Army Security Agency KIA

Sgt.Bruce Allen Crosby
December 26, 1951March 30, 1972 Killed in Action

--- General / Personal ---

Last name: CROSBY
First name: BRUCE ALLEN JR
Home of Record (official): SPRINGVILLE
State (official): NY
Date of Birth: Wednesday, December 26, 1951
Sex: Male
Race: Caucasian
Marital Status: Single

--- Military ---

Branch: Army Security Agency
Rank: Sgt
Serial Number: 130387781
Component: Regular
Posthumous promotion as indicated
Pay grade: E5
MOS (Military Occupational Specialty code): 33C20

--- Action ---

Start of Tour: Thursday, March 30, 1972
Date of Casualty: Thursday, March 30, 1972
Age at time of loss: 20
Casualty type: (A3) Hostile, died while missing
Reason: Artillery, rocket, mortar (Ground casualty)
Country: South VietNam
Loss Coordinates: 164223N 1065408E (YD028479)
Province: Quang Tri
Other Personnel In Incident: Gary P. Westcott The Wall: Panel 02W - Row 125

LASTNAME: CROSBY FIRSTNAME: BRUCE ALLEN JR IDNO: 130387781 SVC: A COMP: R RANK: SGT PP: + GRADE: E5MOS: 33C20 AGE: 20 HOME: SPRINGVILLE ST: NY CASDATE: 19720330 CAS1: A3 CAS2: E CAS3: 7 BODY: BNR CTRY: VS PROV: 01 LSVC: ** BIRDATE: 19511226 RACE: C REL: PN MAR: S SEX: M CIT: 1 TOURD: 720330 PANL: 02W LINE: 125 REFNO: 30080 PDATE: 7206

Details:

Bruce Allen Crosby was a member of the 8th Radio Research Field Station (RRFS), 509th Radio Research (RR) Group. "Radio Research" was actually a secret cover designation for certain units operating under the direction of the U.S. Army Security Agency Group, Vietnam. All missions of this agency were highly classified. Crosby and Westcott's unit operated under USASA through its 8th U.S. Army Security Agency Field Station at Phu Bai. The 8th USASA Field Station handled classified functions related to the safeguarding of the Army and its affiliated activities including signal security and electronic intelligence.

In March, 1972, Crosby and Westcott were serving as advisors to the 4th Battalion, Vietnamese Marine Corps. He was stationed at firebase "Sarge" on Hill 550 near Don Toan Mountain and the hamlet of Cua Mai Loc Village in Cam Lo District, Quang Tri Province, South Vietnam. Firebase Sarge was located in the vicinity of grid coordinates YD028479.

On 30 March 1972, at approximately 12:00 noon, Fire Support Base Sarge was subjected to an intense enemy artillery attack from the 304th NVA Division. SP4 Crosby and SP5 Westcott were ordered to maintain radio contact with Detachment Alpha at Quang Tri and individuals at the firebase. The last radio contact from Crosby and Westcott was received at 2:45 PM when their Radio Research bunker took a direct hit from a rocket. The round penetrated the bunker wall and exploded inside, caving in the roof and setting off an intense fire. Other members of the advisor group called down into the bunker, but received no response from either man. No rescue attempt was possible because of the fire and continuing heavy artillery attack.

Firebase Sarge was abandoned 37 hours after the Radio Research bunker took the direct hit, and the fire was still burning in it at that time. Reports from other team members state "everything in the bunker was totally destroyed," and "there was absolutely no hope that Crosby and Westcott were alive." The firebase was abandoned at 2:00 AM on 1 April 1972.

Both Bruce Crosby and Gary Westcott were originally listed as Missing in Action. On 27 June 1972 their status was changed to Killed in Action/Body Not Recovered (KIA/BNR).
04 Jan 1999
Bruce Crosby and Gary Westcott were manning the Explorer bunker for Det A Quang Tri who forwarded the intell to Phu Bai. The Marines were under a Cpt Richard Boomer and he rotated with them. I knew him at A4 (Con Thein).That they were on top of Sarge when the men died is merely coincidence.Someone had perpetuated the rumor that they were captured. I have since found out that Boomer was the commanding Marine general during Desert Storm.
John Mastro

Searching for Crosby and Westcott:
Last ASA Soldiers to make the Ultimate Sacrifice Courtesy of Bob DeStaate via John Mastro

56TH JOINT FIELD ACTIVITY IE1 SITREP

IE1 SITREP 009/23 JUL 99 [IE1: Investigative Element No. 1 for this period of field activities]

56th JFF in soviet built chopper over FSB SARGE
REPORT DATE/TIME: 1630 23 JULY 99

TEAM/REPORTING PERSON: MSGT HORTON

OVERNIGHT LOCATION: PHUNG HOANG HOTEL,QUANG TRI

TEAM LEADER ROOM NUMBER: 204

ATL ROOM NUMBER: 104

1. COMMUNICATIONS:

PHONE/FAX: VOICE85-4567FAX: 53-85-5441

INMARSAT: NONE

HF: OPERATIONAL, PACKED FOR MOVEMENT.

2. DAILY INFORMATION:

a. CASE REPORT:

CASE#LEAD RQMT COMPLETEDREMARKS

1808ALL COMPLETEDTHE TEAM FLEW BY HELO TO AN HLZ [Helicopter Landing Zone] AT YD 02494828 AND SURVEYED FSB SARGE WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS. AFTER ANALYZING THE PHOTO OF FSB SARGE AND THE SKETCH DRAWN BY GENERAL (RETIRED) WALTER E. BOOMER WE CAN ESTIMATE THE LOCATION OF THE ASA BUNKER. RECOMMEND THAT GENERAL BOOMER BE BROUGHT TO FSB SARGE BY HELO AND HAVE HIM POINT OUT THE EXACT SITE OF THE ASA BUNKER. THEN A RECOVERY TEAM CAN EXCAVATE THIS SITE AT A LATER DATE. AN IE [Investigative Element; i.e., field team] OR PERSONNEL FROM DET 2 CAN ESCORT GENERAL BOOMER OR MR. RANDALL L. KRUGER (MR KRUGER HAS VOLUNTEERED TO COME TO VIETNAM AND FSB SARGE AND POINT OUT THE EXACT SITE OF THE ASA BUNKER) TO FSB SARGE. THE OLD HLZ AT FSB SARGE CAN BE UTILIZED. WILL RECOMMEND CONTINUE TO INVESTIGATE FOR THIS CASE.

b. OTHER ACTIVITIES: NTR

c. OTHER ACTIVITIES: NONE

HELO SUPPORT: NONE.

3. ACTIVITIES NEXT 24 HOURS: TOMORROW IE1 WILL INVESTIGATE CASE 1715. THE TEAM WILL DEPART BY HELO FROM DONG HA AT 0900 TO AN HLZ AT YD 035780 . EXTRACTION TIME WILL BE AROUND 1200.I HAVE TALKED WITH THE HELO PILOT AND HE SAID NO PROBLEM.

4. LOGISTICS:

a. MRES: 0

WATER: 20 CASES

b. PURCHASES/RENTALS/COMPENSATION LAST 24 HOURS: NONE

c. SUPPLIES/SERVICES/ADMIN SUPPORT REQUESTED: NONE

5. PERSONNEL: OFF-1 WO-0 EM-8 CIV-1TOTAL: 10

MISCELLANEOUS:

I AM GETTING LOW ON WATER. IF YOU CANNOT RESUPPLY ME WITH AT LEAST 20 CASES THEN I WILL PURCHASE THEM LOCALLY AT THE DONG HA MARKET.

PASS THIS INFO TO WHOMEVER IS HANDLING HELO SUPPORT (SAM PHAM):

25 JULY WILL BE A REPORT WRITING DAY.

26 JULY WILL INVESTIGATE CASE 1999. WILL DRIVE/WALK TO SITE AND NOT REQUIRE HELO SUPPORT.

27 JULY WILL INVESTIGATE CASE 0029. WILL REQUIRE HELO SUPPORT. WILL PROVIDE HLZ COORDINATES ONCE I RECEIVE THEM FROM MY VNOSMP. I HAVE AN ADVANCE TEAM CONDUCTING THIS HLZ NOW.

28 JULY WILL INVESTIGATE CASE 1417. WILL REQUIRE HELO SUPPORT. WILL PROVIDE HLZ COORDINATES ONCE I RECEIVE THEM FROM MY VNOSMP. I HAVE AN ADVANCE TEAM CONSTRUCTING THIS HLZ NOW.

29 JULY WILL BE REPORT WRITING .

30 JULY WILL INVESTIGATE CASE 1678. WILL REQUIRE HELO SUPPORT. WILL PROVIDE HLZ COORDINATES ONCE I RECEIVE THEM. I HAVE AN ADVANCE TEAM CONSTRUCTING THIS HLZ NOW.

RISK ASSESSMENT FOR 24 JULY 99 IS: MEDIUM

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