22 May 2005 For a man that I have never met, your memory lives on the bracelet that I wear. For a man that I have never met, your memory lives in my prayers to find you. For a man that I have never met, your memory lives in my consciousness to find peace in the world. For man that I have never met, your memory lives on, so that my daughter and others can live. For a man that I have never met, your memory lives on as you can return home in honor. Charmaine I. Kaimikaua ckaimikaua@cypresscollege.edu

 

A Note from The Virtual Wall At about 0900 03 Jan 1971 a U-6A BEAVER (serial #52-25884) departed Qui Nhon on an administrative support flight to Ban Me Thuot, South Vietnam, carrying crewmen from the 61st AHC to collect replacement helicopters for the company. The helicopter crewmen would then fly the helicopters back to Qui Nhon. At 1120 hours, with the U-6 about 14 miles southeast of Phu Cat, radio and radar contact with the plane was lost. Because the pilot, Captain F. A. Rhodes, had announced plans to remain overnight at Ban Me Thuot, no immediate search was made. When search efforts were begun on 5 January, no trace of the aircraft or its seven occupants could be found. Formal search efforts ended on 9 January 1971. The seven men aboard the U-6 were placed in MIA status. As time progressed, the Secretary of the Army approved Presumptive Findings of Death for them and on the dates in parentheses below their status was changed to "Died while Missing". Their remains have not been repatriated. MAJ Ferris A. Rhodes, Greenwood, SC, pilot, HHC, 223rd Avn Bn (08/14/1978) 61st AHC crewmen (passengers) CPT Michael D. Parsons, Reno, NV (04/03/1975) CWO Luis G. Holguin, Oxnard, CA (10/30/1978) CWO Thomas R. Okerlund, Seattle, WA (11/06/1978) CWO Dennis W. O'Melia, Smithfield, NC (08/22/1978) SP6 Patrick J. Magee, Alder, MT (04/07/1976) SP6 Carl A. Palen, Dubuque, IA (08/22/1978)

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