Captain dan turner and i were sitting in the tail of the helicopter with a. The likely shorthand summation for those who remember the son tay raid is, the camp was empty. When american officials decided the prisoners were attempting to send signals, they set in motion a daring plan to rescue the more than sixty airmen thought to be held. The dayton, ohio father explained in his note to the judge that his son too had been deeply. After identifying the names of over 500 american prisoners of war pows being held by the north vietnamese in unfavorable camp conditions in 1970, a 15. I had read about the son tay raid in other vietnam histories and even fiction related to vietnam. The specially selected raiders extensively trained and. Air force base at udorn, thailand, helicopters carrying u.
Anytime you read any book or anything that is written about the son tay raid, they all list turner. This is a narrative of one of the a1 pilots who participated. Flew with vf41 on board uss independence, cva62 during the last half of 1965. This a well written factual account of the attempt by the us to free the pows held in the prison at son tay, north vietnam. Initially, the son tay raid was a devastating disappointment to the men who risked their lives to carry it out. Army special forces seeks to save historic barrack gallery. They love their children no matter what, they fight for them, despite the obstacles. The men who made the decision to send the mission had been warned that it was quite possible that the pows had been moved out of the son tay camp. Whos who from task force ivory coast son tay raid november 21, 1970 draft the following is a listing of all personnel in our database, participating in the son tay raid. Initially the son tay raid was a devastating disappointment to the men who risked their lives to carry it out.
Jun 05, 2016 father of brock turner defends his son in a disturbing way. Army and air force raiding force in the joint chiefs of staffdirected heliborne assault mission to rescue united states military personnel held as prisoners of war at son tay prison in north. By the spring of 1970, there were more than 450 known american pows in north vietnam and another 970 american servicemen who were missing in action. The son tay raid, exhibit page at the national museum of the united states air force.
Recently, turner, now 70, visited the army 7th special forces group airborne cantonment along with three other men involved in the son tay raid on nov. On the night of the 20th of november 1970, the north vietnamese were treated to an aggressive demonstration of pres. Dan turner was born on july 28, 1943, in tilton, illinois. Nixons concern for the welfare of us prisoners the raid on the son tay pow camp. The fifteen men working on this study found that the plan was feasible and recommended that the raid be executed as soon as possible. A shield and a sword 2 studies in intelligence vol 60, no. Ben kraljcv, one of the raid planners, said aircrew training began with night formation involv ing dissimilar aircraft. Apple 1 carried the command element on the mission to rescue american prisoners of war thought to be held at the son tay prison outside hanoi, north vietnam. Dan and carleen turner are the parents of convicted rapist brock turner. But son tay was empty, its pows moved while the camp was being refurbished.
Carland 2000, combat operations, 430 pages marvin e. Jun 10, 2016 dan turner submitted a fourpage letter to judge aaron persky before his sons sentencing last week. The son tay raid would not be colonel simons last attempt to free prisoners in a foreign country. On november 18, 1970, the son tay raiders moved to takhli, thailand, a cia operated secure compound. Son tay awards for valor united states army distinguished service cross.
The book was later made into an nbc tv mini series. Captain daniel turnercommand group leader equipment harness they. In 2004 he gave one of the best lectures on son tay that i have ever heard. Military personnel who participated in operation ivory coast, a clandestine mission to rescue american prisoners of war held at the son tay prisoner of war camp in north vietnam on november 21, 1970. Schemmer harper and row, 1976 or the son tay raid by lt. In memory of my late fatherinlaw adam anderson,ppa 194445. Mission to save historic barrack news sarasota herald. Interview with sergeant terry buckler about the son tay. Were there any successful rescues of pows during the vietnam. Benjamin f schemmer the unsuccessful american raid on son tay prison, north vietnam, home.
His father, dan turner, argued his son shouldnt spend years in jail for 20 minutes of action, his father argued to. Son tay 40 years ago shadowspear special operations. Jul 18, 2009 the son tay raid would not be colonel simons last attempt to free prisoners in a foreign country. Son tay inspired the israeli rescue mission six years later at entebbe, right down to the megaphone instructions to captives. It was believed that at least 60 american prisoners of war were being held captive at the son tay facility. The most daring operation of the vietnam war and ranked as one of the top seven raids in military history. The daring vietnam war hostage rescue mission that only macv. Interview with sergeant terry buckler about the son tay prison camp raid during the vietnam war, republished from vietnam magazine, june 1997. Some fiftytwo of us had been moved from hanoi to son tay in late 1968 and had immediately recognized it as a place for escape of rescue. Although no pows were rescued the enemy had moved them to other facilities, the raid serves. See more ideas about special forces, north vietnam and vietnam war.
Turner has served on the boards of several organizations, including the greenville county youth orchestra and pinner studios and publications. The model proved to be a valuable device for detailed training of the raiders espccially members of meadows assault clement. The unexamined victories and final tragedy of americas last years in vietnam, 528 pages mark woodruff 1999, unheralded victory. The son tay raid son tay was located about 23 miles from hanoi. American pows in vietnam were not forgotten, revised edition. Interview with sergeant terry buckler about the son tay prison. Night of the son tay pow raid is a must read for history buffs and those interested in the vietnam war era. The walled compound is center left next to the river. Someday we will all meet on top of that last hill and set and rest and remember the good times together. The book is comprehensive and well written, detailing the preparations, the players, the raid, the disappointment. Air force special operations forces perfectly executed the raid, only to find the prisoners quarters empty. But it was a gutsy plan and was probably compromised by poor security. In early 1979, after his retirement, colonel simons was asked by ross perot, then chairman of eds, to plan and conduct a rescue operation to free two electronic data systems, inc eds employees who were taken hostage by the iranian government.
John has put forth a great deal of effort to obtain the story as relayed by those who participated in the raid. If you were assigned to task force ivory coast, please correct any errors or add any names and details. The structure of the raiding force handpicked volunteers, use of commercial sources for equipment v. The defeat of the viet cong and the north vietnamese army 19611973. Father of brock turner defends his son in a disturbing way. The impetus for a planned raid on son tay was the belief that 6070. I came home from vietnam 28 sep 70 and the son tay raid occurred less than two months later. This second book describes in vivid detail what may have occurred in the united states military under the. A short briefing tom davis operation ivory coast aka the son tay raid was a rescue mission conducted on 21 november 1970 to free 61 us prisoners held by the north vietnamese in the son tay prisonerofwar camp. This is something american prisoners have a right to expect from their fellow soldiers.
The son tay raid we are going to rescue 70 american prisoners of war, maybe more, from a camp called son tay. Youre standing by him, youre in full support of him, and youre being the man he needs, right. Jay jayroe, former son tay pow, recalls when the fireworks went off that clear night in november of 1970, we knew exactly what was happening a raid on son tay was in progress. At son tay, 23 miles from hanoi, one photograph identified a large k a code for come get us drawn in the dirt. They were to provide cover for blueboy and had to protect the landing zone and secure an alternate route of escape should the lz become exposed to the enemy. Almost flawless in execution, the daring rescue raid at the son tay. Intelligence support to communications with us pows in. This forced the prisoners to be moved to a new camp kilometers away. Son tay raid execution the raiders were to approach the camp by air aboard helicopters with fighter cover above to deal with any north vietnamese migs.
With the entire compound measuring only 140 x 185 feet, the landing zone. The raid on son tay prison camp occurred during the vietnam war. Operation ivory coast was the mission by us army green berets flown in by air force commandos to rescue the pows at a small prisoner of war camp at son tay, 23 miles west of hanoi. Between may and august of 1970, the operation ivory coast plan was finalized for the rescue of american pows held at son tay, north vietnam. Special ops veterans hope to save barracks news news. Dec 06, 2014 an mh53m serial number 6810357 that took part in the son tay raid flown by lt. But benjamin schemmer shows that there is so much more to the story than that. Operation ivory coast, november 21, 1970, the raid on son tay. For gallantry in action on 21 november 1970 as a member of an allvolunteer joint u. Rescue approximately fifty american pows from son tay prison near hanoi, north vietnam. On june 20, turner, now 70, visited the army 7th special forces group airborne cantonment along with three other men involved in the son tay raid on nov. The rest of the story will add to our knowledge of the spirit of volunteerism that existed among many u.
Were there any successful rescues of pows during the. Though an intelligence failure, the raid boosted pow morale and compelled hanoi, at last, to cease mistreating american prisoners. However, the air forces planning for this mission was as comprehensive and meticulous as any in the history of the service. The unrest in iran subsequently began in early 1979. S army special forces personnel took off into the inky blackness of the night sky. Wabash college class agents letter class of 1968 class. But with robert leslie bellem 19021968, the creator of legendary hollywood dick, the one and only dan turner, its hard to know if he was serious or not, since he seemed to effortlessly churn out so much damn stuff its estimated he wrote over 3000 pulp stories, with turner starring in at least 300 of them, not to mention 60 or 70 comic. Daniel graham turner born 23 june 1998 is an english professional footballer who plays as a forward for northern premier league premier division club hyde united he turned professional at port vale in april 2016, and played on loan at kidsgrove athletic and worcester city during the 201617 season.
They were in town to talk about a plan to save the officers barrack at duke where some of the. The target of the helo borne assault was the son tay prisoner of war pow camp located 23 miles northwest of the north vietnamese capital of hanoi. John robertson, ayr, scotland please note all dates given numerically are in the british format. You will be remembered as a great sf warrior and 1 of 56.
Security group on the son tay raid, a clandestine mission to rescue american prisoners of war held. American pows in vietnam were not forgotten john gargus in may 1970, aerial photographs revealed what u. These listings will include all personnel who planned, supported, and participated in the raid. List of allied military operations of the vietnam war. First published in 1976, the raid is the story of the heroic attempt to rescue 61 americans from the north vietnamese pow camp at son tay in november, 1970. Operation ivory coast was a mission conducted by united states special operations forces and other american military elements to rescue u. Colonel simons and his men captured son tay on november 21, 1970. Team room news tv podcast books shop crate club academy gear. Adm mcraven is a raid expert and included son tay as one of the eight best special operations missions of all time in his book spec ops, case studies in special operations warfare. The son tay raid was the first use of uavs in intelligence gathering the buffalo hunters sent over the camp. His own book is an instructive textbook that will be closely studied by students. Code name polar circle was the study into rescuing the captured americans by conducting a raid on son tay prison in the hours of darkness. For additional information, refer to the raid by benjamin f. However, the result of the son tay raid was greatly improved conditions for american pows remaining.
Gettleman 1995, vietnam and america, 560 pages lewis sorley 2007, a better war. The son tay raid joint task force 77 operation kingpin the following is an article on the son tay raid prison camp raid into north vietnam, in which hancock, along with other ships of task force 77 were involved. On november 20 a joint group of volunteers from us army green berets and us air force special operations forces perfectly executed the raid, only to find the prisoners quarters empty. For years i have been asked to provide data for authors writing books about.
All told, 29 aircraft played a direct role in the mission. Please feel free to contact me re errors or additional material. I hope this site serves as an everlasting memorial to past,present and future special forces. He was a true warrior, no nonsense, missionfocused and courageous beyond normal. The daring vietnam war hostage rescue mission that only. Ron standerfer, author, the eagles last flight guenon tells it like it was in his utterly fascinating story of the daring raid on son tay one of the most remarkable flying feats in the entire vietnam war. Operation ivory coast, november 21, 1970, the raid on son tay prison. It was evident that the raid would have to be executed swiftly.
Dan turner, a participant in the son tay raid during the vietnam war in november 1970 and a regular speaker at officer candidate school and infantry and maneuver captains career course classes on fort benning, died april 6 at the age of 71. Dear dan turner, youre no kind of father thought catalog. The raid was not successful in bringing home any american prisoners because they had been moved when the son tay river flooded. The son tay prison camp raid special mission we are going to rescue 70 american prisoners of war, maybe more, from a camp called son tay. After the catastrophe of operation eagle claw desert one, the army and especially special forces dusted off the after action reports and decided son tay was the blue print for conducting raids deep in enemy territory. One of these facilities was camp hope, located near the son tay. The air force always included the son tay raid in their lessons learned curriculum and considered it a huge success. But, he was kind of an unlikely hero because he was so kind. As training and operational plans were ironed out, the assault force was flown to a staging area in tahkli, thailand, in november 1970. The son tay raid incorporates this wealth of unpublished materialair operations planning and training, ground preparation, interviews, and even north vietnamese perspectiveswith garguss own experience. Operation ivory coast wikipedia the redwine team leader, then cpt. On november 20, a joint group of volunteers from u.
Operation ivory coast, november 21, 1970, the raid on son. Interview with sergeant terry buckler about the son tay prison camp raid during the vietnam war on november 21, 1970, at the u. It was also the first joint military operation in united states history conducted under the direct control of the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff. There was that dan turner that we all knew the son tay raider, said joanie horton, who works with mccc students in dot. He said that a sixmonth sentence prosecutors had asked for a sixyear sentence was. No previous account of this topsecret action has given so many details or such insight into both the execution and results of son tay.
On thursday, turner, now 70, visited the army 7th special forces group airborne cantonment along with three other men involved in the son tay raid on nov. Jun 30, 20 recently, turner, now 70, visited the army 7th special forces group airborne cantonment along with three other men involved in the son tay raid on nov. Mission to save historic barrack at air force base news. Sep 28, 2010 on november 20, a joint group of volunteers from u. I decided i really ought to read a bit more about such an audacious attempt. The flight from udorn to son tay was approximately 337 miles one way.
The general s son download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. Jun 08, 2016 turner s father dan has come under some heavy scrutiny for the aforementioned letter in particular. The history of bob jones university and reflecting gods light, the seventyfifth anniversary book of bju. Dan turner was a friend of mine i met while stationed at ft benning.
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