"A MAN IS NOT DEAD UNTIL HE IS FORGOTTEN"
-- F --
MICHAEL T. FELLENZ
"PACKER-MIKE
July 30, 1950 -- July 25, 2014
Michael, known affectionately as “Packer-mike,” served in the 281st AHC from 4/69 until 6/70 as a Bandit Crew Chief.
He was an outstanding member of the Bandit Team and a proud Intruder.
Mike was originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin; thus his love for the Packers.
He died in his retirement city of Phoenix, Arizona and was placed to rest in the National Memorial Cemetery of AZ.
Packer mike shall not be forgotten by his Intruder brothers. His obituary follows:
“Fellenz, Michael "Packermike" 64, of Sun City, AZ passed away on July 25, 2014. Born July 14,1950 in Milwaukee, WI.
Michael was 17 when he joined the U.S. Army and at 18 he served in Vietnam.
He loved his Family, Country, The Green Bay Packers and Golf.
He is survived by his daughter Angela, granddaughter Kaylie, mother Alice, sister Karen, and brothers Dennis, Joe, Larry and Robert.”
RAY P. "Jack" FELTON
August 22, 1942 - August 16, 2021
Ray Felton was a member of the 145th Aviation Platoon and the 281st AHC from June 1965 to June, 1966. Ray was the senior member of the original door gunners sent to Vietnam on a temporary duty basis from the 25th Infantry Division, Hawaii. His last duty position was that of Crew Chief. Ray was an active member of the 281st AHC Association and shall be remembered by the 281st family. His condensed obituary follows:
"It is with deep sorrow that we announce the death of Ray Felton of Wilson, North Carolina, who passed away on August 16, 2021, at the age of 78, leaving to mourn, family and friends.
He was predeceased by his parents, William Felton, and Mearl Pearson Felton; and his wife Lou Ellen Felton. He is survived by his children, several grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and family friends."
A funeral service was held on Friday, August 20th 2021 at 11:30 AM at the Northside Church (1660 Beaver Pond Dr, Rocky Mount, NC 27804)"
CW4 JOEL DAVID FERGUSON
April 3, 1947 --- October 12, 2015
Joel served in the 281st AHC during 1967 / 68 as a Bandit and Wolf Pack pilot.
He was known to be an excellent aviator and was liked and respected by his fellow Intruders. The Intruder family shall not forget him:
His obituary follows:
CW4 Joel David Ferguson, age 68 of Clarksville, passed away Monday, October 12, 2015 at his residence.
Joel was born April 3, 1947 in Lincoln, Nebraska, the son of the late Manfred Ferguson and Leola McKee Ferguson.
He retired after 20 years of service including 2 tours in Vietnam from the U.S. Army as a Cobra Helicopter Pilot.
He is a member of the Attack Helicopter Pilot Association and a member of Clarksville Church of God.
He is survived by his sons, Andrew J. Ferguson and Aaron Ferguson; daughters,
Rana Ferguson Chalder and Amy Ferguson Fillion.
Comments from his Wolf Pack Platoon Leader and a fellow Intruder:
"I read in the current issue of Aviator that Joel Ferguson died in October 2015. Joel was a WO and Wolf Pack pilot, working for me in 68-69.
I recall Joel being great guy whom I could always depend upon to fly a good mission."
-- Bain Black, Wolf Pack 36
"We were close thru flight school, the NT tour and for several years after. We gradually lost touch as Joel continued active duty and started a family...and I was a wandering vagabond."
GARY A. FIELDS
DAT 31 October 2006
Gary was a Rat Pack CE/Gunner" 69-70 and the sole
survivor of the April 27, 1970 crash that claimed the lives of the other three
crew members.
He survived by jumping from the UH-1 and in so doing fell some 200
feet, landing in a rice paddy.
Gary died in Springdale, AR on 31 October
2006
DAVID M. FILLMORE
September 18, 1946 - August 10, 2002
David served in the 281st AHC and his last known Address was Larimore, North Dakota
findagrave # 31133560
JOE B. FOSTER
February 13, 1948 --- August 3, 2002
Interred at Sheep Springs Cemetery, Sheep Springs, San Juan County, New Mexico
Last Address in Waterflow, NM
SSAN issued in New Mexico
findagrave # 211944866
SP-5 HARRY C. FOUGHT, Jr.
December 28, 1947 -- February 13, 2014
Harry served in the 281st AHC as an aircraft maintenance technician from
3-68 until 3-69. He is remembered as being an outstanding member of the Intruder team and he shall not be forgotten. His Obituary follows:
“Harry C. "June" Fought, Jr., 66, of Elizabeth, W.Va., passed away at Camden Clark Medical Center, Memorial Campus, after a short illness, surrounded by his loving family.
He was born Dec. 28, 1947, the son of the late Harry C. and Wauneta (Shears) Fought.
He was a past vice president of Steel Workers Union 1651 of Parkersburg and retired from Ames Plant II after 35-plus years of service. He enjoyed being outdoors, hunting, fishing, four-wheel riding and gardening and was an avid football fan. He loved spending time with his children and grandchildren.
He is survived by his loving wife of 44 years, Jill (Stutler) Fought; two daughters, April (Derek) Wilson of Parkersburg and Crystal (Tim) McFee of Elizabeth; one son, Clinton Fought, of Elizabeth.”
Interment was in the Fought Cemetery, Newark, W.Va.
"HI, This is Crystal McFee Harry C Fought Jr (June) You talked to my mom (Jill Fought) and you was wanting a picture of my dad and since she dont have internet she asked me to send it to you. Thank you for all the items that you sent our family. They were very appreciated!"
COL ROBERT J. "PETE" FRAZIER
Colonel Robert J. "Pete" Frazier, 084709, reportedly died of unknown causes several years ago. As a captain he was Executive Officer when assigned to the 145th and 6th Airlift Platoons in the Republic of South Vietnam in 1965 and '66 under Kevin Murphy, the Commanding Officer. These platoons were later integrated into the 281st Assault Helicopter Company. Unit orders from this period showed that Pete had been appointed as an Aircraft Commander. Pete was born and raised near Raleigh, NC. While assigned to the Pentagon between Vietnam tours Pete purchased a home in the Mt. Vernon area. Pete had two daughters. On his second Vietnam tour Pete commanded a CH-47 Chinook unit, Company A, 159th Assault Helicopter Battalion, 101st Airborne Division. [Contributors to this Memoriam are Joe Thurston, John Hyatt and Bill Perren]
CW4 FREDRICK "FRED" G. FUNK
17 July 1934 - 16 May 2011
Retired Chief Warrant Officer 4 Frederick G. Funk, 76, of
Fayetteville, NC, passed away on May 16, 2011, in Veterans Affairs Medical
Center in Fayetteville from complications following a series of strokes. He was
born July 17, 1934, in Calcasleu Parrish, LA. Fred had a 30-year military
career, and worked for 19 years as a Department of the Army civilian, serving in
Special Operations aviation.
Fred spent a total of six years in Southeast Asia, first as an enlisted man, and
then as a helicopter pilot. A number of his enlisted service years were spent TDY
in six-month tours from the 1st Special Forces Group out of Okinawa. He was a
SFC E7 Special Forces Senior Medic when he entered flight school class 67-15 in
January 1967 and graduated in September 1967. His first assignment out of flight
school was to Ft. Hood, TX where he helped make up the 2nd of the 1st Cav
(Blackhawk) Division unit to be sent to Vietnam. He departed with this unit in
July 1968 and was assigned to the 4th Infantry Division in Pleiku. He was later
assigned to the 281st AHC in Nha Trang in mid October 1968 where he served and
flew as Rat Pack 12 from 08-68 until 09-69. He is and always will be fondly
remembered by his fellow Intruders.
Fred was an avid hunter, fisherman, and trapper, and dearly loved his retriever
dogs. He once revived one of his retrievers when it collapsed after bringing a
duck back to the blind by performing mouth to nose resuscitation. Buddies
stopping by Ft. Bragg to visit would be invited home for a dinner of things like
quail, duck, goose, squirrel, deer, fish, and frog legs, but no beef or pork
i.e. domestic meat. He saw no sense in buying meat in a grocery store when he
could provide wild game.
Fred was predeceased by his wife Betty, and is survived by his two sons who are
both Air Force pilots and of whom he was very proud, Col. Frederick Hugh Funk
and wife Penne of Dripping Springs, TX, and Col. Chris Funk and wife Lori of
Fayetteville, NC. Additionally, four grandchildren and one great-grandchild
survive him. He was laid to rest in Sandhills State Veterans Cemetery in Spring
Lake, NC with full military honors. Fred was truly one of a kind, and will live
on in the hearts of those that knew him for a many years to come.
From Dave Dosker
Rat Pack 13
281st AHC
Would you cause this to go out on the SF net. Fred
Funk was SF who went to Flight School and came back to the 281st at 5th Group HQ
in Nha Trang where I had the honor and pleasure of flying with him during 68-69.
He worked at the SF HQ at Bragg after retirement. I'm sure that there are many
in the SF community who will want to know of his passing.
From: "Black, Bain"
Date: Tue, May 17, 2011
Subject: Fred Funk Passing
Hello Gentlemen,
I received a call from Hugh Funk this morning asking that we disseminate to
281st Association members that his dad, Fred Funk, passed away last night at the
Veterans Hospital in Fayetteville , NC . Most of you know that Fred has been in
declining health for the past several years.
I will always remember Fred as a vibrant, witty man who would always put a smile
on your face. He had a funny story to tell every time you saw Fred. There is so
much good to remember about Fred.
From: Lee Brewer
Date: May 26, 2011
Fred was a SFC E7 Special Forces Medic when he (we) entered flight school
class 67-15 in Jan 1967 and graduated in September of 1967. His (our) first
assignment after flight school was to Ft Hood, Texas and helped make up the 2nd
of the 1st Cav (Blackhawk Division) unit to be sent to Vietnam. He (we) departed
with this unit in July 1968 and was assigned to the 4th Infantry Division in
Pleiku Vietnam. He flew UH-1 helicopters in the lift section of the unit until
being assigned to the 281st AHC on the 15 of October 1968. He then flew slicks
for many missions for Project Delta until his departure back to Fort Bragg, NC.,
the first of July 1969. (There is another story behind our being assigned to the
281st but maybe I can expand on that at the reunion in St Louis)
I'm not sure of his military assignment at Fort Bragg however at one point he
requested Branch to send him back to Vietnam for another tour and was told that
after spending 6 years in SE Asia he would not be sent back and to enjoy his
family in the US. He retired as a CWO W4 and went on to work for the civilian
side of Special Operations, in what capacity I really don't know. I used to call
him regularly and while he couldn't tell me specifically what was going on in
the Middle East due to security reasons, I was able to read between the lines
and get a pretty good idea.
Fred was a senior Medic with Special Forces and I am told, a very good one. I
can attest to that as he sewed up my face near the left ear after I had opened
it up on the edge of a typewriter case when jumping out of a 3/4 ton trailer.
Fred was an excellent helicopter pilot: On one very dark night he and John
Ward were returning to An Khe and entered a heavy thunderstorm over the Mang
Yang Pass. Fred and I were room mates for the full year in Vietnam so I got to
have a personal talk with him at any given time. As he told me they entered the
thunderstorm at 3,000 feet and it finally spit them out at about 8,000 feet
after a very violent ride. He made one radio call to an aviation tower that he
thought they were inverted and going in. He obviously didn't but the Jack
Daniels took a serious hit that night after he arrived at our room. He picked me
up from Special Forces Camp in Qiun Nhon on the 9th of April after I had been
released from the hospital (Gunshot wound to the right thigh). SMAJ McGuire (of
the McGuire Rig fame), Fred and I and one other pilot closed the bar at about 4
in the morning and Fred and I headed back to Nha Trang sometime after sunrise. A
helicopter really gets quiet at 2500 feet when the engine quits. Fred did a
fantastic job putting the helicopter down on a rice paddy dike and we simply
waited for help to arrive some 2-3 hours later.
Fred often talked of his sons and how proud of them he was but not anything
specific, just really proud. I remember once his wife (Betty) sent him a box of
long peperroni sticks which we made a meal of along with some good ol' Tabasco
Sauce (always carried in our helmet bags) and a can of jalapeno peppers, a
couple of cans of sardines and chased down by a couple of cold ones. Sure made
for a short nights sleep.
A number of his enlisted service years in SE Asia was done (TDY in 6 month
tours) from the 1st Special Forces Group out of Okinawa.
I have rambled along with a lot of this but maybe you can make a bit of sense
out of it. To make it more pronounced - Fred Funk was a great soldier both as a
NCO medic and as a helicopter pilot but most of all he was a good man and I will
miss him. I make a point of saying a man is not dead until he is forgotten and
he will live on for many more years in my heart. I'll miss him. Lee Brewer
One more little tidbit - Fred and I used to be unbeatable at pinochle. We
earned a lot of money at a penny a point. As to how we always won, well Fred
took that information with him and I am so old that I no longer remember.
Don't know if you can use that but thought it was information as Fred and I
spent a lot of time in the club challenging others to the game. They never did
figure us out.
I keep thinking of things about Fred. He was an avid hunter, fisherman,
trapper and dearly loved his retriever dogs. He once revived one of his
retrievers after it collapsed from bringing a duck back to the blind by
performing mouth to nose resuscitation. I once visited Fred in Fayetteville and
he invited me to eat with him, Betty was working. He offered me quail, duck,
goose, squirrel, deer, fish and frog legs (which he caught by hand at night in
places that I wouldn't put my hands) but no beef or pork i.e., domestic meat. He
just didn't feel it was right to buy meat in a grocery store when it was so much
fun providing wild game for his family.
Lee Brewer
findagrave 121882498
ROBERT L. FUNKHOUSER
April 10, 1944 --- March 28, 2009
Died at age 64 in Muncie, Delaware County, Indiana
Possible Newspaper obit at findagrave 120549940
CHARLES J. FURCINITE
19 Aug 1949 - 12 Jul 2001
Last residence:in Rensselaer, New York
SSAN issued in Massachusetts
findagrave 47014500