Note: These are pictures taken by Sgt. Dan Seymour, U.S. Army in the A Shau Valley at the site where three Marines and a Navy Corpsman from USMC reconnaissance team, Partyline One were killed during an emergency extraction of the team on 3 August, 1967. Their bodies were not recovered. Dan was a member of the Joint Task Force, Full Accounting (JTF-FA) team that went into this site for the purpose of conducting a detailed archaeological survey to try and recover any remains. This details of this survey along with other maps and images are provided in the reports of CASE 0784.

A brief description of the PartyLine One patrol is contained on pages 166 - 175 in Larry Vetter's book on the 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion "Never Without Heroes".  Our thanks to Dan Seymour for making these photos available. The descriptions below were provided by Dan. 

Pictures from the Extraction Zone of Party Line One...The Ashau Valley. This is known as Site 0784 by the JTFFA

Click on the smaller pictures to view a full-sized image

Pictures 1, 2, 3: PICTURE 3: picture 3

WE STARTED OFF IN A LOUI,  A SMALL TOWN IN THE A SHAU.   STANDING FROM THE SO-CALLED HOTEL, I TOOK A FEW PICTURES OF THE MOUNTAINS.   YOU CAN SEE A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THE SLASH AND BURN FARMING  THEY DO ON THE MOUNTAIN SIDES.

Picture 4:

ON OUR DRIVE OUT TO THE SITE, I TOOK  A PICTURE OF THIS MOUNTAIN SIDE SHOWING WHERE APPARENTLY A BOMB HIT IT.

Pictures 5

WE BEGAN OUR JOURNEY OUT TO THE SITE WHICH WAS A GOOD TWO MILE WALK FROM THE NEAREST ROAD OR VILLAGE. THE TERRAIN WAS VERY DEEPLY VEGATATED WITH TALL , SHARP GRASS. THE WORKERS WE HAD WITH US HAD TO MAKE THIS TRAIL FOR US.

 
 
ON THE WAY OUT TO THE SITE. ON THE WAY I STOP TO POSE WITH A VIETNAMESE TRACTOR (WATER BUFFALO).

Picture 8:

I TOOK A SNAPSHOT OF THIS LITTLE HUT. PEOPLE STILL LIVE IN THESE THINGS HERE.

Picture 9:

A GOOD SHOT OF THE VALLEY WHERE THE SITE IS LOCATED.

Pictures 10, 11: 

TWO SHOTS HERE SHOWING HOW VEGATATED THE SITE WAS BEFORE WE BEGAN CLEARING IT.

Picture 12:

THE BOTTOM OF THE SITE, SHOWING HOW WE CLEARED IT

Picture 13:

STANDING ABOVE THE SITE YOU CAN SEE THE ROTOR CLEARLY HERE JUST BEYOND IT, OUR SAFETY ROPES, YOU CAN SEE HOW STEEP THIS SITE WAS IN THIS PHOTO.

Picture 14:

A SHOT OF THE EXCAVATION PROCESS,  SHOWING HOW WE SIFTED THROUGH EVERY BUCKET OF DIRT WE FILLED . AGAIN YOU CAN SEE THE ROTOR SHAFT FROM THE CH-46 HERE.

Picture 15:

ME STANDING ON THE SITE. VERY HOT THAT DAY.

Picture 16:

VARIOUS TEAM MEMBERS ON THE SITE

Picture 17:

THIS HILL WAS SO STEEP WE HAD TO DIG A STAIRCASE INTO THE SIDE OF IT. ON THE TOP RIGHT OF THE HILL YOU CAN SEE THE ROTOR ASSEMBLY  COMING OUT OF THE GROUND.

Picture 18:

STANDING ON THE SITE LOOKING DOWN, WE KEPT OUR SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT UNDER THIS HOMEMADE CANOPY.  TO THE LEFT OF IT IS THE VERY BOTTOM OF THE VALLEY FLOOR. THIS WAS THE AREA WHERE THE SEAT WAS FOUND.

Picture 19:

A CURIOUS LOCAL WHO HAD NEVER SEEN A CAMERA. (HA, HA)

Picture 20:

WALKING BACK THROUGH THE VALLEY, I SOMETIMES WONDERED JUST HOW YOU GUYS COULD SURVIVE THIS TERRAIN DAY AFTER DAY

Picture 22:

FAR FROM THE SITE WE BEGAN OUR JOURNEY HOME. THIS IS THE NEAREST VILLAGE  WHERE I STOPPED TO POSE WITH THE LOCAL KIDS