Michael Echanis

Michael Dick Echanis (November 16, 1950 – September 8, 1978) was an American enlisted soldier and self-styled "soldier of fortune". In 1970, he served briefly in "C" Company, 75th Ranger Regiment Infantry in Vietnam. Echanis then made his living as a martial artist, writer and editor. He was the martial arts editor for the magazine Soldier of Fortune (SOF) from 1974 to 1976. He died while working as a private security contractor in Nicaragua at the behest of the Nicaraguan National Guard. This was reported by SOF in an article published after the incident.

Echanis was born in Nampa, Idaho. He enlisted in the US Army in 1969 upon graduation from Ontario High School. Echanis had long been interested in the military and came from a family where his father, Frank, and his uncles had all served during World War II. In published articles, Echanis indicated that many of his skills at stealth and concealment were inspired by his reading about American Indians and trying out these techniques when hiding from local police.

Echanis attended basic training at Fort Ord, California, and went on to airborne training at Fort Benning, Georgia. In 1970 he volunteered for duty in Vietnam where he served with Company C (Rgr), 75th Infantry, FFV/USARPAC as a scout-observer.

Echanis received the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB), Purple Heart and Bronze Star with "V" device for actions during a company size NVA ambush in which he is credited with saving the lives of six of his comrades. He was also awarded the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry. Although severely wounded in his foot and ankle, Echanis was the only soldier capable of fighting back until help arrived in the form of U.S. helicopters. The closing paragraph of the Army's award narrative states:

Spec 4 Echanis' aggressive spirit and undaunted courage were decisive in preventing the anhilation [sic] of the truck and its personnel. His actions, at the risk of his own life, were in the highest traditions of the military and reflect upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.

This incident is Echanis' only documented action during his Vietnam service. His service in the Army was a total of 15 months of which 2 months were served in Vietnam. He was evacuated to the military hospital in San Francisco where he made his recovery over seven months.

Echanis' military record shows that during his short military career he did not attend or graduate from Ranger School and that although he participated in Phase One of the Special Forces Qualification Course he did not, for administrative reasons, progress further.

After his medical discharge in December 1970, Echanis returned to Ontario, Oregon. He renewed his study of Judo and trained in Karate with now Ninjitsu Sensei Toshiro Nagato who had become a childhood friend According to a family member Echanis trained for a short time as a boxer during this period. This was under Al Berro, who lived and trained fighters in Boise, Idaho. Echanis fought several times as a boxer in the heavyweight class but left boxing to continue his study of the Eastern martial arts.