State Heroes
Vietnam
1966
Private First Class Randolph Scott Hutchinson
Vietnam
Branch of Service: Marines
Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: H&S Company
Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent: 3rd Battalion
Regiment / Group / Brigade: 3rd Marine Regiment
Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent: 3rd Marine Division
Date of Loss: December 30, 1966 / Age: 21
Upon arriving in Vietnam, Randolph was assigned to H & S Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division.
1966
Seaman Apprentice Dennis Wayne Davis
Vietnam
Branch of Service: Navy
Date of Loss: December 22, 1966 / Age: 20
Died in service in Kindred, ND.
1966
First Lieutenant Lowell Eugene Harms
Vietnam
Branch of Service: Army
Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: Company C
Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent: 2nd Battalion
Regiment / Group / Brigade: 2nd Infantry Regiment
Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent: 1st Infantry Division
Date of Loss: December 03, 1966 / Age: 26
Killed in action in Quang Tri, South Vietnam in hostile action by multiple fragmentation wounds.
1966
Lieutenant Junior Grade Thomas Edmund Spitzer
Baldwin, ND
Vietnam
Branch of Service: Navy
Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: USS Oriskany
Date of Loss: October 26, 1966 / Age: 25
At 0728 26 October fire broke out in a forward magazine and raged through 5 decks, claiming the lives of 44 sailors. Many of those killed were veteran combat pilots who, a few hours earlier, had flown on raids over Vietnam.
1966
Major Clifton Emmet Cushman
Grand Forks, ND
Vietnam
Branch of Service: Air Force
Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent: 469th Tactical Fighter Squadron
Regiment / Group / Brigade: 388th Tactical Fighter Wing
Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent: 7th Air Force
Date of Loss: September 25, 1966 / Age: 37
North Vietnam
1966
Lieutenant Colonel Darel Dean Leetun
Vietnam
Branch of Service: Air Force
Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent: 13th Tactical Fighter Squadron
Date of Loss: September 17, 1966 / Age: 42
In , NORTH VIETNAM
Hostile, died while missing, FIXED WING - PILOT
AIR LOSS, CRASH ON LAND
From DPAA:
1966
Sergeant Milo Hans Amsbaugh
Vietnam
Branch of Service: Army
Date of Loss: September 06, 1966 / Age: 36
Died in service in Bottineau County while on furlough from Vietnam.
1966
Lance Corporal Michael Henry Kessel
Dickinson, ND
Vietnam
Branch of Service: Marines
Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: H&S Company
Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent: 1st Battalion
Regiment / Group / Brigade: 3rd Marine Regiment
Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent: 3rd Marine Division
Date of Loss: September 03, 1966 / Age: 19
Lance Corporal Kessel was killed in action in Quang Nam, South Vietnam by hostile explosive device.
1966
Shipfitter 2nd Class Lowell Greemer Einarson
Bantry, ND
Vietnam
Branch of Service: Navy
Date of Loss: September 01, 1966 / Age: 28
He died in service in Phuoc Tuy, South Vietnam due to a heart attack in non-hostile action.
1966
Specialist 4 Merlyn Arnold Fraedrick
Vietnam
Branch of Service: Army
Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: Headquarters Company
Regiment / Group / Brigade: 21st Artillery Regiment
Date of Loss: August 28, 1966 / Age: 21
Died in service in Frankfurt, Germany
1966
Specialist 4 Richard Denzil Gill Jr
Williston, ND
Vietnam
Branch of Service: Army
Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: Company B
Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent: 1st Battalion
Regiment / Group / Brigade: 5th Infantry Regiment
Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent: 25th Infantry Division
Date of Loss: July 21, 1966 / Age: 19
On July 21, 1966, Companies A and B and the Recon Platoon of 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry, departed Cu Chi Base Camp for a search and destroy operation in the western end of the Filhol Rubber Plantation in Binh Duong Province, RVN.
1966
Private Thomas Allyn Weller
Vietnam
Branch of Service: Army
Date of Loss: July 09, 1966 / Age: 21
Died while in service.
1966
Specialist 5 John Vilnis Raaum
La Moure, ND
Vietnam
Branch of Service: Army
Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: Company C
Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent: 1st Engineer Battalion
Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent: 1st Infantry Division
Date of Loss: July 09, 1966 / Age: 27
Died in service in Quang Tri, South Vietnam through non-hostile action that was reported as accidental self-inflicted injury.
1966
Staff Sergeant Herbert Lapp
Vietnam
Branch of Service: Army
Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: Company B
Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent: 1st Battalion
Regiment / Group / Brigade: 35th Infantry Regiment
Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent: 25th Infantry Division
Date of Loss: July 03, 1966 / Age: 43
Staff Sergeant Lapp was killed in action in Pleiku, South Vietnam from hostile small arms fire.
1966
Captain Richard Thomas Perrin
Vietnam
Branch of Service: Army
Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: Troop C
Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent: 1st Squadron
Regiment / Group / Brigade: 9th Cavalry Regiment
Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent: 1st Cavalry Division
Date of Loss: June 27, 1966 / Age: 24
On June 27, 1966, a U.S. Army helicopter UH-1B (tail number 64-14047) from the 161st Aviation Company and a U.S.