ORIE JOHN DUBBELD JR.
Unit: U.S. Army Infantry, Advance Team 21, MACV
Date of Birth: 29 November 1948 (St. Petersburg
Home City of Record: Cocoa Beach FL
Date of Loss: 03 March 1971
Country of Loss: South Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 143351N 1073619E (YB807116)
Status (in 1973): Killed/Body Not Recovered
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: Ground
Other Personnel in Incident: James E. Duncan
Source: Compiled from one or more of the
following: raw data from U.S. Government agency
sources, correspondence with POW/MIA families,
published sources, interviews. Updated by the
SYNOPSIS: On March 3, 1971 1Lt. Orie J. Dubbeld
and SFC James E. Duncan were serving as advisors
to the 22nd ARVN Ranger Battalion on a
reinforcement mission in Kon Tum Province, South
Vietnam. During the mission, their unit came
under ground mortar attack. A mortar round hit
directly in the foxhole where 1Lt. Dubbeld and
SFC Duncan were located. An ARVN medical officer
stated that Dubbeld was killed instantly, and
that SFC Duncan died a few minutes later.
An attempt was made to carry the bodies with the
withdrawing ARVN unit. However, the fighting
became so intense that it was necessary to bury
the advisors. To date, no attempt has been made
The ARVN medical officer confirmed that Dubbeld
and Duncan were dead. It is unfortunate, but a
reality of war that their remains were left
behind out of the necessity to protect the lives
of the team who served with them. They are listed
with honor among the missing because their remains
cannot be buried with honor at home.
The U.s. Government believes the enemy knows the
final resting place of Dubbeld and Duncan, but
access to the site has been denied.
The Vietnamese also refuse to reveal information
regarding the hundreds of Americans that
authorities believe are still alive, held prisoner
in Southeast Asia. Dubbeld and Duncan lost their
lives trying to help an allied nation preserve its
freedom. Their deaths will only have the honor due
them when we are willing to exert the effort
necessary to rescue those Americans who are still
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