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Dear Mr. President, When are you going to bring home our sons, our brothers, our fathers? Why has it not been done yet? Our soldiers are rotting over there in prisons, and they think we have forgotten about them. We do so much for all these other countries yet our soldiers are still waiting for us to come and get them. We are waiting for you to do something, to bring home our men. Show us that you have feelings, that you care and do something about this!! NOW!!! BRING OUR SOLDIERS HOME!!!

OMELIA, DENNIS WILLIAM
Name: Dennis William Omelia
Rank/Branch: W1/US Army
Unit: 61st Assault Helicopter Company "Lucky Stars", 268th Aviation Battalion, 17th Aviation Group, 1st Aviation Brigade
Date of Birth: 06 May 1941 (Buffalo NY)
Home City of Record: Smithfield NC
Date of Loss: 03 January 1971
Country of Loss: South Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 134700N 1090630E (BR960250)
Status (in 1973): Missing In Action
Category: 4
Acft/Vehicle/Ground: U6 "Beaver"
Other Personnel In Incident: Thomas R. Okerlund; Luis G. Holguin; Patrick Magee; Carl Palen; Ferris Rhodes; Michael Parsons (all missing)

REMARKS:
SYNOPSIS: On January 3, 1971, Capt. Ferris A. Rhodes, Jr. was the pilot of a U6 "Beaver" (serial #52-25884), carrying six passengers: 1Lt. Michaeld D. Parsons, WO1 Thomas R. Okerland, WO1 Dennis W. Omelia; WO1 Luis G. Holguin; SP6 Patrick J. Magee; and SP5 Carl A. Palen. This was an administrative support flight from Qui Nhon to Ban Me Thuot, South Vietnam, to collect replacement helicopters for the company. Some of the men aboard were helicopter pilots, and would fly the choppers back to the base at Qui Nhon.

The U6 "Beaver" is an older, fixed wing aircraft of reasonable size (bigger than a "Bird Dog", for instance), rather short and squatty with a somewhat wide body. The aircraft departed Qui Nhon at about 0900 hours on January 3 without filing a proper flight plan, nor was the weather briefing obtained prior to takeoff. About 14 miles southeast of Phu Cat, at 1120 hours, radio and radar contact was lost with the plane.

Because Capt. Rhodes had announced plans to remain overnight at Ban Me Thuot, no immediate searches were made. By January 9, when Rhodes and his passengers still had not returned, search efforts were begun at 0900 hours, and continued throughout the day with no sign of the aircraft or its personnel.

The area of takeoff was tricky and the weather conditions were not good. Other pilots said that if planes taking off did not reach a safe altitude fast enough, they would crash into a mountain. Cruising speed for the "Beaver" was a mere 106 mph making it a prime target for flak. Conditions in the area indicated that the aircraft was shot down, and several years passed before the crew was finally declared dead.

Evidence mounts that Americans are still alive in Southeast Asia. It is not known for sure if any of the crew of the U6 survived and are among them, but there is no evidence that they are dead. If they survived, they could still be alive. If not, then someone else's brother, son, husband, father is alive. We owe them our very best effort to bring them home.

The American Creed

I believe in the United States of America
As a government of the people, by the people, for the people:
Whose just powers are derived from the
consent of the governed:
A democracy in a republic;
A sovereign Nation of many sovereign States;
A perfect Union, one and inseparable;
Established upon the principles of freedom, equality, justice, and humanity
For which American patriots sacrificed their lives and fortunes.

I therefore believe it is my duty to my country
To love it
To support its Constitution
To obey its laws;
To protect its flag and defend it against all enemies.

William Tyler Page

The Articles of the Code of Conduct

ARTICLE I:
I am an American, fighting in the forces which guard my country and our way of life. I am prepared to give my life in their defense.

ARTICLE II:
I will never surrender of my own free will.  If in command, I will never surrender the members of my command while they still have the means to resist.

ARTICLE III:
If I am captured I will continue to resist by all means available.  I will make every effort to escape and to aid others to escape.  I will accept neither parole nor special favors from the enemy.

ARTICLE IV:
If I become a prisoner of war, I will keep faith with my fellow prisoners.  I will give no information nor take part in any action which might be harmful to my comrades.  If I am senior, I will take command.  If not, I will obey lawful orders of those appointed over me and will back them in every way.

ARTICLE V:
When questioned, should I become a prisoner of war, I am required to give name, rank, service number, and date of birth.  I will evade answering further questions to the utmost of my ability.  I will make no oral or written statements disloyal to my country or its allies or harmful to their cause.

ARTICLE VI:
I will never forget that I am an American, fighting for freedom, responsible for my actions, and dedicated to the principles which made my country free.  I will trust in my God and in the
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

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