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HERE
Then 1st Lt. Russell was the pilot of a UH-1C (#66-15154), call sign, "Mad Dog 36" out of Bearcat Airfield, RVN.. His aircraft disappeared in bad weather in former Song Be Province while returning from a mission. The aircraft was located in 1971, but only the remains of one crew member were found. He remains MIA/BNR.
There is a possibility that the 3 missing crewmen were taken prisoner by the Viet Cong as their flight helmets were found, though no other evidence.
Crew:
WO1 William Fernan, AC (KIA)
CPT Peter Russell, AC (BNR)
SSG Steven M. Hastings, CE (BNR)
SP6 Donald R. Fowler, G (BNR)
In Memory Of marker at Long Island National Cemetery, Farmingdale, Suffolk County, USA Plot: Section MA Site 91. Peter is also memorialize at the Courts of the Missing, Court B, Honolulu, Hawaii.
Description This campaign was from 9 June to 31 October 1969. During the summer and fall of 1969, conduct of operations was increasingly turned over to Vietnamese, US troops withdrew in greater numbers amid reaffirmations of support for the Republic of South Vietnam government. President Nixon announced the reduction of the U.S. military presence in South Vietnam which would be demonstrated initially by the withdrawal of 25,000 troops by 31 August 1969.
American troop strength had peaked at 543,400 in April 1969 but dropped to 505,500 by mid October. More scattered than before, enemy attacks were concentrated on South Vietnamese positions. U.S. combat deaths were down in the early fall as American units switched to small unit actions. The trend was not constant, however, because U.S. troops deaths which had fallen well below l00 a week in the fall, rose above 100 later in the year.
