GALLAGHER, JOHN THEODORE
Remains ID 11/13/2006
Name: John Theodore Gallagher
Rank/Branch: E6/US Army Special Forces
Unit: Command & Control North, MACV-SOG, 5th Special Forces Group
Date of Birth: 17 June 1943 (Summit, NJ)
Home City of Record: Hamden, CT
Date of Loss: 05 January 1968
Country of Loss: Laos
Loss Coordinates: 161907N 1063445E (XD701021)
Status (in 1973): Missing In Action
Category: 4
Acft/Vehicle/Ground: UH1D
Refno: 0967
Other Personnel in Incident: James Williamson; Dennis C. Hamilton; Ernest F. Briggs; Sheldon D. Schultz (all missing); (indigenous team members, names, numbers, fates unknown)
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 2007.
REMARKS: NO SIGN OF CREW
SYNOPSIS: On January 5, 1968, WO Dennis C. Hamilton, aircraft commander; WO Sheldon D. Schultz, pilot; SP5 Ernest F. Briggs, Jr., crew chief; SP4 James P. Williamson, crewman, and SSgt. John T. Gallagher, passenger; were aboard a UH1D helicopter (tail #66-1172) on a mission to infiltrate an indigenous reconnaissance patrol into Laos.
The reconnaissance patrol and SSgt. Gallagher were operating under orders to Command & Control North, MACV-SOG (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 (although it was not a Special Forces group) through Special Operations Augmentation (SOA), which provided their "cover" while under secret orders to MACV-SOG. The teams performed deep penetration missions of strategic reconnaissance and interdiction which were called, depending on the time frame, "Shining Brass" or "Prairie Fire" missions.
As the aircraft approached the landing zone about 20 miles inside Laos south of Lao Bao, it came under heavy 37mm anti-aircraft fire while at an altitude of about 300 feet above ground level. The aircraft immediately entered a nose-low vertical dive and crashed.
Upon impact with the ground, the aircraft burst into flames which were 10 to 20 feet high. No radio transmissions were heard during the helicoptor's descent, nor were radio or beeper signals heard after impact. Four attempts to get into the area of the downed helicopter failed due to intense ground fire.
During the next two days more attempts to get to the wreckage failed. The pilot of one search helicopter maneuvered to within 75 feet of the crash site before being forced out by enemy fire. The pilot who saw the wreckage stated that the crashed helicopter was a mass of burned metal and that there was no part of the aircraft that could be recognized. No signs of life were seen in the crash area.
Weather delayed further search attempts for a couple of days. After the weather improved, the successful insertion of a ground team was made east of the crash site to avoid enemy fire. The team was extracted after the second day,
finding nothing. The crash site was located near the city of Muong Nong in Savannakhet Province, Laos.
Several searches for the wreckage were conducted, but no remains were found until May of 2007.
Service of Interment with Military Honors will be Tuesday June 17, at 1:45 p.m. in the Centerville Cemetery, Washington Avenue, Hamden, CT.
∼SFC John Theodore Gallagher was born in Summit, NJ, a son of the late Theodore J. and Helen Harris Gallagher and had resided in Hamden, CT. After graduation from high school in 1962 he enlisted in the US Army and served 4 years before being honorably discharged. After a few months as a civilian he reenlisted to pursue his dream of becoming a Green Beret. While stationed in Ft. Bragg, NC he completed his airborne training and went on to become an Army Ranger/Green Beret. After Special Forces training he volunteered to go to Vietnam. On Jan, 5, 1968 while on a covert mission, a group of helicopters carrying Special Forces into Laos came under enemy fire. The helicopter he was in took a direct hit and went down in the jungle. Unable to conduct a rescue due to heavy enemy resistance, John and all members on board were considered M.I.A. Several searches for the wreckage were conducted, but no remains were found until May of 2007. He is survived by three sisters, Ethel Jamie, Nancy Yunek, Susan Gallagher, two brothers Gordon Gallagher and Steven Gallagher, and many nieces & nephews.
Service of Interment held with Military Honors.
-------------------------------------------
Updated information supplied to me via e-mail by a Find A Grave contributor:
John's remains were located on March 15, 2002, identified November 13, 2006.
Remains ID 11/13/2006
Name: John Theodore Gallagher
Rank/Branch: E6/US Army Special Forces
Unit: Command & Control North, MACV-SOG, 5th Special Forces Group
Date of Birth: 17 June 1943 (Summit, NJ)
Home City of Record: Hamden, CT
Date of Loss: 05 January 1968
Country of Loss: Laos
Loss Coordinates: 161907N 1063445E (XD701021)
Status (in 1973): Missing In Action
Category: 4
Acft/Vehicle/Ground: UH1D
Refno: 0967
Other Personnel in Incident: James Williamson; Dennis C. Hamilton; Ernest F. Briggs; Sheldon D. Schultz (all missing); (indigenous team members, names, numbers, fates unknown)
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 2007.
REMARKS: NO SIGN OF CREW
SYNOPSIS: On January 5, 1968, WO Dennis C. Hamilton, aircraft commander; WO Sheldon D. Schultz, pilot; SP5 Ernest F. Briggs, Jr., crew chief; SP4 James P. Williamson, crewman, and SSgt. John T. Gallagher, passenger; were aboard a UH1D helicopter (tail #66-1172) on a mission to infiltrate an indigenous reconnaissance patrol into Laos.
The reconnaissance patrol and SSgt. Gallagher were operating under orders to Command & Control North, MACV-SOG (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 (although it was not a Special Forces group) through Special Operations Augmentation (SOA), which provided their "cover" while under secret orders to MACV-SOG. The teams performed deep penetration missions of strategic reconnaissance and interdiction which were called, depending on the time frame, "Shining Brass" or "Prairie Fire" missions.
As the aircraft approached the landing zone about 20 miles inside Laos south of Lao Bao, it came under heavy 37mm anti-aircraft fire while at an altitude of about 300 feet above ground level. The aircraft immediately entered a nose-low vertical dive and crashed.
Upon impact with the ground, the aircraft burst into flames which were 10 to 20 feet high. No radio transmissions were heard during the helicoptor's descent, nor were radio or beeper signals heard after impact. Four attempts to get into the area of the downed helicopter failed due to intense ground fire.
During the next two days more attempts to get to the wreckage failed. The pilot of one search helicopter maneuvered to within 75 feet of the crash site before being forced out by enemy fire. The pilot who saw the wreckage stated that the crashed helicopter was a mass of burned metal and that there was no part of the aircraft that could be recognized. No signs of life were seen in the crash area.
Weather delayed further search attempts for a couple of days. After the weather improved, the successful insertion of a ground team was made east of the crash site to avoid enemy fire. The team was extracted after the second day,
finding nothing. The crash site was located near the city of Muong Nong in Savannakhet Province, Laos.
Several searches for the wreckage were conducted, but no remains were found until May of 2007.
Service of Interment with Military Honors will be Tuesday June 17, at 1:45 p.m. in the Centerville Cemetery, Washington Avenue, Hamden, CT.
∼SFC John Theodore Gallagher was born in Summit, NJ, a son of the late Theodore J. and Helen Harris Gallagher and had resided in Hamden, CT. After graduation from high school in 1962 he enlisted in the US Army and served 4 years before being honorably discharged. After a few months as a civilian he reenlisted to pursue his dream of becoming a Green Beret. While stationed in Ft. Bragg, NC he completed his airborne training and went on to become an Army Ranger/Green Beret. After Special Forces training he volunteered to go to Vietnam. On Jan, 5, 1968 while on a covert mission, a group of helicopters carrying Special Forces into Laos came under enemy fire. The helicopter he was in took a direct hit and went down in the jungle. Unable to conduct a rescue due to heavy enemy resistance, John and all members on board were considered M.I.A. Several searches for the wreckage were conducted, but no remains were found until May of 2007. He is survived by three sisters, Ethel Jamie, Nancy Yunek, Susan Gallagher, two brothers Gordon Gallagher and Steven Gallagher, and many nieces & nephews.
Service of Interment held with Military Honors.
-------------------------------------------
Updated information supplied to me via e-mail by a Find A Grave contributor:
John's remains were located on March 15, 2002, identified November 13, 2006.
GALLAGHER, JOHN THEODORE
Remains ID 11/13/2006
Name: John Theodore Gallagher
Rank/Branch: E6/US Army Special Forces
Unit: Command & Control North, MACV-SOG, 5th Special Forces Group
Date of Birth: 17 June 1943 (Summit, NJ)
Home City of Record: Hamden, CT
Date of Loss: 05 January 1968
Country of Loss: Laos
Loss Coordinates: 161907N 1063445E (XD701021)
Status (in 1973): Missing In Action
Category: 4
Acft/Vehicle/Ground: UH1D
Refno: 0967
Other Personnel in Incident: James Williamson; Dennis C. Hamilton; Ernest F. Briggs; Sheldon D. Schultz (all missing); (indigenous team members, names, numbers, fates unknown)
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 2007.
REMARKS: NO SIGN OF CREW
SYNOPSIS: On January 5, 1968, WO Dennis C. Hamilton, aircraft commander; WO Sheldon D. Schultz, pilot; SP5 Ernest F. Briggs, Jr., crew chief; SP4 James P. Williamson, crewman, and SSgt. John T. Gallagher, passenger; were aboard a UH1D helicopter (tail #66-1172) on a mission to infiltrate an indigenous reconnaissance patrol into Laos.
The reconnaissance patrol and SSgt. Gallagher were operating under orders to Command & Control North, MACV-SOG (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 (although it was not a Special Forces group) through Special Operations Augmentation (SOA), which provided their "cover" while under secret orders to MACV-SOG. The teams performed deep penetration missions of strategic reconnaissance and interdiction which were called, depending on the time frame, "Shining Brass" or "Prairie Fire" missions.
As the aircraft approached the landing zone about 20 miles inside Laos south of Lao Bao, it came under heavy 37mm anti-aircraft fire while at an altitude of about 300 feet above ground level. The aircraft immediately entered a nose-low vertical dive and crashed.
Upon impact with the ground, the aircraft burst into flames which were 10 to 20 feet high. No radio transmissions were heard during the helicoptor's descent, nor were radio or beeper signals heard after impact. Four attempts to get into the area of the downed helicopter failed due to intense ground fire.
During the next two days more attempts to get to the wreckage failed. The pilot of one search helicopter maneuvered to within 75 feet of the crash site before being forced out by enemy fire. The pilot who saw the wreckage stated that the crashed helicopter was a mass of burned metal and that there was no part of the aircraft that could be recognized. No signs of life were seen in the crash area.
Weather delayed further search attempts for a couple of days. After the weather improved, the successful insertion of a ground team was made east of the crash site to avoid enemy fire. The team was extracted after the second day,
finding nothing. The crash site was located near the city of Muong Nong in Savannakhet Province, Laos.
Several searches for the wreckage were conducted, but no remains were found until May of 2007.
Service of Interment with Military Honors will be Tuesday June 17, at 1:45 p.m. in the Centerville Cemetery, Washington Avenue, Hamden, CT.
∼SFC John Theodore Gallagher was born in Summit, NJ, a son of the late Theodore J. and Helen Harris Gallagher and had resided in Hamden, CT. After graduation from high school in 1962 he enlisted in the US Army and served 4 years before being honorably discharged. After a few months as a civilian he reenlisted to pursue his dream of becoming a Green Beret. While stationed in Ft. Bragg, NC he completed his airborne training and went on to become an Army Ranger/Green Beret. After Special Forces training he volunteered to go to Vietnam. On Jan, 5, 1968 while on a covert mission, a group of helicopters carrying Special Forces into Laos came under enemy fire. The helicopter he was in took a direct hit and went down in the jungle. Unable to conduct a rescue due to heavy enemy resistance, John and all members on board were considered M.I.A. Several searches for the wreckage were conducted, but no remains were found until May of 2007. He is survived by three sisters, Ethel Jamie, Nancy Yunek, Susan Gallagher, two brothers Gordon Gallagher and Steven Gallagher, and many nieces & nephews.
Service of Interment held with Military Honors.
-------------------------------------------
Updated information supplied to me via e-mail by a Find A Grave contributor:
John's remains were located on March 15, 2002, identified November 13, 2006.
Remains ID 11/13/2006
Name: John Theodore Gallagher
Rank/Branch: E6/US Army Special Forces
Unit: Command & Control North, MACV-SOG, 5th Special Forces Group
Date of Birth: 17 June 1943 (Summit, NJ)
Home City of Record: Hamden, CT
Date of Loss: 05 January 1968
Country of Loss: Laos
Loss Coordinates: 161907N 1063445E (XD701021)
Status (in 1973): Missing In Action
Category: 4
Acft/Vehicle/Ground: UH1D
Refno: 0967
Other Personnel in Incident: James Williamson; Dennis C. Hamilton; Ernest F. Briggs; Sheldon D. Schultz (all missing); (indigenous team members, names, numbers, fates unknown)
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 2007.
REMARKS: NO SIGN OF CREW
SYNOPSIS: On January 5, 1968, WO Dennis C. Hamilton, aircraft commander; WO Sheldon D. Schultz, pilot; SP5 Ernest F. Briggs, Jr., crew chief; SP4 James P. Williamson, crewman, and SSgt. John T. Gallagher, passenger; were aboard a UH1D helicopter (tail #66-1172) on a mission to infiltrate an indigenous reconnaissance patrol into Laos.
The reconnaissance patrol and SSgt. Gallagher were operating under orders to Command & Control North, MACV-SOG (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 (although it was not a Special Forces group) through Special Operations Augmentation (SOA), which provided their "cover" while under secret orders to MACV-SOG. The teams performed deep penetration missions of strategic reconnaissance and interdiction which were called, depending on the time frame, "Shining Brass" or "Prairie Fire" missions.
As the aircraft approached the landing zone about 20 miles inside Laos south of Lao Bao, it came under heavy 37mm anti-aircraft fire while at an altitude of about 300 feet above ground level. The aircraft immediately entered a nose-low vertical dive and crashed.
Upon impact with the ground, the aircraft burst into flames which were 10 to 20 feet high. No radio transmissions were heard during the helicoptor's descent, nor were radio or beeper signals heard after impact. Four attempts to get into the area of the downed helicopter failed due to intense ground fire.
During the next two days more attempts to get to the wreckage failed. The pilot of one search helicopter maneuvered to within 75 feet of the crash site before being forced out by enemy fire. The pilot who saw the wreckage stated that the crashed helicopter was a mass of burned metal and that there was no part of the aircraft that could be recognized. No signs of life were seen in the crash area.
Weather delayed further search attempts for a couple of days. After the weather improved, the successful insertion of a ground team was made east of the crash site to avoid enemy fire. The team was extracted after the second day,
finding nothing. The crash site was located near the city of Muong Nong in Savannakhet Province, Laos.
Several searches for the wreckage were conducted, but no remains were found until May of 2007.
Service of Interment with Military Honors will be Tuesday June 17, at 1:45 p.m. in the Centerville Cemetery, Washington Avenue, Hamden, CT.
∼SFC John Theodore Gallagher was born in Summit, NJ, a son of the late Theodore J. and Helen Harris Gallagher and had resided in Hamden, CT. After graduation from high school in 1962 he enlisted in the US Army and served 4 years before being honorably discharged. After a few months as a civilian he reenlisted to pursue his dream of becoming a Green Beret. While stationed in Ft. Bragg, NC he completed his airborne training and went on to become an Army Ranger/Green Beret. After Special Forces training he volunteered to go to Vietnam. On Jan, 5, 1968 while on a covert mission, a group of helicopters carrying Special Forces into Laos came under enemy fire. The helicopter he was in took a direct hit and went down in the jungle. Unable to conduct a rescue due to heavy enemy resistance, John and all members on board were considered M.I.A. Several searches for the wreckage were conducted, but no remains were found until May of 2007. He is survived by three sisters, Ethel Jamie, Nancy Yunek, Susan Gallagher, two brothers Gordon Gallagher and Steven Gallagher, and many nieces & nephews.
Service of Interment held with Military Honors.
-------------------------------------------
Updated information supplied to me via e-mail by a Find A Grave contributor:
John's remains were located on March 15, 2002, identified November 13, 2006.
Inscription
S/Sgt Green Beret, M.I.A. Vietnam, Jan.5, 1968, Missing - Never Forgotten
