The Death
of PFC Duane Elwood Carter
Dong Nai River ~ 3 November 1967
0130 hours SP/4 Hayes reported that a boat containing 11 personnel from A Company sank at the Dong Nai Bridge, Grid Coordinates [map location] YT017046.
At this time PFC Duane A. Carter could not be accounted for. Battalion Commanding Officer, Executive Officer notified. A Company is in the process of searching for PFC Carter. SP/5 Huck, CQ of the 89th MP Group notified.
PfC Duane Elwood Carter, age 20, of Apalachin NY, was a member of a four man A Company boat crew transporting an ambush team on the Dong Nai River during a night operation.
The boat loaded with men and gear slowed after coming off plane and water rushed over the bow quickly swamping it without warning. The four man boat crew and the seven member ambush team, loaded with full gear went into the river.
PFC Carter disappeared from view beneath the water. SP/4 Robert”Twiggie” Henslee, a crew member, and John Stuckey, Jr. an ambush team member managed to keep themselves and PFC Tiny Stewart, a non swimming crew member, above water until rescued.
The other boat crew member (name unknown), and all of the other Ambush Team members SSG Nededog, SP/4 Steven Senkovich, SP/4 George Gillespie, SP/4 Louis Boyatt, PFC Balenger R. "Skip" Brown, and the teams Popular Forces interpreter, were also able to stay afloat until a second boat arrived to assist them from the water.
An immediate search of the river for PFC Carter proved fruitless, his body wasn’t recovered until discovered by ARVN Marines three days later.
4 November 1967, Saturday 1540 hours At 3:40 PM, this office was notified by Reborn Snow-60 [radio call sign] that the A Company boat that sank in the Dong Nai River 0130 hours 3 November 67 had been located and they were in recovery operation. The Battalion CO, CPT Michael E. Lenhart, A Company CO, and SDNCO, 89th MP Group were notified. |
 |
6 November 1967, Monday
1400 hours, At 2:00 PM, Memorial services were held for PFC Duane Elwood Carter, age 20, of Apalachin NY, who drowned during a night ambush team transport operation on the Dong Nai River, 3 Nov 67.
Note: If you participated in this operation or the recovery operation please notify the History Project Manager via the Email Link on the Time Line page.
"There is something from all of us still in that river." SP/4 Balenger R. "Skip" Brown, A Company, 720th MP Battalion, 89th MP Group, 18th MP Brigade, October1967-September 1968.