My MIA Bracelet for William Dunlap
Thursday, 12. November 2009, 02:09:10
On this Veteran’s Day, Nov. 11, 2009, I was dusting and happened to pick up the MIA bracelet for William Dunlap that I got back in the early 70s. I wore it for a year back then. Since then, it has been sitting on top of my incense burner from the sixties. I never knew if he was found or not. I Googled his name today and found this memorial with a picture of who he was and some information about what happened.
Here is part of the memorial:
“Notes from The Virtual Wall
At about 8:30 PM on 02 Dec 1969, two UH-1B HUEY gunships of the 129th Aviation Company (later redesignated the 129th Assault Helicopter Company) departed LZ English to provide fire support for a long range reconnaissance patrol (LRRP) that had radioed for help.
The second, or wingman, helicopter (UH-1B hull number 64-13959) was crewed by
CW2 Martin Vanden Eykel, pilot and aircraft commander;
CW2 William C. Dunlap, copilot;
SP5 Michael H. Shanley, gunner; and
SP5 William D. Sanderlin, crew chief.
The gunships joined with a third UH-1 equipped for flare drops. The flare ship then led the flight to the target area where attempts were made to contact the LRRP. CW2 Vanden Eykel radioed that he had made a turn to avoid crashing into a mountain - but immediately thereafter contact with him was lost. When neither aircraft nor crew could be located, the four crewmen were placed in "Missing in Action" status."
It goes on to say his remains, as well as those of his comrades, were turned over to the U.S. and identified in 1989.
Here is part of the memorial:
“Notes from The Virtual Wall
At about 8:30 PM on 02 Dec 1969, two UH-1B HUEY gunships of the 129th Aviation Company (later redesignated the 129th Assault Helicopter Company) departed LZ English to provide fire support for a long range reconnaissance patrol (LRRP) that had radioed for help.
The second, or wingman, helicopter (UH-1B hull number 64-13959) was crewed by
CW2 Martin Vanden Eykel, pilot and aircraft commander;
CW2 William C. Dunlap, copilot;
SP5 Michael H. Shanley, gunner; and
SP5 William D. Sanderlin, crew chief.
The gunships joined with a third UH-1 equipped for flare drops. The flare ship then led the flight to the target area where attempts were made to contact the LRRP. CW2 Vanden Eykel radioed that he had made a turn to avoid crashing into a mountain - but immediately thereafter contact with him was lost. When neither aircraft nor crew could be located, the four crewmen were placed in "Missing in Action" status."
It goes on to say his remains, as well as those of his comrades, were turned over to the U.S. and identified in 1989.
WIDGETIZE