Missing Vietnam Servicemen To Be Buried

[Pendragon_6]

By FREDERIC J. FROMMER, Associated Press Writer


WASHINGTON - Marine Sgt. James Neil Tycz and three other U.S. servicemen were killed on Hill 665 near Khe Sanh, Vietnam on May 9, 1967, close to the Laos border, in a battle with North Vietnamese troops. It was too dangerous to recover their bodies, so for decades, they were listed as "killed in action-body not recovered."

But this year, the military informed the families that it had finally identified the remains. On Tuesday, the 38th anniversary of their deaths, three of the men will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery. A fourth man was buried last month, but will be honored at the ceremony.

Tycz, who died at 22, was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism, led a seven-man reconnaissance team into enemy territory, where members came under fire from a North Vietnamese Army unit of between 30 men and 50 men.



Continued
AP via Yahoo (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050508/ap_on_re_us/missing_servicemen)

[DesertFox]

My best buddy out of high school was in a similar fight (may have been the same one) while with the 2d Battalion 5th Marines. His body lay in the sun for three days before they could retrieve it. Closed-casket burial. I've never forgotten and never will.

[Pendragon_6]

Dear DF:

Two close friends of mine came back from Vietnam as victims of Agent Orange . They both died within five years of returning. One, who was a large man of 200 pounds, wasted away to 85 pounds when he died. The other had throat cancer and couldn't speak during his last months alive. Pretty shitty deal for brave men.

regards, p6

[Beowulf]

Awhile back, I posted a story about the father of a co-worker's girlfriend. His remains were found in Laos and sent home. For years, his wife tried to petition to have them recovered after many reports and eyewitness accounts of a shot down helicopter were recieved by her.

After she died in 1998, her daughter, my co-worker's GF, took over and finally, the government sent home the remains. It was a touching story. I believe we have many more servicemen that need to be brought home from that war.