USAFR 2nd Lt Richard Vandegeer perished aboard a Jolly Green "Knife 31" on 15 May 75, with the pilot and as many as 23 Marines and 2 Navy Corpsmen under hostile Khmer Rouge fire, into the sea off Koh Long Island... while involved in the Mayaguez rescue. The incident has been reported to be the "last combat action of the Vietnam war." At the time he was assigned to the 21st Special Operations Squadron of the 352nd SOG.

 

There is an indication that Lt. Vandegeer and a handful of Marines survived the crash, but then died from unknown causes after reaching shore - where their remains were found together decades later.

 

The Lt. was among several Jolly Green drivers who participated in bringing refugees from the Fall of Saigon to safety offshore as well.

 

In 1969 or so Lt. Vandegeer had served with the 239th Assault Helicopter Company based in Korea, based on partial records and a photo I've seen.

 

What I am trying to sort out is:

 

1. What his Army rank, SSI, ribbons and quals would likely have been?

2. How/why he came to be with the USAFR in 1975?

 

Any explanation or guidance would be greatly appreciated - as I am developing an online USAF Remembrance profile for him, and could use some cues or hints about where to find the above information - to make the profile as complete as possible; being almost totally ignorant of US Army ways.

 

Thanks...

Not a chance that Vandegeer survived the crash. Lt Col Corson, the AC, told me that the front end of the aircaft was blown away and that he simply stepped out, but that Vandegeer's side had taken the brunt of the impact and Vandegeer was dead.

 

Knife 31 crashed in shallow water, so the Cambodians on Koh Tang could have easily taken his remains ashore and buried them there. There were several bodies in the surf around Knife 31.

 

My photo interpreters (Targets Section, 432nd Recce Tech Sq, Udorn, Thailand) spent long hours looking for the gun positions on that side of Koh Tang and never found them. They were hidden up under the tree canopy with a low field of fire, but even after the action, they were absolutely invisible from the air.

 

Well worth reading John F. Guilmartin's book "A Very Short War: The Mayaguez and the Battle of Koh Tang". It's the best available on the subject, especially the aftermath and the fate of those left on the island.

That's a helpful explanation JB, not found elsewhere.

 

Thanks...

 

Interesting, however, is various accounts state that anywhere from 12 Marines +crew up to 23 Marines +crew were aboard - this being one example:

 

"Nearing the island, one of the CH-53 helicopters, piloted by Vandegeer, was hit by enemy antiaircraft fire and crashed into the surf with 26 men on board. Of those, 13 were rescued at sea.

 

Four or five of the men who were lost may have escaped the helicopter only to die in the surf or on shore, according to the Air Force. At least eight of the 13 probably died on the aircraft, the Air Force says, citing eyewitness accounts.

 

In 1995, U.S. and Cambodian authorities conducted an underwater search of the helicopter crash site and located numerous remains, personal effects and aircraft debris..."

 

Anyway, Vandegeer's remains were found and returned.

 

Any ideas about the questions as to his Army service, anyone?

Sergeant Jon D. Harston earned an Air Force Cross for his role in the Koh Tang assault. My records are filed away, but I think he was aboard Knife 31:

 

On 15 May 1975, Sergeant Harston was a flight mechanic aboard a CH-53 helicopter in the first landing wave in the assault on Koh Tang Island in the recovery of the American container ship SS Mayaguez, which had been seized with its crew by the Cambodian Navy. Sergeant Harston's helicopter was shot down by antiaircraft fire from the island, crashing just offshore in shallow water. Sergeant Harston was wounded in the leg. He escaped from the burning helicopter, only to reenter it to lead three Marines to safety. As the survivors of the crash swam away from the beach, Sergeant Harston provided covering fire. He returned to the helicopter wreckage again to pull out another wounded Marine. While swimming out to deeper water, he kept himself and two wounded Marines afloat with his damaged life preserver until they were rescued by a Navy destroyer approximately three hours later.

 

Vandegeer received the Silver Star (His group is illustrated on Andrew Lipps' web site).

 

Vandegeer's records should be in St. Louis and will have data on his Army service.

I knew about Harston, but not that he was aboard. I have a message in to him from early today.

 

Will check the Lipps site to see how close I didn't come to his rack.

 

Thank you some more...

For the engraving on the Vandegeer decorations, see: http://www.wartimecollectables.com/zvnengraving.htm

 

Andrew may have additional info on the man.

For the engraving on the Vandegeer decorations, see: http://www.wartimecollectables.com/zvnengraving.htm

 

Andrew may have additional info on the man.

Thanks JB... great reference. I included this in his profile.

JB

 

Found this - is it relevant to Vandegeer?

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From Wikipedia - unsure of relevance to Lt Vandegeer, but am posting this entry just in case:

 

"Forces from the 432d TFW participated in the SS Mayaguez action in May 1975, sinking two Cambodian Khmer Rouge ships. An F-4E from the 432d likely was involved in the tragic friendly fire incident that downed a CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopter carrying a combat security force from Koh Tang island. DoD films are not clear on the source of weapons fire due to increasing darkness and poor resolution of IR technology at the time. What was clear from the film is that the helicopter flew into the incoming fire, some seconds after the aircraft had broken off supporting fire."

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Don't recall ever hearing about this incident.

 

This would have taken place on the other side of the island, where the Marines were extracted. But I don't recall any Marine/Navy helicopters being involved. The Air Force used HH-53s. A small point, but typical of Wikipedia data.

Don't recall ever hearing about this incident.

 

This would have taken place on the other side of the island, where the Marines were extracted. But I don't recall any Marine/Navy helicopters being involved. The Air Force used HH-53s. A small point, but typical of Wikipedia data.

Got it... thanks.