Other Personnel In Incident:
Dennis R. Carter
Robert C. Borton Jr.
John E. Bodenschatz Jr.SYNOPSIS:
Pfc. Robert L. Babula, Pfc. Robert C. Borton Jr.Pfc. John E. Bodenschatz Jr. and Pfc. Dennis R. Carter were members of 1st Platoon, Company K, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines. On 28 August 1966, the four were assigned as a fire team ambush with instructions to establish an ambush site approximaately 500 meters to the south of their platoon patrol base. This specific location is in Hoa Hai Village within grid square BT 0667.
The fire team departed at 3:00 am, On 28 August, and were given instructions for use of the pyrotechnics they were carrying as signaling devices. They were further instructed to relocate in the same general area or return to their platoon patrol base in the event their ambush site was compromised, and finally to return no later than 9:00 am that morning.
When the fire team failed to return as scheduled, an immediate search of the area was conducted by Company K with negative results. During the period of 29-31 August, the Battalion made a dovetailed search of the entire area covering all possible routes of egress in the event the team members had been captured.
Indegenous personnel in the area were questioned, but no evidence was uncovered which gave any clues. Villagers were questioned and a search of the area continued. On 4 September, Company K discovered part of an American wrist watch and Pfc. Bodenschatz' two identification tags in the vicinity of BT 061673. The search was intensified in that area, including the use of heavy engineer equipment in an effort to locate graves, but no further trace was found.
On 13 September, the Battalion cordoned off grid squares BT 0567, 0667, 0566, 0666 and all inhabitants were assembled, screened and interrogated by an ARVN interrogation team from Hoa Vang District Headquarters. Three Viet Cong suspects were retained for further questioning, however, no additional information was obtained concerning the four Marines.
The Battalion commander's final determination was that the four Marines were probably captured.
In 1975, information was declassified that indicated that since the fire teams disappearance, Marine headquarters had recieved two reports sighting three to four Americans beng displayed in villages South of the area in which the fire team disappeared.
A Christmas card received by Company K/3/1 1st Marine division, sent by Babula's mother and sister, stated that they had recently recieved news that Babula was a prisoner of war. None of the four, however, returned in the general prisoner release in 1973.
The fate of the four Marines on the fire team on 28 August 1966 remains uncertain.
