These are actual e-mails I have recieved since I have build this Honor Site for Michael.This started as a hobby..not knowing how many people it touched..... Please NEVER forget about Michael and all the Brothers and Sisters who gave their Life,because their COUNTRY called..... ....All though I do not know SSGT Batt, I do have a few suggestions that might help in your search. One of the more controversial actions of the US Army at this time was Operation Phoenix. You might check to see if there are any casualties on that date and time of personal with a military intelligence mos. You can also check with the NCO Register on the web to see if anyone there remembers him. Good luck and thank you for your efforts to give closure to the families and friends of our brothers who did not get to come back. I was lucky and came back from Nam so many were not. It is nice to be remembered by one far away...... ....As to the Phoenix Program it was a classified program of the ASA which identified Viet Cong and other communist party individuals in South East Asia during the Vietnam War era. Initiated by President Nixon's National Security Council and run by the CIA and Army Intelligence. Once identified the officers of the Phoenix Program would evaluate the individuals potential to harm the mission of the USA and if deemed a potential threat they were pacified. I served as one of many pacification specialist. Our motto was one shot one kill. We were sent out in teams of two, a sniper and a spotter. I conducted seven successful missions during the nine months I was assigned to the project. .....Hi Ramona, Saw your note on the US Army Lost & Found site. Although you may have the below information, it indicates to me that there is nothing classified or sealed or secret about the incident at all. Rather it is one more example of the difficult flying that was a constant threat to the air crews that served in SEA. Poor navigational aids, severe weather, pilot fatigue and other factors led to far too many incidents such as this.I hope this is of some help to you...... ....Dear Ramona, I apolojise for taking so long to get back to you. I've thought long and hard about Michael's sister, I realize that it has been over thirty years, but if it we me, and someone else was thinking about my brother I'd want to know. If I'm wrong and she has no interest she probably will not reply. I bet that she does, and in a positive way to. How are you doing wading through all of that? I bet your eyes and your brain are suffering, from trying to absorb all the info that you have. How much time do they give you before you have to send it all back? I'm still interested in anything that you do find. Many years ago I tried to get answers, for countless number of families and myself, I kept hitting stone walls, but "THE POLICE ACTION', was still very much an on going thing then. I am glad that your getting results now. My thoughts are with you,....... .....I am writing this with much sadness. I have had a bracelet of a Sgt.Michael Batt, 3/16/1969 inscribed on it. I am assuming I purchased in the late 60's when you could get them on Vietnam Vets. I have always kept it in hopes that he was alive and I could return it to him. I have just discovered I could look him up on the computer. I wished I hadn't. It was a sad time in history for everyone involved in Vietnam. If possible I would like to give this bracelet to someone who knew and loved him. He will be in my heart always. I never gave up hope that he was still alive until now. If you could help me return this please do. Thank you and again I am saddened even though it has been many years since his death.Thank you........ It was nice to hear from you. I think your organization is wonderful and believe our Government should do everything possible to account for all of our soldiers. My Viet Nam experience was not that eventful.I was deaf in one ear and my only younger brother was also in Viet Nam when I arrived so they did not want to put me in a combat unit. I was not happy about being denied combat at the time, but feel now that God was really taking care of me for some reason known only to Him. I first went to An Khe, which is on the main highway that ran the length of the country. I was in a main support element for the 1st Cavalry. They went out on missions all of the time and there was a lot of fighting going on every day.I landed right after Tet, the North Viet Namese offensive named after their holiday. I only spent a few weeks and was transferred to Da Nang on China Beach. The Army had built a big base there. The US had Special Forces, supply depots, helicopter bases, and big Navy and Air Force bases as well. There were so many of us that if the Viet Cong shot off a mortar they were almost certain to hit some one or something.Like shooting at a city. They mortared us every night. Some nights several times. It was more of an harassment unless they fell on top of you. There were so many people coming in and out of Da Nang, it was utter chaos. The Army had no way of keeping up with everyone.Except for getting your pay they really relied on the soldiers to get where they needed to go. I had heard at one time there were 2.000 soldiers lost in the Da Nang area itself. These were guys who went on R&R (rest & recuperation) out of the country or locally and just refused to return to their units in the bush. It was easy to get around the country. You could get flights going somewhere from any air base or helicopter pad. No one seemed to care. Paperwork had a way of getting lost and it was often up to the individual to figure out for himself when it was time to return home. I had heard of several secret operations going on around Cambodia and Laos, but no one talked about them. I also knew from working at the depot that our casualty rates were much higher than the American people as well as the Armed Forces News were reporting. The mortuary at Da Nang was always running out of body bags and shipping coffins. I am sorry I don't remember a SSG Batt. To tell you the truth, I cannot now remember anyone's name. If I saw their names I might recognize them but that whole period is kind of blank to me. I did look on your web site and hope you are successful in bringing some closure. These days classifying material is harder but once it is classified, getting it released can be very difficult. The military probably has Black Operations, Agent Orange and Gulf Illness Syndrome issues that they do not want surfaced. We also had incidences of "fraggin" and racial violence which were pretty well buried outside of the theater zone. I also know from experience when my brother was killed, they do not want questions being asked. This happens at the very lowest levels so that often even the O-3 Company Commanders don't know what has really happened. Thank you so much for sharing your Story's with me.~Ramona~ Ramona's Index Blast off to a new adventure! In Memory of SSGT Michael L.Batt In Memory of SSGT Joseph Puggi In Memory of Captain Frank Ralston In Memory of SFC Jerry(Mad Dog)Shriver In Memory of W1 William Patrick Milliner In Memory of Captain Morgan Jefferson Donahue In Memory of Major Michael Davis O'Donnell Code of Conduct Important Government Links My Awards A few Freebies Poems to read Win my Awards E-mail's I recieved Thank you for all Want to trade Banner's? My Favorite Webrings Back to Home
These are actual e-mails I have recieved since I have build this Honor Site for Michael.This started as a hobby..not knowing how many people it touched.....
Please NEVER forget about Michael and all the Brothers and Sisters who gave their Life,because their COUNTRY called.....
....All though I do not know SSGT Batt, I do have a few suggestions that might help in your search. One of the more controversial actions of the US Army at this time was Operation Phoenix. You might check to see if there are any casualties on that date and time of personal with a military intelligence mos. You can also check with the NCO Register on the web to see if anyone there remembers him. Good luck and thank you for your efforts to give closure to the families and friends of our brothers who did not get to come back. I was lucky and came back from Nam so many were not. It is nice to be remembered by one far away......
....As to the Phoenix Program it was a classified program of the ASA which identified Viet Cong and other communist party individuals in South East Asia during the Vietnam War era. Initiated by President Nixon's National Security Council and run by the CIA and Army Intelligence. Once identified the officers of the Phoenix Program would evaluate the individuals potential to harm the mission of the USA and if deemed a potential threat they were pacified. I served as one of many pacification specialist. Our motto was one shot one kill. We were sent out in teams of two, a sniper and a spotter. I conducted seven successful missions during the nine months I was assigned to the project.
.....Hi Ramona,
Saw your note on the US Army Lost & Found site. Although you may have the below information, it indicates to me that there is nothing classified or sealed or secret about the incident at all. Rather it is one more example of the difficult flying that was a constant threat to the air crews that served in SEA. Poor navigational aids, severe weather, pilot fatigue and other factors led to far too many incidents such as this.I hope this is of some help to you......
....Dear Ramona, I apolojise for taking so long to get back to you. I've thought long and hard about Michael's sister, I realize that it has been over thirty years, but if it we me, and someone else was thinking about my brother I'd want to know. If I'm wrong and she has no interest she probably will not reply. I bet that she does, and in a positive way to. How are you doing wading through all of that? I bet your eyes and your brain are suffering, from trying to absorb all the info that you have. How much time do they give you before you have to send it all back? I'm still interested in anything that you do find. Many years ago I tried to get answers, for countless number of families and myself, I kept hitting stone walls, but "THE POLICE ACTION', was still very much an on going thing then. I am glad that your getting results now.
My thoughts are with you,.......
.....I am writing this with much sadness. I have had a bracelet of a Sgt.Michael Batt, 3/16/1969 inscribed on it. I am assuming I purchased in the late 60's when you could get them on Vietnam Vets. I have always kept it in hopes that he was alive and I could return it to him. I have just discovered I could look him up on the computer. I wished I hadn't. It was a sad time in history for everyone involved in Vietnam. If possible I would like to give this bracelet to someone who knew and loved him. He will be in my heart always. I never gave up hope that he was still alive until now. If you could help me return this please do. Thank you and again I am saddened even though it has been many years since his death.Thank you........
It was nice to hear from you. I think your organization is wonderful and believe our Government should do everything possible to account for all of our soldiers. My Viet Nam experience was not that eventful.I was deaf in one ear and my only younger brother was also in Viet Nam when I arrived so they did not want to put me in a combat unit. I was not happy about being denied combat at the time, but feel now that God was really taking care of me for some reason known only to Him.
I first went to An Khe, which is on the main highway that ran the length of the country. I was in a main support element for the 1st Cavalry. They went out on missions all of the time and there was a lot of fighting going on every day.I landed right after Tet, the North Viet Namese offensive named after their holiday.
I only spent a few weeks and was transferred to Da Nang on China Beach. The Army had built a big base there. The US had Special Forces, supply depots, helicopter bases, and big Navy and Air Force bases as well. There were so many of us that if the Viet Cong shot off a mortar they were almost certain to hit some one or something.Like shooting at a city. They mortared us every night. Some nights several times. It was more of an harassment unless they fell on top of you.
There were so many people coming in and out of Da Nang, it was utter chaos. The Army had no way of keeping up with everyone.Except for getting your pay they really relied on the soldiers to get where they needed to go. I had heard at one time there were 2.000 soldiers lost in the Da Nang area itself. These were guys who went on R&R (rest & recuperation) out of the country or locally and just refused to return to their units in the bush. It was easy to get around the country. You could get flights going somewhere from any air base or helicopter pad. No one seemed to care. Paperwork had a way of getting lost and it was often up to the individual to figure out for himself when it was time to return home. I had heard of several secret operations going on around Cambodia and Laos, but no one talked about them. I also knew from working at the depot that our casualty rates were much higher than the American people as well as the Armed Forces News were reporting. The mortuary at Da Nang was always running out of body bags and shipping coffins.
I am sorry I don't remember a SSG Batt. To tell you the truth, I cannot now remember anyone's name. If I saw their names I might recognize them but that whole period is kind of blank to me. I did look on your web site and hope you are successful in bringing some closure. These days classifying material is harder but once it is classified, getting it released can be very difficult. The military probably has Black Operations, Agent Orange and Gulf Illness Syndrome issues that they do not want surfaced. We also had incidences of "fraggin" and racial violence which were pretty well buried outside of the theater zone.
I also know from experience when my brother was killed, they do not want questions being asked. This happens at the very lowest levels so that often even the O-3 Company Commanders don't know what has really happened.
Thank you so much for sharing your Story's with me.~Ramona~
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