Name: Edward Ray Dodge

Rank/Branch: E7/US Army Special Forces

Unit: Detachment C-1, 5th Special Forces Group

Date of Birth: 16 December 1933

Home City of Record: Norfolk VA

Loss Date: 31 December 1964

Country of Loss: South Vietnam

Loss Coordinates: 160631N 1075320E (ZC090830)

Status (in 1973): Missing In Action

Category: 4

Acft/Vehicle/Ground: O1F

Refno: 0051

Other Personnel In Incident: WO1 George B. Mundis (on another O1 in same flight -not lost); Kurt C. McDonald (missing)

Source: Compiled from one or more of the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews. Updated by the P.O.W. NETWORK in 1998.

REMARKS: LAST SEEN TURNING AC IN VALLEY

SYNOPSIS: SFC Edward Dodge was based at Da Nang with Detachment C-1 of the 5th Special Forces Group. On December 31, 1964, Dodge served as observer on an O1F aircraft flown by U.S. Air Force Capt. Kurt C. McDonald. Dodge and McDonald were one of two O1's launched that day on similar flight paths. The other aircraft was flown by WO1 George B. Mundis.

The two aircraft took off at about 0815 hours in marginal weather conditions. Their flight would take them to Camp A Shau, a Special Forces camp in the lower end of the A Shau Valley garrisoned by Detachment A-102. McDonald's flight was intended for a delivery to the camp.

Camp A Shau was a triangular shaped camp located in triple canopy jungle, and surrounded by elephant grass twice as high as a man. In just over a year from the day Dodge and McDonald were due to fly over the camp, it would be overrun by the enemy.

Mundis and McDonald flew together until they reached Hill 3350, whereupon both aircraft made a 180 degree turn. WO1 Mundis lost sight of McDonald's plane, which entered some bad weather, with clouds completely obscuring the ridge to the north and extending down to make a ragged roof above the triplecanopy jungle. Mundis never saw the aircraft again.

Although returned POWs did not see Dodge or McDonald in captivity, one source selected the photographs of both men as those who were held captive by the communists in Southeast Asia.

Studies of declassified documents indicate that there was more than one POW prison "system" in place during the Vietnam war, and that POWs tended to be moved within one "system" with the same prisoners. It appears possible that a number of prisoners were held without the knowledge of other prisoners.

Refugees fleeing Southeast Asia have come with reports of Americans still held in captivity. There are many such reports that withstand the closest scrutiny the U.S. Government can give, yet official policy admits only to the "possibility" that Americans remain as captives in Southeast Asia.

Until serious negotiations begin on Americans held in Southeast Asia, the families of nearly 2500 Americans will wonder, "Where are they?"

*Information from No-Quarter gives the following information:

--- General / Personal ---

Last name: DODGE

First name: EDWARD RAY

Home of Record (official): NORFOLK

State (official): VA

Date of Birth: Saturday, December 16, 1933

Sex: Male

Race: Caucasian

Marital Status: Married

--- Military ---

Branch: Army

Rank: SMAJ

Serial Number: 229424438

Component: Regular

Pay grade: E9

MOS (Military Occupational Specialty code): 71L50

Major Organization: USARV

--- Action ---

Start of Tour: Thursday, December 31, 1964

Date of Casualty: Friday, October 28, 1977

Age at time of loss: 43

Casualty type: (A3) Hostile, died while missing

Reason: Air loss - Crashed on land (Crew member - Fixed wing aircraft)

Country: South VietNam

Province: Unknown/Not Reported

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