RUSSELL GLEN DANIELS

Petty Officer Second Class

November 18th, 2020 at 8:59 AM

For those who don't know
Team Rush Act - 50th Anniversary 50 years ago, on a dark and rainy night, EG-24 launched on an emergency Recon extraction mission. Their story is written below. The men of Team Rush Act:
"Not for fame or reward, not for place or rank, Not lured by ambition, or goaded by necessity. But in simple obedience to duty as they understood it. These me suffered all, dared all and died"


God Bless Team Rush Act - Never Forget. 50 years ago today, 15 Marines were killed during a rescue attempt in the Que Son mountains of Vietnam. These Marines will never be forgotten by their buddies who served with them. Many of us will raise a toast to them at 1800 on 18 November as we do every year. Here is their story:


Reconnaissance Company, Headquarters Battalion (Reinf.), First Marine Division (Reinf.) Fleet Marine Force Pacific
Issue #25 1 December 2010 1st Reconnaissance Battalion Operation Order #1187-70 of 12 November, 1970 ordered the insertion of 1st Recon Team “Rush Act” from the Battalion’s Bravo Company into a haven in the Que Son Mountains, some
22 miles or so south of their base at Da Nang. The patrol was ordered to Conduct reconnaissance and surveillance
operations within an assigned haven to detect possible VC/NVA troop movements or arms infiltration and to be prepared to call and adjust Air and/or Artillery on all targets of opportunity. [See the complete order on page two.]


Team Rush Act, consisting of: Cpl John Frank Stockman, the Patrol Leader; HM2 Russell Glen “Doc” Daniels, the team’s Navy Medical Corpsman; LCpl David Vincent Delozier; Cpl Randall Paul Manela; LCpl Charles Alfred Pope Jr.; LCpl Robert Eugene Tucker and Cpl Fernando Villasana was inserted by HMM-263 on 10 November, 1970.
While executing their mission at least two of the Team members became debilitated by the notorious Vietnam FUO (Fever of Unknown Origin) and were being doctored by HM2 Daniels. As fate would have it, Doc Daniels suffered a broken leg as he slipped on a wet mountain slope during one of the Teams movements. The Patrol’s orders called for an extraction on 19
November but Doc Daniel’s condition became a major concern of the Team and they requested an early extraction..
The urgency of their request prompted two attempts to extract. Both attempts were cancelled due to heavy rain and fog in the Team’s haven area. Rain and fog notwithstanding the Thunder Chickens of HMM-263 were determined to extract their brothers and mounted a third extraction attempt on 18 November. The short account which follows is a narrative from
HMM-263 regarding the third extraction mission: Three days overdue for extraction from their monsoon-soaked haven in the Que Son, 1st Recon Battalion Team “Rush Act” had monitored two aborted previous attempts to lift them out. They had sick and injured Marines and they were out of food and water. The “Thunder Chickens” of HMM-263, would try, once again, to penetrate the fog. Editor’s Note: Reflections is grateful to Charlie Kershaw and Dave Snider, President and Historian respectively, of the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion Association, for suggesting the theme of this issue and for providing valuable resources. We all do well when we reflect, even with remorse, upon the legacy which the brave men of Team Rush Act, the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, the pilots, crewmen and gunners of Medium Helicopter Squadron HMM-263 and MAG-16 have left us. We consider it an honor to aid in the preservation of that legacy. God Bless The United States Marine Corps. Danger gleams like sunshine to a brave man's eyes— Euripides A recon team from the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion call sign, "Rush Act" was 3 day overdue from extraction and was out of food and water with several Marines injured. They were located on a high peak in the Que Son mountains (AT 967407) on a difficult slope. Many attempts were made to extract them in the days prior to November 18th but were thwarted by monsoon rains and clouds. On November 18th Major Ted Tobin set out from the recon helo pad with Lt CurtRogers flying his wing. Tobin's aircraft carried the CO of the1st Marine Reconnaissance Battalion, Lt Col WilliamG. Leftwich, his operations officer and several otherextract certified Marines. While flying to the location of Team Rush Act, Tobin's CH-46 experienced RPM surges thatrequired it to land at LZ Baldy, several clicks south of theirintended mission. At LZ Baldy it was determined that the"SPIE" rig would be transferred to Lt Curt Rogers CH-46(Bureau# 154837). Once the transfer was complete the sectiondeparted for the pickup. LT Rogers flew over the team inbad weather but was able to spot them and began the extraction.During the extraction the weather deteriorated quicklyresulting in extremely poor visibility. Lt Rogers reported hehad the team and was departing the area. He was not heardfrom again. During the retrograde operation the following dayit was clear that the CH-46 carrying Team Rush Act and alltheir command staff made a turn in IFR conditions and flewinto the side of the mountain killing all 15 Marines.

USMC/COMBAT HELICOPTER ASSOCIATION popasmoke.com
Recon Reflections Issue #25 - 1 December 2011- Page 2


TEAM RUSH ACT
Daniels, Russell Glen HM2 Corpsman1stReconBn 1stMarDiv
Delozier, David Vincent LCpl 1stReconBn 1stMarDiv
Hudson, Gary Duane LCpl Passenger 1stMarDiv
Pope Jr., Charles Alfred LCpl 1stReconBn 1stMarDiv
Stockman, John Frank Cpl 1stReconBn 1stMarDiv
Tucker, Robert Eugene LCpl 1stReconBn 1stMarDiv
Villasana, Fernando Cpl 1stReconBn 1stMarDiv


HELICOPTER PASSENGERS
Leftwich Jr., William Groom LtCol CO/1stReconBn 1stMarDiv
Harvey, Cleveland Ray 1stLt 1stReconBn 1stMarDiv
Manela, Randall Paul Cpl 1stReconBn 1stMarDiv


HELICOPTER CREW
Donnell II, Robert A Sgt Crew Chief HMM-263 MAG-16
Rogers Jr., Orville Curtis 1stLt Pilot HMM-263 MAG-16
Stolz Jr., James Edward 1stLt Co-Pilot HMM-263 MAG-16
Bajin, Enver Cpl Gunner H&MS-16 MAG-16
Buttry, Richard Russell LCpl Gunner H&MS-16 MAG-16


My Thanks to Hubert "HU" Campbell, 1st Recon Battalion for permission to use his narrative.

RUSSELL GLEN DANIELS

BRONZE STAR MEDAL AWARD FOR VALOR
Petty Officer Second Class Russell Glen Daniels was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for Valor, with Combat Distinguishing Device (V) and Gold Star, for his exemplary gallantry in action. He served as a Hospital Corpsman Second Class (Combat Medic) and was assigned to B CO, 1ST RECON BN, 1ST MARDIV.

FINAL MISSION

On November 18, 1970, a U.S. Marine Corps helicopter CH-46D (tail number 154837) from Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 263 (HMM-263) was tasked with an extraction mission of Marine reconnaissance teams in the Que Son Mountains, 7 miles southeast of An Hoa Air Field in Quang Nam Province, RVN. There were three teams in the field that required removal after a medic had broken a leg in a creek bed and two other Marines suffered from high fevers. The weather hampered the operation due to heavy cloud cover. Escorted by UH-1 gunships, the CH-46 descended into the clouds and successfully extracted the first two teams. It later returned to extract the third team by SPIE rigging. As the aircraft pulled away in the foggy conditions from the pick-up zone with the third team dangling beneath, it impacted into a mountain. There were no survivors.

Russell is buried at Sunset Cemetery, Willcox, Cochise County, AZ.

"I'm the One Called "Doc…"


I shall not walk in your footsteps,
but I will walk by your side.
I shall not walk in your image,
I've earned my own title of pride.
We've answered the call together,
on sea and foreign land.
When the cry for help was given,
I've been there right at hand.
Whether I am on the ocean
or in the jungle wearing greens,
Giving aid to my fellow man,
be it Sailors or Marines.
So the next time you see a corpsman
and you thing of calling him "squid",
Think of the job he's doing
as those before him did.
And if you ever have to go out there
and you life is on the block,
Look at the one right next to you…
I'm the one called "Doc".


by, Harry D. Penny, Jr. HMC(AC)USN

DOC DANIELS DIED CARING FOR ONE OF HIS MARINES IN A COPTER CRASH.
As brave as any Marine, the Navy corpsmen exposed themselves to death with little thought to their safety. Doc Daniels had an injured Marine hanging with him on a SPIE rig under a helicopter during his team's seven man extraction from mountainous terrain. They died together along with the eight other Marines when the copter crashed into a mountain in the fog and dark.

Last Known Activity

50 years ago today, 15 Marines were killed during a rescue attempt in the Que Son mountains of Vietnam. These Marines will never be forgotten by their buddies who served with them. Many of us will raise a toast to them at 1800 on 18 November as we do every year. Here is their story:

Reconnaissance Company, Headquarters Battalion (Reinf.), First Marine Division (Reinf.) Fleet Marine Force Pacific Issue #25 1 December 2010
1st Reconnaissance Battalion Operation Order #1187-70 of 12 November, 1970 ordered the insertion of 1st Recon Team “Rush Act” from the Battalion’s Bravo Company into a haven in the Que Son Mountains, some 22 miles or so south of their base at Da Nang. The patrol was ordered to Conduct reconnaissance and surveillance operations within an assigned haven to detect possible VC/NVC troop movements or arms infiltration and to be prepared to call and adjust Air and/or Artillery on all targets of opportunity.

Team Rush Act, consisting of: Cpl John Frank Stockman, the Patrol Leader; HM2 Russell Glen “Doc” Daniels, the team’s Navy Medical Corpsman; LCpl David Vincent Delozier; Cpl Randall Paul Manela; LCpl Charles Alfred Pope Jr.; LCpl Robert Eugene Tucker and Cpl Fernando Villasana was inserted by HMM-263 on 10 November, 1970.

While executing their mission at least two of the Team members became debilitated by the notorious Vietnam FUO (Fever of Unknown Origin) and were being doctored by HM2 Daniels. As fate would have it, Doc Daniels suffered a broken leg as he slipped on a wet mountain slope during one of the Teams movements. The Patrol’s orders called for an extraction on 19 November but Doc Daniel’s condition became a major concern of the Team and they requested an early extraction.. The urgency of their request prompted two attempts to extract. Both attempts were cancelled due to heavy rain and fog in the Team’s haven area. Rain and fog notwithstanding the Thunder Chickens of HMM-263 were determined to extract their brothers and mounted a third extraction attempt on 18 November.

The short account which follows is a narrative from HMM-263 regarding the third extraction mission:
Three days overdue for extraction from their monsoon-soaked haven in the Que Son, 1st Recon Battalion Team “Rush Act” had monitored two aborted previous attempts to lift them out. They had sick and injured Marines and they were out of food and water. The “Thunder Chickens” of HMM-263, would try, once again, to penetrate the fog. Editor’s Note: Reflections is grateful to Charlie Kershaw and Dave Snider, President and Historian respectively, of the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion Association, for suggesting the theme of this issue and for providing valuable resources. We all do well when we reflect, even with remorse, upon the legacy which the brave men of Team Rush Act, the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, the pilots, crewmen and gunners of Medium Helicopter Squadron HMM-263 and MAG-16 have left us. We consider it an honor to aid in the preservation of that legacy. God Bless The United States Marine Corps.

Danger gleams like sunshine to a brave man's eyes— Euripides A recon team from the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion call sign, "Rush Act" was 3 day overdue from extraction and was out of food and water with several Marines injured. They were located on a high peak in the Que Son mountains (AT 967407) on a difficult slope. Many attempts were made to extract them in the days prior to November 18th but were thwarted by monsoon rains and clouds. On November 18th Major Ted Tobin set out from the recon helo pad with Lt Curt Rogers flying his wing. Tobin's aircraft carried the CO of the 1st Marine Reconnaissance Battalion, Lt Col William G. Leftwich, his operations officer and several other extract certified Marines. While flying to the location of Team Rush Act, Tobin's CH-46 experienced RPM surges that required it to land at LZ Baldy, several clicks south of their intended mission. At LZ Baldy it was determined that the "SPIE" rig would be transferred to Lt Curt Rogers CH-46 (Bureau# 154837). Once the transfer was complete the section departed for the pickup. LT Rogers flew over the team in bad weather but was able to spot them and began the extraction. During the extraction the weather deteriorated quickly resulting in extremely poor visibility. Lt Rogers reported he had the team and was departing the area. He was not heard from again. During the retrograde operation the following day it was clear that the CH-46 carrying Team Rush Act and all their command staff made a turn in IFR conditions and flew into the side of the mountain killing all 15 Marines.

Comments/Citation
Not Specified

Russell Glen Daniels
ON THE WALL: Panel W6 Line 66

PERSONAL DATA:
Home of Record: Phoenix, AZ
Date of birth: 09/23/1948


MILITARY DATA:
Service Branch: United States Navy
Grade at loss: E5
Rank: Petty Officer Second Class

ID No: 527722405
MOS: HM2: Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class
Length Service: 03
Unit: Bravo Company, 1ST RECON BN, 1ST MARDIV, III MAF


CASUALTY DATA:
Start Tour: 02/17/1970
Incident Date: 11/18/1970
Casualty Date: 11/18/1970

Age at Loss: 22
Location: Quang Nam Province, South Vietnam
Remains: Body recovered

Casualty Type: Hostile, died outright
Casualty Reason: Helicopter - Noncrew
Casualty Detail: Air loss or crash over land

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RUSSELL GLEN DANIELS

Petty Officer Second Class

RIP