“It is certainly good of you to post a memoriam to Captain Lee Chock. We all knew and appreciated what a terrific officer and gentleman that Lee Chock was. He was an inspiration for all with whom he served. He was dedicated, selfless, courageous and he led by example. In addition to his serious and professional approach towards discharging his duties, he had a great sense of humor which made life in that hostile environment much more bearable for his subordinates and peers.”

Funeral services will be held Friday at Sacred Heart Church for U. L. Army Capain Linus G. K. Chock, 30, of 1788 Nanea Street, Honolulu, who died November 29 from injuries received during combat in Viet Nam. Captain Chock a member of the 183rd Aviation Company, was piloting a helicopter when he suffered head wounds from small arms fire during a reconnaissance mission.

He was the 61st Islander killed fighting in Viet Nam.

Captain Chock was holder of the National Defense Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Viet Nam Service Medal, and the Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters.

Born April 12, 1936, in Honolulu, Captain Chock graduated from Maryknoll High School, in 1954 and from Santa Clara University in 1960. He took officers training in Seattle, Washington after joining the Army.

Subsequently, he received missile and communications training at White Sands, New Mexico; pilot training at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, and was assigned to Korea in 1964.

Following duty at Randolph Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas, he was assigned to Viet Nam in May of this year.

A Solemn Requiem Mass will be sung at 10 a.m. Friday at Sacred Heart Church, followed by burial with full military honors at the National Cemetery of the Pacific.

Friends may call at Williams Mortuary from 6 to 9 p. m. Thursday and from 7:30 to 9 p. m. Friday. A Rosary will be recited at 7:30 p. m. Thursday.

The family requests, in lieu of flowers friends wishing to honor the memory of Captain Chock may send contributions to9 the Maryknoll High School Scholarship Fund.

Captain Chock is survived by his wife, Sun Kan Chock, one son, Patrick K. Chock, his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Alfred F. Chock, three sisters, Mrs. Walter (Audrey) Swideret of Chicago, Illinois, Mrs Raymond (Germaine) Mendoza of Los Angeles, California, and Mrs Joseph (Antonella) Bennett of Pasadena, California and Master Sergeant Alfred W. Chock, serving with the U. S. Air Force in Libya, Africa, and Master Sergeant Rodney H. W. Chock, serving in the U. S. Air Force in Viet Nam.

LINUS GERARD K CHOCK

Army - CAPT - O3
Age - 30
Date of Birth - Apr 12, 1936
From - HONOLULU , HAWAII
LINUS GERARD K CHOCK INFO PAGE

CAPT - O3 - Army - Reserve
30 year old Married, Caucasian, Male
Born on Apr 12, 1936
From HONOLULU, HAWAII
Length of service 12 years.
His tour of duty began on May 16, 1966
Casualty was on Nov 29, 1966
SOUTH VIETNAM
Hostile, died while missing
FIXED WING - PILOT
AIR LOSS, CRASH ON LAND
Body was recovered
Religion
ROMAN CATHOLIC
Panel 12E - - Line 128

The 1st of the 44th ARVN Infantry Battalion was moving from Bao Loc to the east. They were accompanied by their Bn Advisor, Lt Jim Brawner, a former USMC NCO who fought in Korea, and his assistant Bn Advisor Sgt Boles, who was packing a PRC25 radio. Just to the east of the little hamlet with the gas station that straddled highway 20 they were ambushed by what later proved to be the 186th Main Force Battalion, which occupied dug in camouflaged positions from which they attacked. The 1/44th was holding it's own and had received artillery support, when a bullet chopped off the base of the radio antenna on Sgt Boles backpack. Somewhere around this time Cpt Chock appeared overhead and had limited to nonexistent communications with Boles, apparently only when he was directly overhead. Chalk was lured closer to the ground, because he could not hear from altitude. This was Chalks big mistake. The ARVN communication was less reliable with PRC10 radios and apparently the VC were also jamming the frequencies. Lam Dong Sector sent out the Armored car Platoon, which consisted of 4 M8 armored cars which were WWII vintage wheeled vehicles equipped with a 37mm gun, a coax 30 caliber Browning and a 50 caliber Browning mounted on top of the turret, which was open topped. The 37mm was especially lethal with canister rounds, long before proven on Guadalcanal by the Marines when they annihlated a Japanese bn crossing the Tenaru River. The problem with the 50 caliber was that it was designed to be used as an anti aircraft weapon on the M8 and could only be fired in the opposite direction from the 37mm unless the vehicle commander came out of the turret and stood on the rear deck, which was not conducive to long life! I was at the Popular Forces training center with Sgt John Hough, when we heard the 50 caliber fire and immediately drove back to the advisor compound, picked up our gear and an interpreter, I think Sgt Thuy?, and started to head out. The Senior Advisor, I think Col Corcoran, said to Sgt Hough "You can't go out there, you only have a week left here!, whereupon Hough said "No sir, I have six years left!", meaning his time to retire! When we got out there the shooting was over anyway. The entire M8 platoon was killed, except for one soldier who had gone to get a haircut and didn't get back in time to go with them. All of the M8's had been knocked out by RPG 7 rounds, which blew nickel sized holes in the armor, after which anything inside, grenades, unexpended 37mm rounds, etc detonated. It was a grisly sight looking in those vehicles, We removed the remains of the crews with wires late that afternoon, though in one case, the remains were removed in Bao Loc at the motor pool with hoses thorough the floor drains. All of them eventually had to be hosed out, to eliminate the terrible smell of rotting chunks of flesh. The 1/44th had over 30 troops killed, but neither Jim nor Sgt Boles had been wounded. Captain Chock’s plane was shot down as you described and it slid through the scrub jungle just north of HWY 20. He may have been trying to put it down on the road, though that would have been hard since the knocked out M-8s were scattered over an area about 100 meters long. His presence alone, over the contact area probably caused the VC battalion to withdraw prematurely, because they were probably unaware of the communications problem the advisors were having, and expected TACAIR to be showing up, as well as better coordination of artillery when they were in their withdrawal phase. Interestingly, many months later, a Lt Jewell, who also was a Infantry Bn Advisor, was flying with one of the sector Huey gunships when through a break in the fog they spotted about 75 individuals snaking through the elephant grass of a clearing and carrying large packs. They engaged them with rockets and machine guns, but got shot down for their troubles They safely landed in a clearing and was shortly after rescued by a slick and the other Sector gunship. Shortly thereafter we got into the area where their earlier target had been. We didn't find any casualties, but we found several large packs filled with about a hundred brassieres, and some embroidered handkerchiefs, with the date 29 November 1966 and a statement about the great victory. I mailed them to Jim Brawner.

Captain Joe Mucelli, is the son of medical doctor, at New York State University. Mucelli attended New York State University and was commissioned a 2nd Lt. from the ROTC. This action resulted in Mucelli being awarded the Silver Star from General Abrams. It was downgraded from the Distinguished Service Cross. General Lee, 11 Corp Senior Advisor, recommended that the award be upgraded to the Metal of Honor. The paperwork has since BEEN LOST. Mucelli served 45 months in Bao Loc. Mucelli has since passed away in San Francisco, in 2012.

CWO Ron Allen Statement in his own words.
Allan was the second Army pilot that day. Today he is a retired Delta pilot, and is living in California.

November 29, 1966
Bao Loc, Lam Dong Province, Republic of Viet Nam

The morning G2 meeting was held at the MACV HQ compound. I, Seahorse 29, was assigned to escort an RVN convoy through the province on Hwy 1. The convoy was comprised of two dozen, or so, supply vehicles accompanied by a security detachment from the local RVN Ranger Battalion. Assigned to move with the convoy was 1/Lt Jim Brunner, MACV Advisor, and my FM Communication link with the convoy. I was informed just before departing with my observer that My Platoon Leader, Capt. Chock, would be arriving at Bao Loc later in the morning.

I picked up the convoy at the southwest border of Lam Dong Province, established communications with Jim Brunner, as did my observer with his counterparts. Approximately 2-hours later, the convoy arrived at Bao Loc. While they took a break, I returned to Bao Loc base and refueled. Capt. Chock had already arrived and I briefed him on the mission. He wanted me to evaluate a wing-mounted, forward-facing gun system comprised of two 7.62mm, M-60 machine guns mounted on the wing hard points. He explained that he was having all his pilots in the platoon fly this ship to assess the feasibility of the system. I then traded aircraft with Capt. Chock and my observer then flew with him as he joined me for the continuance of the mission.

I was in the process of sending a new set of ciphered coordinates to the artillery battery to keep current with the convoy’s position, about 12 km east of Bao Loc, when I observed the convoy taking hostile fire. This was immediately confirmed by Jim reporting they were taking heavy fire from the south side of the highway. When the second recoilless weapon hit the rear armored car, the source location was readily identified, along with many dug-in positions in front of a line of heavier vegetation.

Artillery was not yet registered. I gave them a new set of coordinates and to let me know when they were ready for a fire mission. In the interim, I decided to engage the target with gunfire to give the ground element some support and asked Capt. Chock if he wanted to follow with rockets. Following our second run, the artillery guys were ready. I made one additional run, expending the remaining ammo, as I called for an adjustment round and advised Capt Chock to remain north of the highway, that I was laying in artillery.

Things got real busy, adjusting artillery, requesting air strike, calling for medivac, coordinating with Jim on the ground, stopping artillery and clearing in medivac. With the medivac came a light gun team (Hueys with guns and rockets). I was really glad to see them. Then more artillery, never got the air strike. I have no recollection of how long all this took. Occasionally, I looked up to see if Capt Chock was still there north of the highway. It all ended as fast as it had begun, “Charlie” was gone. I radioed Seahorse 20 and got no reply. Then I climbed up to where I saw him orbiting north only to find out that It was Hilly Wilbanks, an AF FAC from Dalat, who was waiting for the air strike. Another call to the base, then Jim Brunner called on the FM…”We found your other Seahorse, a crash with two fatals.” I do not even remember landing back at base.

My next recollection was back at the MACV compound. Capt. Chock’s body was delayed in being returned. Likely due to his being of Polynesian descent, he was mistaken as being an RVN casualty and placed in the wrong conveyance. When I saw him…well, I was horrified. He had suffered multiple wounds. The head wound had distorted and disfigured his appearance…an image I will never forget.

To me he was Capt. Chock, my platoon leader. To most of the other aviators in 2nd Platoon, 183rd RAC, he was “Lee”, with whom they had deployed only months earlier. I regret not having had the opportunity to know him as a friend…but he is a permanent fixture in my heart and a brother he will always be. CWO Ron Allen
Seahorse 29