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Who's Who from Detachment A-236 (Lac Thien and Bu Prang) (Partial Draft)

The following is a listing of all personnel in our database, assigned to Detachment A-236 (Lac Thien and Bu Prang). If you were assigned to A-236 or you can correct any errors or can add any names or [ESPECIALLY HELPFUL] identify the assignments for the names at the last page of the list shown as "Assignments Unknown," or if you have any rosters, please let me know by e-mail at (sherman1@flash.net) or by phone at (713) 683-9076 or join the team discussion at the Green Beret Forum.

Narrative Information: The first PCS Detachment A5/223 replaced 1st SFG(A) TDY team, A1/311B, at Old Bu Prang after the Montagnard revolt. I need the PCS orders and official photo for this team. The team was redesignated A-236. O/a 5/13/65, the Bu Prang (Old) camp was closed and a new camp reopened at Lac Thien in Lac Thien District, Darlac Province. (Highlighted in Silver) The earlier TDY teams, from the 1st SFGA, are listed in a previously published monograph. Personnel from the 95th Civil Affairs Det were attached to this team in 1966. The camp was turned over to RF/PF o/a 09/30/67. Bu Prang (New) was opened in a parachute assault (OPERATION BLUE MAX) on 10/05/67. It was located in ? District, Quang Duc Provine. Bu Prang was relocated and rebuilt on a nearby position in April 1970. The camp was converted to 89th Border Rangers on 11/30/70.

DET CO
Hendricks Christopher P   CPT 11/01/64 04/01/65 DET CO A5/223 YE.
McKinney John W   CPT 05/20/65 01/24/66 DET CO SSAT DEC
Vay Nicholas R   CPT 12/15/65 04/10/66 DET CO   YE,
Jackson John H   CPT 05/05/66 07/01/66 DET CO   DEC
Meder William A   CPT 07/01/66 08/01/66 DET CO medevaced YE.
Soderberg John D   1LT 06/22/66 02/16/67 DET CO   DEC
Gerst Jackson C   CPT 12/08/66 06/07/67 DET CO   Y,
Keim David W   CPT 06/07/67 08/07/67 DET CO   DEC
Folsom Spencer A Jr CPT 08/03/67 07/16/68 DET CO   DEC
Poe William H   CPT 07/09/68 01/21/69 DET CO   YE,
Kerr Laurence M   CPT 01/31/69 06/01/69 DET CO   YE.
Brown James E   CPT 03/12/69 09/26/69 DET CO    
Griner Billy G   CPT 04/09/69 12/19/69 DET CO   DEC
Palmer William L "Nick" CPT 09/23/69 05/20/70 DET CO to 3/503/173 YE.
Potter Ransford A II CPT 05/20/70 11/30/70 DET CO   DEC
DET XO
Caravalho Sario J   2LT 10/01/64 01/01/65 DET XO A5/223 YE,
                 
Stahl Vincent E   1LT 08/01/65 12/31/65 DET XO   YE.
Gonneville Donald E   1LT 12/03/65 06/01/66 DET XO   YE.
Soderberg John D   1LT 06/22/66 08/01/66 DET XO & CO YE,
Manning Charles F   2LT 08/03/66 10/31/67 DET XO   DEC
Bowman William J   1LT 11/23/66 07/15/67 DET XO   YE.
Richie Thomas K   2LT 06/23/67 12/25/67 DET XO   YE.
Hargrove Jerry W   1LT 12/27/67 10/27/68 DET XO   DEC
Bahnatka Joseph A Jr 1LT 08/30/68 12/20/68 DET XO   YE.
Belbey Eugene   1LT 12/21/68 04/19/69 DET XO   A0Y
Gwynn Eugene T   1LT 04/20/69 06/24/69 DET XO   YE.
Turney George A   1LT 06/23/69 06/19/70 DET XO   YE,
Albracht William L   CPT 09/19/69 12/13/69 DET XO   YE.
Albracht William L   CPT 10/28/69 11/02/69 FSB CO FSB Kate YE.
Potter Ransford A II 1LT 12/24/69 05/20/70 DET XO/A   DEC
Norton Robert D Jr 1LT 05/21/70 08/22/70 DET XO   Y
Entrican Danny D   1LT 07/15/70 11/30/70 DET XO   MIA
CA/PO OFFICER
Parker John A   2LT 10/12/65 10/11/66 CAPO    
Goettle Jimmy A   1LT 04/01/66 10/01/66 CIVIL ENG 95CA ATTD 16 TEAMS (4 OFF+MEDIC) YE.
                 
Hargrove Jerry W   1LT 11/03/67 12/25/67 CAPO   DEC
                 
Salter John B   1LT 03/01/68 08/01/68 CAPO   DEC
Bahnatka Joseph A Jr 1LT 06/10/68 08/30/68 CAPO   YE.
Wilm Arthur J   2LT 11/01/68 09/20/69 CAPO   DEC
Norton Robert D Jr 1LT 09/15/69 03/01/70 CAPO & A-235? Y
Beck Andrew J   1LT 03/01/70 05/01/70 CAPO   YE.
TM SGT
Davis Joseph L   MSG 10/01/64 0101/65 TM SGT A5/223 DEC
Cardinal Henry   MSG 05/20/65 03/28/66 TM SGT SSAT DEC
Drought James H   MSG 06/01/65 01/12/66 TM SGT SSAT DEC
Pylant Minor B   MSG 10/01/66 01/01/67 TM SGT   DEC
Viamontes Mario A   MSG 01/01/67 10/01/67 TM SGT   DEC
Talkington Walter A   MSG 09/17/67 11/09/69 TM SGT   DEC
Newsome Lonnie F   MSG 11/01/69 02/01/70 TM SGT   DEC
Bishop Charles M "Cowboy" SFC 02/01/70 09/20/70 TM SGT   DEC
Bell Gene C   MSG 09/01/70 12/29/70 TM SGT   DEC
INTEL SGT
Trejo Lino   SSG 10/10/64 01/01/65 INTEL A5/223 DEC
                 
Cherry Owen L   SFC   03/19/66 INTEL   DEC
                 
Keltner Kenneth K   SGT 09/07/66 09/06/67 INTEL/A & A-234 DEC
Brown Marvin K   SSG 09/13/66 09/12/67 INTEL SD to B-50 Sep ‘67 for 2 Apache recons DEC
Peyton Richard L   SFC 03/01/67   INTEL   DEC
McNamara Charles A Jr "Mac" SP5 09/01/68 03/01/69 INTEL   YE.
Newsome Lonnie F   MSG 08/01/69 11/01/69 INTEL to 8/17/70? DEC
Connell John P   SFC 01/01/69 01/01/70 INTEL   DEC
Brock Ronald C   MSG 10/20/69 12/11/69 INTEL & TM SGT Y
Dunlop [Shanahan] Steven R   SP4 11/10/69 04/14/70 INTEL/A   YE,
                 
Anadon Jeffery E   SP5 01/01/70 09/18/70 INTEL/A   YE,
Bishop Charles M "Cowboy" SFC 09/20/70 11/30/70 INTEL   DEC
Smallwood Michael W   SP5 08/01/70 12/15/70 INTEL/A   YE
WEAPONS
Carrow Billy E   SFC 10/10/64 01/01/65 HVY WPNS A5/223 DNH
Trujillo Gilbert   SFC 11/01/64   LT WPNS A5/222 DEC?
Schmutzler Clarence J   SSG 11/01/64 01/01/65 LT WPNS A5/222 DEC
Durham Robert E "Bull" SFC 03/01/65 12/01/65 HVY WPNS   DEC
Treadwell Frank L   SFC 09/20/65 01/01/66 LT WPNS   YE.
Munoz Ferdinand   SSG 11/01/65 12/01/65 LT WPNS   YE,
Vander Zwalm Richard L   SGT 02/15/66 02/14/67 HVY WPNS   Y.
Williams Robert N   SFC 01/01/67 05/19/67 HVY WPNS   DEC
Taylor William E   SSG 01/01/67       DEC
Blair James F Jr SFC 06/02/67 10/25/67 LT WPNS to MSF Y,
Wilkerson James L   SSG 10/01/67 02/01/68 LT WPNS medevaced DEC?
Hanna Harry A Jr SSG 12/01/67 02/01/68 LT WPNS   DEC
Miller Robert R   SFC 11/16/67 11/15/68     KIA
                 
Johnson Jesse F   SFC 06/16/69 12/21/69 HVY WPNS   DEC
Gilbert Michael W   SP4 10/01/69 05/30/70 LT WPNS   DEC
Tippett Edward R   SSG 04/01/70 11/30/70 HVY WPNS   DEC
RAD OP
Zabitosky Frederick W   SGT 10/10/64 01/01/65 RAD OP A5/223 DEC
Hoodye Lawrence L   SFC 10/01/64 01/01/65 RAD OP A5/223 DEC
Hoodye Lawrence L   SFC 05/20/65 10/01/65 RAD OP SSAT to ? DEC
Grant Willard P   SFC 01/01/66   RAD OP   DEC
Jackson Hugh P   SGT 09/01/66 02/05/67 RAD OP   DEC
McKenna John J   SFC 01/01/67   RAD OP   A0Y
Gadwa Michael F   SGT 06/01/67   RAD OP & A-235 YE.
Moore Gary L   SGT 08/02/67 05/26/67 RAD OP & B-23 YE.
McDaniel Michael S   SP4 10/01/67 08/01/68 RAD OP medevaced YE.
Fuller William A   SSG 01/01/68   RAD OP   A0U,
Wylie Gary D   SGT 09/01/68 02/01/69 RAD OP   A0U
Denote Rocco L   SSG 04/01/69 02/01/70 RAD OP   YE.
                 
Heffernan James F   SGT 10/01/69 10/01/70 RAD OP   Y,
Olson Peter J   SSG 10/23/69 10/22/70 RAD OP   DEC
Smallwood Michael W   SP5 08/01/70 12/15/70 INTEL   YE.
DEMO
White Milton H Jr. SFC 10/10/64 01/01/65 DEMO A5/223 DEC
Turner Willie J   SP5 10/10/64 01/01/65 DEMO A5/223 YE.
Poole Thomas D   SP5 08/01/65 09/01/65 DEMO   YE.
Kizzie Floyd 'Cat' SFC 09/22/66 09/21/67 DEMO   DEC
Coutourier Alvin 'Tiny' SP5 10/01/67 01/01/68 DEMO   YE.
                 
Henry Ronald A   SP5 07/17/69 07/16/70 DEMO   AOU
Weaver Jerry M   SSG 07/01/70 07/16/70 DEMO fm B-22 KIA
Hooks Danny F   SSG 09/01/70 11/29/69 DEMO medevaced YE.
Reagan Robel L "Lee" SP5 10/01/70 11/30/70 12B4S ASSIGN? DEC
MEDIC
Deprez Kenneth J   SGT 10/01/64 DROPPED MEDIC A5/223 to ? YE?
Tamashunas Robert R   SGT 10/01/64 01/01/65 MEDIC A5/223 YE.
Baker Allen B   SFC 10/10/64 01/01/65 MEDIC A5/223 YE
Cianos Andrew M "Andy" SP5 05/20/65 11/30/65 MEDIC   DEC
Blais Gerald J   SSG 08/01/65 01/24/66 MEDIC   DEC
Underwood Oliver   SFC 10/01/65   MEDIC & TM SGT DEC
Hollingsworth Michael G   SSG 06/01/66   MEDIC   DEC
Walton Allen N III "Nick" SP4 06/01/66 12/01/66 MEDIC   YE.
Sikes Tommy C   SSG 08/01/66 07/31/67 MEDIC   DEC
Sweeney John H   SFC 01/01/67   MEDIC to B-23 S-4 DEC
Knuble Vitauts   SP4 01/02/67   MEDIC   DEC
Dickerson John K   SP4 03/01/67 03/01/68 MEDIC   YE.
Waits James M   SFC 02/01/67 02/01/68 MEDIC   DEC
Weiser Randall T   SFC 02/01/68   MEDIC   Y,
Mertz Fritz A   SSG 05/18/68 12/28/69 MEDIC    
Simpson Harold B "Buck" SGT 05/17/69 05/15/70 MEDIC   YE.
Rushing Alan E   SP5 01/19/69 03/18/70 MEDIC   YE,
Williams John W 'Tonto' SGT 06/29/69 06/28/70 MEDIC   Y,
Shelly Henry F III SSG 11/16/69 11/14/70 MEDIC 07/01/70 DEC
Fitzsimmons Michael G   SGT 01/20/70 02/15/70 MEDIC   YE.
Noble Richard E   SGT 04/01/70 09/07/70 MEDIC   DEC
Hinton Thomas H   SP5 04/01/70 07/01/70 MEDIC   DEC
Shepherd Daniel G   SSG 07/01/70 11/31/70 MEDIC   Y.
ASSIGNMENTS UNKNOWN
Marcelo Benjamin H   SGT 01/01/69   RAD OP 234@FSB ANNE DEC
Varn Douglas   SSG 01/01/69       DEC
Day Seth A   LTC 10/31/69 12/09/69 SR ADV AT 53/
23 INF DIV		  
403rd SOD (Radio Research)
                 
Korner Robert E   SSG 03/31/69 04/14/70 05H4S73 @A-244, A-236, A-239,C-4, A-423, B-43 DEC
Vestuto Robert M   SSG 07/28/69 07/22/70   @A-236 & B-23  
                 
MAP OF LAC THIEN
MAP OF BU PRANG
There are six 1:50K map sheets of Vietnam that I have not been able to obtain or digitize as CADRG. I have the physical maps. DAK DAM (6433I), which includes Bu Prang, is one of the missing sheets.
Fire Support Bases Kate, Annie and Susan
From about 15 Sep. – 21 Sep.1969, the various platoons and sections from the different battalions began to stage into their locations. Guns and crews were moved from their original bases to Ban Me Thuot, Duc Lap or Bu Prang and then moved out to FSB Kate(YU581548), Annie(YU484513) and Susan(YU514432) as air assets were available. As each base was occupied a company of Montagnards with their Special Forces advisors were inserted. At Kate a company advised by Team A-233 from Ban Don with their Special Forces advisor SFC Arbizo and a company from Team A-236 from Bu Prang advised by CPT Barham secured the perimeter. In the beginning of this operation, there was little activity on the firebases except the normal fire mission in support of Camp Bu Prang and its patrols. Later intelligence offered a reason for this in that the NVA had not done a reconnaissance of the area for several weeks and were unaware of the three new firebases. Upon discovering the locations of these three firebases, things began to change. On Oct. 27 SGT Dan Pierelli, a 22 year, old relieved SFC Arbizo. CPT. William Albracht, the executive officer at Bu Prang, arrived the following day to relieve CPT Braham, who was leaving for R&R. CPT. Albracht took over as senior ground commander at Kate. He was 21 years old at the time. This coincided with the NVA recognizing the new threat from the firebases and their determination to address that threat. At this time there were about 27 U.S. artillerymen on Kate along with Albracht, Pierelli and about 150 Montagnards.

http://www.bravecannons.org/stories/battle_lz_kate.html

Gallagher Edward P "Pat" 1LT 10/01/69 10/10/69 FSB CO FSB Kate (A-234) YE.
Barham Lucian L   CPT 10/10/68 10/28/69 FSB CO FSB Kate (A-239) YE
Albracht William L   CPT 10/28/69 11/02/69 FSB CO FSB Kate (A-236) YE.
Arbizo     SFC   10/27/69   FSB Kate (A-233) DEC
Pierelli Dan   SGT 10/27/69 11/02/69   FSB Kate (B-23) YE.
Ruscio John B   SSG       FSB Anne (A-234) YE.
Marcello Benjamin H   SSG     RAD OP FSB Anne (A-234) DEC
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