Quang Tin Province ambush 8 January 1968

Williams, Richard
Army 1st sergeant

Richard Williams, age 41, from San Leandro, California, Alameda county.

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Wednesday, September 18, 1968
Death details: On November 4, 1985, the Central Identification Laboratory-Hawaii (CILHI, now DPAA) identified the remains of First Sergeant Richard Frank Williams, missing from the Vietnam War. First Sergeant Williams entered the U.S. Army from California and served with Company D, 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 196th Light Infantry Brigade. On January 8, 1968, he was with his unit when it was ambushed by Viet Cong and North Vietnamese forces in Quang Tin Province, South Vietnam. He was captured during the engagement but died of unknown causes while held at the prisoner of war (POW) camp “Bravo.” In 1985, the Vietnamese government repatriated the remains of American POWs buried at camp “Bravo,” and U.S. investigators were able to identify 1SG Williams from these remains.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Cannon, Francis Eugene
Army Specialist 4

Francis Eugene Cannon, age 24, from Arizona, Maricopa county.

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Sunday, September 8, 1968
Death details: On November 4, 1985, the Central Identification Laboratory-Hawaii (CIL-HI, now DPAA) identified the remains of Corporal Francis Eugene Cannon, missing from the Vietnam War. Corporal Cannon entered the U.S. Army from Arizona and served with Company D, 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 196th Light Infantry Brigade. On January 8, 1968, his unit was ambushed by Viet Cong and North Vietnamese forces in Quang Tin Province, South Vietnam. He was captured during the engagement but died of dysentery and malnutrition on September 8, 1968, while held at the prisoner of war camp “Bravo.” In 1985, the Vietnamese government repatriated the remains of American POWs buried at camp “Bravo,” and U.S. investigators were able to identify CPL Cannon from these remains.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Rehe, Richard
Army Staff sergeant

Richard Rehe, age 22, from Long Beach, California, Los Angeles county.

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Tuesday, January 9, 1968
Death details: On January 8, 1968, American troops from Company A and Company D of the 3rd Battalion, 196th Light Infantry Brigade, were ambushed by Viet Cong and North Vietnamese forces in Quang Tin Province, South Vietnam. In addition to suffering several casualties, eight Americans were captured during the engagement. The following day on January 9, two more were captured as their units searched for the wounded and missing from the previous day’s action. Private First Class Richard Raymond Rehe entered the U.S. Army from California and served in Company A, 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 196th Infantry Brigade, 196th Light Infantry Brigade. He was severely wounded during the ambush and then captured on January 9, 1968, and was last seen with other prisoners within a roughly two-hour walking distance away from the battle area, completely debilitated and left behind as the enemy moved along with the other prisoners. He was not seen again and his remains were not recovered. Following the incident, the Army promoted PFC Rehe to the rank of Staff Sergeant (SSG). Today, Staff Sergeant Rehe is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Sykes, Derri
Army Staff sergeant

Derri Sykes, age 20, from Chicago, Illinois, Cook county.

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Tuesday, January 9, 1968
Death details: On January 8, 1968, American troops from Company A and Company D of the 3rd Battalion, 196th Light Infantry Brigade, were ambushed by Viet Cong and North Vietnamese forces in Quang Tin Province, South Vietnam. In addition to suffering several casualties, eight Americans were captured during the engagement. The following day on January 9, two more were captured as their units searched for the wounded and missing from the previous day’s action. Private First Class Derri Sykes entered the U.S. Army from Illinois and served in Company A, 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 196th Light Infantry Brigade. He was wounded during this ambush and then captured on January 9, 1968, and was last seen by other prisoners and believed to have died of his wounds while still in captivity. Attempts to locate his remains following the war were unsuccessful. Following the incident, the Army promoted PFC Sykes to the rank of Staff Sergeant (SSG). Today, Staff Sergeant Sykes is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Sykes, Derri
Army Staff sergeant

Derri Sykes, age 20, from Chicago, Illinois, Cook county.

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Tuesday, January 9, 1968
Death details: On January 8, 1968, American troops from Company A and Company D of the 3rd Battalion, 196th Light Infantry Brigade, were ambushed by Viet Cong and North Vietnamese forces in Quang Tin Province, South Vietnam. In addition to suffering several casualties, eight Americans were captured during the engagement. The following day on January 9, two more were captured as their units searched for the wounded and missing from the previous day’s action. Private First Class Derri Sykes entered the U.S. Army from Illinois and served in Company A, 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 196th Light Infantry Brigade. He was wounded during this ambush and then captured on January 9, 1968, and was last seen by other prisoners and believed to have died of his wounds while still in captivity. Attempts to locate his remains following the war were unsuccessful. Following the incident, the Army promoted PFC Sykes to the rank of Staff Sergeant (SSG). Today, Staff Sergeant Sykes is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

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