SP5 - E5 - United States Army
A Company, 229th Attack Helicopter Battalion



7th Special Forces Group (Attack Helicopter)
1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile)



25 Years Old
Laurel, Nebraska
December 1, 1940 - MIA, December 28, 1965
Body Was Not Recovered

On December 28, 1965, a UH1D Huey helicopter from the Aviation Company depated An Khe on a
supply mission to a combat unit in the early hours.  Radio transmissions revealed that flight was
difficult because of weather and darkness.  The pilot, Warrant Officer 2 Jesse Phelps radioed for
weather reports.  The other crew of the aircraft consisted of Specialist 5 Donald Carroll Grella,
crewchief; Warrant Officer 2 Kenneth Leon Stancil, co-pilot; and Specialist 4 Thomas
Rice Jr., door gunner.

When the aircraft was about 10 minutes flying time from An Khe, radio contact was suspended and no
further word was received from the aircraft.  When the UH1D Huey failed to return, an intensive
search was conducted with no sign of either the lost aircraft or its crew.  The crew was believed to be
all killed at that time.

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