Pacific Stars and Stripes information
for 9 INF

For date 680707


9 INF was a US Army unit
Primary service involved, US Army
Incident reference: 68070399.KIA This information is available on CD-ROM.
Long An Province, III Corps, South Vietnam
Location, Vai Co River
Description: Westy In-law Dies in Viet SAIGON (AP) - Lt. Col. Frederick Van Deusen, brother-in-law of U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. William C. Westmoreland, was killed Wednesday when his helicopter was shot down in the Mekong Delta. Van Deusen, 37, was shot down just a few hours after Westmoreland was sworn in as chief of staff in Washington. Westmoreland had commanded U.S. forces in Vietnam the last four years. Van Deusen was the brother of Westmoreland's wife, Katherine. He leaves a widow and three children in Fayettville, N.C. He was one of 10 men aboard a UH1E //Editor note: should be UH-1D or H// command and control helicopter hit by Viet Cong gunfire during an infantry sweep in the northern part of the delta. It crashed into the Vai Co River 18 miles southwest of Saigon. Three survived the crash. Van Deusen and two others have been confirmed dead and four are missing and presumed dead. Van Deusen took command three weeks ago of the 2nd Bn., 47th Regt., 1st Brigade, 9th Div. His battalion had made contact earlier in the day with an estimated Viet Cong platoon in the swamps and paddies along the border of Go Cong and Long An provinces. The Americans reported killing 24 Viet Cong in the morning's fighting with no U.S. losses. Van Deusen's helicopter was passing over for a last look at the battle scene, a newsman reported.
Comments: LTC VAN DEUSEN FREDERICK FREN; CO 2/47 INF 9 INF; ;

The source for this information was 6807PSS.AVN supplied by Les Hines


Additional information is available on CD-ROM.

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Date posted on this site: 05/13/2023