NAME: George Joe Buck Eisenberger
RANK/BRANCH: E5/US Army
UNIT: Company B, 2nd Battalion,
2nd Infantry, 1st Infantry Division
DATE of BIRTH: 02 March
1940
HOME CITY of RECORD: Pawhuska
OK
DATE of LOSS: 05 December
1965
COUNTRY of LOSS: South Vietnam
LOSS COORDINATES: 112552N
1063324E (XT690473)
STATUS (in 1973): Killed/Body
Not Recovered
CATEGORY: 2
ACFT/VEHICLE/GROUND: Ground
REFNO: 0205
OTHER PERSONNEL in INCIDENT:
Morris F. Dibble; Edward C. Upner; (both
missing).
SOURCE: Compiled by Homecoming
II Project 15 October 1990 from one or more
of the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency
sources,
correspondence with POW/MIA families, published sources,
interviews. Updated
by the P.O.W. NETWORK 1998.
REMARKS: KIA GND COMB - REMS
NOT LOC - J
SYNOPSIS: PFC Morris Dibble
and SSgt. Edward C. Upner were squad members of
a team lead by Sgt. George J. Eisenberger on a ground
combat mission in Binh
Duong Province, South Vietnam on December 5, 1965.
The unit came under hostile fire from what was believed
to be a Viet Cong
encampment, and in the first burst of fire, the three
men were mortally
wounded. When the unit was able to withdraw from the
combat area, it was not
possible to recover Dibble, Upner and Eisenberger.
When the enemy threat abated, the squad reentered the
area in an attempt to
find the bodies, but they were gone. It was generally
believed that they
were taken by the Viet Cong and probably buried, which
was not at all an
uncommon thing to do. (Veterans note that the Viet Cong
also seemed to make
it as hard as possible for the graves to be found).
The three members of Company B are listed among the dead,
but because their
bodies were not recovered, they are also listed among
the missing. Witnesses
felt certain that the three died on the day their unit
was hit. Other cases
of the missing are not quite as clear, however. Many
missing were known to
have been alive at last point of contact. Some were photographed
as POWs.
Others even wrote home from POW camps, never to be heard
from again.
Since the war ended, thousands of reports have been received
that have
convinced many authorities that hundreds of Americans
remain alive in
captivity in Southeast Asia. Perhaps Upner, Eisenberger
and Dibble are not
among them. But one can imagine them proudly defending
one last firebase for
their freedom.
George Joe Buck Eisenberger was
a Native American.


The Native American painting TRADITIONAL SNEAK-UP, used for Sgt., Eisenberger's
Page of Honor is the work of L.David
Eveningthunder.
"Traditional Sneak-Up is a portrayal of one of these
traditional dances, depicting a warrior sneaking-up on the enemy.
The American Flag and regalia colors are a commemorative
to Vietnam era veterans, with the shadow figures in the background representing
those who are with the warrior in spirit or in memory. Dedicated
to the Native American veterans who served in Vietnam." Quote
from L. David Eveningthunder.
"L. David Eveningthunder spent his early childhood on
the Shoshone-Bannock Reservation in Fort Hall, Idaho. The spiritual guidance
he received from his father and grandfather, both medicine people, helped
him maintain his identity even after he became orphaned at a young age
and was taken away from his people.
David's first pencils were given to him by his uncles,
all gifted artists who never became known by the public. He feels that
he owes his success to them. David now resides in Alabama, and is active
in the Pow Wow circuit. He is best known for his portrayals of dancers,
most of whom he knows personally." From Mr. Eveningthunder's
biography.
All Original Art - Copyright © L. David Eveningthunder
- All Rights Reserved.
"Just Cause" and "Through Their Memory They Still Give"
plaques are courtesy of Doc's
Military and Patriotic Graphics . Thank You, Doc!
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