MACV Team 14- Phu Quoc Island.
This Page is intended for the discussion of the Military Assistance Command Vietnam Team 14 located in Phu Quoc Island.
MACV Teams
Military Assistance Command Teams Vietnam
MACV Team 14- Phu Quoc Island.
This Page is intended for the discussion of the Military Assistance Command Vietnam Team 14 located in Phu Quoc Island.
MACV Teams 
I served on AT 55 at Rach Gia and AT159An Thoi Jan 67 – Aug 68. I recall Sgt Boyers of the SFA Team at Duong Dong drowning after taking a severely wounded CIDG out to a CG cutter. His small boat capsized on his way back to the beach. He was still loaded down with combat equipment. Believe he received a Siler Star posthumously.
MACV Team 55 Phu Quoc at airfield compound. Arrived a day or two before the last of the Air Force departed. Medical Advisor. First Team Leader Captain Robert Harter, left late December ’68 or early January ’69. Was found to have Hepatitis when arrived Saigon… Had to vaccinate the TEAM with Gamma Globulin…including myself. No one else would give me the shot…MSG Earl Vergoren; HM1 Joseph L.(for “Legitimate” he said) Cox Milphap Advisor; Captain Tom Glodek, Phoenix Advisor; Young E-4 named Paul from, Nebraska, RTO; Harter replaced by Major Carr who was fairly quickly moved to Ha Tien. I visited with him there for a couple hours on the way out. Captain Bob Krick replaced Major Carr. Lt. Bill Ruby replaced Major Carr. By the time I DEROSED in DEc ’69, LT Ruby, First Sergeant Don Knigge and I were a three man Special Combat Assistance Team…with a newly arrived MAT team. Finished out my last eighteen months as Treatment Room Supervisor, Screener Dispensary #3 Fort Ord ,
Looking for anyone who served with my grandfather. SSG. Billy Smith. He was apart of team 14 I believe and talked about phu quoc a little bit while I was growing up. If anyone has anything email me please.
William Owens alias, change name back to birth given name Nick Rozos,1969-1970 the first Sargent name was Carr during my tour.
Hello — I just found this site while searching for those that served while my father was stationed at Phu Quoc. I recently came upon an old survival knife that I bought him before he was deployed. I never understood what he wrote on the back of the sheath until I searched and found this site. On the back he wrote “G2 Office, MACV Team 14 RVN”. He sent us gifts one Christmas of some items made by the “locals” from the island which I still have. He also happened to have his 8mm move camera with him and we have a few reels of some people from his team, the camp, and a monkey (which he did not like – I seem to remember he called him “George”). If you happened to serve with Sgt Robert “Bob” Kincaid, please let me know. Please email me at patrickk@email.com (Yes – that’s my real email address) Thanks.
Hi Patrick,
when was your dad on the island? I was there 71 – 72. I remember George. He met a sad ending on the concrete bunker where he was leashed. His monkey buddy JoJo grabbed him and pulled the leash too tight.
I remember one of the two monkeys got into a Captain’s room after chewing through his leash. He pulled out the tapes from several cassettes and unpopped a lot of 7-UP soda cans.
The captain found him, grabbed the end of the leash and swung him around outside before letting go.
I also remember said captain holding one of the monkeys like a baby. Capt. LaPointe came by and waved a rubber snake in front of the monkey and the captain’s uniform was badly soiled!
I have a photo of one of the monkeys but i’m not sure how to post it here.
December 1968 to December 1969… With Phu Quoc District Team 55 Medical Advisor. We occupied the Former Air Force compound at the airfield. Spec4 Larry Downs… is Navy HM1 Joseph L. Cox around or anyone know him or his whereabouts? Left mid 1969 I believe.
My Dad was part of an Special Forces A-Detachment Team in 1965 -66 on the island.
Steven, I served as advisor Junk Division 43 out of An Thoi 1965-1966, we spent a lot of our time inserting the Special Forces A Team onto the north end of the island. I sure I met you Dad as the A team and our Junk Division team were both quite small. Unfortunately I have forgotten every ones name after all these years. Had many cold beers out of the sunken 55 gallon drum behind the hootch.
William Montgomery
LCDR, USN Retired
(Then LT, USNR)
i met your dad in 65 ,,, I was in the navy stationed at Anthoi on Phu Quoc . yoiur dad was quit a guy,,,he had a Lt call him sarge,,big mistake,, thenhe call him sir,,,another mistake. You should be quit proud of him
There seems to be a difference between two Milphap Teams. I was the Admin Officer of Navy Team N-6 in Rach, Gia. I am not making this up. Please, anyone who served with our team please respond.
I am tying to contact any advisors or base staff that were assigned to LSB An Thoi from Oct. 1971 to April 1972, R.W. Hotz was senior command at that time. I was advisor and in charge of base armory. GMG3 Navy
EN2 Howes
I was stationed LSB Anthoi from Jan 71-Dec 71. Advisor to RVN PCF repair, CMDR Shine was our senior advisor IV COASTAL ZONE. nICE TO hear from someone from there
Ken, I forgot to leave my email. It is barryhowes@myfairpoint.net. My hooch was next one to the base armory, actually. Had a small mishap sort of late in 71.
I’m looking for anyone who might remember an incident that happened on Phu Quoc, December 1968. We were part of the Air Force FACP radar site at Duong Dong. Det.1 619th TCS, Swissboy. There was some wounded Vietnamese and a C-130 landed at night, which had never happened during my time there. If anyone has any memories about this it would be appreciated. Jim
Just found these pics from Phu Quoc CPW adv team 14 area. Browse through them mostly from 1968 and 1973.
Spec 6 Boehler ( Translator/Interpreter Team 14 1969-70 )
fold3.com/image/244451745
Ted: Are you on Facebook? I would love to see your pictures. I arrived 4 December 1970 and left 4 December 1971. This was my third tour.
Hi Ted,it has been long time since we bump into each other at Wallmart in Newport News .I am proud your accomplishment doctor 😎.If you have any pictures you and I together,or team members I would greatly appreciate it and also picture of Minh.I will gladly reimburst you.And I do remember the time you,Joe and I served together.
Would love to see your pics. I was on Phu Quoc (An Thoi) 1965-1966 but have no pictures.
Thanks
William Montgomery
LCDR, USN Retired
Hi Ted I know it’s been a long time since the last time you and I spoke together. I would greatly appreciate if you can send any pictures of Joe yourself and any other members of the team. I change my name from William Owens Junior to my birth given name Nick Rozos, I was adopted at a young age and I wanted the name Rozos to carry-on. If by any Pictures of you and I and also Joe . You can contact me at rozos@cox.net take care hope to hear from you soon Phone number 757508-8385 take care .
I just located this site. Been looking for some info for a couple of years. I was there 6-69 to 3-71. I remember Ted and Nick. I’m sure I would remember others with some pictures. I’m horrible with names.
Hey Joe- Hard for me to place the names without the faces too. I remember Col Chagnon our C.O. for a time with us, and Michael Debias was the team clerk. I ran across his path on the Internet that seemed he was living somewhere in Chicago a few years back. Am I remembering a Major Wallace we had there too?
Ted Boehler (SP6) VN Interpreter
Looking for any info on LTC Richard D. Walker from Advisory Team 96 who reportedly drowned on Phu Quoc Island on June 14, 1969. Any details on his loss would be helpful. Thanks.
Hi- I was pretty well known as a skin/scuba diver and spearfisherman around the guys on the Island. I remember getting a request to go out and look for a soldier ( can’t remember the name) who was reported to have been swimming and went missing near the south end of the Island in the .vicinity of the airstrip (which was on a long peninsula with a lagoon on one side and the south china sea on the other. Never found
Hi Joe:
I was the Exec of a very small;, MILPHAP team based in Rach Gia at the time your were on Phu Quoc. I had a Navy Corpsman there at the time. HM2 Burke. I have some photos .
Richard G. Ryder
LCDR, USN, Retired /former HM1, USN
Hey- just stumbled across the site- remembered a few of the guys. I was the Advisory Team 14 interpreter (Spec 6 Boehler) on Phu Quoc in ’69-70. Yo Nick and Sgt Jimenez, glad to see you guys are still kicking. Cpt Wade- trying to place you??
Just retired as Dr. Boehler, PhD after 30 years as a College Dean. I live out here in SoCal (LIttle Saigon is up the street- so yeah, my Vietnamese is a little rusty, but I still get to use it every now and then!).
As you might remember I was also a diver and spent time with a few of the the Vietnamese guys over at the swift boat repair base out on their boats. I did get to see Commander Tho and a couple others after they escaped and passed through El Toro Marine base where refugees were being processed (around 1976 as I recall).
Ted Boehler
I am very pleased that you have retired and enjoying it.I retired from anheuser Busch 2015 and retirement is wonderful.Sorry for the delay in responding to your request.will send picture of for Capt Tho.
Nick- remember the totally random meeting we had as I walked into the Walmart (was it In Arlington VA?) when I was back there briefly 30 years or so ago with my family there on vacation from CA where we live? I heard a voice say “Ted is that YOU?!”. Wow what a coincidence running across a buddy from the team in 1969 on the other side of the country, at that brief moment in time, as we were passing by! Life is funny. Hope you are still doing well. Too bad we can’t post pics here. I have a few from the camp and the Island around Phu Quoc. and would like to see any that others have.
Dr. (SP6) Ted Boehler
Dear Mr. Boehler-
I’m ToOanh. The oldest daughter of Minh Tho. I came across a book that you published and gifted to my dad in 2009. He gave it to me during one of his visits to TX where I live. He passed away this past July in south FL. We will be going back down to FL sometime this summer to spread his ashes in the ocean. I know he loved the sea and diving as much as you did. I would love to meet you one day and hear some stories from back then when you were in VN with my dad. Please reply if you have time. Thank you so much. Regards, ToOanh
P.S. Are you on Facebook?
You should include your email address
Yes, Tho and I were good friends and made many dives around the Island. I can’t believe it’s been 50 years ago. Sorry to hear he has passed. I do have a few pictures of him from our excursions. There are many stories, from diving with sharks, to the massive 300# grouper we speared, to chasing giant bats in the jungle. If you can get your email to me I’ll see if we can get in touch.
Please contact me on Facebook Fletcher Jowers
I was with Team 14 from about September 69 until my DEROS in February 70. Prior to that I was with J15 in Saigon escorting the ICRC on their inspections of PW activities and facilities throughout RVN. I retired in 87 and spent the next 23 years in healthcare in the LA area as director variously of facilities, emergency management and public safety at 3 large medical centers. Pat Wade, Santa Barbara, CA
Team 14 from Jun 70 to Dec 70 – then reassigned to MACVHQ, Tan Son Nhut under Col Thornton Ireland.
(I’m trying hard to remember the name of Col Ireland’s CSM…any help?)
Looking to reconnect with SSG John Shaffrey who was reassigned to Pleiku (Dog Handler/Trainer) at the same time I was sent to Saigon.
David, it appears that I served on the team during th,e same time frame. Our senior advisor on the island was Major Aid, I was assigned to Enclosure 7. I was also reassigned in December 1970 to the newly formed Joint MP Customs Unit in Camp Alfa, Saigon. I recal Col. Ireland and his Deputy PM LTC Pete Slusar. Unfortunately I do not recal the name of the CSM. In reading your posting, you are the only person I heard of who was on the Island at the same time I was. I have a few photos, one in particular is from the Christmas party event we held for the ARVN families and their children. I live in Crestview, FL if interested contact me, like to visit with former members of the team .i served in.
Regards
Steve
Does anyone know a SFC Joe Stanley?
He was our acting 1SGT in 1971. He was from SC
Maybe I have said this before, but I have photos of Phu Quoc Island , some taken by air, and one of my Navy Corpsmen, HM2 Burke, was assigned there in 1970-71.
Do you have any photos of Duong Dong and the Air Force compound there?
Hi Jim:
I know I was there at the former Air Force site. I did take photos of the Japanese gun emplacement that was on the island, as well as photos of the VN fishermen returning to harbor. And the multicolored ducks wandering the streets. And the nuoc mam processing site. But, I probably don’t have photos that you are looking for.
I’d love to see the Japanese gun site. Good to meet you, were you there when we closed January 7 1969? The last 15 or so of us flew out together.. I have a pic of us ready to get in a C-130. I worked in the power house across the way from operations.
Hi Jim: No, I was visiting one of my Hospital Corpsmen who was detailed there. That would have been mid 1970.
Jim: I remember using a night scope to look across the runway to see of there were any warm bodies, ie NVN/enemies lurking across the field. Now i\I think that field is an International Airport. Go figure. The local VN’s were great.
In the book, Seals: UDT and Seals in Vietnam, we learned the details of when Seal team 3 went after the enemy in operation bold dragon phase II.
At least two chopper insertions to find and destroy the base camp.
Thd 2nd attack, the Seals wasted over a dozen VC but were then surrounded by a company sized force, and were saved by choppers. seals took no casualties
Our 81mm mortar crew was called to support.
That second Seal insertion was December 7 68. Pearl Harbor day.
Headquarters 619th TCS at Tan Son Nhut ordered our radar shut off the same day.
We were given 30 days to clear out.
The last 15 left 1/7/69
The local Vietnamese, at Duong Dong were great… it wasnt at all like the mainland… No cowboys, no dirty looks.
E5 Naval Advisor Phu Quoc 70/71
I was on Team 14 from about September 69 through February 70. I just stumbled onto this website by accident. CPT Pat Wade, Retired.
Trying to track down some more info on my father’s time in Vietnam. William “Bill” Maples, He was with 5th Special Forces Group mostly on the island of Phu Quoc. Operational Detachment A-427/A-441 (Phu Quoc).’67-’69 Just trying to see if any of his old team members are still around or if anyone can find more info on his A-Team’s experiences on Phu Quoc.Please Message me directly at my email:
majmaples@gmail.com or post replies here. Thank you all for your service. AIRBORNE!
I was assigned to team 14 from Nov 68 to Nov 69. I was the advisor to compound 3 first which contained all officers and important civilians (doctors). During l969 all north Vietnamese were moved to Compound 6 and I was assigned there for sometime with SFC Jiminez. I was moved to compound 1 late in 1969.
Sgt Nick Rozos Mack 14 June 1969 – 1970
I was with TM 14 12/70to 12/71
I remember Sgt. King! Your room was near the concrete bunker where JoJo the monkey lived.
Top officers were Col. Williams and Majors Kennedy and Tipton. Topkick was Sgm. Roberts.
I clerked up at the prison camp 1971-72.
Medical advisor to team 14 at pho quoc VN prison camp 1972
Thank you Charles.
Charles, I just returned from a Counterparts Reunion and learned of this Website. I have been attempting to locate former advisors from Team 14. I served there in 1970 as advisor to Enclosure 7 where we had NVA Officers. I would be interested in contact information from other advisors who were there in 1970. Do you know any? What was the status during your tenure?
Regards
Steve