WINTERS, David M., PFC, USA

NIDDS, Daniel R., PFC, USA

HASENBECK Paul A., PFC, USA

OFFICIAL STATUS: MANGINO: MISSING

WINTERS: MISSING

NIDDS: DEAD, BODY NOT RECOVERED

HASENBECK: DEAD, BODY NOT RECOVERED

CASE SUMMARY: SEE ATTACHED

RATIONALE FOR SELECTION: When last seen, all of the men were alive and unhurt in a sampan, and all could swim. An extensive search found nothing. One informant report indicates possible capture, but there have been no subsequent reports of death for any of the individuals in this incident.

REFNO: 0646 19 Apr 76

(U) CASE SUMMARY

1. On 21 April 1967, SP4 Thomas Mangino squad leader, and PFC's Paul A. Hasenbeck, David M. Winters and Daniel R. Nidds, riflemen,- were returning from a combat patrol in Quang Ngai Province in South Vietnam in the second of two sampans. Just before arriving at their destination, in the vicinity of grid coordinates BS 622 987, a Vietnamese civilian was seen moving in his sampan toward the sampan with SP4 Mangino's squad. Another sampan with three Vietnamese women was moving toward the first sampan in which the platoon leader rode. The first sampan started to leak, so proceeded faster around a jetty toward the beach. The Vietnamese women were still following the first sampan, as they had loaned it to the platoon. The distance between the two sampans carrying the platoon was now 200 to 250 meters. The last time the platoon leader saw the second sampan the Vietnamese civilian was talking with SP/4 Mangino's squad. The first sampan arrived on the beach 45-minutes later. The platoon leader waited 20 minutes more and then reported to the command post that the second sampan had not arrived.

2. Two hours after the first sampan beached, SP4 squad still had not arrived, so a search effort was begun. Two platoons searched the area, and helicopters, one with a loudspeaker, searched from the air. All efforts were unsuccessful. Naval divers searched in the area of the last sighting (vicinity BS 622 987) without success. All personnel on board the second sampan could swim. (Ref 1)

3. An informant reported that on 5 May (1967) he had seen four US prisoners of war who had been captured at (GC) 630 005 by a Viet Cong unit on the date of this incident. (This information correlates well by time and location, although there is no other information available for verification. (Ref 2)

4. During the existence of JCRC,, the limited information available precluded any efforts toward the resolution of this case. These individuals' names and identifying data were turned over to Four-Party Joint Military Team with a request for any information available. No response was forthcoming.

5. SP4 Mangino, and PFC Winters are currently carried in the status of Missing in Action. PFC Hasenbeck and PFC Nidds are carried in the presumptive status of Dead, Body Not Recovered.

REFERENCES USED

1. RPT (U), AVAFAG-P2 Investigation of Personnel MIA, 4 May 67.

2. RPT (U), Missing Status, AVHAG-C, 15 Apr 68.

ASSOCIATED INDIVIDUALS

1. Paul A. Hasenbeck 0646-0-01

2. Thomas A. Mangino 0646-0-

3. David M. Winters 0646-0-

4. Daniel R. Nidds 0646-0-04