Many thanks to all who those who served with the ARA 4/77th and those who have sent me their recollections:
Bob Black
I was the AC of the ship that hoisted Ron out after he was found. My medic went down on the hoist to put him on the jungle penetrator because he was too weak to get on himself. After that my medic searched the area for Cpt McDonnell. I had transferred from A Btry 4/77 ARA in Feburary to Eagle Dustoff. We had formed the unit at Ft. Sill and Ron was a good friend of mine. I had volunteered for the mission when I found out his aircraft was missing. I am not trying to take the credit but just get the facts straight. It may have been that the LOH pilot mentioned actually found the crash site. My crew and I were waiting at a firebase about 5 minutes away ready to rescue the crew after they were found. Sadly a LOH was shot down during the search phase and the pilot was killed. (OH-6A 67-16025) Incidently, LTC Bartholomew, our battalion commander of the 4/77, was shot down and killed in December 1968 within a few kilometers of the same crash site. Colonel Vogel, the Divarty Commander, was riding jump seat. All aboard were killed. In 2000 I was interviewed for a piece about the disappearance of Cpt McDonnell by the History Channel which aired I believe in 2002. John McDonnell had joined A Battery after we arrived in country. Of the original pilots that deployed from Ft. Sill with A Battery we lost 2; LTC Bartholomew and his copilot WO-1 Brinkmeyer. They were lost less than a month after arriving in Vietnam. LTC Bartholomew was a super leader and on his second tour. He purportedly told his wife he did not think he would return alive.
Dave Fulller
I briefly knew your father in Vietnam! ...
I too was a helicopter pilot in your father's unit in Vietnam (A/4/77(ARA), 101st Abn. Div.). I didn't get the opportunity to know your father very long, but remember well the situation behind his tragic crash and dissappearance. During these past 31 years, I have often wondered if his MIA status was changed, etc. On several occasions, I even tried to locate his name on the Vietnam Memorial wall (but I have just come to realize that I had his name incorrectly spelled). Also, I knew him as a Captain (not a Major...he must have been promoted later?!?!).
As weird as this may sound; I have been disturbed for three nights with dreams which have compelled me to seek out my Vietnam buddies. This is strange for me as I'm not the sort of guy who relives my "war experiences" as others seem to do. Anyway, I awoke this morning, fired up my computer, and immediately punched in "A/4/77" on my search engine. To my amazement; there it all was...my old unit and a listing of their names (although they somehow forgot mine). As you might expect, for the past several hours, I've been writing all of these long-lost friends. Your Dad's name struck a special place in my heart! This is why I'm writing.
You probably know the entire situation surrounding your father's accident...but I may be able to tell you a little more (if you would care to know). Basically, your father was one of the most decent and honorable gentlemen that I've ever had the pleasure to know!!!
Loren Gee
But I do remember your Dad. He had the bluest eyes of anyone I've ever met. That coupled with his ready smile made him an easy person for me to be around. I don't know who all you've talked to about the crash, but Bob Black was the pilot of the Med-Evac that lifted Greenfield out. Black is now listed on Ken Havran's 4/77 Aerial Artillery page.
Bob was a pilot in A Battery before he switched over to the Med-Evacs. You might like to talk to him.
I can remember when we lost your Dad. I really missed him, but for a long time fully expected him to walk back into our Battery area.
Ken Havran
Like I said, I had been with A battery only a couple weeks. I remember the day largely because I was flying with Major Graham. We had taken an un-armed helicopter, either one of our old C models that hadn't been turned in yet, or one of the headquarters H models. I don't remember that we had any crew with us. It would have been odd to fly without a crewchief, but I think it was just he and I. What exactly we were doing I don't know, as he didn't confide in me, a lowly W-1. We had landed at some firebase the name of which I can't remember and Maj. Graham was in the TOC conducting whatever business it was that we were there for. I remained with the helicopter. After a time, Maj Graham came out to the helicopter. He seemed agitated and just said that we needed to get going without any explanation.
As soon as he got the radios going, he started talking to people. I don't know who it was, but I presume it was the wingman he called and just asked "what happened?" They replied something like, "Dragon XX (I can't remember the exact callsign) disappeared into the clouds while breaking off from a firing run, no further contact." I don't remember if they said the crew reported the stick going 'limp,' or if that came out later.
Weather conditions prevented an aerial search. One thing that Maj. Graham did that frightened me as a new guy (And probably would have as an old guy too) was he landed at an abandoned firebase. I had heard stories that the VC would booby trap places like this, plus like I said we didn't have a door gunner or any kind of escort. I think he landed there to save fuel so we could stay in the area as long as possible in case any kind of contact was made or if the weather improved so that we could make a visual reconnaissance. I sat there staring at the nearest tree line, waiting for the hordes of VC that I was quite sure would soon be charging us while he continued to talk on the radios.
Unfortunately, the weather didn't get any better so there was nothing we could do. Eventually, ground troops found the crash site and Greenfield. The troops that found the site were quite certain that your father survived the crash, Greenfield had been removed from the aircraft and set carefully down, there was no blood, etc. What happened after that could only be speculated. From here on out, you probably know as much as I do.
I always wondered what his eventual fate was and when I joined the Vietnam Helicopter Pilot's Association and got my first VHPA directory his was either the first or second name I looked up. It was then I saw he had been declared dead. I see that Jack Taber has already invited you to the reunion next year, I do hope you can make this one or some other one. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.
God Speed,
Ken
Randy Larsen
In 1969 I was a 20 year old warrant officer in your dad's platoon. Roger Bean (now Major General, retired) and I (now a Colonel in the USAF) flew the rescue mission for your dad. My 20th birthday was 4 Mar 69. Your dad was the only guy who remembered. I was writing a letter to my mom and he tapped me on the shoulder and handed me a bottle of Pinch (scotch, I don't know if they even make it anymore). We had a few drinks and went to bed early because we were both on the flying schedule for the next morning. For some reason, your dad's thoughtful gesture has always remained as one of those flashbulb memories that will always be there.
In 1995, Major General (retired) Roger Bean wrote me a long letter and provided me the documents about the final resolution of your father's case. It seemed plausible to me, and I think Roger also felt confident in the report. Roger was the flight lead, and I was the wingman on the first rescue attempt on the evening of 5 Mar 69. We lost an 0H-6 and finally had to go home due to darkness and bad weather. The next morning we were able to pickup Lt Greenfield.
According to the report I received in 1995, your dad was most likely killed prior to our first arrival on the scene ... or shortly thereafter. The evidence at the crash site made it clear that he had survived the crash and had cared for Lt Greenfield ... who remained unconscious until the next morning. Being a highly experienced infantry officer, we assumed he had tried to lead the NVA away from the crash site to protect Ron. He succeeded in protecting Ron, but lost his own life. Unfortunately, many of the true heroes in war go unrecognized.
Norm Lowe
I was a platoon leader of the original A/4/77th formed and trained at Fort Sill. After deployment I soon rejoined A/4/77th for a short period of time at Camp Eagle. I was close to promotion to Captain and was soon assigned as XO of A/377th, the aviation battery directly assigned to Division Artillery HQ. Soon after that, Major Bean was also assigned to A/377th as CO (note that Dave Fuller was not specific as to Roger's reassignment).
I met your father for the first time in the second week of January. He had already been assigned as platoon leader if I recall and it was he who first told me that many of the pilots with December '69 rotation dates would likely be reassigned in order to structure the unit with variable rotations. I think most of the inexperienced pilots looked at him as if he were in a different league- assured and experienced- but I assure you he never gave that air. Although I never flew with your dad, I attended a number of briefings and occasionally discussed various unimportant issues with him in passing. I remember only his ability to connect warmly and on the lighter side, his advice not to give in to the temptation to shoot at the rats scrambling on the hooch beams at night.
I spent many months getting to know Ron Greenfield at Sill. He was a reserved yet highly regarded pilot. I was once told by Roger Bean that he, I, and one other pilot(?) were too "analytical and cautious" in our approach to flying and that could be both "good and bad."
Roger was transferred to A/377th as CO soon after your dad was down and missing. Our mission in direct support of Division Artillery was principally Command and Control and Recon. I guess it was the appropriate assignment for Roger since he was driven to uncover a lead to your father. He and I discussed again and again how great it would be if, on a routine Recon or C&C mission, he were suddenly there signaling for a pick-up. Although it was against command guidelines (CO and XO as pilot and co-pilot) we flew several LOH missions together over the next few months with no other purpose but to just scout the area again. Just on the chance ... It was safe to say that the thought was never too far out of mind.
Details fade over time and the memories grow more distant with each year. That is clearly not the case when one goes MIA. You dad will be the one memory that those of us who shared this common bond can not forget. Thank you for bringing your site to my attention. The case for MIA to POW status is compelling and I pray that you can bring closure someday. In the meantime, on this 40th anniversary of your dad having gone MIA, have you thought of asking the pilots who served with A/4/77th to begin wearing his MIA/POW bracelet to show solidarity for closure?
Dennis Mack
I was a member of 3rd platoon A Battery 4/77 ARA in 1968-69. Capt Mac as most of us called him was my platoon leader, call sign Dragon 31. I occasionnaily flew front seat with him in the AH-1G. At the time I was a very young WO-1.
Capt. Mac fit right in with our group of seminary drop outs or killers. I remember that day in March 1969 when his aircraft went down. As I remember I had been flying that day and had expected to go on the flight but I got bumped by Capt Mac. That fact has haunted me ever since.
Jack Taber
Diary entry, March 6, 1969.
"Cpt Mac and Lt Greenfield missing after going IFR on rocket run near Tomahawk. Mtns go over 5,000 ft in that area, not to swift a place..."
Diary entry, March 7, 1969.
"Search started at 0700, shot three missions for grunts in search. MacElligot (an LOH pilot who was a flt school classmate) found Greenfield alive at 1400 about 1400 ft up the side of the Mtn....no sign of Capt Mac or the LOH."
Diary entry, March 8, 1969.
"Search continued, found all Cpt Mac's gear but not him?..."
No mention that a LOH had gone down on the 6th..trying to locate them...
I had always had believed that some of Cpt Mac's personal stuff had been found in his body armor that was found where Lt Greenfield was laid out on the ground. Maybe it was dog tags...the ID card in HUE baffles us. Our feelings were that as a 2 tour SF his instincts would be save Ron and get away from the wreckage to avoid capture....I refer to Our based on recent discussions amongest pilots who flew with Cpt Mac in A Battery, 4/77ARA.
On 3 Apr 69 a WO1 Bob Stanfill, a flt school classmate and multi tour SF type came to our area. He was with an Aviation Company that support what was refered to as the Delta Project...a mobile team of SF and indigenous troops who were doing SOG type work within S. Vietnam and along the border. They set up a temporary base camp near the water pipe line between Phu Bai and Camp Eagle. We flew cover for them a few times as they conducted operations in an area that was probably West of where Capt Mac was lost along the border....we had suspicions they were looking for POW's....we never really got detailed missions briefings when we covered them...whereas with SOG missions into Laos we did get briefed....
Another point. In the late Fall of 1968, in the same general area, our Battalion Commander was shot down and killed while on a Visual Recon. We always has our suspicions about that area and the old French resort called Bac Ma (sp) which was on top of one of the highest peaks in that area. The 101st did a few quick operations in thsi area, but kept their presence mostly along the coast at FB Roy and Tomahawk....hummmm?
