Remains identified 09/08/00 (see note below)
Billy Ray Laney was laid to rest on October 5th
in Alabama with a full military burial.
Rank/Branch: E7/US Army Special Forces
Unit: MACV-SOG, Command & Control
Date of Birth: 21 August 1939 (Blanch AL)
Home City of Record: Green Acres City FL
Loss Coordinates: 161914N 1064049E (XD805050)
Status (in 1973): Missing In Action
Acft/Vehicle/Ground: CH46A
Refno: 0720
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
P.O.W. NETWORK in 2001.
Other Personnel In Incident: Frank E. Cius
(returned POW 1973); Timothy R.Bodden; Ronald J.
Dexter; John G. Gardner; Stephen P. Hanson; (all
missing); Mr. Ky (Nung Cdr. - wounded and rescued);
Charles F. Wilklow (rescued)
REMARKS: LAST SEEN IN CRASHED AIRCRAFT
SYNOPSIS: MSGT Billy Ray Laney was born on August
21, 1939 in Blanch, Alabama. Before he entered
the Army, he had two years in the United States
Navy. On June 3, 1967, Capt. Steven P. Hanson,
pilot; 1Lt. John G. Gardner, co-pilot; Sgt.
Timothy R. Bodden, crew chief/door gunner; LCpl.
Frank E. Cius, doorgunner; SFC Billy R. Laney,
SFC Ronald J. Dexter, SFC Charles F. Wilklow and
an unknown number of ARVN personnel, all passengers,
were aboard a CH46A helicopter (serial #150955)
on an extraction mission in Laos. The USMC
aircraft picked up a U.S. Army Special Forces
team attached to MACV-SOG, Command and Control,
and the ARVN troops they were working with.
Military Assistance Command Vietnam Studies and
Observation Group (MACV-SOG)was a joint service
high command unconventional warfare task force
engaged in highly classified operations
throughout Southeast Asia. The 5th Special Forces
channeled personnel into MACV-SOG (not a Special
Forces group) through Special Operations
Augmentation (SOA) which provided their "cover"
while under secret orders to MACV-SOG. These
teams performed deep penetration missions of
strategic reconnaissance and interdiction which
were called, depending on the time frame,
"Shining Brass" or "Prairie Fire" missions.The
aircraft received extensive automatic small arms
fire upon takeoff from the Landing Zone, took
numerous hits and crashed 350 meters from the LZ,
located about 15 miles inside Laos west of the A
Shau Valley. The helicopter did not burn on
impact, and continued to receive fire. Three ARVN
troops were able to return to the LZ where the
troops remaining at the LZ were extracted the
following day.The troops waiting at the LZ could
not search because of the hostile threat in the
area. Air searches located the survivors of the
crash, but they could not be evacuated. The only
America found to be in a position to be safely
evacuated was SFC Wilklow. He gave the following
account of what happened to the crew and
passengers aboard the CH46: SFC Dexter appeared
uninjured and left the wreckage with a large
number of ARVN troops. Capt. Hanson was wounded
and outside the helicopter, but stated that he
had to return to get his carbine. The Marine
Corps believes he died of the wounds he received
when the aircraft was overrun, although Hanson's
wife later identified her husband in a widely
distributed Vietnamese propaganda photograph of
a pilot being captured. When last seen, all the
other Americans were still in the wreckage, and
enemy troops (the U.S. Army says they were Viet
Cong; the U.S. Marines say they were North
Vietnamese Army - possibly a joint force of both)
were tossing grenades toward the aircraft with no
attempt to capture the personnel inside. Wilklow
left the crash site, and noted that gunfire
suddenly stopped. He continued to evade the enemy
and was picked up 3 days later. When Mr. Ky, the
Nung Commander was being evacuated by the last
helicopter out, he noted several men (undoubtedly
Dexter and the ARVN) in a large bomb crater firing
red star clusters from a flare gun. Frank Cius was
taken prisoner and released from Hanoi in 1973. He
was one of the dozen or so captured by the
Vietnamese and taken immediately to Hanoi claimed
to be the "Laos" prisoners. In reality, none of
the dozen had been held in Laos. Ronald Dexter,
according to Frank Cius, was captured, and died
in captivity on July 29, 1967. John Gardner,
according to the USMC, died on the ground after
the crash of the aircraft due to intense enemy
fire. Billy Laney was last seen lying wounded on
the floor of the aircraft between a crewmember
with a broken back and the door gunner with a
head wound.
NOTE: the USMC states that Bodden, crewchief/door
gunner was shot in the back and never left the
aircraft, but reports received by the National
League of Families indicate that he was
definitely alive after the aircraft crashed. The
U.S. did not know Cius was captured until he was
released, evidently believing he never exited the
aircraft, and Wilklow had indicated that the
Vietnamese were not trying to capture the
occupants of the aircraft. Therefore, as door
gunner, he must have been the "door gunner with
the head wound", and Bodden the "crewmember with
a broken back".) Since 1975, the U.S. Government
has received thousands of reports relating to
Americans still alive in Southeast Asia. Many of
them cannot be dismissed as untrue. Officially,
the U.S. says it is operating under the
assumption that men are being held, and that the
matter is of "highest national priority". Yet, we
seem unable to resolve the mystery. Nor have they
ever negotiated for the "tens of tens" of
American prisoners the Lao stated they held.
There can be no question that the communists
know the fate of those who were last seen on the
ill-fated CH 46A that day. The men aboard this
craft were inserted into Laos for exceedingly
dangerous and important missions. They deserve
no less than America's very best efforts to
determine their fates. If any of them are alive,
they must be brought home.
National League of Families
UPDATE LINE: September 8, 2000
Thank you for calling the National League of Families
This message is being recorded on Friday, September
8th. The number of Americans missing and unaccounted
for from the Vietnam War is now 2,005.
Today, the Department of Defense released the names
of eight of nine US personnel now accounted for, six
previously missing in Laos and three in Vietnam. These
Americans include CDR Leonard M. Lee of VA and LCDR
Roger B. Innes of IL, both US Navy, missing in North
Vietnam since December 27, 1967.
The Defense Department did not publicly release CDR
Lee's name at the request of his next-of-kin; however,
members of Commander Lee's family were quoted in the
Richmond Times-Dispatch September 4th edition regarding
his identification. Others include Lt Col Donald E.
Paxton of IA and Maj Charles Macko of NY, both US Air
Force, missing in Laos since February 2, 1969; Capt
Stephen P. Hanson of CA, 1st Lt Jon G. Gardner of NC
and Sgt Timothy R. Bodden of IL, USMC, and Army GySgt
Billy R. Laney of FL, all missing in Laos since June
3, 1967; and Army CWO1 William A. Smith, Jr., of MI,
missing in South Vietnam since September 2, 1968.
The accounting for these nine Americans brings the
number still missing and unaccounted for from the
Vietnam War to 2,005, 1511 in Vietnam, 421 in Laos, 65
in Cambodia and 8 in the territorial waters of the
PRC. Nearly 85% of all Americans lost in Laos and
Cambodia were in areas then under wartime Vietnamese
control; therefore, it is to Vietnam that we look for
archival records and witnesses to assist in accounting
===============================
Huntsville Times, AL
Honoring a warrior bound for final rest
Ceremony, motorcade to salute soldier killed in Laos
33 years ago
09/24/00
From Staff Reports
An airport ceremony in Huntsville and a motorcade will honor the
return of the remains of Sgt. Maj. Billy Ray Laney, a member of
the Army's Special Forces killed in combat 33 years ago in Laos.
The airport ceremony will mark return of Sgt. Maj. Billy Ray
Laney's remains Warrior giance led by Don Powers, state commander
of the Order of the Purple Heart. Gov. Don Siegelman has been
invited to make remarks, which will be followed by a 21-gun
salute by the honor guard and "Taps" played by Charlie Cain and
Frank Kendeigh.
After the presentation of an MIA/POW flag to Mrs. Laney, the
casket will be placed in a hearse for a procession that will
cross Redstone Arsenal. About 1,000 soldiers of the 832nd
Ordnance Battalion are expected to line the starting point for
the procession. It will exit from the Intermodal Center on to
Wall-Triana Highway and turn east on to Martin Road for the
trip across Redstone Arsenal.
The casket will be taken to Nichols Funeral Home on U.S. 278 at
Addison. The procession will turn north on Patton Road and
continue on Jordan Road as it leaves the arsenal. The motorcade
will turn west on Interstate 565, south on I-65 and west onto
U.S. 278 at Exit 308 near Cullman. The casket will be taken to
Nichols Funeral Home on U.S. 278 at Addison.
Visitation at the New Home Baptist Church in nearby Houston on
Winston County Road 63 will be held from noon to 2 p.m. Oct. 7.
Members of the 5th Special Forces will provide military honors at
Laney's burial in the church cemetery.
From: family of Billey Laney 02/2001
03-04 Jun 67 Ronald James Dexter SFC E-7, Abilene, TX; Billy Ray
Laney, SFC E-7, Green Acres City, FL - US Army Special Forces and
an unknown number of SCU Hatchet Force, FOB 1, Phu Bai, Ops 35;
and Stephen P. Hanson, Cpt 03, Pilot, Restful Lake, OH; John 0.
Gardner, 1LT 0-3, CO-Pilot, Restful Lake, OH; and Timothy R.
Bodden, SGT E-5, Crew Chief, Downer Grove, ILL- Members of The
United States Marines Corps Aviation, HNMI65, CH46 Helicopter
Crew "Shark Three" Khe Sahn Launch Site, FOB 1, Ops 32 were
MIA-Presumptive finding of death. (A total of 23 Americans were
lost; SOG raiders, Air Force and Marine Pilots and crewman--plus
twice as many Nungs). A company size hatchet force raid, commanded
by Maj Jerry Kilburn, operating in Oscar 8 target area, 18-22 KM
SE of Khe Sanh, at an azimuth of 220 degrees, and near Route #922,
which contained the largest depot outside of Hanoi, well
defended with belts of antiaircraft guns. The Hatchet Force (HF)
arrived at Khe Sanh, remained overnight at the Launch Site, and
inserted early in the morning. The terrain favored the enemy and
the area was within a horseshoe type land mass. Several hundred
SPAR (Special Agent Reports) had been intercepted from the target
area within a 24 hour period. These radio transmissions were
originated by the NVA and were possibly associated with the
Commanding General of their Army Nuyen Van Gaip. At 0545, SGM
Billy William D. "Billy" Waugh boarded an 0-2 aircraft to fly
FAC as the Covey Rider, flying toward the target, staying in the
"Gray Forrest" area along Route #222. At about 0630, the FAC
observed the Condensation Trails of nine (9) B-52's. The FAC
performed 360's as the B-52 dropped their load, FAC flew over the
target area, noticed several secondary fires, and actually
watched as the NVA rolled what appeared to be-barrels of gasoline
from one of the burning areas. The NVA were swarming, and
immediately took the FAC aircraft under fire with what was
probably a set of 12.7 AA guns. The FAC "hauled ass" away from
the area, and sent a transmission to "scratch the infil, as the
area was crawling with pissed-off NVA." Too late, the
transmission did not make it in time. Due to the high hill range,
just to the North of the LZ, transmissions to the launch site
were not completed. The raid began with an Arc Light, and as soon
as the Arc Light was over, the raider company arrived with the
mission to conduct a BDA of the arc light bombing, capture any
WIA NVA, and capture any NVA equipment in the area. The very first
Marine HUEY Gun ship across the intended LZ and was shot down to
the south of the LZ. The first CH-47 (Chinook) with troops, was
noticed landing just to the North of the intended LZ, this bird
was shot down as it lowered to the LZ and broke into two pieces
on impact. A second Chinook attempted landing, and was also shot
down, An H-34 (SOG rescue bird) came into the area, to infiltrate
troops, and was shot down, landing to the South of Route "922.
The crew were seen fleeing from this bird, to the West
(Subsequently rescued). The approximate 100 SOG men that were
inserted were surrounded and had taken cover in a few bomb
craters. SFC Laney was last seen by SFC Wilklow, wounded in the
back after boarding the a helicopter, the aircraft was hit by
enemy fire, then the pilot was shot, and it veered out of control
and crashed. After the aircraft crashed, it continued to receive
heavy fire, however, many of the personnel were rescued. SFC
Laney was last seen still in the helicopter chest shot and
probably dead. Due to the enemy situation, he was not recovered
and a later search produced negative results. Two A-1E's came
into the area, firing their guns, dropping napalm as requested
by the Team Leader. One of the A-1E's was shot through by a hail
of green tracers, and rolled over-crashing without a parachute.
The 2nd A-1E was shot almost to pieces, but the fine pilot managed
to land that bird at the Khe Sanh airstrip (a hell of a feat).
Two F-4's were performing close air support, with one being
blasted right in his forward portion, causing that bird to crash.
All this occurred within 30 minutes of the insert. During the
initial day of insert, rescue attempts were made to recover the
WIA. Early morning of the second day, the remainder of the Hatchet
Force members were picked up. The NVA were silent that day, as it
appeared the NVA were encouraging an exfiltration due to the 30-50
airstrikes they had endured. SFC Dexter was last seen exiting a
downed CH-46 helicopter and taken as a Prisoner of War, but never
reached North Vietnam alive. A report obtained from a captured
Nung Commando who was later released tells of Cpt Hanson, Lt
Gardner, and Sgt Bodden being executed by the North Vietnamese
Soldiers. Of the six Americans MIAs, only USMC Lance Corporal
Frank E. Cius, Jr. was confirmed by Hanoi. After Cius's release
in 1973, he told Dexter's brother that Ronald Dexter had been
captured but died in enemy hands. Note: SFC Charles Wilklow was
wounded and in enemy hands. The enemy used him as bait to try and
bring in aircraft to rescue him. The enemy tended to ignore him,
thinking he was no risk due to his condition. He had observed
NVA in formations, giving orders, etc., expecting to die any
minute. After the 4th day with maggots in his open wound, barely
clinging to life, he somehow managed to crawl away during the
night. Around mid day, the following day a FAC flew overhead and
SGM Waugh observed a body with a panel over it and when the FAC
made a second pass, the body sat up and SGM Waugh recognized it
was an American. When Wilklow came to, he was looking into the
face of SSG Roy Pace, a Black American, who had performed a one
man bright light by repelling in to rescue him. Wilklow was
wearing a STABO rig and was extracted by string.
|
