Some Gave All -- Lucasville Remembers Vietnam

Many years ago, some of my English classes in conjunction with Mr. Clarence Bender's history classes held a special ceremony at Valley High School honoring Scioto County casualties of the Vietnam War. To our knowledge, twenty-four residents died in the war. We acknowledged the name and service of each combatant, and we lit a candle in remembrance of each.

To my knowledge, no graduate of Valley High School died in Vietnam. However, three men with Lucasville addresses are listed as casualties. Lucasville residence includes an area much more sizable than the Valley School District. Please use the comment section in this entry to add information to this report.

As part of the Lucasville Bicentennial of 2019, we wish to recognize these three men. The Lucasville Area Historical Society honors these brave soldiers and their ultimate sacrifice for America. Gone, but not forgotten – Frank Allen Newman, Michael David Noel, and Gary Lee Sargent.

Frank Allen Newman

Frank Newman was born December 7, 1947. He enlisted in the army via regular military. He had the rank of Specialist Six. His occupation or specialty was Helicopter Technical Inspector, and he served with 1st Aviation Brigade, 11th Aviation Group, 62nd Aviation Company.

Newman experienced a serious casualty which ultimately resulted in loss of life on May 24, 1972. This occurred in or around South Vietnam, Thua Thien province. Circumstances of the casualty were attributed to: "Died through hostile action .. air crash on land."

Newman is buried at Lucasville Cemetery, Scioto County, Ohio. He is honored on the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial, VVM Wall, Panel 01w, Line 31. 

Listed are some of the awards and medals that Specialist Six Newman either received or may have been qualified for. This is probably not a complete accounting. There may be other awards received we do not have records of:

★ National Defense Service Medal ★ Purple Heart ★Vietnam Campaign Medal ★ Vietnam Service Medal

Frank Allen Newman

Specialist Six
62ND AVN CO (CORPS), 11TH AVN GROUP, 1ST AVIATION BDE, USARV
Army of the United States
Lucasville, Ohio
December 07, 1947 to May 24, 1972
FRANK A NEWMAN is on the Wall at Panel W1, Line 31

Frank Allen Newman

ON THE WALL:	Panel W1 Line 31
This page Copyright© 1997-2018 www.VirtualWall.org Ltd.
PERSONAL DATA:
Home of Record:	Lucasville, OH
Date of birth:	12/07/1947
MILITARY DATA:
Service Branch:	Army of the United States
Grade at loss:	E6
Rank:	Specialist Six
Promotion Note:	None
ID No:	275462742
MOS:	67W20: Aircraft Quality Control Supervisor
Length Service:	**
Unit:	62ND AVN CO (CORPS), 11TH AVN GROUP, 1ST AVIATION BDE, USARV
CASUALTY DATA:
Start Tour:	03/28/1972
Incident Date:	05/24/1972
Casualty Date:	05/24/1972
Status Date:	Not Applicable
Status Change:	Not Applicable
Age at Loss:	24
Location:	Thua Thien Province, South Vietnam
Remains:	Body recovered
Repatriated:	Not Applicable
Identified:	Not Applicable
Casualty Type:	Hostile, died outright
Casualty Reason:	Helicopter - Crew
Casualty Detail:	Air loss or crash over land
URL: www.VirtualWall.org/dn/NewmanFA01a.htm
Data accessed:	7/13/2018

A Special Entry from “The Wall of Faces” http://www.vvmf.org/wall-of-faces/

Final Mission of U.S. Army helicopter CH-47C tail number 68-15854

POSTED ON 10/15/12 - BY WKILLIAN@SMJUHSD.ORG

Crew included WO1 James A. Barefield (KIA), CAPT Harry L. Thain (KIA), SP6 Frank A. Newman (KIA), PFC David L. Brooks Jr. (KIA), and SP5 Charles W. Gaches (KIA).

In May 1972, I was an artillery advisor to South Viet Nam units in I Corps. Originally, I was the senior advisor to an ARVN 175mm gun battalion. The unit was not yet combat ready when the Easter Offensive started with North Viet Nam’s attack across the DMZ. The unit was ordered north to support the ARVN Third Division.

A day later I was ordered to replace the Third Division’s artillery advisor. I went to Quang Tri City. Just before it fell, I was rescued by a young WO1 flying an OH-6. He took me to Hue where I worked trying to get the ARVN’s I Corps Artillery’ Fire Support Center up and running. Sometime later, as an economy of force measure, a decision was made to emplace a personnel radar to cover the approaches to Hue. The plan was to lift a squad of ARVN engineers with construction materiel to a mountain top where they would build a bunker for the US manned radar. After the bunker was completed but before the roof was completed, the radar would be lifted in place.

The support of a Chinook was obtained. I now know it was from the 62nd ASHC. I marshaled the ARVN engineers and materiel on a grassy field along the Perfume River in Hue. I had a US Army sergeant advisor named Brooks and a Vietnamese sergeant from the engineer unit with me. SFC Brooks had radio contact with the Chinook while the Vietnamese sergeant had contact with the engineer squad.

All was going according to plan as the Chinook made trip after trip delivering the engineers and the materiel. I decided to get the next trip out to the site but saw an old monument at the far end of the field. As a history buff, I wanted to look at it. So, I told SFC Brooks that I would take the following lift. I walked down to the monument and using my high school French was able to decipher that the monument had been erected in the 1880’s by a Foreign Legion penal battalion. As I was reading the monument’s words, I saw SFC Brooks waving me back. I ran down the field and he told me that the Vietnamese sergeant had received a radio call from the mountain site telling that they were receiving sporadic mortar fire. Most disturbing was that the engineers reported the fire was over, short, left and right of their position.

Being artillerymen, SFC Brooks and I instantly realized the enemy’s plan. They were getting the range and would fire when the helicopter was on site. I called the helicopter and told them not to go in. I explained I was an artillery officer and knew what would happen. The pilot told me that they would go in. I again told him not to go. He said something about going in and then going back to his base to refuel. It was the last I heard from him. Moments later, the ARVN engineers reported that the helicopter had been hit, crashed, and the crew was dead. (Submitted by Brian M. O’Neill, LTC (R) FA) [Taken from vhpa.org]

Michael David Noel

Michael Noel was born on February 18, 1949. He was a 1976 graduate of Piketon High School. Noel enlisted in the Army via Regular Military. He had the rank of Specialist Four. His occupation or specialty was Materiel Storage (military materials) And Handling Specialist, and he served with Usasupcom, A Company.

Noel experienced a serious casualty which ultimately resulted in loss of life on September 11, 1970. This occurred in or around South Vietnam, Ninh Thuan province. Circumstances of the casualty were attributed to: "Died through hostile action."

Noel is buried at Rush Township Burial Park, Rushtown, Scioto County, Ohio. He is honored on the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial, VVM Wall, Panel 07w, Line 56.

Listed are some of the awards and medals that Specialist Four Noel either received or may have been qualified for. This is probably not a complete accounting. There may be other awards received we do not have records of:

★ National Defense Service Medal ★ Purple Heart ★Vietnam Campaign Medal ★ Vietnam Service Medal

Michael David Noel

Specialist Four
A CO, TROOP COMMAND, ARMY SPT CMD CAM RANH BAY, 1ST LOG CMD, USARV
Army of the United States
Lucasville, Ohio
February 18, 1949 to September 11, 1970
MICHAEL D NOEL is on the Wall at Panel W7, Line 56

Michael David Noel

ON THE WALL:	Panel W7 Line 56
This page Copyright© 1997-2018 www.VirtualWall.org Ltd.
PERSONAL DATA:
Home of Record:	Lucasville, OH
Date of birth:	02/18/1949
MILITARY DATA:
Service Branch:	Army of the United States
Grade at loss:	E4
Rank:	Specialist Four
Promotion Note:	None
ID No:	290484111
MOS:	76V20: Materiel Storage And Handling Specialist
Length Service:	**
Unit:	A CO, TROOP COMMAND, ARMY SPT CMD CAM RANH BAY, 1ST LOG CMD, USARV
CASUALTY DATA:
Start Tour:	03/11/1970
Incident Date:	09/11/1970
Casualty Date:	09/11/1970
Status Date:	Not Applicable
Status Change:	Not Applicable
Age at Loss:	21
Location:	Ninh Thuan Province, South Vietnam
Remains:	Body recovered
Repatriated:	Not Applicable
Identified:	Not Applicable
Casualty Type:	Hostile, died outright
Casualty Reason:	Ground casualty
Casualty Detail:	Misadventure (Friendly Fire)
URL: www.VirtualWall.org/dn/NoelMD01a.htm
Data accessed:	7/13/2018

A Special Entry from “The Wall of Faces” http://www.vvmf.org/wall-of-faces/

Michael took my place that night on September 11, 1970

POSTED ON 5/26/15 - BY MICHAEL P. COLLINS MIKECOLLINS54467@ATT.NET

Michael and I worked at the U.S. Army Depot in Cam Ranh Bay. Michael worked the first shift from 0600hrs to 1800 hrs. I worked from 1800hrs to 0600hrs. When I reported for work on the night of Sept. 11th, I was told to go back to my barracks and report back for duty at 0600 hrs. On Sept. 12th. Michael took my place the night of the 11th. The Army depot was hit by rockets that night. And as a result Michael was KIA. I still carry guilt. Not a day goes by that I don't think about him.

RIP, brother. You will never be forgotten,
Michael P. Collins

Gary Lee Sargent

Gary Sargent was born on June 29, 1942. He enlisted in the Army via Regular Military. He had the rank of Sergeant. His occupation or specialty was Field Artillery Crewman, and he served with 101st Airborne Division, 2nd Battalion, 320th Artillery, Battery B.
Sargent experienced a serious casualty which ultimately resulted in loss of life on August 13, 1966. This occurred in or around South Vietnam, Quang Nam province. Circumstances of the casualty were attributed to: "Died through hostile action.” He had been in Vietnam about 18 days when he was killed.
Sargent is buried at Rushtown Cemetery. He is honored on the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial, VVM Wall, Panel 10e, Line 2.

Listed are some of the awards and medals that Sergeant Sargent either received or may have been qualified for. This is probably not a complete accounting. There may be other awards received we do not have records of:

★ National Defense Service Medal ★ Purple Heart ★Vietnam Campaign Medal ★ Vietnam Service Medal

Gary Lee Sargent

Sergeant
B BTRY, 2ND BN, 320TH ARTILLERY, 101ST ABN DIV, USARV
Army of the United States
Lucasville, Ohio
June 29, 1942 to August 13, 1966
GARY L SARGENT is on the Wall at Panel 10E, Line 2

Gary Lee Sargent

ON THE WALL:	Panel 10E Line 2
This page Copyright© 1997-2018 www.VirtualWall.org Ltd.
PERSONAL DATA:
Home of Record:	Lucasville, OH
Date of birth:	06/29/1942
MILITARY DATA:
Service Branch:	Army of the United States
Grade at loss:	E5
Rank:	Sergeant
Promotion Note:	None
ID No:	52505275
MOS:	13B4P: Cannon Crewmember (Airborne Qual)
Length Service:	06
Unit:	B BTRY, 2ND BN, 320TH ARTILLERY, 101ST ABN DIV, USARV
CASUALTY DATA:
Start Tour:	07/27/1966
Incident Date:	08/13/1966
Casualty Date:	08/13/1966
Status Date:	Not Applicable
Status Change:	Not Applicable
Age at Loss:	24
Location:	Phu Yen Province, South Vietnam
Remains:	Body recovered
Repatriated:	Not Applicable
Identified:	Not Applicable
Casualty Type:	Hostile, died outright
Casualty Reason:	Ground casualty
Casualty Detail:	Misadventure (Friendly Fire)
URL: www.VirtualWall.org/ds/SargentGL01a.htm
Data accessed:	7/13/2018