Cowboy's POW/MIA Page.....

My first adopted MIA/POW is: SP/6 MAGEE, PATRICK JOSEPH

Name: Patrick Joseph Magee
Rank/Branch: E6/US Army
Unit: HHC, 223rd Aviation Battalion, 17th Aviation Group, 1st Aviation Brigade
Date of Birth: 22 September 1946 (Butte MT)
Home City of Record: Alder MT
Date of Loss: 03 January 1971
Country of Loss: South Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 134700N 1090630E (BR960250)
Status (in 1973): Missing In Action
Category: 4
Acft/Vehicle/Ground: U6 "Beaver"
Other Personnel In Incident: Thomas R. Okerlund; Dennis W. Omelia; Luis G.
Holguin; Carl Palen; Ferris Rhodes; Michael Parsons (all missing)

REMARKS:

SYNOPSIS: On January 3, 1971, Capt. Ferris A. Rhodes, Jr. was the pilot of a U6
"Beaver" (serial #52-25884), carrying six passengers: 1Lt. Michaeld D. Parsons,
WO1 Thomas R. Okerland, WO1 Dennis W. Omelia; WO1 Luis G. Holguin; SP6 Patrick
J. Magee; and SP5 Carl A. Palen. This was an administrative support flight from
Qui Nhon to Ban Me Thuot, South Vietnam, to collect replacement helicopters for
the company. Some of the men aboard were helicopter pilots, and would fly the
choppers back to the base at Qui Nhon.

The U6 "Beaver" is an older, fixed wing aircraft of reasonable size (bigger
than a "Bird Dog", for instance), rather short and squatty with a somewhat wide
body. The aircraft departed Qui Nhon at about 0900 hours on January 3 without
filing a proper flight plan, nor was the weather briefing obtained prior to
takeoff. About 14 miles southeast of Phu Cat, at 1120 hours, radio and radar
contact was lost with the plane.

Because Capt. Rhodes had announced plans to remain overnight at Ban Me Thuot,
no immediate searches were made. By January 9, when Rhodes and his passengers
still had not returned, search efforts were begun at 0900 hours, and continued
throughout the day with no sign of the aircraft or its personnel.

The area of takeoff was tricky and the weather conditions were not good. Other
pilots said that if planes taking off did not reach a safe altitude fast
enough, they would crash into a mountain. Cruising speed for the "Beaver"
was a mere 106 mph making it a prime target for flak. Conditions in the area
indicated that the aircraft was shot down, and several years passed before the
crew was finally declared dead.

Evidence mounts that Americans are still alive in Southeast Asia. It is not
known for sure if any of the crew of the U6 survived and are among them, but
there is no evidence that they are dead. If they survived, they could still be
alive. If not, then someone else's brother, son, husband, father is alive. We
owe them our very best effort to bring them home.

My second adopted POW/MIA is: PVT. CADWELL, ANTHONY BLAKE

Name: Anthony Blake Cadwell
Rank/Branch: E2/US Army
Unit: 188th Maintenance Battalion
Date of Birth: 09 August 1945
Home City of Record: Missoula MT
Date of Loss: 17 October 1967
Country of Loss: South Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 152722N 1084011E (BT540075)
Status (in 1973): Killed/Body Not Recovered
Category: 2
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: Ground

Other Personnel In Incident: (none missing)

Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 30 June 1990 from one or more of the
following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with
POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews.

REMARKS:

SYNOPSIS: On October 17, 1967, Private Anthony B. Cadwell and a friend departed
their unit area to go swimming at the USO Beach at Chu Lai, South Vietnam. At
1400 hours, they entered the water. After 10 minutes, the friend noticed that
Cadwell was being carried away by the current and undertow, so he returned to
shore, although with some difficulty.

When Cadwell's friend reached shore, he looked back and saw Cadwell floating on
his back about 100 yards offshore. Two swimmers with air mattresses attempted to
reach him as he called for help. Another swimmer was observed attempting to
reach him, and the friend went for more help. However, before help could reach
him, Private Cadwell sank and was not seen again. Search efforts were conducted
by helicopter and divers without success.

Cadwell is one of nearly 60,000 casualties of the Vietnam War. Some deaths, like
his, were unrelated to battle. Cadwell is listed with honor among the nearly
2500 Americans who remained unaccounted for in Southeast Asia at the end of the
war, because his remains were never found.

Unlike Cadwell, the bulk of the missing could be readily accounted for. The
communist governments of Southeast Asia remain resolute in their refusal to do
so in a timely manner. Tragically, thousands of reports of Americans still held
captive have been received. Many experts believe hundreds are still alive. It's
time we brought our men home.