| Date: 18 October 1965 |
| Aircraft type: O-1E Bird Dog |
| Serial Number: 56-2600 |
| Military Unit: 20 TASS, 6250 TASG |
| Service: USAF |
| Home Base: Da Nang |
| Name(s): |
| Maj Harley Boyd Pyles (KIA) |
| Capt Winfield Wade Sisson (USMC) (KIA) |
| Although Maj Pyles was based at Da Nang he was actually operating from Kham Duc Special Forces Camp on 18 October. He took off with Capt Sisson as an observer to lead a flight of helicopters carrying ARVN troops to a landing zone in enemy territory and then to mark a target for an air strike. Following the air strike the Bird Dog crew checked the target to provide BDA and then started back to base. The aircraft was last known to be flying in bad weather above a low cloud base and was about 10 minutes from Da Nang when it disappeared. Capt Sissons was the Marine Corps liaison officer with MACVSOG. Although Capt Sissons was allegedly reported as being a POW, neither he nor Maj Pyles ever returned from their last flight. A recent report claims that the Bird Dog’s mission was in support of a Shining Brass reconnaissance force that had been inserted into enemy-held territory. Capt Sisson’s remains were recovered and repatriated to the USA in 2000 and those of Maj Pyles were repatriated a year later. |
You may return to your search results, go to the Search Form, or go back to the Home Page.