Comment on Incident:
During recon extraction with team and recon staff of 1stReconBn on board – the a/c flew into a mountain carrying a recon team on a SPIE rig. LtCol William G. Leftwich Jr., Commanding Officer, 1st Recon Bn, died with team in crash.

Personal Narrative:
HM2 Daniels was the corpsman for the recon team. He was the main reason for the extraction.
Submitted by John P Somers II, member of recon team not on mission

Personal Narrative:
Doc Daniels was the Corpsman for the recon team (Rush Act), and not part of the CH-46 crew. I flew on the bird w/the Colonel and Cpl Manela and the same crew members trying to extract the team on the ground for two days. On the 3rd day, I stayed back and the bird crashed. I was part of the recovery team that, went out (2 days later) to recover the remains.
Submitted by Rod H. Pupuhi, there before and after crash

Personal Narrative:
This was probably the most tragic incident the 1st Recon Bn suffered during my tour over there. Doc Daniels was a fun loving guy. I and several other Marines shared a hootch with him. I was told the helicoptors were sent out to Med Evac the team because Doc had broken his leg on patrol. One of the other Marines who went to identify his body told me he'd died with a smile on his face - that would have characteristic of Doc.
Submitted by Michael J. Schneider, Roomate to Doc Daniels

Personal Narrative:
We were sitting on a hill. We had had bad weather for a couple of days and couldn't really do any observing. We were also out on patrol in the Que Son Mtns.

I was the primary radioman for team Roadtest and was listening on the radio as the extraction was taking place. As they were leaving, I heard one of the escorts, possibly one of the gunships, state that he had lost sight of the extraction chopper. They tried for a while to contact him, then returned to base. If I remember correctly, we had been out a couple of days longer than we were supposed to be because the tops of the hills were all socked in and they couldn't get to us.

We did make it back for the ceremony on the LZ at Camp Reasoner and it was a very sad time for us all, the sight of so many crosses, boots and weapons all lined up on the pad. Please accept my belated condolences.
Submitted by Orville L Taylor, 1st Recon Bn, B Co, Team

Command Tribute:
Outstanding men that I will never forget. Thank you.
Submitted by Daniel M Turpin, Teamleader/Trainer Saddlebag 6,

Family Tribute:
I want to thank you all for trying to get him and his fellow soldiers out of that muck. I am so very sorry that the crew perished with him also. I just found your site. Thank you for keeping it alive. I thought that after all these years that my pain wouldn't be so hard, right now, I feel just like it is happening all over again. I miss my boy so much. Soon I will be with him again. May God bless you all.
El Paso, TX
Submitted by Annette Daniels, Russell G. Daniels is my son

Command Tribute:
Think of these brave men often. Worked and trained with the best of them. Rememebering the good times and our last day together as our teams went in differant directions that morning. SEMPER FI
Submitted by Daniel M Turpin, Team Leader 1ST RECON BRAVO CO

Personal Narrative:
July 21, 2007: I left Bravo Company in late September of 1970. Recently we lost Woodrow Phillips, my pointman on many long range patrols and I was looking for news of a Recon Reunion when I opened this page. I heard about this terrible accident from Bernie "Gunny" Kuntz in Bozeman, Montana, but it really hit home, even after 37 years, to see it on the net. I live in South Central Texas and if I can help anyone connected to this, please contact me. Semper Fi.
Submitted by Robert Lee Castaneda, Plt. Sgt., Bravo Company, 1st Recon Bn., 1969-1970

Narrative from Friend:

I was stationed with Rich Buttry at El Toro MCAS and we worked together in Ground Support Equipment just before we both went to Vietnam. I picked him up a couple of times at his house in Costa Mesa and met his mother. She seemed like a great lady, but I don't remember her name. We worked side by side for awhile catching up on all the ordering of parts.

We both went to Marble Mountain and we both flew as gunners. I was with HMM-262 GSE [ground support equipment] and he was with the MAG-16 GSE. We stayed in contact and saw each other from time to time. A few days before his crash we were talking and I told him to be careful. We both felt strange for a moment that day and it seemed spiritual as I look back on it. He always kept a great attitude about things, but that day was different and we both felt it.

When they brought the aircraft back after the crash it sat beside the hanger for some time and my hootch was right across from it. I saw the wreckage every day as I went out of my hootch to our hangar. It was a very sad time for me personally that will always stick in my memory. He was a great Marine and friend.

The picture is the crash site taken from the gunners view.

Submitted by Sgt David W. Powell, Friend of LCpl. Rich Buttry (Gunner-Crew)

Personal Narrative:
If you knew Randy, I don't have to tell you - if you didn't I want you to know - he was a good person, a great Marine, and a friend of mine. I said good-by to Randy at Freedom Hill along with Rick Vaughn, Bruce Grant, Shefield, Sigler, and others on September 12th 1970. We were getting pulled out early, Nixon's troop withdrawls, and Randy didn't have enough time in country to go.

It didn't surprise me that he took another Marine's place on that chopper. He was real short and Randy was that kind of guy! I was back in the world safe and raising hell when Cpl Jordon wrote and told me Randy was dead. I didn't feel right leaving him that day at Freedom Hill - I should have stayed but I didn't and it haunts me every day - but this isn't about me. Randy Manela was my friend, I was fortunate to know him and share some good and bad times in Nam. If you read this and want to share anything you know how to contact me.
Submitted by Cpl M. Gregg Kenyon 2568415, served with Randy Manela in Charlie Co 1st Recon

Family Information:
I shall always be greatful for the internet that allows the opportunity to share memories of our loved ones we would never had been able to do before. It was a website that brought me closer to the death of my brother in law 1stLt Orville Curtis Rogers, Jr. I loved him and miss him to this day on the 39th anniversary of his death. My heart goes out to each of the families that were on that flight. I am currently the commander of the American Legion SAL Post 258. At 6:00 pm I will be offering a toast in memory of all that were on that flight. May God Bless every family, the Marines and God Bless the USA.
Submitted by Carter Butler, brother in law of Curtis Rogers

Family Information:
It is still, after all these years, and with a heavy heart that I mourn my dear boy. I would like somehow, if this is possible, to be able to talk with the young men that knew Russell. Can, please, someone help me.
Submitted by Annette Daniels, Doc Daniels was my son

Family Information:

I am Orville (Curt) Rogers, Jr.'s sister....
thanks for your comments, narratives & condolences on KIA 701118-
I hope to meet some more of his buddies at the reunion dinner Friday night-
my husband Ken, another brother & his wife, and our parents will be there, too - we were invited by Paul Wilson and Les Williams.
S/F
SZQ (on Notam)
Submitted by Susan Rogers Eveland, Family

Family Information:
I was only 7 when my cousin died. Only now am I beginning to find out the type of hero he was and the true meaning of brotherhood. If anyone can give me anything to help me know my cousin better, and the type of man he was, I would be eternally grateful. If anyone may have a photo of him that would be greatly appreciated also. Thank You!
Submitted by Chris Patrick, Cousin of LCPL Robert Eugene Tucker KIA 701118

Family Narrative:
I was 7 years old when Robert passed away. Now it is 37 years later and I find it a necessity to find out all I can about my cousin. If anyone who knew him or served with him has anything they can share about the kind of man he was or the kind of soldier he was, please let me know. I am retired Air Force and I feel a kind of comraderie with him as a military man. I consider him a hero and am proud to call him my cousin. Thank you.
Submitted by Chris Patrick, Cousin of LCpl Robert Eugene Tucker

Personal Narrative:
Charles A. Pope Jr is buried close to my wife's grandmother, who died in 1990 as the oldest living person in Kansas - she was 106. They are buried in a very old part Mt. Washington Cemetery in Kansas City, MO. I first noticed Pope’s grave at the service we had for ‘Gonga’ and have cleaned and left flowers at his headstone ever since. I note that Pope's USMC headstone is apparently incorrect in both date of birth and date of death. I am pleased to have found information about what happened to him. It makes things more personal for me. Semper Fi!
Submitted by Dr. John S. Hetlinger, Charles Alfred Pope Jr

Family Information:
I was doing research on my Brother and I located this site. It's a wonderful thing to be able to comment and be able to read other peoples comments about this event. I was only 3 years old when my brother was KIA. I never really got to know him, I am sorry for all the losses during this time and any other time. My son is following in my brothers footsteps and will be joining the Marines after graduation this year. I am finding this a hard thing to handle. I have the Highest respect for all the Armed Men and Women and May God Bless each one of them and their Families!
Submitted by Kerri Dutton, sister to LCPL Gary Duane Hudson

Personal Request:
Any family members wishing to get a hold of me, I have taken many movies during my stay at Camp Reasoner. Most important is the memorial services of Team Rush Act. If anyone would like a copy of the DVD, call me at (562)941-2782.
Submitted by Cpl. Gil Perez-1st Recon Bravo Co. Team/Claypipe, Our team was on patrol that same day