Helicopter UH-1H 66-00819

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-00819
The Army purchased this helicopter 1066
Total flight hours at this point: 00001205
Date: 03/27/69
Accident case number: 690327111
Unit: A/101 AVN
The station for this helicopter was Camp Eagle in
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0
costing 909
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.

Crew Members:
AC O3 GOUCH ML

Accident Summary:

 AT SOMETIME DUR FOB MSN DAM OCCUR TO T/R OF A/C FLT CHARACTER NOT IMP & CREW DID NOT NOTICE ANYTHING UNUSUAL TIL A/C SHUTDWN \

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Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1D tail number 66-00819
The Army purchased this helicopter 1066
Total flight hours at this point: 00001368
Date: 06/04/69
Incident number: 69060444.KIA
Unit: A/101 AVN
South Vietnam
UTM grid coordinates: BT266225
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database. Also: OPERA, Op LAMAR PLAIN (Operations Report. )
Summary: Hit by an unidentified type explosive round, crashed, killing all five passengers aboard.
Loss to Inventory

Passengers:
SP4 JENNINGS ROBERT LEE, AR, PX, KIA


War Story:
The Op LAMAR PLAIN report states: At 1455H, a UH-1H from A/101 AHB vic BT265125 was hit by an unidentified type explosive round from an undisclosed location and crashed, killing all five people on board. The mysterious incident was immediately investigated but the findings were inconclusive.

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The following is crew member information for this incident:

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Name: SGT Robert Lee Jennings
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 06/04/69 while performing the duty of Passenger.
Date of Birth: 05/25/48
Home City: Bradley, SC
Service: regular component of the U.S. Army.
Major organization: 101st Airborne Division
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 23W-065
Aircraft: UH-1D tail number 66-00819
Service number: 12845635
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 13E20 = Cannon Fire Direction Specialist
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: fire or burns
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: passenger
Started Tour: 03/26/69
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - non-aircrew
Length of service: 02
Location: Quang Tin Province I Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - killed
married male U.S. citizen
Race: Negro
Relgion: Methodist (Evangelical United Brethren)
The following information is secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: enlisted personnel
This record was last updated on 07/31/96

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Name: CPT Gregory Gerald Fuchs
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 06/04/69 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 22.6
Date of Birth: 10/16/46
Home City: Brecksville, OH
Service: AD branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: A/101 AVN 101 ABN
Major organization: 101st Airborne Division
Flight class: 68-4
Service: AD branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 23W-063
Short Summary: Fuchs was in C/158 when it formed at Ft. Riley. He was infused into A/101 "Comancheros" at Chu Lai. See Sholar.
Aircraft: UH-1D tail number 66-00819
Call sign: Comancheros
Service number: O5426591
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 1981 = 19 Rotary Wing Aviator (Unit Commander)
Primary cause: Hostile Fire
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: fire or burns
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: aircraft commander
Started Tour: 01/02/69
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
Length of service: 03
Location: Quang Tin Province I Corps.

Additional information about this casualty:
On 5/23/69, I was aircraft commander training Greg to be an aircraft commander. I was shot going into medevac wounded from 501 Inf BN west of Tam Ky. Greg saved my life and all other crew members when I was shot off of the controls. Because I was evaced, Greg was immediately made aircraft commander. Two weeks later Greg was flying the mission that took his life and that of everyone on board. It was one of the few crashes that was investigated by the safety board out of Ft. Rucker. The board determined that the helicopter was blown up in flight when a fragmentation grenade that the door gunner was handling blew up. They did this by having the ordnance people at Aberdeen inspect the gunners chicken plate. Jim Furman, Austin, TX. July 1998

Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - killed
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Friends (Quaker)
The following information is secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: officer
This record was last updated on 07/25/98

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Name: WO1 Edwin Franklin Sholar
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 06/04/69 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 22.3
Date of Birth: 03/04/47
Home City: Murray, KY
Service: AV branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: A/101 AVN 101 ABN
Major organization: 101st Airborne Division
Flight class: 68-21/68-35
Service: AV branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 23W-068
Short Summary: See Fuchs.
Aircraft: UH-1D tail number 66-00819
Call sign: Comancheros
Service number: W3163550
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 062B
Primary cause: Hostile Fire
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: weapons
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: pilot
Started Tour: 02/03/69
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - pilot
Location: Quang Tin Province I Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - killed
married male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Baptist - other groups
The following information is secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: warrant officer
This record was last updated on 07/25/98

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Name: SP4 Richard Leigh Barnes
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 06/04/69 while performing the duty of Crew Chief.
Age at death: 21.2
Date of Birth: 03/06/48
Home City: Bellflower, CA
Service: regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: A/101 AVN 101 ABN
Major organization: 101st Airborne Division
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 23W-061
Aircraft: UH-1D tail number 66-00819
Call sign: Comancheros
Service number: 18837109
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 72C2P = Central Office Switchboard Operator
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: fire or burns
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: crew chief
Started Tour: 07/11/67
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
Length of service: 02
Location: Quang Tin Province I Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - killed
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: unknown or not reported
The following information is secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: enlisted personnel
This record was last updated on 07/25/98

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Name: SP4 Stephen Lord Roberts
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 06/04/69 while performing the duty of Gunner.
Age at death: 21.3
Date of Birth: 02/06/48
Home City: Redlands, CA
Service: regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: A/101 AVN 101 ABN
Major organization: 101st Airborne Division
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 23W-067
Aircraft: UH-1D tail number 66-00819
Call sign: Comancheros
Service number: 18861945
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 67N20 = UH-1 Helicopter Repairer
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: fire or burns
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: door gunner
Started Tour: 10/12/68
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
Length of service: 01
Location: Quang Tin Province I Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - killed
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Protestant - no denominational preference
The following information is secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: enlisted personnel
This record was last updated on 07/25/98

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The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1D tail number 66-00819
It is provided here as an ESTIMATE of the history of this helicopter and is not intended to be the final authority.
This helicopter was purchased by the US Army in 1066.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.

DATE  FLT HRS    UIC      UNIT          AREA          POST          COUNTRY
6610   0    0 1736   BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM    
6611  66   66 1736   ARMY AVN DIV     6TH ARMY   DUGWAY PG        TEVALCOM      
6612 117  183 1736   ARMY AVN DIV     6TH ARMY   DUGWAY PG        TEVALCOM       
6701  33  216 WDFJAA 187 AVN CO       3RDARMY    FORT BRAGG       3RD ARMY       
6702   0  216 WDFJAA 187 AVN CO       3RDARMY    FORT BRAGG       3RD ARMY      
6703   5  221 WDUTAA 187 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6704  67  288 WDUTAA 187 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6705  78  366 WDUTAA 187 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6706 147  513 WDUTAA 187 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6707 173  686 WDUTAA 187 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6708   0  686 WDUTAA 187 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6709   0  686 W0MUAA ARADMAC          4TH ARMY   NAVAL AIR STA    AVCOM         
6710   0  686 W0MUAA ARADMAC          4TH ARMY   NAVAL AIR STA    AVCOM         
6711   0  686 W0MUAA ARADMAC          4TH ARMY   NAVAL AIR STA    AVCOM         
6712   0  686 W0MUAA ARADMAC          4TH ARMY   NAVAL AIR STA    AVCOM         
6801   0  686 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVCOM        
6802   0  686 8005   355 AVN CO       4TH ARMY   FORT SILL        4TH ARMY 
6803   0  686 8005   355 AVN CO       4TH ARMY   FORT SILL        4TH ARMY 
6804   0  686 8005   BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM     
6805   0  686 8005   355 AVN CO       4TH ARMY   FORT SILL        4TH ARMY 
6806   0  686 8005   355 AVN CO       4TH ARMY   FORT SILL        4TH ARMY 
6807   0  686 8005   OPM SEA NITEOPS  1ST ARMY   FORT BELVOIR     AMC          
6808   0  686 3300   HHD 44 ENG GP    THAILAND                    PACIFIC 
6809  94  780 WAB3A0 CO A 101 AVN BN  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6810  99  879 WAB3A0 CO A 101 AVN BN  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6811 105  984 WAB3A0 CO A 101 AVN BN  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6812  59 1043 WAB3A0 CO A 101 AVN BN  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6901  50 1093 WAB3A0 CO A 101 AVN BN  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6902  70 1163 WAB3A0 CO A 101 AVN BN  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6903  42 1205 WAB3A0 CO A 101 AVN BN  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6904  94 1299 WAB3A0 CO A 101 AVN BN  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6905  69 1368 WAB3A0 CO A 101 AVN BN  VIETNAM                     RVN     

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Please send additions or corrections to:

Gary Roush
43 Overbrook Road
Painted Post, NY 14870

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Send comments and questions to the VHPA at ( [email protected] )

Printed from databases on: 01/25/99

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