CRANDALL, GREGORY STEPHEN
Remains returned, ID'd 06/93 according to USG - please see family note

Name: Gregory Stephen Crandall
Rank/Branch: W1/US Army
Unit: Troop C, 2nd Squadron, 17th Cavalry, 101st Airborne Division
Date of Birth: 18 July 1949 (Oakland CA)
Home City of Record: Tacoma WA
Date of Loss: 18 February 1971
Country of Loss: Laos
Loss Coordinates: 163910N 1062226E (XD465415)
Status (in 1973): Killed/Body Not Recovered
Category: 2
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: OH6A

Other Personnel in Incident: Robert J. Engen; Walter E. Lewellen (both missing)

Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 01 September 1990 from one or more
of the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources,
correspondence with POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews. Updated
by the P.O.W. NETWORK

REMARKS: CRASH BURN - NO SURVIV OBS - J

SYNOPSIS: LAM SON 719 was a large offensive operation against NVA
communications lines in Laos. The operation called for ARVN troops to drive
west from Khe Sanh, cut the Ho Chi Minh Trail, seize Tchpone and return to
Vietnam. The ARVN would provide and command the ground forces, while U.S.
Army and Air Force would furnish aviation airlift and supporting firepower.
The 101st Airborne Division commanded all U.S. Army aviation units in direct
support of the operation. Most of the first part of the operation, which
began January 30, 1971, was called Operation DEWEY CANYON II, and was
conducted by U.S. ground forces in Vietnam.

On February 8, 1971, early into the operation, a U.S. Army OH6A helicopter
was shot down about 8 miles east of Tchpone. This aircraft, flown by W1
Gregory Crandall, pilot, SP4 Robert J. Engen, scout/observer, and Sgt.
Walter E. Lewellen, crew chief, was conducting an aerial reconnaissance
mission when Crandall radioed that he was under heavy enemy fire. As he
maneuvered to evade the fire, the aircraft was seen to crash and catch on
fire. There was one major and six secondary explosions. About March 7, an
ARVN unit spotted the wreckage, but was unable to reach it to thoroughly
investigate. It was never learned for certain that the crew perished.

Losses were heavy in Lam Son 719. The ARVN lost almost 50% of their force.
U.S. aviation units lost 168 helicopters; another 618 were damaged.
Fifty-five aircrewmen were killed, 178 wounded, and 34 missing in action in
the entire operation, lasting until April 6, 1971.

In all, nearly 600 Americans were lost in Laos, but because we did not
negotiate with the Pathet Lao, no Americans held in Laos were released.
Since that time, over 10,000 reports have been received relating to
Americans prisoner, missing or unaccounted for in Southeast Asia. Although
many authorities are convinced that hundreds remain alive, the U.S. has not
secured the release of a single man.



Msg #: 4984
Date: 08-23-93 (12:49)
From: NANCY GOURLEY
To: ALL
Subj: BURIAL


The family of

Warrant Officer

GREGORY STEPHEN CRANDALL

regrets to announce

the burial

of a single tooth

as his remains

at

ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETARY

Friday, September 17, 1993

1:00 p.m.

Your attendance is welcome



As stated, Greg Crandall will be buried on Sept 17 of this year. My
family is being railroaded into this funeral. We object to it
adamently. However it appears that there is not a way to stop the DoD
from continuing. My family does not and has not contested the identity
of the single tooth (#4). What our major objection is is that a single
tooth does not a death make and we want validation that a death did in
fact occur. As of yet DoD cannot provide with any factual information
regarding this. What we do know is that

1. Men that were known POW were not returned during Operation Homecoming
and have not been subsequently accounted for and

2. that men that were listed as KIA did come home during Operation
Homecoming.

For these reasons my family has a valid reason to question the validity of
the report that Greg was killed. If there is anyone out there in activist
land that can give us a way out of this please respond by calling Nancy
Gourley at 1802 fourth avenue, Kenai, Alaska 99611 or phone at (907)
283-2208. Meanwhile, while though we may not have won this battle, we
continue to survive and fight in the war. My most heartfelt appreciation
again to all those that have given of their hearts minds souls and
pocketbooks for the accounting of those that are loved and missed so much.

[distributed through the P.O.W. NETWORK]

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