SF Lost data request

zfm7th · 08-28-2012, 05:20

All,

I am working on a consolidated list of all SF losses while on active duty as a result of actions or events other than combat. Amazingly, this list does not exist yet. This will eventually be posted on the Green Beret Foundation memorial wall in a separate section to compliment the combat losses we currently memorialize. Shortly, we will be adding the 16 guys lost between Vietnam and 9/11 on the wall as I accumulate that data and create bios, but gathering data on the over 200 guys that we have lost to training accidents, suicides, vehicle accidents, murders, etc is quite the project. Almost all of it is by word of mouth or hard to find newspaper reporting. I have a consolidated list I am working off of, but need your help to clean it up and create bios.

What I am looking for is general information...where was he from, SFQC dates, Group assignments, ODA, signficant deployments or other things while in Group, details of death, etc. The intent here is to memorialize these guys...we say we never forget, but you'd be surprised how fast we do. The best solution would be a scanned copy of the memorial bios (you would think JFK chapel would have an archive of these, but not the case) or a bio you draft on a former team mate or brother SF guy. The more help I get, the faster we can get this hung on the wall and honor these guys. Any help I can get would be great.

I also need a photo of each. If you send one, make sure the name of the jpg file matches the name of the guy. I'll have a lot to sort through and don't want to hose it up.

Please e-mail any info to sflostbiodata@gmail.com and use the fallen SF guy's name in the subject line. Thanks.

zfm7th

By the way, if anybody needs to vet this before you send me anything, I'm sure one of our esteemed moderators can do that for me. Thanks.

JJ_BPK · 08-28-2012, 06:09

PM sent..

mark46th · 08-28-2012, 07:58

Here is a list of SF KIA in Southeast Asia put together by SGM(Ret) Reg Manning...
http://www.sfahq.com/reg/

zfm7th · 08-28-2012, 15:01

Thanks, but got it already and post a monthly roll-up of SF Southeast Asia losses on the GBF LinkedIn group already. What I'm looking for are non-combat losses. Combat losses are well documented. If you have any first hand information on anybody like that, just put their name on the subject line and shoot it to the e-mail address I put in the first message. Thanks.

zfm7th

bushmaster11 · 08-28-2012, 15:53

SSG Martin Arbeit MACVSOG-CCN, KIA Early November 1970 location details
unavail. KIA in attempt to ambush tracker.

De Oppresso Liber

Richard · 08-28-2012, 15:54

DOD or DA doesn't have a database which would give non-combat related deaths by unit, name, rank, mos, cause, and year?

How about the Army's safety proponency office?

Richard

mark46th · 08-28-2012, 16:28

CSM Manning's list has cause of death- it lists whether they were combat or accidental. More than a few were lost in aircraft/vehicle accidents. Is the list for the regiment's non combat deaths since 1952? While I was in 46th Co, we lost Jimmy Pearson in 1972and Bob Snyder in 1973 to accidents.

zfm7th · 08-28-2012, 17:14

I'm carrying all of the guys lost in combat zones as combat losses. Trying to sort that out would be a bridge to far. Counting me and my entire staff, we have exactly one person working this.

As for who I'm looking for, it's everybody. Thanks for the names of these two guys. I'll add them to the overall list. I could use any other info on them you may have. My basic data base is Rank, Name, Group, Assignment (company/ODA), location of death, cause of death, specific event or training exercise if applicable, and any other remarks. I'm also looking for a bio (or will put one together from bits and pieces), and a photo.

On another note, when I was a kid, I was a dependent in Bangkok and went up to the 'Adventure Camp" thing 46th Co ran in Lopburi. While I was there in 73, a guy did a rappelling demo and the swiss seat gave way. He landed on his head/neck and survived the fall, but I was told later died in Bangkok. Do you know anything about this guy?

zfm7th

mark46th · 08-28-2012, 17:32

That was Bobby Snyder. It was at Nong Takoo. I was up at Nam Pung Dam at the time. Being a commo guy, I got the notice in the message sent out about his death. Three of the last 4 SF troops to die in SEA were in the 46th Co. They are listed at the end of CSM Manning's list...

Richard · 08-28-2012, 18:22

I was on SFT-36 and there for that demo - he suffered a bad concussion when he hit, bounced, and got hung up in his rope which left him hanging about 5' off the ground. He died a week later in the 7th Field Hospital in Bangkok.

RIP.

Richard

zfm7th · 08-28-2012, 19:33

I was 14 when that happened, and ended up spending 30 years in Group. I think Galen Musselman was at that accident as well, and he was later my Team Sergeant on 742. Any idea where he ended up?

zfm7th

zfm7th · 08-28-2012, 19:39

Checked it on the list. I had it all along and never saw it. Thanks. I'll make sure we recognize him and the others from 46th Co when we put this all together.

zfm7th

mark46th · 08-28-2012, 21:29

FWIW- I was at Nong Takoo in 1972 for the "Adventure Camp". It was kind of funny because we had some pretty hardcore SOG guys as "counselors" for these kids. Also, I sent TS a picture of me and a medic, Pete Zaleski with some kids in front of a campfire with various local delicacies on it for a book on field cooking. It made the front page of Stars and Stripes. So much for OPSEC. Yes, Motorpool was there. That was a great group of guys at Nong Takoo. Worst road I ever traveled on...

Richard- That was a bad one. I worked with him almost everyday, sending traffic in CW to him at the B Team....
RIP, Bobby...

zfm7th · 08-29-2012, 05:09

Well, as one of those kids, I appreciate it. I actually won the land nav trophy there on 73 and still have it. Funny thing is that I biffed day land nav in the Q Course five years later when I lost my map crawling through some thick swamp mess out at Mackall. Fortunately I wasn't as stupid during the night session and made it through. Motorpool was my Tm Sgt in the early 80s. Great guy.

zfm7th

Mike · 09-18-2012, 23:11

I don't get it.
You state you want to ID non combat losses.
Reg Manning clearly identified these in his work.
Non combat is just that-combat zone or not.
There were drownings, heart attacks, accidents, etc.
Writing them off or deciding to reclassify them is piss poor research.
You might as well give up as to publish half ass work.
Professional don't mean the easy way.