SFC WILLIAM GEORGE SAARELA
ADVISORY TEAM 14
MACV ADVISORS
Age 34 - From
Carlton, Minnesota
Killed in action on August 12, 1972 - Ba Xugen, South Viet Nam
INFORMATION
FOUND AT VIETNAM VETERANS
MEMORIAL FUND WEBSITE
(www.vvmf.org)
WILLIAM GEORGE SAARELA
is honored on Panel 1W, Row 64 of
the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Full Name: WILLIAM GEORGE SAARELA
Wall Name: WILLIAM G SAARELA
Date of Birth: 4/26/1938
Date of Casualty: 8/12/1972
Home of Record: CARLTON
State: MN
Branch of Service: ARMY
Rank: SFC
Casualty Country: SOUTH VIETNAM
Casualty Province: BA XUGEN
MEMORIALS FOR SFC WILLIAM G. SAARELA
AT "THE VIRTUAL WALL"
(http://www.virtualwall.org/ds/SaarelaWG01a.htm)
Shortly before
dawn on 12 Aug 1972 a C-130E transport (tail number 62-1853) took off
from Soc Trang. As the aircraft climbed through 500 feet it was hit by
enemy fire and crashed near the airfield. Hobson's "Vietnam Air Losses"
states that 30 of the 44 persons aboard were killed, but only 13 US
servicemen can be identified as lost in the crash - 7 aircrew and 6
passengers. The remaining 17 persons must have been US civilians and/or
SVN personnel.
Oddly, the 7 USAF and 3 USN personnel are coded as lost to hostile fire, while the 3 Army personnel, all members of MACV's Advisory Team 14, are coded as non-hostile losses. The 13 men who died are
Oddly, the 7 USAF and 3 USN personnel are coded as lost to hostile fire, while the 3 Army personnel, all members of MACV's Advisory Team 14, are coded as non-hostile losses. The 13 men who died are
Aircrew:
MAJ James W. Fulk, Union City, IN, 776th Tac Alft Sqd
MAJ Jerry D. Vance, Richmond, IN, 776th Tac Alft Sqd
CPT Terry Kohler, Kalamazoo, MI, 776th Tac Alft Sqd
CPT Merrill H. Masin, Sayville, NY, 776th Tac Alft Sqd
CPT Charles P. Roberts, La Junta, CO, 50th Tac Alft Sqd
CPT Timmie J. Ward, Rockford, IA, 776th Tac Alft Sqd
MSGT Ray E. Tannehill, Elsberry, MO, 50th Tac Alft Sqd
Passengers:
SFC Edward J. Brue, Newton, IA, MACV Advisors
SFC William G. Saarela, Carlton, MN, MACV Advisors
SFC Philip H. Stevens, Wahiawa, HI, MACV Advisors
LCDR Marshall B. Collins, Arlington, TX, Det Soc Trang, HQ, USNAVFORV
RM1 Raymond R. Reese, Scranton, PA, Det Soc Trang, HQ, USNAVFORV
YN1 Ben O. Sheppard, North Little Rock, AR, Det Soc Trang, HQ, USNAVFORV
MAJ James W. Fulk, Union City, IN, 776th Tac Alft Sqd
MAJ Jerry D. Vance, Richmond, IN, 776th Tac Alft Sqd
CPT Terry Kohler, Kalamazoo, MI, 776th Tac Alft Sqd
CPT Merrill H. Masin, Sayville, NY, 776th Tac Alft Sqd
CPT Charles P. Roberts, La Junta, CO, 50th Tac Alft Sqd
CPT Timmie J. Ward, Rockford, IA, 776th Tac Alft Sqd
MSGT Ray E. Tannehill, Elsberry, MO, 50th Tac Alft Sqd
Passengers:
SFC Edward J. Brue, Newton, IA, MACV Advisors
SFC William G. Saarela, Carlton, MN, MACV Advisors
SFC Philip H. Stevens, Wahiawa, HI, MACV Advisors
LCDR Marshall B. Collins, Arlington, TX, Det Soc Trang, HQ, USNAVFORV
RM1 Raymond R. Reese, Scranton, PA, Det Soc Trang, HQ, USNAVFORV
YN1 Ben O. Sheppard, North Little Rock, AR, Det Soc Trang, HQ, USNAVFORV
18 Feb 2004
SFC William Saarela was one of the most competent Military Police NCOs that I ever had the privilege of knowing and serving with. He was a senior drill sergeant in B-11-4 at Fort Gordon when I commanded the unit after I returned from Vietnam in late 1969.
SFC Saarela was an inspiration to the trainees that he was charged with molding into honest, moral, competent Military Policemen, a task he took seriously and accomplished with the highest degree of professionalism. He was the epitome of what a Drill Sergeant should be and an inspiration for all of his men. We went through several cycles of trainees in the eighteen months that I commanded the unit and I can say, without reservation, that it was always his platoon that stood at the top at graduation.
A true leader, a loving husband, a wonderful father to his kids, and a fine example for "Of the Troops and For the Troops".
Timothy D. O'Toole
Lieutenant Colonel (Ret), MPC
SFC William Saarela was one of the most competent Military Police NCOs that I ever had the privilege of knowing and serving with. He was a senior drill sergeant in B-11-4 at Fort Gordon when I commanded the unit after I returned from Vietnam in late 1969.
SFC Saarela was an inspiration to the trainees that he was charged with molding into honest, moral, competent Military Policemen, a task he took seriously and accomplished with the highest degree of professionalism. He was the epitome of what a Drill Sergeant should be and an inspiration for all of his men. We went through several cycles of trainees in the eighteen months that I commanded the unit and I can say, without reservation, that it was always his platoon that stood at the top at graduation.
A true leader, a loving husband, a wonderful father to his kids, and a fine example for "Of the Troops and For the Troops".
Timothy D. O'Toole
Lieutenant Colonel (Ret), MPC
FROM "THE VIETNAM MEMORIAL WALL"
(http://tanaya.net/vmw/S/rec-45065.html)
Let us not
forget Sergeant First Class William George Saarela, casualty of the
Vietnam War. As a member of the Army, SFC Saarela served our country
until August 12th, 1972 in Ba Xugen, South Vietnam. He was 34 years old
and was married. William died when his plane crashed into the land. His
body was recovered. William was born on April 26th, 1938 in Carlton,
Minnesota.
SFC Saarela is on panel 01W, line 064 of the Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington D.C.
SFC Saarela is on panel 01W, line 064 of the Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington D.C.
CASUALTY RECORD FOR WILLIAM GEORGE SAARELA
FROM WWW.NO-QUARTER.ORG
(http://www.no-quarter.org/gui/detail.php?ID=45066)
GENERAL/PERSONAL
Home: Carlton, Minnesota
Birth Date: 1938-04-26
Sex: Male
Race: Caucasian
Married/Single: Married
Religion: Lutheran & Missouri Synod
Citizen: Yes
MILITARY
Service: Army
Rank: SFC
Serial Number: 470420840
Component: Regular
Grade: E7
MOS: 95B4H
Length of Service: **
Start of Tour: 1972-03-08
CASUALTY
Casualty Date: 1972-08-12
Casualty Type: Non-Hostile, Died Other
Reason: Air Loss, Crash - Land
Air or Ground: Fixed Wing - Noncrew
Country: South Vietnam
Province: Ba Xugen
Posthumous Promotion: No change
Body Recovered: Body recovered
Location on The Wall: Panel 01W - Row 064
RefNo: 7081
Processed Date: 7208
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