Vietnam Memorial Names – Jack Downs, John Sweet, Loren Engstrom

Jack Dennis Downs, April 6, 1968 – Little is known of Jack’s early years growing up in Tujunga. The only photo we have of him is from the Verdugo Hills High School yearbook. He was drafted in October 1967, and sent to Vietnam as a private where he was a member of a machine gun crew.

Jack was deployed in defense of Khe Sanh. The Battle of Khe Sanh was a pivotal point in the war. The small Marine base, located near the Laotian border, came under siege by an overwhelming force of North Vietnamese at the outset of the Tet Offensive. Holding the base became a matter of honor during the chaos of Tet, and massive amounts of firepower were employed in its defense. By the beginning of April, the American forces began to break the siege, and Air Cavalry (helicopters) pushed units farther outside the lines in order to hook up with relief forces. Jack was part of that outward push, and died in an intense day-long battle, along with eight other Americans.

Overall, 1,000 Americans died in the Battle of Khe Sahn, as well as an estimated 10 to 15 thousand North Vietnamese. By May, the siege was lifted but by July, American forces had abandoned the base. That did much to support criticism of the war’s strategy. Today the Battlefield of Khe Sanh is a Vietnamese tourist attraction.

John Charles Sweet, May 22, 1968 – This is a different story than the rest as John Sweet didn’t die in Vietnam, but deep in the Atlantic Ocean on the ill-fated submarine USS Scorpion. His name is not on the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C, but he was included on the Montrose memorial as he was a “Vietnam era” casualty.

John grew up in La Cañada, attended Paradise Canyon Elementary, La Cañada Junior High, and Muir High School, graduating in 1960. He received a Congressional appointment to the Naval Academy where he was an avid and award-winning yacht sailor. In 1964, he graduated, married and joined the crew of the nuclear-powered submarine Scorpion, rising to the rank of lieutenant.

At the beginning of 1968, the Scorpion was deployed to the Mediterranean Fleet, where it experienced several mechanical problems. In mid-May, the Scorpion was sent to observe Soviet activities around the Azores and then return to the U.S. On May 20-21, the Scorpion sent her last message that she was closing on a Soviet sub. She was never heard from again.

Her crushed wreckage was located later that year, two miles down on the sea floor. Various theories on her destruction range from a hit from a Soviet torpedo to the Scorpion’s trash chute accidentally opening. Today the Navy regularly monitors the wreck site for uranium leakage. John’s remains are entombed in the wreckage.

Loren Eugene Engstrom, Nov. 13, 1968 – Loren grew up on Lombardy Drive in La Cañada. He went by the nickname “Inky,” perhaps a child-like mispronunciation of his last name. Loren went to La Cañada Elementary, La Cañada Junior High and Muir High. After graduation, he continued at Pasadena City College, majoring in math and chemistry. He then transferred to Cal State San Diego. During his first year there, he became fascinated with flying and he took flying lessons at Burbank Airport. When he got his pilot’s license, he decided to take time off from school to serve his country with his newfound flying skills. He joined the Army in ’67 and trained as a helicopter pilot.

Loren was sent to Vietnam in March 1968, assigned as a “Huey” pilot in the Central Highlands near the Cambodian border. While covering a medevac operation, Loren was making a run to fire rockets. His helicopter was attacking at 250 feet and 95 knots when a large caliber bullet fired from the ground sheared off the shaft powering the tail rotor. The helicopter crashed and burned, killing Loren and his crew chief.

Loren had so much potential. He traded it all for service to his country, as did all the men whose names are listed on the memorial.

  mike lawler