Danny Day Entrican

Rank/Branch: O2/US Army Special Forces
Unit: Task Force 1, Advisory Element, USARV Advisory Group, 5th Special
Forces Group
Date of Birth: 12 August 1946 (Fort Devens MA)
Home City of Record: Brookhaven MS
Date of Loss: 18 May 1971
Country of Loss: South Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 162800N 1065426E (YD036214)
Status (in 1973): Missing In Action
Category: 1
Acft/Vehicle/Ground: Ground

Other Personnel In Incident: (none missing)

Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 01 April 1991 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. 2020

REMARKS:

SYNOPSIS: 1Lt. Danny Entrican was a Special Forces reconnaissance patrol leader for Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol (LRRP) alert team “Alaska” which was inserted into the Da Krong Valley in Thua Thin Province, South Vietnam on May 8, 1971. Entrican’s duty assignment in Da Nang was that of an advisor to the South Vietnamese army. His team consisted of three Americans and three Chinese Nung mercenaries. The team was overwhelmed in a firefight three days later about 1 mile from the border of Laos, due west of Hue.

During the firefight, two Americans and one Nung was killed. Surviving commando Truong Minh Long and interpreter Truong To Ha stated that they rolled downhill after a hostile search party detected them hiding in the bush. Danny and the two Nung had tried to make a chopper pickup, but Entrican, who was apparently wounded and yelled at them to move out and try to make the pickup alone. Danny Entrican was declared Missing In Action.

Three months later, a friend of Danny’s who was intensely interested in learning his fate heard his code name in an intercepted message. The message described his movement from the South to the North as a prisoner. Because the code names were highly secret and to be used by personnel on SOG missions to verify their identity, the friend reasoned that the enemy had extracted the code name from Danny. There could be no other way to obtain it and to him, it was clear proof that Danny was alive.

Henry Kissinger did not put Danny’s name on his list of “discrepancy” cases for which the Vietnamese could certainly provide either the man or information on his fate. These were individuals who were known to have been under enemy control alive or dead. To this date, Danny’s family does not know his fate.

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
Headquarters, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces
APO San Francisco 96240
GENERAL ORDERS
NUMBER 2458 23 December 1970

AWARD OF THE BRONZE STAR MEDAL FOR HEROISM

1. TC 439. The following AWARD is announced.

ENTRICAN, DANNY D. 428-86-7106 1LT 31542 Co B (WA4XBOA) APO 96318 IN

Awarded: Bronze Star Medal with “V” Device (Second Oak Leaf Cluster)
Date(s) of action: 25 October 1970
Theater: Republic of Vietnam
Authority: By direction of the President under the provisions of Executive
Order 11046, 24 August 1962

Reason: For heroism in connection with ground operations against a hostile
        force in the Republic of Vietnam: First Lieutenant Entrican
        distinguished himsself by heroism on 25 October 1970 while serving
        as the senior Special Forces advisor to a company size Camp Strike
        Force unit. At 1050 hours the CSF operation in ambush position made
        contact with an unknown size enemy unit. Immediately upon receiving
        fire, the enemy unleashed a heavy volume of rockets and automatic
        weapons fire. Lieutenant Entrican immediately began to manuever the
        CIDG elements in order to maintain fire superiority and to prevent
        the enemy from escaping. With complete disregard for his own
        personal safety Lieutenant Entrican led an assault on the retreating
        enemy. He then directed gunship and airstrikes against the enemy.
        The results of the contact were 13 NVA killed. First Lieutenant
        Entrican’s heroic actions were in keeping witht he highest
        traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon
        himself, Special Forces and the United States Army.

FOR THE COMMANDER:

OFFICIAL:                        HARVEY G. PATTERSON
                                       LTC, Infantry
                                       Adjutant

HARVEY J. PENDLETON
1LT, IN
Asst Adjutant

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
Headquarters, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces
APO San Francisco 96240</P><P ALIGN=LEFT>
GENERAL ORDER
NUMBER 2311

AWARD OF THE BRONZE STAR MEDAL FOR HEROISM

1. TC 439. The following AWARD is announced

ENTRICAN, DANNY D. 428-86-7106 1LT 31542 Co B (WA4XBOA) APO 96318 IN

Awarded: Bronze Star with “V” Device
Date(s) of service: 11 September 1970
Theater: Republic of Vietnam
Authority: By direction of the President under the provisions of Executive
Order 11046, 24 August 1962

Reason: For heroism in connection with ground operations against a hostile
        force in the Republic of Vietnam: First Lieutenant Entrican
        distinguished him- self by exceptional heroism on 11 September 1970
        while serving as senior advisor to a Camp Strike Force operation.
        While engaged in the mission of search and control on QL 14,
        Lieutenant Entrican lead a point element towards a well used trail
        in a densely wooded area. When they were with- in 100 meters of the
        trail an estimated company opened up with an intense volume of
        automatic fire. after maneuvering the CSF into position, Lieu-
        tenant Entrican called for Cobra Gunships and exposed himself to the
        enemy fire in order to direct the gunships. Even with the gunships
        work- in the area it was evident to him the CSF element could not
        hold the superior fire from the NVA/VC position. When he began to
        withdraw he noticed a dead NVA/VC body and returned under fire to
        search the body for valuable documents. Lieutenant Entrican then
        moved his element to a safe position without incurring any
        casualties and directed fire from the gunships on the enemy. The
        results did not prove so valuable for the enemy after they broke
        contact leaving 1 NVA/VC KIA and 1 carbine weapon behind.
        Lieutenant Entrican’s bravery and devotion to duty were in keep- ing
        with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect
        great credit upon himself, Special Forces and the United States
        Army.