Montana Montana

Magee, Patrick Joseph
Army Specialist 6

Patrick Joseph Magee, age 24, from Montana, Madison county.

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Sunday, January 3, 1971
Death details: On January 3, 1971, a U-6A Beaver (tail number 52-2584) took off carrying a pilot and six passengers on an administrative support flight from Qui Nhon to Ban Me Thuot, South Vietnam. The flight was over mountainous terrain and flown in inclement weather. Radar contact was lost with the aircraft fourteen miles southeast of Phu Cat, South Vietnam, in the vicinity of (GC) BR 960 250, and the U-6A never reached Ban Me Thuot. Attempts to locate the aircraft, pilot, or any of the passengers following the disappearance were unsuccessful. Specialist 6 Patrick Joseph Magee entered the U.S. Army from Montana and was a member of the 61st Aviation Company, 223rd Aviation Battalion, 17th Aviation Group, 1st Aviation Brigade. He was a passenger on board this U-6A when it was lost, and remains unaccounted for. Today, Specialist 6 Magee is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Bercier, Kenneth Sandford
Army Specialist 4

Kenneth Sandford Bercier, age 21, from Montana, Silver Bow county.

Parents: Ruth Andreson

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Monday, December 28, 1970
Death details: Killed in action in Vietnam

Source: National Archives, Associated Press (1970)

Utter, Keith Edward
Army Corporal

Keith Edward Utter, age 21, from Montana, Lincoln county.

Parents: Lee Utter

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Tuesday, July 14, 1970
Cemetery: Tobacco Valley

Source: National Archives, Spokesman Review (1970)

Styer, Michael Edward
Air Force Lieutenant colonel

Michael Edward Styer, age 40, from Montana, Roosevelt county.

Spouse: Faye
Children: Michael J, Chris, Deborah

Service era: Vietnam
Schools: Santa Clara College, University of Colorado (1961)

Date of death: Tuesday, January 13, 1970
Death details: Died in an aircraft accident in Guam while enroute to a new assignment in the Midwest.
Cemetery: Saint Francis

Source: National Archives, Arizona Republic (1970)

Dempsey, Jack Ishum
Navy Petty officer 2nd class

Jack Ishum Dempsey, age 21, from Montana, Lewis and Clark county.

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Friday, June 17, 1966
Death details: On June 17, 1966, a C-130E Hercules (tail number 63-7785) carrying fourteen service members took off from Cam Ranh Bay, South Vietnam, en route to Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan. Approximately twenty minutes after take-off, the Hercules exploded for unknown reasons and crashed into the South China Sea. Nearby ships witnessed the incident and quickly arrived on the scene to assist in rescue operations, and recovered the remains of two service members. However, twelve individuals who were aboard the aircraft were lost during the incident and remain unaccounted-for. Yeoman Second Class Jack Ishum Dempsey entered the U.S. Navy from Montana and was a member of Air Transport Squadron 7. He was a crew member aboard this Hercules when it crashed, and his remains could not be recovered following the incident. Today, Yeoman Second Class Dempsey is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. Based on all information available, DPAA assessed the individual’s case to be in the analytical category of Non-recoverable.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Smith, George Robert
Army Private

George Robert Smith from Montana, Jefferson county.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Tuesday, December 12, 1950
Death details: On July 11, 1950, the U.S. Army’s 21st Infantry Regiment, which had arrived in Korea six days earlier, was placed in defensive positions near the town of Chochiwon, South Korea. The regiment was not at full strength and lacked artillery and anti-tank weapons. That day, they were attacked by North Korean forces and were forced to withdraw to avoid being surrounded, as well as to buy time until they could be reinforced and resupplied. Corporal George Robert Smith, who joined the U.S. Army from Montana, served with L Company, 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. He was captured by enemy forces on July 11 during his unit’s delaying actions between Pyongtaek and Chochiwon. He was forced to march to the Apex prison camps in North Korea, and died of malnutrition at the camp at Hanjang-ni on December 12, 1950. Although his companions buried him near the camp, his remains were not identified among those returned to U.S. custody after the ceasefire. Today, Corporal Smith is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Cassatt, Patrick Thomas
Army Private

Patrick Thomas Cassatt from Montana, Silver Bow county. Their last known residence was in Brookville, Pennsylvania.

Parents: Darwin Gilbert Cassatt

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Thursday, November 2, 1950
Death details: During the last week of October 1950, Republic of Korea (ROK) Army forces under the control of the U.S. Eighth Army were advancing deep in North Korean territory, approaching the Yalu River on the Chinese-Korean border. Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) struck back in a surprise attack, engaging the ROK 1st and 6th Divisions near Unsan, some sixty miles north of Pyongyang. The U.S. 1st Cavalry Division, with the 8th Cavalry Regiment in the lead, was rushed forward to reinforce the ROK units in the Unsan area. On November 1, the regiment’s 1st Battalion took up positions north of Unsan, while the 2nd Battalion moved to guard the Nammyon River valley west of town, and the 3rd Battalion was placed in reserve at the valley’s southern end. Private First Class Patrick Thomas Cassatt, who joined the U.S. Army from Montana, was a member of Company E of the 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. On November 1, 1950, he was with members of Company E defending its sector near Unsan; his unit came under heavy enemy fire and he went missing during the chaotic fighting that followed. He was not listed as a prisoner of war, and his remains have not been recovered or identified following the ceasefire. Today, Private First Class Cassatt is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Montana Standard (1950), Indiana Gazette (1954)

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