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Dave Berry | all galleries >> Galleries >> Vietnam War '67 - '68 > Major General Keith Ware - Medal of Honor - KIA 13 Sept. '68
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Major General Keith Ware - Medal of Honor - KIA 13 Sept. '68

MG Ware, shown above in an official Army portrait, took over command of the 1st Infantry Division from MG John Hay on 8 March 1968. General Ware was a soldiers' soldier. He was a "mustang" who entered the Army in WWII as a draftee, earned a commission, and worked his way up to the rank of Major General in a post-war Army dominated by West Pointers. During WWII, LTC (at the time) Ware was awarded the Medal of Honor.

MG Ware commanded the defense of Saigon during the early stages of the Tet Offensive, prior to taking command of the Big Red One. His comments at the change of command ceremony were: "I pledge to you, General Westmoreland, and to my fellow soldiers in the Big Red One, that I will, as General Hay has charged, consider no mission too difficult, and no sacrifice too great - the Big Red One will always be first".

MG Ware and 7 other soldiers were killed on Sept. 13, 1968 when his command helicopter was shot down. The Division Commander and Assistant Commanders' Hueys were marked by longhorn graphics on the sides and made very distinctive targets for enemy gunners. He was an outstanding leader and one of this country's greatest heroes. We all respected him and his loss was felt deeply by the soldiers who served under him.

You can find out more information about MG Ware, including how he earned his Medal of Honor by following this link: http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/klware.htm


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Guest 16-Nov-2019 18:51
LTC Oliver was my friend's father. Thank you all for sharing your accounts.
William R. Cragg 28-May-2019 02:23
I was Platoon Leader of the Comancheros, A Company, 1st Aviation Bn., 1st Inf. Division on Sept. 13, 1968. Prior to that I flew Command and Control (C&C) with Frank Belsky for Deputy Commander Orwin Talbot, BG. When General Ware was killed, I was called to Lai Khe the next day to be General Talbot's Aircraft Commander. I flew as his AC for a few days and then went back to being a platoon leader. It was a very sad day when General Ware was shot down. He was a soldier's soldier and we lost two of our flying buddies, Bill and Jerry.
Russ Lindsey 22-Jan-2018 02:10
Posting for my father, Vance Lindsey. He vividly remembers retrieving Gen. Ware's body, his dog and the other service members from the crash site, obviously other members here were there too. Do any of you recall serving with my father? He is very computer illiterate, he as shown more interest in locating his military friends recently. Thanks
Guest 20-Nov-2017 17:34
I am lost in the Friday 13 sept 68. Was on listening post on dirt airstrip in trapezoid area between loc ninh and an loc. My position was being probed by nva for a couple hours all along the airstrip. After making many calls back to Ndp I advised my position was compromised I was moving to other part of strip. We caught what seemed like at least sixty mortar rounds. My friend was Kia at bunker. His name was joe was called little joe. I can't remember his last name . He was Italian and we had catholic services next day at Ndp. We then boarded choppers for quan loi. If anyone can find his name and where he was killed. It would help me with nightmares. Bravo co Lima platoon 1/28 1 id.
paul dietrich 11-Nov-2017 00:56
Macauley is right we loaded the bodies that late afternoon we had to stay alittle ways from the crash site overnight got picked up in am went back to loc nin that same day later we went back out to the crash site thats when the captain got shot then we return back to lock nin we were troupD 1/4 cav 1st div arps
Sammy Luquis 24-Jul-2016 01:28
Im proud of all the members of the Big Red One that served with me at the remagens, the thunders, Lock nin airstrip an Anloch. God bless you guys.
Bill Beasley 09-May-2016 21:41
I was a pilot with the Longhorns, the unit in the First Avn Bn that flew the Cmd and Cntrol missions for the Division. Our missions for the two Brigadier General Asst Div Cdr's and the 3 Brigade commanders were flown out of our home base at Lai Khe, But the CG's pilots, crew chief and door gunner, altho still part of the 1st Avn Bn, lived at Lai Khe. For a week, while the pilot CW2 Bill Manzanares was on R and R in Hawaii, I flew the General with CPT Jerry Plunkett. I was, at the time of the crash, a gunship pilot with the Rebels and had been working in the Quan Loi to Loc Ninh area for several days and had just landed back at home base in Phu Loi when I was told to keep it running and my Platoon Ldr sent us back to the area to help with the extraction of the bodies. There was no Chinook having to do with the General. It was a UH-1H and the crew of 4 plus Ware, his aide, a LTC Oliver and the Div CSM Joe Venable were on board along with the General's dog. I visited Cantigny two years ago to try and learn more about what caused the crash. One of the crewmembers remains, the gunner has not been found, There were reports that someone jumped from the aircraft before it hit the ground, at an altitude of as high as 200 ft. I also had been under the understanding that the 1/4 Cav's gunship platoon leader was shot in his Cobra and killed in the extraction of the bodies. There is even a claim in a book about another action that General Ware used a callsign Firefly 1 and had a firefly painted on his helicopter and that the enemy lured him into a staged medical evaculation mission that caused them to be shot down and killed. I had never heard of any such thing and am attempting to talk to the author and find out the source of this story. I will say that in my week long interaction with General Ware, and I flew all of the Generals and Bde Commanders in my time with the Longhorns, he was a true soldiers General. We did perform a medevac during my week of flying with him. You can tell a lot about a General in how he treats his crew, his driver, his aides. He was a straight up soldier, and it was my great honor to serve with him
Jonathan Robert De Mallie 10-Apr-2016 06:31
Thank you for your service and GOD Bless you !

Please youall if your able as well help Colonel (Ret.) Joeseph M. Ware.
Charlesrafferty 17-Jan-2016 23:21
Was m g ware shot down at top section of trapazoid by anti aircraft position ? As well as the jet and the cobra gunship ? That place was around parrots beak was Hanoi central. Let's get some info out there. That war was truly hell.
Charles rafferty 16-Jan-2016 04:48
Poison . Do you remember carrying two bodies burned badly. The bodies were carried on ponchos . I was on an n d p airstrip. We went down picked bodies up. And I asked someone who they were after second time asking. I was told by a very emotional man . We're delta company. And as they were leaving he said were going back to get his dog. I know delta co remembers that happening. We were at small ndp and were hit night with mortars sept68 little joe was kia while sleeping on bunker. 13 sept heard general ware was shot down. I watched a buddy laying on small dirt airstrip next day two more bodies . I was with b co 1/28. I am confused what was name of ndp where handed off and you went back for the white German shepherd
Samuel A. Luquis 11-Nov-2015 19:24
The same day the general got killed, while at the Loch Ninh air strip, we got hit pretty bad. Soo many dead comrades. Those folks in the APC's 2/28th , fought like crazy that day. Im very, very proud of all the members of the Big Red One.
gene whelchel 08-Nov-2015 04:17
Served with A Company 121st signal Batt. at Lai Khe. Had the privilage to meet MG Ware as I was a platoon Staff Sergeant running a platoon. He was a great officer, I really respected him. I remember getting the news the day he was killed, I at the time Quan Loi. The General was a great leader and one great soldier. I heard his huey was hit by a rocket or r p g, always leading his men, what great leaders do. R.I.P. General.
sam luquis 24-Aug-2015 23:34
I was at Loch nin airstrip when the general got shot down. We were under constant enemy incoming.
Joseph Damon 25-May-2015 00:32
My name is Joseph Damon , I served with company B 2/28 infanty , I spent 24 years and retired in 1990, Taught JROTC for another 16 years.
Rob Schick 30-Mar-2015 05:12
I was with the Big Red One...2-28..Black Lions in Lai Khe...67-68...4 deuce mortars..drove an APC...so sad we lost a great General and many other warriors...Politicians need to shut up and let us win wars without their meddling !
Mike Gormley 09-Feb-2015 00:33
I was a grunt in B co. 2/28 for eight months, then flew as door gunner/ radioman for the Longhorns... gunner for the slick and radioman for the general or colonel on board. It was odd to go from the jungle to flying overhead with "the gods in the sky". Wondering if you can add the names of the air crew and Gen Ware's staff on his fateful flight?
Dennis F Wright 13-Jan-2015 21:34
my name is D Wright I was with 1bn 28 inf 1inf division. We left Quan Loi headed to
Bu Dop in support of a special forces compound. As we clover liefeb A co C co came under
heavy fire. D recon Co was our perimeter guard.I remember the Phantom being shot down
the pilot landed in our Lz. The next day General Ware showed up in his Huey with a large
77 painted in white on its side both sides. They landed in our LZ. I think there were 7 on board. and his german shepherd. They came in to our commo bunker for a briefing.
We informed them of the probability of 50 cal in a treeline on the cambodian border that shot the Jet down. They took off an were shot out of the sky.Our D Co recone Co. was
sent to see if they could rescue any one. there was only one small Lz. D Co was unable to due much. they took 1 Kia and 5 Wia trying.
Thats the way I remember it.
Dennis Wright hq hq co 1 ba 28 inf 1st inf division sp5 commo specialist
Derickson 14-Nov-2014 15:48
I was at Quan Loi and was the commanding officer of 41st Scout Dog,I was the one gave him King. He flew in periodically to get King checked out. He was always in his C&C chopper and it was a huey. I was a Lieutenant at the time. Capt Richard Derickson....King was buried at Lyi Khe (sp) at the same time as Gen Ware was buried in US
Charlesrafferty6 22-Jun-2014 20:33
Who was the man who replaced mg ware aid while regular man was on r n r.
Charlesrafferty6 22-Jun-2014 17:31
If u were in Lima plt b co 1/28 and remember me getting into argument with new lt. To destroy an anti aircraft set up . This unit looked to be anti aircraft. Made of steel with tractor seat and had a large aiming sight with slots and the center had a small cut out silhouette of an air plane in it. It was in operating condition with the gun removed and hidden. I wanted to blow it with my claymore or a frag. Anything to disable the gun. Lt said no and we left the apparatus in tact. This was in trapezoid or iron triangle.not sure now.
Anne LeMay 15-Jun-2014 16:09
Just doing a Father's Day google search - found this thread with information about my dad (Capt. LeMay). I didn't get a chance to know him, so hearing from people who did helps. Thanks. -Anne
Terry Fiest, LTC USA RET 20-May-2014 16:14
In September of 1968, I was a 1LT assigned to D Troop (Air)of the 1St Squadron,4th Cav as the Assistant operations officer. We were the eyes and ears of the Division and we received our missions form the G-3.(LTC Lou Menetrey at the time) D Troop was located at Phu Loi. ON September 12th, a large contingent of D Troop moved to Quan Loi to support the 3RD Brigade. Organic to D Troop was Rifle Platoon know as the ARPS. We set up a temporary camp and started recon missions with Hunter-Killer teams,( Cobras and LOH's).On September 13th I was working in the 3Rd Bde TOC and when General Ware's UH-1 was shot down, we recorded the time as 13 minutes before 1300 hours on Friday the 13th of September. I immediately ran to the flight line and dispatched the Lift Platoon and ARPS towards the crash site. Captain Cary MacAfee was the Lift Platoon Leader flying in the right seat of the lead UH-1. (Tail number 561).As they approached the crash site, a small clearing had been identified as a LZ. It was very small and would only accommodate two Huey's at the same time. The flight split up into a 2 ship formation and on short final, the lead aircraft came under intense fire and Captain MacAfee took several rounds and was killed instantly. WO1 Ray Stephens who was flying in the left seat recovered the Aircraft and diverted the flight to the airstrip at Loch Ninh. With all the commotion, a decision was made to send ground units in to secure the crash site. The remainder of the day was devoted to secure the crash site and there were several fire fights that lasted through out the day. On Saturday September 14th, Hunter Killer teams from D Troop were in the air assisting the ground units at the crash site and heavy enemy fire shot down one of our AH1 Cobras. The aircraft was flown by Captain Dirk Lemay and 1LT Bill Hansen, who were both killed. The intense battle lasted for several days and the enemy gradually withdrew into their hiding positions. The loss of General Ware and crew had a major in pact on the Division. The G-3 (LTC Lou Menetrey ) always flew with General Ware and happened to be on R and R when this tragedy took place. The ARPS along with Graves Registration people eventually reached the crash site and were able to recover personal effects.
Eric Deets 24-Dec-2013 23:29
I was the FO with D Co 1/28th INF and it was our task to retrieve the bodies from the CG's crash. It was a Huey. The ship crashed in a bamboo thicket and it required daisy cutters to open an LZ close to the crash site. We retrieved what we could and returned to the small LZ. Due to a mix-up, we did not have enough ships to extract a full load on the last ship. Five of us waited for another lift. As we lifted off, the NVA started taking shots at the ship, which was having problems gaining altitude from the small extraction site. Round and round, with bullets zipping through the ship. The day before, our battalion was engaged by an NVA regiment at Loch Ninh when we heard of the CG being shot down. Radar controlled NVA AA shot down a Phantom F4 and a Cobra. Tough day. Hard losses.
Kimberly Beaumont 27-Nov-2013 06:15
Msg for Shepherd Allen. Thank you so much! I would love to have the photos you mentioned. It really would mean so much to me. My email address is kimb214@yahoo.com
Vince Pettinato 18-Oct-2013 17:15
This is the first time I've ever heard anything regarding a Chinook going down.
I was with B Co.2nd/16th we were in the rubber plantation getting hammered by NVA all over
the place,mortar & artillery fire hitting the trees .We could not see anything but it came
over the horn that Gen. Ware's Huey was shot-down.Prior to that day he was always in a
Huey whenever he was observing or visiting our positions
treadhead6805-Jun-2013 16:52
I was flying that day, inserting and picking y'all up for another insertion. We heard over our radios that the C&C chopper had crashed and burned, killing General Ware and everyone aboard . One of our gunners, who saw it said the tracers looked like a . Fifty caliber tearing the chopper to pieces.
Sad day.
Ken Mark 31-Mar-2013 18:25
1/2nd delta co Black Scarf Big Red One, I also was there the same day as Dave Ogden. I recall us getting on 5 Huey's at Loc Niin airstrip and landing near the crash site. As we got near the LZ the door gunners opened up with M60 fire so we could land. I don't recall any enemy fire. We were to set up a perimeter for search and resque. We were there for many hours untill we retreeted to a new LZ for take off. When we left the site we had a chance to see the crash area and there was not much left to see. It looked as if it was a very firey crash in a cluster of trees. My recolection was a bent blade from the hellicopter,half of an m16 and a boot pretty much scattered in a large area. A time never forgotten. I will be 68 this year and memory of this time comes in sperts. I do know Loc Niin was a hell hole. I do remember one day a C130 brought a hot meal for us which in the feild that did not happen that often. We had just served sause and sketty one peice od bread and cup of juice when the rains came,by the time I got back to the bunker all I had was white noodles,soggy bread and no color left to the juice. God Bless All That Was There.
Ken Brown (S/Sgt) 06-Feb-2013 23:39
The General and crew were in a Huey. I was with Co. C 1/28 on Hill 222. but the Recon Lt had been with our platoon earlier in the year. He told me that in 1984 at Washington D.C.
Shepherd Allen 15-Oct-2012 17:16
Msg is for Ms. Kimberly Beaumont. My name is Shepherd Allen (COL Norman FJ Allen's youngest, he'd been the 2d Bde Cdr under your grandfaher.} I'm in possession of some photos of your grandfather and King from Vietname, in the event you don't have any, I will gladly send them to you. Our family lived near your grandparent at Ft. Riley and we've remained devoted fans of MG Ware and his legacy.
John Rimel 27-Sep-2012 23:56
I was in D company 3rd Platoon 1st of the 28th - I'm almost sure it was the morning of the 14th of September that we went out to yhe downed helicopters
Dennis Polson 20-Sep-2012 18:39
John, thank you for responding. Sorry it took me so long to get back to the board. I have not checked the messages for quiet some time. I was in 1/28 Delta Company, but I was in Lima Platoon (1ST). I guess you were in November platoon (3rd) if I remember that correctly. Between my lapsed memory and all the years that have passed since 1968, I am sure I have blocked out or forgotten a lot of reality as to what happened that day.

I know we were always at some NDP, on a sweep or on ambush; therefore, I never knew what day of the week or date of the month it was. I could not even swear that it was 9/13/68 when we were sent to that crash site. However, I am convinced now that the Chinook we recovered that day was not General Ware's. I never saw the downed Cobra you refer to. As disappointed as I am, I will put my "Claim to Fame" to rest once and for all. Thank you for your response.
John Rimel 11-Jul-2012 15:13
In reponse to SGT Dennis Polson, I was the 3rd platoon SGT for Delta Co 1/28 on September 13, 1968. We were sent to recover the bodies of two gunship pilots (in the same Cobra) shot down and General Ware's helicopter. I assigned the guys to pickup the two gun ship pilots and then walked over to General Ware's helicopter which if I remember correctly was about a 100 meters. After seeing the two gunship pilots I was not able to walk into the crash zone and look at that (I did see the wreckage) so I just assigned the guys to go into the crash site. I think this was the morning of September 14, 1968.

My company (Delta) arrived on the afternoon of September 13, 1968 at Loch Ninh. When we flew in we saw about 15 body bags laying on the side of the airstrip. We knew we were in a "World of Shit". We were lined up on the airstrip to be flown out to help A and C company but the weather got so bad that the mission was call off. We were told to dig in which for the first time we had no problem doing. We dug until the mortars and rockets starting coming in (I believe we had 3 people killed). We were called for anyone having A+ blood which I had so I went to the medical tent where someone was being operated on. I was the 3rd person in line. We had to listen to him crying for his mother. He died before I could give any blood.

Wow! It was just not worth it - We have a serious "Enemy Identification Problem" in this country.
David Ogden 13-Apr-2012 13:47
E-5 David Ogden
My Battalion (1stbn. 2nd Inf. C Co. Black Scarves-Big Red One)and myself were there the day Gen Ware's huey was shot out of the sky on 13 September 1968, I was watching as five huey's were approaching our NDP site when one of the huey's started to shake and shutter as it fell into the jungle, the remaining four huey's landed just outside our NDP and picked myself and my fellow comrades up and took us in to secure the area surronding the crash site. I remember one rpg round and small arms fire from VC during this mission, I understand it has been put in writing that there was no enemy contact during the rescue of Gen Ware, the other seven and the dog King, well as a eye witness and someone who participated as a 11B10 rifleman give true statement on behalf of my fallen BROthers, God Rest Their Souls!!!!! E-5 David M. Ogden 1/2 Black Scarves BRO "NOLI ME TANGERE"
Kimberly Beaumont 15-Jan-2012 03:47
Thank you all for keeping my grandfather's memory alive and not forgetting King.
Major Jack Donahue 04-Apr-2011 21:43
I took a photo of the UH-1 from the air before any friendly troops arrived. I was told that it was the First Infantry Division Commander. I was flying a UH-1 Huey gunship out of Phouc Vinh (162 AHC). The only intact part of the aircraft was the tailboom...the rest had been destroyed by the impact and still smoldering fire. While commanding an aviation company in the CA ARNG, I mentioned the incident to a former Ist CAV Aviator who had been flight school buddies with one of the General's pilots. He was still friends with the widow. I gave him the photo to send to her...hoping to provide some closure. I have not seen the photo since the early 1970's.
Sgt Dennis Polson 13-Jan-2011 13:19
With all the evidence posted against what I think I remember, I have to concede that General Ware surely must have been shot down while in his Huey. If the Chinook that we recovered that day was not related to rescue efforts (as suggested by Dave Berry), I guess I am losing it. Again, if anyone out there has any knowledge or information of the Chinook recovered that day, please respond. I am possessed with this. It shouldn't matter after all these years, but it bothers me that I could have confused what I saw and did that day.
Major George Hughes 02-Nov-2010 13:40
Things were always a little confusing, but I will tell you what I remember. It was definitely his command Huey that went down. I was commanding A Company 1/26 at the time. I really don't remember what operation we were on, or what I was really doing at the time. (Probably in a base camp???). I was not engaged in enemy contact at the time, but elements of the Division were and I could hear the firing in the distance. MG Ware's DSC Citatation says that they were engaged with an NVA Regiment.

When General Ware flew over us , he said that he had been fired upon and he was going back to see what it was. I than heard in the distance what sounded to me like a 50 calibre (Citation says it was probably anti-aircraft gun), and heard an explosion. He, seven others and his dog were killed. I remember saying to someone at the time that the funny looking weapon that he was going back to check out, turned out to be a 50 calibre. Others reports say he was hit by an RPG. I don't know, but simply tell you what I remembered. One thing that I can tell you for certain, he was a great soldier and his loss was a real tragedy.
Jim McCauley 13-Sep-2010 12:30
The ARP's were deployed to secure the downed Huey C&C helecopter belonging to Gen Ware and his staff [with king aboard]. We spent the night calling in artillery and securing the perimiter [25 or 26 people] by noon the following day Lt Col Coffee and others took over. We returned a day later to search for personal gear belonging to the general and our pilot Capt LeMay was killed on approach to the lz. We never completed that mission.
This is my best recollection of the period.
Rick Incrocci 05-Sep-2010 04:57
OK, I'm a little confused here. I was MG Hay's gunner on Longhorn 77 until Dec. '67. He had no Chinook. Every day we flew in his Huey. Was this Chinook something new after General Hay?
Sgt. Dennis Polson 21-Apr-2010 19:35
Is there anyone out there who was with the 1st Infantry Division, 28th Bn, Delta Company in Viet Nam on September 13, 1968, who was sent to secure General Ware's downed helicopter? There were about 30 of us (only half the company) who were rushed onto 5 Huey's due to the urgency to retrieve the General's Chinook with all his communication equipment on board. I am trying to find anyone who can confirm or deny that it was or was not his Chinook that was shot down. It has been almost 42 years, but I remember it as if it were yesterday, and there are conflicting stories. Please let me know if you were there. I am researching for my own peace of mind. P.S. I have been wrong before.
Dave Berry20-Apr-2010 23:17
My understanding has always been that MG Ware, 3 of his staff, 4 crew members and General Ware's dog, King, were on the 77 (Seven-Seven) Longhorn command Huey, which exploded and crashed. This version of history is supported by an interview with one of his staff, Sergeant Hack, who was not on board at the time: http://www.uswings.com/CantignyTranscript.pdf
Joseph M Ware, Col., USAF (Ret.) 12-Apr-2010 01:26
Interested in contact with Ware family members to establish General Ware's genealogy. I am one of a cooperating group of Ware Family researchers who wish to learn as much as we can about our family. There is no commercial involvement of any kind.
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