BOYLE, WILLIAM

Name: William Boyle

Rank/Branch: E7/US Army Special Forces

Unit: CCC/MACV-SOG, 5th Special Forces Group

Date of Birth: 26 No vember 1938 ( Brooklyn NY)

Home City of Record: Watrous PA

Date of Loss: 28 February 1970

Country of Loss: Laos

Loss Coordinates: 143753N 1072404E (YB586188)

Status (in 1973): Killed/Body Not Reco vered

Category: 2

Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: CH34

Ref #: 564

Other Personnel in Incident: (none missing)

Source: Compiled from one or more of the following: raw data from U.S.

Go vernment agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA families,

published sources, inter views. Updated by the P.O.W. NETWORK in 1998.

REMARKS:

SYNOPSIS: SFC William Boyle was assigned to MACV-SOG (Military Assistance

Command, Vietnam Studies and Obser vation Group). MACV-SOG was a joint

ser vice high command uncon ventional warfare task force engaged in highly

classified operations throughout Southeast Asia. The 5th Special Forces

channeled personnel into MACV-SOG (although it was not a Special Forces

group) through Special Operations Augmentation (SOA), which pro vided their

"co ver" while under secret orders to MACV-SOG. The teams performed deep

penetration missions of strategic reconnaissance and interdiction which were

called, depending on the time frame, "Shining Brass" or "Prairie Fire" missions.

On February 28, 1970, SFC Boyle was a passenger in an ARVN CH34 Sikorski helicopter (serial #554324), call sign "King Bee". The CH34 was a huge gas powered aircraft that sat high on two great wheels in front, making the pilots appear to be sitting 2 stories abo ve the ground, and tapering down in back. The aircraft was an outstanding transport vehicle. The ARVN used the CH34 before they acquired "Huey" helicopters from the U.S.

Boyle's aircraft was on a resupply/medi vac mission in the tri-border area in Attapeu Pro vince, Laos, when it was hit by enemy ground fire. SFC Boyle had just completed loading wounded personnel when an enemy rocket hit the helicopter, causing an explosion and subsequent fire. SFC Boyle was obser ved just prior to rocket impact standing inside the helicopter and was apparently trapped inside the aircraft and burned with it.The wrecked remains of the helicopter and surrounding area were checked thoroughly, but no bodies could be found after the fire. No other U.S. Army personnel were lost in the crash of the aircraft. William Boyle was listed as Killed in Action - Body Not Reco vered. Because no remains were found for SFC Boyle, he is listed with honor among the missing.