ENTRICAN, DANNY DAY
Name: Danny Day Entrican
Rank/Branch: O2/US Army Special Forces
Unit: Task Force 1, Advisory Element, USARV Advisory Group, 5th Special
Forces Group
Date of Birth: 12 August 1946 (Fort Devens MA)
Home City of Record: Brookhaven MS
Date of Loss: 18 May 1971
Country of Loss: South Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 162800N 1065426E (YD036214)
Status (in 1973): Missing In Action
Category: 1
Acft/Vehicle/Ground: Ground
Other Personnel In Incident: (none missing)
Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 01 April 1991 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:
SYNOPSIS: 1Lt. Danny Entrican was a Special Forces reconnaissance patrol leader
for Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol (LRRP) alert team "Alaska" which was
inserted into the Da Krong Valley in Thua Thin Province, South Vietnam on May
8, 1971. Entrican's duty assignment in Da Nang was that of an advisor to the
South Vietnamese army. His team consisted of three Americans and three Chinese
Nung mercenaries. The team was overwhelmed in a firefight three days later about
1 mile from the border of Laos, due west of Hue.
During the firefight, two Americans and one Nung was killed. Surviving commando
Truong Minh Long and interpreter Truong To Ha stated that they rolled downhill
after a hostile search party detected them hiding in the bush. Danny and the two
Nung had tried to make a chopper pickup, but Entrican, who was apparently
wounded and yelled at them to move out and try to make the pickup alone. Danny
Entrican was declared Missing In Action.
Three months later, a friend of Danny's who was intensely interested in learning
his fate heard his code name in an intercepted message. The message described
his movement from the South to the North as a prisoner. Because the code names
were highly secret and to be used by personnel on SOG missions to verify their
identity, the friend reasoned that the enemy had extracted the code name from
Danny. There could be no other way to obtain it and to him, it was clear proof
that Danny was alive.
Henry Kissinger did not put Danny's name on his list of "discrepancy" cases for
which the Vietnamese could certainly provide either the man or information on
his fate. These were individuals who were known to have been under enemy control
- alive or dead. To this date, Danny's family does not know his fate.
DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
Headquarters, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces
APO San Francisco 96240
GENERAL ORDERS
NUMBER 2458 23 December 1970
AWARD OF THE BRONZE STAR MEDAL FOR HEROISM
1. TC 439. The following AWARD is announced.
ENTRICAN, DANNY D. 428-86-7106 1LT 31542 Co B (WA4XBOA) APO 96318 IN
Awarded: Bronze Star Medal with "V" Device (Second Oak Leaf Cluster)
Date(s) of action: 25 October 1970
Theater: Republic of Vietnam
Authority: By direction of the President under the provisions of Executive
Order 11046, 24 August 1962
Reason: For heroism in connection with ground operations against a hostile
force in the Republic of Vietnam: First Lieutenant Entrican
distinguished himsself by heroism on 25 October 1970 while serving
as the senior Special Forces advisor to a company size Camp Strike
Force unit. At 1050 hours the CSF operation in ambush position made
contact with an unknown size enemy unit. Immediately upon receiving
fire, the enemy unleashed a heavy volume of rockets and automatic
weapons fire. Lieutenant Entrican immediately began to manuever the
CIDG elements in order to maintain fire superiority and to prevent
the enemy from escaping. With complete disregard for his own
personal safety Lieutenant Entrican led an assault on the retreating
enemy. He then directed gunship and airstrikes against the enemy.
The results of the contact were 13 NVA killed. First Lieutenant
Entrican's heroic actions were in keeping witht he highest
traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon
himself, Special Forces and the United States Army.
FOR THE COMMANDER:
OFFICIAL: HARVEY G. PATTERSON
LTC, Infantry
Adjutant
HARVEY J. PENDLETON
1LT, IN
Asst Adjutant
DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
Headquarters, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces
APO San Francisco 96240
GENERAL ORDER
NUMBER 2311
AWARD OF THE BRONZE STAR MEDAL FOR HEROISM
1. TC 439. The following AWARD is announced
ENTRICAN, DANNY D. 428-86-7106 1LT 31542 Co B (WA4XBOA) APO 96318 IN
Awarded: Bronze Star with "V" Device
Date(s) of service: 11 September 1970
Theater: Republic of Vietnam
Authority: By direction of the President under the provisions of Executive
Order 11046, 24 August 1962
Reason: For heroism in connection with ground operations against a hostile
force in the Republic of Vietnam: First Lieutenant Entrican
distinguished him- self by exceptional heroism on 11 September 1970
while serving as senior advisor to a Camp Strike Force operation.
While engaged in the mission of search and control on QL 14,
Lieutenant Entrican lead a point element towards a well used trail
in a densely wooded area. When they were with- in 100 meters of the
trail an estimated company opened up with an intense volume of
automatic fire. after maneuvering the CSF into position, Lieu-
tenant Entrican called for Cobra Gunships and exposed himself to the
enemy fire in order to direct the gunships. Even with the gunships
work- in the area it was evident to him the CSF element could not
hold the superior fire from the NVA/VC position. When he began to
withdraw he noticed a dead NVA/VC body and returned under fire to
search the body for valuable documents. Lieutenant Entrican then
moved his element to a safe position without incurring any
casualties and directed fire from the gunships on the enemy. The
results did not prove so valuable for the enemy after they broke
contact leaving 1 NVA/VC KIA and 1 carbine weapon behind.
Lieutenant Entrican's bravery and devotion to duty were in keep- ing
with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect
great credit upon himself, Special Forces and the United States
Army.
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