Road interdiction mission 25 March 1969

Herrera, Frederick Daniel
Army Sergeant 1st class

Frederick Daniel Herrera, age 19, from Albuquerque, New Mexico, Bernalillo county.

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Tuesday, March 25, 1969
Death details: On March 25, 1969, three members of the 4th Infantry Division were conducting a road interdiction mission in Kontum Province, South Vietnam, when their unit came in contact with an enemy force in the vicinity of (GC) YB 790 002. During the ensuing firefight, one member was seriously wounded and became unable to walk on his own. The unit pulled back and the wounded man placed on a litter and carried out. As the unit moved to high ground, it encountered enemy forces again and during this second contact, while moving down a hill, the three soldiers became separated from the group and were not seen again. On April 5, the area was searched by a reconnaissance team, which found personal items belonging to two of the missing men, but no additional remains or signs of the men were located. Private First Class Frederick Daniel Herrera entered the U.S. Army from New Mexico and served with Company B, 4th Engineer Battalion, 4th Infantry Division. He was one of the three men who went missing during this action, and his remains were not recovered. After the incident, the U.S. Army posthumosuly promoted PFC Herrera to the rank of Sergeant First Class (SFC). Today, Sergeant First Class Herrera is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, findagrave.com

Hicks, Prentice Wayne
Army Sergeant 1st class

Prentice Wayne Hicks, age 21, from Huntsville, Alabama, Madison county.

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Tuesday, March 25, 1969
Death details: On March 25, 1969, three members of the 4th Infantry Division were conducting a road interdiction mission in Kontum Province, South Vietnam, when their unit came in contact with an enemy force in the vicinity of (GC) YB 790 002. During the ensuing firefight, one member was seriously wounded and became unable to walk on his own. The unit pulled back and the wounded man placed on a litter and carried out. As the unit moved to high ground, it encountered enemy forces again and during this second contact, while moving down a hill, the three soldiers became separated from the group and were not seen again. On April 5, the area was searched by a reconnaissance team, which found personal items belonging to two of the missing men, but no additional remains or signs of the men were located. Private First Class Prentice Wayne Hicks entered the U.S. Army from Alabama and was a rifleman with Company B, 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division. He was wounded in the initial action and became separated from his unit while being evacuated on a litter, and he remains unaccounted-for. After the incident, the Army posthumously promoted PFC Hicks to the rank of Sergeant First Class (SFC). Today, Sergeant First Class Hicks is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, findagrave.com 

Roberts, Richard Dean
Army Sergeant 1st class

Richard Dean Roberts, age 19, from Lansing, Michigan, Ingham county.

Spouse: Linda Roberts

Service era: Vietnam
Schools: Everett High

Date of death: Tuesday, March 25, 1969
Death details: On March 25, 1969, three members of the 4th Infantry Division were conducting a road interdiction mission in Kontum Province, South Vietnam, when their unit came in contact with an enemy force in the vicinity of (GC) YB 790 002. During the ensuing firefight, one member was seriously wounded and became unable to walk on his own. The unit pulled back and the wounded man placed on a litter and carried out. As the unit moved to high ground, it encountered enemy forces again and during this second contact, while moving down a hill, the three soldiers became separated from the group and were not seen again. On April 5, the area was searched by a reconnaissance team, which found personal items belonging to two of the missing men, but no additional remains or signs of the men were located. Private First Class Richard Dean Roberts entered the U.S. Army from Michigan and served with Company B, 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division. He was one of the three men who were lost during this action, and his remains were not recovered. After the incident, the Army postumously promoted PFC Roberts to the rank of Sergeant First Class (SFC). Today, Sergeant First Class Roberts is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, findagrave.com, Lansing State Journal (1978)

Back To Top