Ronald Lee Longanecker
Team Partyline
|
08 Jul 1966 |
LCpl. |
Longanecker |
Ronald |
L. |
Portland |
OR |
9E |
7 |
On 8 July 1966 LCpl Ronald Lee Longanecker, age 18, became the first Marine who was killed
in action from hostile causes in Quang Tri Province.
He was a member of Alpha Company, 3rd Recon Battalion.
The following is taken from the After Action Report 3-66 dated 8 July
1966 and from my personal memories.
On 23 June 1966 a recon unit was formed from Recon Group Bravo which at
the time was located at Phu Bai
and moved to an area near the Dong Ha Airstrip. The reconnaissance operation
was called Task Unit Charlie. It was sent north to verify if the NVA had
infiltrated through the DMZ. This task organized mission was in support of the
forthcoming Operation Hastings. On July 1st patrols began to be inserted by
CH-46 helicopters into the unknown jungle terrain. Between 1-7 July, four recon
patrols were inserted but then emergency extracted because of massed troops of
the North Vietnamese Army that were occupying the zones.
On 8 July at 1630 hours, Recon Team Partyline,
a sixteen-man patrol, was inserted at YD058498. Upon insertion, it was taken
under fire by numerous small arms and automatic weapons. It was extracted
without incident. At 1815 hours the team was in the process of insertion into a
different zone, at YD072468, when NVA were observed in the LZ. The NVA opened
fire and the first helicopter pulled out of the LZ and radioed the second to do
the same. The second helicopter attempted to pull out before landing but lost
engine power. To lighten the load, the pilots jettisoned fuel but crashed while
doing so and immediately burst into flames. All but one Marine was able to exit
the burning helo. Ronald Lee Longanecker
perished in the blaze. The reconners and the helo crew then evaded the NVA and were picked up by another
helicopter at YD059465. During this attempted insertion seven men from the Partyline Team were also WIA.
Ronald Lee Longanecker
also became the first Marine to be listed as Killed In Action/Body not
recovered in Quang Tri Province.
During April 2004 the crash location was searched
during the 70 th Joint Field Activity . The
investigative report is below
R 072103Z
JUN 04 ou:JPAC(uc) DETAILED
REPORT OF INVESTIGATION OF CASE 0390 CONDUCTED DURING THE 77TH JOINT FI UNCLAS
TO AMEMBASSY HANOI
CC CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI(UC)
CDR USPACOM LO WASHINGTON DC
CIA WASHINGTON DC
DIA WASHINGTON DC
DPMO(UC)
JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
JPAC ANNEX CAMP SMITH HI(UC)
JPAC(UC)
SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
SECSTATE WASHINGTON DC
WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
WASHINGTON DC
SUBJ/DETAILED
REPORT OF INVESTIGATION OF CASE 0390 CONDUCTED DURING THE 77TH JOINT FIELD
ACTIVITY IN THE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM// AKNLDG/COMMENTS IN THIS REPORT
ARE BASED ON FIELD ANALYSIS AND ARE NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE FINAL ANALYTICAL
CONCLUSIONS.// REF/A/MSG/CDR JTF-FA/170712ZJUL02// REF/B/MSG/CDR
JTF-FA/300116ZSEP99// REF/C/DOC/1:50,000 SCALE MAP// NARR/REFERENCES
A.
REF A IS THE DETAILED REPORT OF INVESTIGATION (DRI) OF CASE 0390
CONDUCTED DURING THE 70TH JOINT FIELD ACTIVITY (JFA).
B.
REF B IS THE DRI OF PRIORITY CASE 1820 CONDUCTED DURING THE 56TH JFA.
C.
REF C IS MAP DATA: NAME: THON DOC KINH; SHEET: 6342 II; SERIES: L7014; EDITION: 2-AMS, 1968. RMKS/1. SUMMARY.
A.
CIRCUMSTANCES OF LOSS: THIS CASE
INVOLVES THE 8 JULY 1966 LOSS OF A CH-46 HELICOPTER ON A PATROL INSERTION
MISSION, RESULTING IN ONE UNACCOUNTED-FOR INDIVIDUAL.
B.
SUMMARY OF INVESTIGATION: ON 27
APRIL 2004, THE INVESTIGATION TEAM
(IT1)
INVESTIGATED CASE 0390 IN CAM NGHIA VILLAGE, CAM LO DISTRICT, QUANG TRI
PROVINCE. IT1 RE-INTERVIEWED ONE
WITNESS, WHO PROVIDED INFORMATION REGARDING A HELICOPTER CRASH SITE HE FOUND IN
1977. THE WITNESS CLAIMED HE SAW REMAINS
AT THE CRASH SITE. IT1 SURVEYED A SITE
INDICATED BY THE WITNESS AS THE CRASH SITE OF A HELICOPTER, BUT FOUND ONLY
NONDESCRIPT PIECES OF METAL.
C.
REMAINS/PERSONAL EFFECTS: IT1 DID
NOT RECOVER OR RECEIVE ANY REMAINS OR PERSONAL EFFECTS WHILE INVESTIGATING CASE
0390. 2. DETAILS OF INVESTIGATION.
A.
PURPOSE:
(1) RE-SURVEY THE CRASH SITE LOCATED AT
48Q YD 05862 46440 IN CAM NGHIA VILLAGE (XAX CAM NGHIAX), CAM LO DISTRICT. RE-DEFINE THE LIMITS OF THE CRASH SITE AND
OTHER LOGISTICAL DATA. CONSIDER USING AN
MK-26 METAL DETECTOR OR SIMILAR DEVICE TO ASSIST IN THE SURVEY. (NOT ACCOMPLISHED; SEE PARA 6, BELOW.)
(2) RE-INTERVIEW MR. HO TO (HOOF TOW),
WHO LIVES IN KHE LAN HAMLET (THOON KHE LAWNJ), MO O VILLAGE (XAX MOF OS), DA
KRONG DISTRICT. ASK MR. TO TO SHOW THE TEAM WHERE HE OBSERVED REMAINS. (ACCOMPLISHED; SEE PARA 2.E.(1), BELOW.)
B. ON
20 APRIL 2004, IT1 ARRIVED IN QUANG TRI PROVINCE TO INVESTIGATE SIX CASES.
C.
TEAM COMPOSITION:
(1) U.S. CONTINGENT:
CAPT
WILLIAM P. DOBBINS III
TEAM LEADER
SFC VIET
(NMI) NGO-LUONG
ASSISTANT TEAM LEADER
PO1 KHUONG
H. VU
LINGUIST/ANALYST
TSGT BRYAN
N. MOLITOR
LINGUIST/ANALYST
TSGT SAM
(NMI) PHAM
LINGUIST/ANALYST
SGT
THADDEUS L. LAND
ANALYST
SSGT MARTIN
J. FIEDLER
ANALYST
MSGT ROGER
D. ANTRIM LIFE
SUPPORT
INVESTIGATOR
HCMS FRANK
C. GRAHAM III MEDIC
GYSGT GLEN
U. ANDREWS EXPLOSIVE ORDINANCE
DISPOSAL TECHNICIAN
(2) VIETNAMESE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT
CONTINGENT:
LUU VAN THO
(LWU VAWN THOJ) TEAM
LEADER
LAI XUAN
CHIEU (LAIJ XUAAN CHIEEUF) TEAM MEMBER
HOANG NGOC
GIAN (HOANGF NGOCJ GIANR) TEAM
MEMBER
TRAN DINH
VAN (TRAANF DINHF VAAN) TEAM
MEMBER
BUI VAN KET
(BUIF VAWN KEETS) TEAM
MEMBER
(3) QUANG TRI PROVINCE CONTINGENT:
TRAN KHANH
PHOI (TRAANF KHANHS PHOOI) TEAM
LEADER
(4) DA KRONG DISTRICT CONTINGENT:
HOANG VAN
HOA (HOANGF VAWN HOAF) TEAM
LEADER
D.
ON 20 APRIL 2004, IT1 MET WITH THE QUANG TRI PROVINCE CONTINGENT AT THE
HIEU GIANG HOTEL IN DONG HA TOWN, QUANG TRI PROVINCE TO DISCUSS THE
INVESTIGATION PLAN. THE PROVINCE TEAM
HAD LOCATED THE REQUESTED WITNESS AND AGREED TO PROVIDE THE WITNESS FOR
INTERVIEW.
E.
ON 27 APRIL 2004, IT1 DEPARTED THE HIEU GIANG HOTEL AND TRAVELED FOR 55 MINUTES
ALONG A SEMI-IMPROVED ROAD TO A VEHICLE DROP-OFF POINT LOCATED AT 48Q YD 08312
48630 (COORDINATES WERE ACQUIRED USING A GARMIN GPS-3 PLUS GLOBAL POSITIONING
SYSTEM (GPS) RECEIVER, TRACKING NINE SATELLITES USING THE INDIAN THAILAND
DATUM). FROM THE VEHICLE DROP-OFF POINT
IT1 WALKED FOR 80 MINUTES TO 48Q YD 05865 46326 (FIVE SATELLITES) WHERE IT1
INTERVIEWED ONE WITNESS WHO PROVIDED THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:
(1) WITNESS:
(A) NAME: HO TO (HOOF TOW)
(B) AGE: 62 YOA
(C) RESIDENCE AND LENGTH OF TIME
THERE: KHE LAN HAMLET (THOON KHE LAWNJ),
MO O VILLAGE (XAX MOF OS), DA KRONG DISTRICT, QUANG TRI PROVINCE; SINCE 1977.
(D) CURRENT OCCUPATION: FARMER.
(E) OCCUPATION AT TIME OF INCIDENT:
LOCAL MILITIA IN DAK LAK PROVINCE.
(F) RESIDENCE AT TIME OF
INCIDENT: DAK LAK PROVINCE.
(G) BACKGROUND: A JOINT TEAM HAD PREVIOUSLY INTERVIEWED MR.
TO DURING JFA'S 56 AND 70 (REF B AND A).
(H) STATEMENT:
((1)) MR. TO MOVED FROM DAK LAK PROVINCE TO
KHE LAN HAMLET, MO O VILLAGE, DA KRONG DISTRICT, QUANG TRI PROVINCE IN
1977. ON AN UNRECALLED DATE IN 1977, HE
DISCOVERED A HELICOPTER CRASH SITE WHILE FARMING. THE HELICOPTER WAS LARGE, GREEN IN COLOR AND
HAD TWO LARGE PROPELLERS OF THE SAME SIZE.
THE HELICOPTER WAS STILL INTACT AND MR. TO OBSERVED TWO MACHINE GUNS,
EACH POSITIONED AT ONE OF THE TWO DOORS.
THERE WAS WRITING ON THE HELICOPTER, BUT BECAUSE HE COULD NOT READ, MR.
TO COULD NOT REMEMBER THE MARKINGS. WHEN
HE ENTERED THE HELICOPTER, HE OBSERVED SEVERAL SMALL PIECES OF BONE IN THE
CABIN OF THE AIRCRAFT. ALTHOUGH HE DID
NOT SEE ANY LARGE OR DISTINGUISHABLE REMAINS, HE ESTIMATED THE AMOUNT OF
REMAINS TO BE THOSE OF TWO INDIVIDUALS.
HE LEFT THE REMAINS IN PLACE BECAUSE HE WAS AFRAID AND PROCEEDED TO TAKE
ONE ROTOR ASSEMBLY AND ONE PIECE OF AIRCRAFT SEAT FROM THE HELICOPTER BACK TO
HIS HOUSE. MR. TO DID NOT SEE ANY
CLOTHING, PERSONAL EFFECTS, OR SURVIVAL EQUIPMENT AT THE SITE.
((2)) MR. TO NEVER TOLD ANYONE
ABOUT THE HELICOPTER CRASH SITE, BUT KNEW OTHER LOCAL RESIDENTS WERE AWARE OF
THE SITE. HE RETURNED ON AN UNRECALLED
DATE IN LATE 1977 AND OBSERVED THE WRECKAGE HAD BEEN HEAVILY SCAVENGED. THE LOCALS BURNED THE WRECKAGE INTO MANAGEABLE
SIZE PIECES TO MAKE THE PIECES EASIER TO TRANSPORT FROM THE SITE. MR. TO DID NOT KNOW THE DISPOSITION OF THE
REMAINS HE OBSERVED INSIDE THE HELICOPTER DURING HIS FIRST VISIT TO THE SITE. FOLLOWING THE INTERVIEW MR. TO SHOWED THE
TEAM THE LOCATION HE SAW THE HELICOPTER WITH REMAINS. THIS IS THE SAME SITE HE LED THE IT TO DURING
JFA 70 (REF A).
((3)) MR. TO DID NOT KNOW OF
ANY INCIDENTS INVOLVING UNACCOUNTED-FOR AMERICANS, PRISONER-OF-WAR CAMPS, OTHER
AIRCRAFT CRASH SITES, AMERICAN BURIAL SITES, OR AMERICANS WHO REMAINED IN
VIETNAM AFTER 1975. 3. MATERIAL
EVIDENCE.
A.
RETAINED BY JPAC: NONE.
B.
PHOTOGRAPHED AND LEFT IN PLACE:
NONE.
C.
REMAINS: NONE.
4. SITE SURVEY RESULTS.
A.
AREA DATA:
(1) PROVINCE: QUANG TRI.
(2) DISTRICT: DA KRONG.
(3) VILLAGE/TOWN/CITY: MO O VILLAGE.
(4) VICINITY GPS GRID COORDINATE: 48Q YD 05865 46326 (GARMIN GPS-3 PLUS
RECEIVER, FIVE SATELLITES, INDIAN THAILAND DATUM).
(5) VICINITY MAP GRID COORDINATE: 48Q 058 463.
B.
MAP DATA:
(1) MAP NAME: THON DOC KINH.
(2) MAP SHEET: 6342 II.
(3) MAP SERIES: L7014.
(4) MAP EDITION: 2-AMS, 1968.
(5) MAP DATUM: INDIAN DATUM 1960.
C.
SITE ACCESSIBILITY: SITE IS
ACCESSIBLE BY A 55-MINUTE DRIVE FROM DONG HA TOWN TO A VEHICLE DROP-OFF POINT
FOLLOWED BY AN 80-MINUTE WALK, APPROXIMATELY THREE AND ONE HALF KILOMETERS,
DOWN A WELL ESTABLISHED TRAIL. VNOSMP OFFICIALS INFORMED IT1 IF THE WEATHER IS
RAINY THE TEAM WILL HAVE TO WALK FROM CAM CHINH VILLAGE, AND WALK FIVE TO SIX
KILOMETERS TO THE CRASH SITE.
D.
SITE DESCRIPTION:
(1) TYPE OF SITE: HELICOPTER CRASH SITE.
(2) DIMENSIONS: TEN METERS BY TEN METERS.
(3) SIGNIFICANT FEATURES:
(A) DISTANCE TO THE NEAREST
ROAD: 3.5 KILOMETERS.
(B) NEAREST POPULATED AREA:
((1)) NAME: KHE LAN HAMLET.
((2)) DISTANCE FROM SITE: SITE IS LOCATED WITHIN KHE LAN HAMLET.
((3)) ESTIMATED AVAILABLE
LABORERS: 100.
(C) SITE SENSITIVITY: NONE.
(D) MAJOR TERRAIN FEATURES: THE HAMLET LIES WITHIN A SMALL VALLEY WITH
100 TO 200-METER HIGH MOUNTAINS AT THE NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN ENDS. THE LZ IS A LARGE, FLAT AREA WITH MINIMAL
VEGETATION. THERE IS A SMALL STREAM AT
THE SOUTHWESTERN END OF THE VALLEY, JUST BEFORE THE RISE OF THE MOUNTAINS.
E.
LANDING ZONE RECOMMENDATION:
(1) LOCATION: 48Q YD 0587 4621 (GARMIN GPS-3 PLUS RECEIVER,
FIVE SATELLITES, INDIAN THAILAND DATUM).
(2) DISTANCE TO SITE: 100 METERS FROM SITE.
(3) DISTANCE TO BASE CAMP: ADJACENT AND WEST OF BASE CAMP AREA.
(4) CONSIDERATIONS: N/A.
F.
BASE CAMP RECOMMENDATION:
(1) LOCATION: IMMEDIATE VICINITY OF THE LZ.
(2) DISTANCE TO SITE: 100 METERS FROM SITE.
(3) WATER SOURCE: NONE.
(4) HOTEL AVAILABILITY: NONE.
G.
REMAINS FOUND AT SITE: NONE.
H.
ESTIMATED EXCAVATION REQUIREMENTS:
(1) NUMBER OF DAYS: TWO JFAS.
(2) NUMBER OF WORKERS: 50 - 100.
(3) SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: NONE.
I.
WATER SOURCE:
(1) DISTANCE FROM SITE: A SMALL INTERMITTENT STREAM APPROXIMATELY 200
METERS SOUTHWEST OF LZ. DURING THE DRY
SEASON, THE STREAM IS DRY.
(2) WET SCREENING SUPPORTABLE: NO.
J.
TERRAIN AND WEATHER CONSIDERATIONS:
(1) EFFECT OF WEATHER: ACCORDING TO THE WITNESS THE RAINY SEASON FOR
THIS AREA IS DURING THE MONTHS OF SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER.
(2) SLOPE: PREDOMINANTLY FLAT AND LEVEL.
(3) VEGETATION: THE SURROUNDING AREA IS COVERED WITH THICK
BRUSH AND SMALL TREES.
(4) SOIL: LOOSE SOIL EMBEDDED WITH SMALL ROCKS.
K.
SAFETY:
(1) EOD HAZARD: NONE.
(2) TERRAIN: THE SITE LIES IN A SMALL CLEARING AMID THICK
BRUSH AND SMALL TREES.
(3) WILDLIFE: INSECTS, BEES AND LEECHES.
5. PERTINENT LOCATION OR DATA CHANGES: NONE.
6. ANALYST COMMENTS.
A.
IT1 INTERVIEWED MR. TO AT THE SITE WHERE HE DISCOVERED THE HELICOPTER
CONTAINING REMAINS. IT1 SURVEYED THE
AREA INDICATED BY THE WITNESS. A VISUAL
SURFACE SEARCH REVEALED SEVERAL PIECES OF METAL, 9-MM AMMUNITION CASINGS AND
MISCELLANEOUS SCREWS. A SWEEP OF THE
AREA WITH A FISHER METAL DETECTOR ALSO PRODUCED SEVERAL POSITIVE METAL
INDICATIONS REVEALING SIMILAR TYPE ITEMS WHEN THE TEAM DUG AT THE INDICATION
AREAS. IT1 DID NOT FIND ANYTHING TO
SPECIFICALLY CORRELATE THIS SITE WITH CASE 0390.
B.
IT1 TEAM LEADER AND CASE ANALYST ATTEMPTED TO REACH SITE REQUIRED IN
PARAGRAPH 2.A.(1). DUE TO THE DENSE
VEGETATION AND THICK UNDERGROWTH THE CLOSEST POINT OF APPROACH TO THE REQUIRED
LOCATION WAS FIFTY METERS. IT1 TEAM
LEADER AND CASE ANALYST DID NOT SEE ANY INDICATIONS OF A HELICOPTER CRASH WHILE
CRAWLING THROUGH THE BRUSH ATTEMPTING TO GET TO LEAD LOCATION. 7. LIFE SUPPORT INVESTIGATOR COMMENTS: NO LIFE SUPPORT OR AIRCREW RELATED MATERIALS
WERE RECOVERED OR OBSERVED DURING THIS INVESTIGATION. 8. TEAM LEADER COMMENTS.
A.
CONCUR WITH ANALYST COMMENTS IN PARAGRAPH 6.
B.
HOST GOVERNMENT COOPERATION/SUPPORT WERE GOOD AT ALL LEVELS. 9. DETACHMENT COMMANDER COMMENTS: NONE.//
Please visit Patti Woodard's very nice webpage on her tribute to Portland Orgeons Missing
Vietnam Veterans. Ronald Longanecker
was from Portland.