[Martinez]

On the morning of 23 June, a Hatchet Force platoon was inserted onto the ridge where Madison Strohlein landed. The team had no trouble locating the tree where he had been. They found that both SSgt. Strohlein and his parachute were gone, and there were piles of expended AK-47 and CAR-15 shell casings near by on the ground. According to Billy Waugh, "Strohlein did not go without kicking some NVA ass." The Hatchet team also found the missing sergeant's map and CAR-15 at the base of the tree. An AK slug that ricocheted off of it marred the CAR-15's stock. The team searched the immediate area. They found no blood, no bandages and no sign of a freshly dug grave. They also found that the NVA removed the parachute from the tree by using AK-47 rounds to cut the tree branch to free the canopy. The team also believed they heard movement as they neared the tree, which they took to be the NVA pulling away.

To the recon men, the evidence left one inescapable conclusion: The NVA captured Madison Strohlein since no SOG man would ever abandon a functional CAR-15. Most of the others felt that the bullet that hit his rifle had knocked it from his good hand thereby disarming him. The other team members are absolutely convinced that the NVA captured him even though the communists claim no knowledge of him. At the time search efforts were terminated, and even though it was determined there was no way Madison Strohlein could have avoided being captured, he was listed Missing in Action.

Since the end of the Vietnam War well over 21,000 reports of American prisoners, missing and otherwise unaccounted for have been received by our government. Many of these reports document LIVE American Prisoners of War remaining captive throughout Southeast Asia TODAY.

Military men in Vietnam were called upon to fight in many dangerous circumstances, and they were prepared to be wounded, killed or captured. It probably never occurred to them that they could be abandoned by the country they so proudly served.

At age 23, Madison Strohlein was the youngest member of the team. He was also the team leader.