Name: CW2 Michael Banard Varnado
Status: Remains were returned on 07/27/89 from an incident on 05/02/1970 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Declared dead on 09/21/1970.
Age at death: 21.6
Date of Birth: 09/10/1948
Home City: Ferriday, LA
Service: AV branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: B/229 AHB 1 CAV
Major organization: 1st Cavalry Division
Flight class: 69-23/69-21
Service: AV branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 11W-089
Short Summary: Shot down in Cambodia. Died in captivity 9/21/70. Remains returned 8/3/89. See Refno 1610. POW Daniel Maslowski returned 2/12/73.
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 68-16512
Country: Cambodia
MOS: 100B = Utility/Observation Helicopter Pilot
Primary cause: Hostile Fire
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: small arms fire
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: aircraft commander
Vehicle ownership: government
Started Tour: 09/16/1969
"Official" listing: ground casualty
The initial status of this person was: missing in action - captured/interned
Length of service: 01
Military grid coordinates of event: XU357010
Additional information about this casualty:
I was a pilot with B/co 229th Avn. I served with Michael Varnado in Viet Nam. In fact we were room mates in DauTang. I have just read the synopsis of the events that occurred on May 2, 1970. I would like to add that on that day Mike and I were assigned to a 2 aircraft resupply mission and that that afternoon we were informed that only one aircraft would be needed for one more flight. Mike took that flight. Mike has always been in memory and I have often thought about his wife and daughter that he loved dearly.
From Terrance J. Roberts, marshalc10@aol.com
Reason: gunshot or small arms fire
Casualty type: Hostile - died while captured or interned
married male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Religion: Methodist (Evangelical United Brethren)
Burial information: NATCHEZ CITY CEMETERY, NATCHEZ, MS
The following information secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: warrant officer
This record was last updated on 08/28/2000
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Date posted on this site: 11/13/2023
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