Transcript Slide 1

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Music Battle Hymn Of The Republic
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PowerPoint By
Donnie, USMC
Vietnam, Vet.
Name: Stephen Jonathan Geist Rank/Branch: E4/US Army Unit:
Detachment A-334, 5th Special Forces Date of Birth: 12 April 1946
(Philadelphia PA) Home City of Record: Silver Springs MD. Loss
Date: 26 September 1967 Country of Loss: South Vietnam Loss
Coordinates: 113115N 1062952E (XT633739) Status (in 1973):
Missing In Action Category: 4Acft/Vehicle/Ground: O1DRefno:
0841Other Personnel In Incident: Lynn R. Huddleston (missing)
Source: Compiled from one or more of the following: raw data
from U.S. Government agency sources, information from sisterin-law, Susan Ragan, May 22, 2000 and Nov 15, 2002.
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After six months of heavy combat, Geist was pulled back to a supporting
filed unit of the Special Forces. There, SSG Geist was assigned as a
Heavy Weapons Specialist, Detachment A-332, 5th Special Forces Group
(Airborne), III Corps, War Zone C, Republic of Vietnam. As a member of
this 12 man team, SSG Geist was responsible for the training of
indigenous SVN troops in the operation of heavy weapons, Machine guns,
mortars, recoilless rifle, infantry tactics and training, and camp defenses.
He also accompanied troops on combat patrols.
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On 25 September 1967, SSG Geist was the observer aboard an O1D
aircraft of the 74th Aviation Company piloted by Lt. Lynn R. Huddleston
on a visual reconnaissance mission north of Minh Thanh, Binh Long
Province, 4 miles from the Cambodian border.
A radio call was received by Detachment A-332 at 0930 hours from
Lt.Huddleston. No coordinates were given. Again at 1030 hours, a call
from Lt. Huddleston was monitored by Hon Quan Radar, and Huddleston
gave his position as the vicinity of grid coordinates XT633739, or a few
miles from the border of Cambodia just north of Minh Thanh. This was the
last radio communication with the personnel aboard the O1D. The plane
never reached its destination. Search and rescue was initiated at 1310
hours, but was terminated 3 days later without any sightings of either the
aircraft or its crew. No trace has ever been found.
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The strategic location of the Special Forces Detachment A-332 camp at My Thach
was a thorn in the side of the VC and NVA. The Minh Thanh A Team camp was
located off Route 14 in Binh Long Province about 22 miles south of the
Cambodian border and 35 miles east of Tay Ninh (near by is Nui Ba Dinh
mountain).
This area was heavily occupied by both local VC battalions and NVA troops, who,
at the time were entrenched in the heavily fortified strongholds north of the Iron
Triangle and close to the Fishhook area of Cambodia and South Vietnam.
This area was the site of Operation Junction City 1, Febraury to May 1967.
Additionally, at this same period of time, many enemy troops were pushing down
the Ho Chi Minh Trail, infiltrating and preparing for the Tet Offensive of 1968.
It is highly likely that SSG Geist and Lt. Huddleston overflew a concentration of
enemy positions that the enemy did not want identified.
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STEVE’S GENERAL
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LOCATION
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In 1988 recovery done just over the border but was not Stephen or Lynn. There is
also another addition stating (can't remember the date) from a villager an 0D-1
went down in that area on the same day. When the villagers arrived at the crash
sight one was dead and the one with the gun was executed. No grave site was
located. This shows that Stephen's search may now be expanded into Cambodia.
Stephen's memorial marker is placed in Andersonville, GA the old Civil War POW
Camp and the National X-POW Museum.
BINH LONG
5TH SF
Province
A-334
Vietnam
&
1967
A-332
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In 1999 Stephen received a second PH, this one
for giving his life for his country. The Medal
presentation was performed with General (4
star) Thomas Schwartz, Commander of Army's
Forces Command Fort McPherson. General
Schwartz wears Stephen's bracelet. A grateful
nation, at last, has given Stephen the honor he
well deserves. The first PH with V was awarded
Stephen for wounds he received during the
battle of Tong Le Chon a remote Fire Base that
was astride the Saigon River close to Cambodia
on the border of Bin Long and Tay Ninh
Provinces. A major NVA infiltrated the route.
The camp was commanded by the Loc Lam Da
Biet (LLDB) Vietnamese Special Forces Team,
SF counter parts. The desertion rate amongst
the CIDG was high owing to corruption within
the LLDB. On Aug 7, 1967 the camp was
attacked by the 165 NVA Regiment.
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Stephen's battle position was on the SE corner
of an inner defense laterite berm. He manned a
machine gun. The attack started with a rocket
and motor attack destroying the POL dump.
When Puff and Spooky arrived on station, the
area was illuminated and gattling guns from a
CH47 ringed the Camp with metal rain holding
the NVA at bay until dawn.
At dawn the NA Thrang Mike force arrived
along with a Brigade from the 1st ID driving off
the NVA.During the day Stephen helped the
Medical NCO conduct sick calls for the soldiers
and their families. He also carried out Civil
Affairs projects touching the lives of many
civilians which included helping distribute the
weekly class A rations received via C-123 or C7A aircraft from the Chinese food contractor
and paying soldiers
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Its been 43 yrs since 1967, and Steve, Sister is still
doing her best to get her brothers remains returned
home.
As a fellow Vietnam Vet. I ask you to do a few
simple things.
1st pass this on to all the VNV that you know.You
just might pass it on to someone who knew Steve
in Vietnam who may have some pictures of him.
2nd if you do or did know Steve, It would be nice
of you to send her any information you might
have.
3rd Lets all say a prayer for Susie that Steve is
found this year and sent home.
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Here is Susie Point of Contact Information
DYING FOR FREEDOM ISN'T THE WORST THAT COULD
HAPPEN....BEING FORGOTTEN IS !
Susie Stephens-Harvey
[email protected]
President, Georgia Committee for POW/MIA Inc.
State and Region 1 Coordinator
National League of Families for POW/MIA's In Southeast
Asia
5673 Columbia Pike, Suite 100
Falls Church, VA 22041
703-465-7432
www.pow-miafamilies.org
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Let us all stand together and try and help Susie
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You can also help by login onto www.pow-miafamilies.org
DEAR GOD PLEASE BRING
Stephen Jonathan Geist
HOME THIS YEAR
AMEN
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