 29NOV17 Rank ATC Date of Death 17FEB60 P. of birth   Service Navy Place S. Vietnam Town of Record Newberg Unit   Death Code Hostile, Died; Air Loss, Crash - Land Fixed Wing - Crew Hometown   service # 264564303 Panel  10EAST - 107 Married Married MIA -   Medals Purple Heart   Tour Date   Comment   Cemetery

     RICHARD DALE BENZEL

Birth 06OCT32 Rank SFC Date of Death 06DEC62 P. of birth   Service Army Place S. Vietnam Town of Record Portland Unit Special Forces A1-121 Death Code Non Hostile, Died Other; Other Accident Ground Casualty Hometown   service # 27693273 Panel  01EAST - 14 Married Married MIA -   Medals   Tour Date   Comment   Cemetery

     JAMES DALTON PARKER

Birth 04MAY38 Rank SP5 Date of Death 18NOV63 P. of birth   Service Army Place S. Vietnam Town of Record   Malin Unit Special Forces DET A -114 1st SF GP Death Code Non Hostile, Died Illness, Disease; Vehicle Loss - Crash Ground Casualty Hometown   service # 19532979 Panel  01EAST - 34 Married Married MIA -   Medals   Tour Date   Comment   Cemetery

     GEORGE WILLIAM WATSON

Birth 17JUN31 Rank SP5 Date of Death 18DEC63 P. of birth   Service Army Place S. Vietnam Town of Record Portland Unit unknown 20th Med LAB Death Code Non Hostile, Died Other; Suicide Ground Casualty Hometown   service # 19467554 Panel  01EAST - 38 Married Married MIA -   Medals   Tour Date   Comment   Cemetery Willamette National Cem., Portland OR

Portlander Gives Life
    George William Watson, 30, a Portland man on duty with the U.S. Army in South Vietnam, died 18 Dec (1963) of a bullet wound in his chest, a Pentagon information officer said Thursday.
    Circumstances surrounding Watson's death were not immediately available. He was with a medical detachment and worked as a specialist E-5 in the field of preventive medicine.
    Watson's wife, Kumiko, who lives at 5840 SE 90th Ave, with the couple's two small children, said she last heard from her husband about three days ago and that he gave no indication of imminent danger in his letter at that time.
    Watson's mother, Florence Watson of 6229 SE 93rd Ave., said he had been in South Vietnam since April, 1963. Watson, a 10 year Army veteran, attended Franklin and Benson high schools, according to his mother.
    Mrs. Watson said her husband's body would be brought to Portland for burial. Further details of Watson's death will be relayed to members of his family as soon as information is received in Washington, a Pentagon Spokesman said. (The Oregonian, Portland OR, 20 Dec 1963)

     GROVER KONARD OLSON

Birth 16NOV43 Rank PFC Date of Death 17JAN64 P. of birth   Service Army Place S. Vietnam Town of Record Grants Pass Unit unknown UTT HEL Co Death Code Hostile, Died; Air Loss, Crash - Land Helicopter - Crew Hometown   service # 19758182 Panel  01EAST - 41 Married Single MIA -   Medals Purple Heart   Tour Date   Comment   Cemetery

     DELBERT CHARLES "Del" LA FLEMME

Birth 24AUG43 Rank SP4 Date of Death 07OCT64 P. of birth   Service Army Place S. Vietnam Town of Record Salem Unit unknown 118 AML 145th Avn Bn Death Code Hostile, Died; Air Loss, Crash - Land Helicopter - Crew Hometown   service # 28803177 Panel  01EAST - 65 Married Single MIA -   Medals Air Medal, Purple Heart   Tour Date   Comment   Cemetery     North Salem High School, Salem OR

Salem GI Among 6 Lost, Viet Cong Downs 3 Aircraft A Salem man, Delbert C. LaFlemme, 21, was reported missing in action Wednesday in Vietnam. The soldier's parents received an Army telegram stating that Delbert was missing in a helicopter that went down Wednesday, apparently due to enemy gunfire. Spec. 4 La Flemme is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Willard A. LaFlemme, 1585 Lancaster Drive SE. Born in Salem and a graduate of North Salem High School, he worked at Busick's IGA Lancaster Market for two years before joing the Army three years ago. In Viet Nam since January, he has already been awarded the Purple Heart, for a leg wound from gunshot which penetrated his helicopter, and the Air Medal. He is a helicopter crew chief in the 118th Aviation Co., stationed near Saigon.
    Saigon, South Viet Nam (AP) Communist Viet Cong gunners shot down three U. S. Army aircraft Wednesday and all the six men aboard one - a helicopter felled in flames - are presumed to have perished. The crewmen of the others survived. A strong Red band operating only 13 miles west of Saigon knocked out two of a fleet of helicopters attacking it with rockets and machine guns in support of a drive by Vietnamese ground troops that developed heavy casualties.
    Five Americans one of the helicopters, carrying five Americans and a Vietnamese observer, fell burning in the midst of the Viet Cong position. Troops who later fought their way to the wreckage found three bodies charred beyond recognition. They considered the other three also were dead, though there was some possibility they had been taken away be the Viet Cong as prisoners. The U.S. crewmen were three officers and two enlisted men. Confirmation of the loss of all would increase to 200 the roll of American combat deaths in Viet Nam since 1961.
    Crewmen Live A second helicopter was shot down near the Communist lines, but its crewmen lived through the landing. They were reported to have made repairs to get the craft back in flying condition. Lost 55 miles farther west was a U. S. Army Mohawk, a twin-engine plane used for both scouting and combat. Ground fire crippled it and the American pilot and the Vietnamese copilot took to their parachutes. A helicopter rescued them. (Newspaper, Salem OR, 8 Oct 1964)

Bodies of 5 U. S. Fliers Recovered in Viet Crash Saigon, South Viet Nam (AP) - The bodies of all five Americans whose helicopter was shot down in flames in a battle near Saigon have been recovered, U. S. military headquarters reported Thursday. The Army helicopter was one of two shot down Wednesday in Supporting a battle against communist guerrillias 12 miles west of Saigon. The Vietnamese government reported the Viet Cong guerrillas left 16 dead in the field near Duc Hod and claimed 70 dead or wounded were seen being carried away by their comrades. Government losses were listed at 33 dead, 43 wounded and 20 missing. The Viet Cong captured 8 heavy weapons, 58 rifles and 6 radios.
    Rumor Denied The U. S. military spokesman denied a rumor that Vietnamese troops shot down the helicopter that crashed in flames. A report to Washington said the guerrillas closed in on the burning wreckage and a second U. S. helicoopter appeared and open fire on them. This second helicopter was shot down, but the crew repaired the aircraft and flew it out. The U. S. spokesman said officials were investigating the possiblity that two Vietnamese soldiers were wounded by accident in the fire from the second helicopter. The Vietnamese troops were closely engaged with the Viet Cong at the time. But he said there definitely had been no ground fire from the Vietnamese forces. (Newspaper, Salem OR, 8 Oct 1964)