In the sunlit springtime of our youth.
Those who did not come back alive remain
in perpetual springtime -- forever young --
And a part of them is with us always.
-- Author Unknown--
KIA-MIA Files | Died After Tour | Then and Now | Stories and Postings | Past Remembrance Events | Remembrance
Intruder
KIA-MIA Files...
(The music
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War drew
us from our homeland
In the sunlit
springtime of our youth.
Those who did not
come back alive remain
in perpetual springtime --
forever young --
And a part of them is with us
always.
-- Author Unknown--
Between 1966 and 1970 the 281st. AHC lost 46 brave individuals in South East Asia. 10 of our brothers have yet to be returned to their families. The 281st. AHC Association is dedicated to honoring and preserving the memory of each individual we lost. To do so we have developed a virtual "Book of Remembrance" with a chapter for each member of our flight that we lost as Killed In Action (KIA) or left behind as Missing In Action (MIA). To view the work we have accomplished to date please click on the individuals name which will take you their chapter in the book. Following the complete listing of names you will find a roster type listing of our MIA/ KIAs shown by date of loss. By clicking on the name of an individual listed on the roster you will also be taken to their chapter in the book. In addition, there is a bookmark of for each year that the 281st served in South East Asia.
Please contact us if you have, or want information, concerning one of our MIAs or KIAs or if you have pictures that you are willing to share with us. This is a "works in progress" and we need your help.
IF YOU CANNOT VISIT THE VIETNAM
VETERANS MEMORIAL YOU CAN WRITE TO THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS TO HAVE A WALL
RUBBING/TRACING OF A NAME DONE.
Mail Operations/Vietnam Veterans Memorial
National Park Service
National Capitol Parks-Central
900 Ohio Drive, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20242
All Gave Some--Some Gave All!
The
mission of the 281st AHC was initially performed by the 6th Air Lift Platoon
and the 145th Aviation Platoon. These units were integrated
into the 281st when it arrived in South Vietnam
6th Air Lift Platoon
KILLED IN ACTION
CPT Gary Lyn Steele, Fang 3,
KIA April 04, 1965
CPT Steele was KIA during the conduct of a airborne assault
mission south of Danang, South Vietnam.
(VN Wall Site 01E-105)
145th Aviation Platoon
KILLED IN ACTION
SPC E-5 Joseph Ralph Foss
On
April 5, 1965 aircraft number 63-08631 crashed on takeoff from
Baun Briena Special Forces Camp killing SP/5 Joe Foss.
WO1 Daniel Edward. Bishop, KIA April 19, 1965
(Click
here to visit
Daniel's page and view his picture)
1LT Josef Lloyd Thorne, KIA April 19, 1965
(VN wall site: 04E-105)
SPC E-5 Charles F. Millay, KIA April 19, 1965
SPC E-4 Terry W. Mills, KIA April 19, 1965
SPC- E-4 Gilbert Olivar, KIA
April 19, 1965
Bishop, Thorne, Millay, Mills & Olivar were crew members in a
145th Gun Ship flying a combat assault
north of Qui Nhon
at LZ Alpha when their UH-1B (63-08632) was struck
by
enemy ground fire and shot down, killing all on board.
The 145th was assigned to the 52nd AVN BN
at the time of their deaths.
INTRUDERS
STILL MISSING IN ACTION
Click on the Intruders name to go to
their remembrance page
Average age of the
four 281st AHC Crew Members MIA: 20 years
Average age of the
six 281st AHC Pilots MIA: 22 years
CW3
Jim Ray Cavender
CW3
George Thomas Condrey III
INTRUDERS
KILLED IN ACTION
Click on the Intruders name to go to
their remembrance page
Average age of the 23, 281st. AHC Crew Members KIA:
21.7 years
Average age of 12,
281st. AHC pilots KIA: 22.8 years
1966
1LT William Ronald Beasley
SPC E-4 William Joseph Bodzick
1LT Leon D. Flanders
1LT FLANDERS WAS THE FIRST 281st AHC COMBAT CAUSALITY IN
SOUTH EAST ASIA
PFC Gary Bernard Flabbi
SPC
E-4 Lawrence Williams, Jr
PVT G.W. Whitaker
1967
PFC Michael Patrick Gallagher
PFC Michael Anthony Goffredo
WO1 Daryl L. Miller
1968
WO1 DONALD McCOIG WAS AWARDED THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS,
THE NATIONS SECOND HIGHEST AWARD, FOR BRAVERY IN COMBAT
1969
1970
SP E-5 Joseph W Cunningham, Jr.
CW2 Robert Wayne Gardner
WO1 Thomas Andrew Guenther
1LT Ned Richard Heintz
SPC E-5
Alan Howard Johnson
SPC E-5 Frank Melvin Kaiser
WO1 Stanley Joseph Miller, Jr
WO1 Tarry Thomas O'Reilly
WO1 Eldon Ray (Duke) Payne
SPC E-5 Scott Eugene Sutherland
SPC E-4 Danny Joe Taulbee
SPC E-5 Daniel Joseph
Vaughan
SPC E-5 Paul Bruce Lambertson
*****
SPC E-5 Arthur Gerald Qualls
*****
***** SPC E-5
Paul B. Lambertson and
SPC E-5 Arthur G. Qualls were
the last
individuals lost by the 281st AHC in South East Asia.
THE LAST RIDE
Soldiers from the
3rd U.S. Infantry (The Old Guard) carry Medal of Honor recipient retired
Chief Warrant Officer Michael J. Novosel Sr. at Arlington National Cemetery
April 13, 2006
CWO Novosel was a well known Army Aviator honored for his actions as a
Dustoff Pilot in Vietnam
ONCE AN INTRUDER....ALWAYS AN INTRUDER
THE 281st AHC ASSOCIATION HAS MADE EVERY EFFORT TO VALIDATE THE ACCURACY OF THE INFORMATION PRESENTED HERE. THE OFFICIAL ARMY RECORDS ARE THE PRIMARY SOURCES OF THE INFORMATION SHOWN. HOWEVER, IN SOME CASES WE HAVE DISCOVERED DISCREPANCIES THAT WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO VERIFY OR CORRECT. SHOULD YOU HAVE INFORMATION OR COMMENTS CONCERNING A 281st AHC KIA OR MIA PLEASE USE THE "CONTACT US" TAB BELOW TO CONTACT A MEMBER OF THE 281st. AHC REMEMBRANCE COMMITTEE.
Last Update: JUNE 2005
