Miss America and Dan Feezell
The following is a series of messages from Comancheros about one day, 08/12/70, that included the flight being involved with flying support for Miss America and ended with losing a Brother in Arms…
Were any of you on the mission to fly cover for Miss America and the other beauty queens??? We were taking pictures with them at Eagle Beach during part of there tour (we visited several Artillery Support Bases also) and got the call to fly north to extract a team of CCN forces that was in deep trouble. A company of NVA was closing in on them fast. It was ironic that at one moment I had my tentacles around Miss America taking pictures and the next flying low level (tree-top) headed to a serious encounter. And it was that. We lost a crew chief that day. I believe his last name was Feezell, Great person too. We were right behind him, coming in on about 20 second intervals. We almost lost a Peter Pilot, but Charlie wasn’t that accurate on that shot. Does anybody remember that day????
Frederick Ellis
Crew Chief A/C# 655
Sgt Dan Guinn Feezell - KIA 08/12/70
Photograph by John Collier
I
recall the Miss America mission and Dan Feezell being killed:
First, a short story on how I recall the Miss America VIP mission. I owe this recollection to a fellow crew chief/doorgunner name Thorp (last name). According to him, he got the privilege of having Miss America and members of her female entourage sit in his helicopter. Thorp worked in the maintenance section as a parts clerk or something close to that. He had a fantastic memory because every time Thorp saw me or another crew chief he would greet us with our last name and helicopter identification number. For instance, "Alvarado, UH-IH 68-16252." Thorp also had a penchant for animated comedy. He would stand like a lighted railroad crossing Tee-guard and make the sounds and noises of a train approaching and passing through a lighted/bell-ringing railroad crossing without missing a cue. It was accurately amazing. Somehow, Thorp finagled himself a stint as a doorgunner/crew chief escaping the boring confines of the records/parts section and became a full time crewmember. I was on the CCN mission when Danny was killed. Upon returning from our disastrous CCN mission, fully aware of Dan Feezell’s fate, most of the crewmembers didn't feel like hearing about the Miss America VIP mission. Like most CCN mission aftermaths, depending on the success or failure of the mission determined our level of congenitally or hostility towards others who weren't with us. But as time passed and our moods lightened up, we asked about the VIP missions, especially about the one hauling around a flight of beautiful American females. Thorp told his story and it was a good one. After he finished, all of us who had crowded around to learn about the sights, smells, and sounds of a bunch of American females were suffering and anxiously hot. Then Thorp offered us something that made me hysterically laugh aloud. For a small donation, he announced that he would allow us the privilege of smelling the confines of his helicopter. For, according to Thorp, certain areas of the chopper's sitting arrangements still maintained the wonderful scented perfume of an American woman. To my amazement, several of the guys paid up. I and the remainder of the drooling fools just cracked up at Thorp and poked fun at the others for biting. Thorp had brought us the relief we needed following Danny's death. Although we knew the dangers of volunteering to fly the CCN missions, we proudly accepted the dangerous task fully realizing that what had happened to Dan Feezell could happen to us. Thorp's Miss America's story eased the pain of losing Dan Feezell.
Gil Alvarado
Crew Chief A/C 252
Sgt Dan Guinn Feezell - KIA 08/12/70
Photograph by John Collier
Sgt. Dan Guinn Feezell did not crash by my account of what happened that
day. We were extracting a team of Special Forces in North Vietnam, near the
Laotian border. The team was being overrun by NVA. Upon and during the
extraction is when Sgt. Feezell was fatally wounded with a round to the head.
We were the last chopper in, he was in front of us. His pilot came up and said,
"my gunner's been shot”, silence, "then my gunners dead"...(most
of us were Crew Chiefs that went on these missions, as was Danny, however, when
we referred to the gunner it was appropriate because of the position a regular
gunner takes on the chopper, on the right, as the peter pilot also). We were
also taking hits as we approached the LZ. His pilot flew the ship back to a
friendly area, landed to restore the situation, and then headed back to base.
There was nothing more we could do for Danny. This was an emergency CCN mission
to extract the team. We were at Eagle Beach flying cover support for a group of
Miss America's about one hour prior to this incident before we were called out.
Sincerely,
Frederick Ellis
Crew Chief A/C# 655
Sgt Dan Guinn Feezell - KIA 08/12/70
Photograph by John Collier
Ellis is right. I was crewing 252 on the same CCN mission when Danny Feezell was killed during the extraction. I recall prior to the mission we were briefed by the Special Forces operations personnel that the CCN team had been "running" for a while and were surrounded on a hilltop (usual scenario for a hot extraction). As the SF operations officer presented the critical situation, I looked around the briefing room to observe how the others were reacting. Inwardly I was scared and shaking. I remember seeing Danny Feezell standing at the rear of the briefing room leaning against the wall. He had his usually sheepish smile and quiet confident stance. If my memory still serves me right, Danny was wearing his jungle fatigues and not his nomex. When we cranked, I believe our helicopter was designated as "chase bird," because we had a Special Forces medic on board. The rest is a blur, I can't specifically recall the scenario or what we did, but I remember hearing something about a doorgunner being hit. It wasn't until later, that I learned it was Danny. Afterwards, the Special Forces guys told us, that in honor of Danny Feezell, LZ Starr at Quang Tri would be renamed LZ Feezell.
Gil Alvarado
Crew Chief A/C 252
Dan had just
returned from a thirty-day leave. I asked Dan "why did you extend"
"He said -- I extended because of a girl friend problem" ... then
laugh about it. Dan had a great since of humor, and was a good solider.
One of my jobs for A
Company was Graves & Registration. I would go to the hooch -- remove, store
or ship personal items of those KIA, MIA, or WIA. For me, this was a tough job
... it was the last thing I could do for them ... and It was the last items
their family would receive from their love one ....
It was very serious work. It happen 9 times during my tour.
Fred Thompson
Sgt. 1970/71
Sgt Dan Guinn Feezell - KIA 08/12/70
Photograph by John Collier
Dan Feezell
The following is how I remember that day. Dan Feezell was my door gunner and I was crew chief.
The day began like any other CCN day, with the exception that Dan was assigned as my gunner. His normal ship was probably down for maintenance. Dan was an excellent gunner – lots of experience. Fresh off a 30 day leave for extending, he was ready, willing and very able. I was proud to have Dan for the day and felt very confident.
The mission was an insertion of Special Forces up on Tri-Borders near the Rock Pile. My ship was chalk 1, with a four man Special Forces Team. I cannot remember the pilots. Weather was good – no rain. Three other slicks were in the flight, with the last rigged for recovery.
The LZ was a horrible pinnacle rock pile, no bigger than ten square feet, and dropped off a cliff on the right side. On approach we softened the LZ with our 60’s. Dan was doing an excellent job clearing the pilot down on the left, while I was looking down the cliff and to the ridge off in the distance for possible ground fire. The ship was hovering with the left skid on the rock while the team unloaded. Each time a SF team member would get off, the ship would move and have to be realigned with the rock. The off loading was taking longer than normal, but given the terrain, SF was doing a good job.
Suddenly Dan’s 60 was silent, and I noticed blood. As I quickly unhooked and went to the left side, blood was everywhere. The prop wash was covering my pilots and windshield with blood – I was soaked by this time. The reason I mention this is that to this day it was an odor that I will never forget. Trying to wake Dan up I noticed all the blood streaming down his face shield, and a small hole in the helmet. My pilot got on the radio and declared ‘my gunner has been hit’. I tried to remove Dan’s flight helmet thinking that CPR was still possible – a sight I have tried hard to forget.
We broke left out of the LZ and did a nose-over down the cliff to use for protection from ground fire. I unloaded from my 60 spraying the terrain near the inserted team trying to stop us from taking more ground fire and to help the guys in the LZ. I went back to Dan and unhooked him and pulled him into the middle of the flight deck – cradling him as if I could comfort a fallen buddy. Next I yelled to my pilot to go faster – red line this sucker. We were up to max speed trying desperately to get to a field hospital.
When we landed the medics ran up and unloaded Dan – and in a few moments announced that nothing could be done. The last bit of hope I had was suddenly gone and reality sunk in. I walked away from the ship, found a place to sit alone and cried. Our fathers taught us that men don’t cry. On the way back to the Hideout the odor became worst and the blood sticky. I tried to wipe my tears and smeared Dan’s blood all over my face.
I guess what happened is that the insertion turned into an extraction. I am not sure. That night I got drunk as a skunk with Dan’ regular crew chief – together we cried.
We had lost one of ‘The Best of The Best’, a brave Comanchero who laid down his life for his country, a true Patriot who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Joseph Turner
Crew Chief A/C 454, 511,
Comanchero, 11/69 - 11/70
Comanchero aircraft with team on a ladder after extraction, unknown date in 1970
Photograph by John Collier
I
have enclosed a copy of my award for the 12 August 1970 CCN mission, the same
mission that Dan Feezell was killed on. After I sent my previous email
transmissions, I started going over my photographs and notes and recalled
several things. We fired a lot of rounds going in and out (suppressive
and direct fire), I must have fired half of my 20mm ammo can. The pilots
did a superb job of quickly flying in under the most terrifying conditions
while I fired at the enemy. It was a close combat type of affair. I
recall helping the SF guys on board, and firing away as we flew out of the hot
PZ. Everyone that day should have received a medal. I consider
myself extremely fortunate surviving that day's mission. Like I stated,
everyone on that mission should have been award a medal.
Gil Alvarado
Crew Chief A/C 252
I have read and reread the stories of Dan Feezell's end on 08/12/1970. I was the pilot of the aircraft and Steve "Sucha" Diehl was the co-pilot. Dan was hit during the insertion and the confusion of when it happened was probably due to the fact that all hell broke loose after Dan was hit. I do recall making the radio call that "My gunner was hit" and "My gunner was dead" I did this so those who were in the flight would know who I was referring to. I still have the flight jacket with Dan's blood stains as a reminder.
Jack Graham
Comanchero "27"
3/70-3/71
Here are some shots
of the ladies with Miss America. They were taken at the same time as the CCN mission in question. I
apologize to you for not going into more detail but try as I may, I do not
remember the circumstances that got me there. I think I was flying the
Battalion Commander when the call came in to pick up the girls. He wanted
to split up the package of flying the ladies to as many of the Avn. groups as
possible. From the main pad I think it was Battalion HQ they were flown
to someplace near the coast am thinking Eagle Beach. That is where I shot
the remaining pictures. Naturally, I cannot find the one taken with Miss
America and me together, tsk tsk.
Since some of my
in-laws were from Alabama, I struck up a good conversation with Miss Alabama,
"Anne Fowler." Even got to shake her hand. What I remember the
most about these ladies wasn't the smells of perfume as much as how nice they
were and the legs?
Bobby Smith
COMANCHERO 17
MARCH 70 TO OCTOBER 70
|
This picture is Miss California blonde in front being followed by two brunette ladies Unknowns with two choppers in background. |
I believe this is Miss Colorado, can’t remember her name. |
Miss Alabama (Anne Fowler) center, with Miss California on the left. |
|
Miss Colorado |
Photographs provided by Bobby Smith |
Miss Alabama |
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