Shadow box

Final Mission of CPT Guinn J. Rogers
Posted on 3/10/18 - by [email protected]

On January 23, 1967, two minesweepers from Mine Squadron 11 (Detachment A), Task Force 116, were conducting a routine patrol of a Saigon-area shipping channel when they were struck by Viet Cong heavy automatic weapons fire from the west bank of the Song Dan Xay River. The minesweepers, MSB-16 and MSB-32, were hit by VC hidden in a mangrove swamp as they passed along the channel, the main line for ships moving from the coast up to the port of Saigon. Two crewmen from MSB-16, EN1 Donald C Peddicord and SN Terry L. Braden, were killed by the first burst. Moments later, four PBR’s (river patrol boats) and a helicopter fire team exchanged heavy fire with the enemy. Approximately forty minutes later, an U.S. Army helicopter fire team arrived to lend support. During a low-level firing run, one of the Army helicopters, a UH-1B Razorback gunship (#63-12948) from the 120th Aviation Company, was seen to explode under heavy ground fire and crash into the trees in flames. PBRs immediately lifted a Vietnamese Regional Force platoon to the area. When the Regional Force troops reached the burning helicopter, they noted that the bodies of three of the crew members were still inside the helicopter. A fourth burned body was found near the wreckage. The troops were unable to remove the bodies because of the intense heat. Three hours later, when the troops were withdrawn by Navy river craft, the helicopter was still burning. The remains of the crew were recovered in the days following the incident. The lost Razorback crewmen included pilots CPT Guinn J. Rogers and WO1 Julian A. Fincher Jr., crew chief CPL Peter Maciel Jr., and gunner SP4 Michael J. Vitacco. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org, vhpa.org, and “VC Machine Gun Minesweeper, Down Helicopter.” Pacific Stars and Stripes, January 25, 1967]

A Hero That Will Always Be Remembered
Posted on 1/23/16 - by Peter John Harrington [email protected]

49 Years Ago Today you left this world and you will never ever be forgotten. You are an American Hero. Our family had a loved one who operated in the same area that you did and he was in an out of the Rung Sat Special Zone with Echo Company 2nd Battalion 3rd Infantry Regiment "The Old Guard" 199th LIB The Redcatchers based out of Long Duc II a village in the Mekong where he was with around 99 other Americans and probably 300 South Vietnamese Rangers. I will be praying for you today at St. Brigid of Kildare my home parish in South Boston Massachusetts when I attend my 4:00PM Saturday mass. Thank you for your service. It is American Heroes like you that made the ultimate sacrifice that will be honored for all time to come. It was beautiful thing this morning holding my 8 month old daughter in a free land - See more at: http://www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces/53798/MICHAEL-VITACCO#sthash.k6AJK7yF.dpuf

Remembering An American Hero
Posted on 11/24/13 - by Curt Carter [email protected]

Dear Captain Guinn Junell Rogers, sir

As an American, I would like to thank you for your service and for your sacrifice made on behalf of our wonderful country. The youth of today could gain much by learning of heroes such as yourself, men and women whose courage and heart can never be questioned.

May God allow you to read this, and may He allow me to someday shake your hand when I get to Heaven to personally thank you. May he also allow my father to find you and shake your hand now to say thank you; for America, and for those who love you.

With respect, and the best salute a civilian can muster for you, Sir
Curt Carter

Final Mission of U.S. Army helicopter UH-1B tail number 63-12948
Posted on 10/14/12 - by [email protected]

120th Aviation Company UH-1B Razorback gunship (tail number 63-12948) shot down by RPG while on a gun run in the Rung Sat Special Zone, the swamp area southeast of Saigon, on 23 JAN 1967. Pilots were WO1 Julian A. Fincher Jr. (KIA) and CAPT Guinn J. Rogers (KIA). Crew included CPL Peter Maciel Jr. (KIA) and SP4 Michael Vitacco (KIA). Interestingly, both Maciel and Vitacco had CIBs, which indicates Infantry on a previous tour. Rogers had transferred into the 120th from D Troop, 3d Squadron, 4th Cavalry, 25th Infantry Division. Rogers was reported Missing Due to Hostile Action on 25 Jan 67, then on the 26th Vitacco was reported Killed Result Hostile Action and and Fincher and Maciel reported Missing Result Hostile Action. On the 27th, the status of Maciel and Rogers was changed from Missing to Dead, and finally on the 30th, Fincher's status was changed to Dead. Sounds like they were low level on a gun run and took an RPG right up the pipe, exploded in midair, and it took a while to find the pieces or get the area clear enough of dinks to go in and look for them. (From: Bob Kilpatrick) [Taken from vhpa.org]

Manuel Pino Jr
[email protected]
Fellow Vietnam Vet
MY COUNTRY'S FLAG CRIED the flag bowed it's bars and wept starry tears as it hung at half-mast for a soldier's years. another youth it had called and another youth had died. I stood and i watched as my country's flag cried. it clothed the drab coffin in it's red, white, and blue, silently protecting the contents for the comfort of a few. it brought strength to some, to others, bitter pride. but as mourners filed by, my country's flag cried. as it rode to the field where the soldier was laid away, the flag recalled the pledge that he used to stand and say, but to war he went and to keep that pledge, he tried. as the guns fired their last salute, my country's flag cried. as taps rang out, it was folded with care, for the soldier's soul a chaplin whispered a prayer. he asked god for peace in this world to abide, and in a grieving mother's arms my country's flag cried
Monday, May 30, 2005

Rogers, Guinn Junell, CPT