# 25 & 26

6 August 2011

US Navy Petty Officer 1st Class John Douangdara, from South Sioux City, Nebraska, was killed in action on 6th August 2011 when the helicopter he was in was shot down by enemy forces in Wardak province, Afghanistan.

The 26-year-old Master-at-Arms was the lead dog-handler serving with an East-coast based Navy SEAL unit. His dog, Bart, died with him in the crash.

Petty Officer Douangdara's parents fled Lao and later emigrated to the United States. He enlisted in the Navy in February 2003. Upon completion of his initial training, he served in Sicily. He joined his SEAL team in January 2008.

His awards include the Bronze Star with “V” device, Joint Service Commendation Medal with “V” Device, Army Commendation Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (3), Rifle Marksmanship Medal, and the Pistol Marksmanship Medal.


Bart was a US Navy Special Warfare Operations dog, belonging to the East-coast Navy SEAL team. He was killed in action on 6th August 2011 when the helicopter he was in was shot down by enemy forces in Wardak province, Afghanistan.

Bart died alongside his handler, US Navy Petty Officer 1st Class John Douangdara.

Bart has his own Facebook Memorial page.


From the Daily Sentinel, Colorado -
John Douangdara told his family very little about his duties in the military. They didn't even know he took part in operations with the Navy SEALs.

But his mother, Sengchanh Douangdara, said it was clear the 26-year-old master at arms petty officer 1st class from South Sioux City, Neb., was committed to the military and proud to serve the country that adopted his Laotian family decades ago. Douangdara was Naval Special Warfare personnel, who support the SEALs.

"I know that he loved his job. It was a job he chose," she told the Sioux City Journal.

She recalled her son as "the middle child, very quiet."

Douangdara's parents fled communist forces in their native Laos in 1979, then immigrated to the United States after the birth of their first child. John was born four years later, the third of five children his parents would raise in South Sioux City, a Missouri River town along the border with Iowa.

The oldest child, Chan Follen, said her family's sadness is tempered by pride in Douangdara's service to the U.S.

"We are proud Johnny fought for the country that embraced our family and gave us the opportunity to reach for the American dream," Follen said.