DANIEL ARTHUR SULANDER
Chief Warrant Officer 3, Aviator
281st Assault Helicopter Company
From: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Date of Birth: September 18, 1943
Tour of duty began on June 21, 1966
Killed in Action on December 2, 1966.
Helicopter 65-10088 was shot down.
Status changed on January 16, 1967,
from MIA to Presumed Dead.
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WO Daniel Sulander was assigned as the
Aircraft Commander on UH-1D 65-10088. He and his crew left Khe Sanh
South Vietnam, along with six other UH-1s from the 281st AHC at
approximately 10:00 a.m. on December 2nd, 1966. Their mission was to
recover a long-range recon team located inside the borders of in
Laos. The team, consisting of two Special Forces personnel (MSG
Russell Bott and SMAJ Willie Stark) and a number of South Vietnamese
Army personnel were in contact and under heavy fire from larger
enemy force from the NVA 325B Division, Stark had been wounded in
the chest and leg, and several ARVN troops had been killed or
wounded. The team reported that they were running low on ammunition
and that their situation was precarious. SGT Irby Dyer, a medic with
Det B-52, 5th Special Forces Group was on board the aircraft with WO
Sulander.
As the UH-1D neared the team's position and
begin to make its approach it came under heavy intense automatic
weapons fire. The crew of a 281st AHC helicopter flying protective
cover reported that the WO Sulander's aircraft descended in a nose
down attitude and crashed. The aircraft immediately engulfed in
flames and continued to burn for the approximately fifteen minutes.
Searches conducted between the 10th and 13th December
located the UH-1D wreckage and identified the remains of the five
men aboard, but the search team was not able to recover the bodies.
No trace of Bott and Stark was found. Another team was inserted to
recover the remains of the helicopter crew, but found that US air
strikes in the area had hit the UH-1 wreckage. While three bodies
could be positively identified and recovered, WO Sulander and SGT
Dyer's remains could not be identified. Although there was
some evidence that Bott was captured, there is no certainty of what
happened to either of the two Special Forces men.
On August 2nd, 1973 his status was changed from missing in action to presumed to have been killed in action on December 2nd, 1966. WO Sulander was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, The Bronze Star, the Air Medal For Heroism and the Government of South Vietnam awarded him the Gallantry Cross With Silver Star, The Military Merit Medal and the Gallantry Cross With Palm. Danny was 23 years old when he gave his life in the performance of his duty. His service with the 281st AHC and his outstanding performance of duty under fire clearly marks him as an "Intruder" that that shall not be forgotten. His Grandmother, the late Mrs. Ella Bockler, his brothers Gary L. and George Sulander and his life long friend, Donald Michel, survived him.
Daniel Sulander,
1961
High School Graduation
Before attending flight school Danny rose to the rank of Specialist 5th Class in the Engineers. He graduated from RW Class 66-9W and was commissioned as a Warrant Officer on May 13th, 1966. Danny was assigned to the 281st Assault Helicopter Company and arrived in Nha Trang Vietnam on June 21st, 1966.
Fred Philips, a fellow Intruder and friend remembers him:
"I'd been in country for several months when
Dan Sulander arrived. At first, we weren't much impressed with his
flying. He was just another clueless guy, like all of us had been
when we first got there. But Dan was different. Before long, we
saw that he could keep his cool under fire. When the bad guys
started shooting he was the greatest there ever was and that's a
fact. It was his downfall. In the 281st, the best pilots got the
worst missions.
"But you asked what Dan did that made us
laugh, or chuckle, or puke, or whatever. Before he went to flight
school he was in the Army Engineers where, he claimed, he learned
how to make stuff. On a really bad operation near a Montanyard
village called Boun Blech, Dan took it upon himself to build a
field shower, which would presumably improve our hygiene. For two
or three days, he gathered tools and materials and worked like a
beaver. He finished that masterpiece just as the monsoons arrived
- with natural warm showers far better than he could ever
construct.
"Dan also owned the most extreme combat stereo system I ever heard.
He had an amazing amp and a pair of huge speakers (purchased in
Hong Kong or maybe Bangkok) that worked off of an Army generator.
It didn't matter what kind of music you liked - rock, country, big
band, classical, jazz, folk, whatever - he had it all and you got
whatever you wanted, even in a firefight (Literally) in the middle
of the night at some forward operating base like Song Be or Tay
Ninh.
Dan Sulander was one cool guy and, like you,
I miss him."
-- Fred Phillips
________________________________________
Daniel
Arthur Sulander was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota on September 18,
1943. Danny grew up in Minneapolis and Donald Michel, his close
friend from childhood remembers him:
"I would like to tell you about my best
friend Daniel Arthur Sulander.
"Danny was placed in a foster home in my
neighborhood when he was about 10 years old. He adapted well to
being the new kid in the neighborhood and we soon found out we
shared the same interests. We belonged to the Boy Scouts and Danny
really enjoyed the outdoor activities especially camping out.
Later on he joined the Civil Air Patrol and explained to me that
they had two things the scouts did not have, airplanes and girls.
He introduced me to one of those girls and she later became my
wife. He always liked gadgets such as cameras, tape recorders, and
CB radios, but flying was his favorite experience.
"Danny graduated from Hopkins High School, in
a suburb of Minneapolis, in 1961. During his school years he
played hockey, belonged to the ski club, and did stage lighting
for plays and shows. After high school he went to the University
of Minnesota for a year before joining the Army. While driving
trucks out of Fort Lewis, Washington, the opportunity came for
helicopter training at Fort Rucker. He jumped at the chance to do
what he loved best, fly. He was proud of his accomplishment of
becoming a pilot.
"Danny loved life and always had a plan and
goals. His ability to adapt to any situation always amazed me. I
think of him often and wonder what could have been."
Sincerely,
Donald Michel
633 East Park Valley Drive
Hopkins, MN 55343
djdksj@aol.com
Jack Mayhew,
I'm writing to you so I can connect with the heroes of the 281st AHC. My name is John R. Storms, from Auburn, Mass. I served almost 5 years in the USAF. I pulled one tour in SEA. I spent my time in support at Udorn AFB, Thailand, 1973-1974. I'm a member of the America Legion. Specifically, the Auburn Tuttle Post 279. I also lived in Worcester, Mass. and was a member of the Vernon Hill Post for a time.
Four years ago, the Auburn Post burned to the ground because of an electrical fire. The Post reopened this Thanksgiving day. As a member, I always was impressed with the opening words of Resolution 288 to "not forget those that died or did not return home", which brings me to tell the reason why I'm telling you this story.
On 2-Dec-66, a close friend of the family, served with the 5th SF Gp. His name was SSgt. Russell P. 'Pete' Bott. Pete was a member of the Project Delta, he was part of the LLRP's reconnaisance team, "VIPER" call sign. The team was dropped into Laos on a mission that didn't turn out well for them. The weather was bad and they over-flew their drop zone. They were chased for two days before they called in for an evacuation team. The 281st responded into Laos. A gallant attempt to rescue the team ended in all lost. ... SSgt Bott ran out of ammunition and last said that capture was eminent. Pete said he was going to destroy the radio. Pete stayed with his patrol leader whom was injured in the leg and shoulder. Pete was last seen passing though a small village with his hands tie behind this back. In 1966, Pete was 30 years old and I was only 14 at his disappearance.
I recently retired and thought of taking the time to research what happed to this LLRP team.
I was so overwhelmed by what happened in 1966, I made with the help of a graphic arts a poster as a memorial to the brave men of the fallen. The poster to me means a lot and I consider it a master piece. This poster is on location at both the Auburn and Worcester Post.
It is my hope that maybe the Posts in the towns of the fallen or families of the 281st may appreciate that the price they paid is not forgotten.
I'm sending you a mockup of the Poster that maybe someone on your web site will recognize the picture and know there memories of the price they paid was deeply unforgettable.
Thank you,
~John R. Storms
8 Burnap Lane, Auburn, MA
Compiled by:
COL. JOHN W. MAYHEW, USA (RET.)
email to Jack Mayhew
A MAN IS NOT DEAD UNTIL HE IS FORGOTTEN
ONCE AN INTRUDER ... ALWAYS AN INTRUDER