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| Name: John Eugene Bodenschatz Jr. |
| Rank/Branch: E2/US Marines |
| Unit: 1st Platton, Company K, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Division |
| Date of Birth: 29 May 1946 |
| Home City of Record: Los Angeles, Ca |
| Date of Loss: 28 August 1966 |
| Country of Loss: South Vietnam |
| Loss Coordinates: 155800N 1081500E (BT061673) |
| Status (in 1973): Missing In Action |
| Category: 2 |
| Acft/Vehicle/Ground: Ground |
| Other Personnel in Incident: Robert L Babula; Robert C. Borton Jr.; Dennis R Carter (all missing) |
| Panel 9E Line 92 on The VietNam Veteran's Memorial Wall |
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| PFC Robert L. Babula,
PFC Robert C. Borton Jr., PFC John E. Bodenschatz Jr., and PFC Dennis R.
Carter were members of 1st Platoon, Company K, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines.
On 28 August 1966, the four were assigned as a fire team ambush with instructions
to establish an ambush site approximately 500 meters to the south of their
platoon patrol base. This specific location is in Hoa Hai village within
grid square BT 0667. The fire team departed at 3:00 a.m. on August 28, and
were given instructions for use of the pyrotechnics they were carrying as
signaling devices. They were further instructed to relocate in the same general
area or return to their platoon patrol base in the event their ambush site
was compromised, and finally to return no later than 9:00 a.m. that morning.
When the fire team failed to return as scheduled, an immediate search of
the area was conducted by Company K with negative results. During the period
of August 29-31, the Battalion made a dovetailed search of the entire area
covering all possible routes of egress in the event the team members had
been captured. Indigenous personnel in the area were questioned, but no evidence
was uncovered which gave any clues. Villagers were questioned and a search
of the area continued. On September 4, Company K discovered part of an American
wrist watch and PFC Bodenschatz' two identification tags in the vicinity
of BT 061673. The search was intensified in that area, including the use
of heavy engineer equipment in an effort to locate graves, but no further
trace was found. On September 13, the Battalion cordoned off grid squares
BT 0567, 0667, 0566, 0666 and all inhabitants were assembled, screened, and
interrogated by an ARVN interrogation team from Hoa Vang District Headquarters.
Three Viet Cong suspects were retained for further questioning, however,
no additional information was obtained concerning the four Marines. The Battalion
commander's final determination was that the four Marines were probably captured.
In 1975, information was declassified that indicated that since the fire
team's disappearance, Marine headquarters had received two reports sighting
three to four Americans being displayed in villages south of the area in
which the fire team disappeared. A Christmas card received by Company K/3/1
1st Marine Division, sent by Babula's mother and sister, stated that they
had recently received news that Babula was a prisoner of war. None of the
four, however, returned in the general prisoner release in 1973. Since the
war ended, the Defense Department has received over 10,000 reports relating
to the men still unaccounted for in Southeast Asia, yet concludes that no
actionable evidence has been received that would indicate Americans are still
alive in Southeast Asia. A recent Senate investigation indicates that most
of these reports were dismissed without just cause, and that there is every
indication that Americans remained in captivity far after the war ended,
and may be alive today. The fate of the four Marines on the fire team on
28 August 1966 remains uncertain. What is clear, however, is that it's time
we learned the truth about our missing and brought them
home.
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