Tail Number UH-1

Please see credits last page 64 Updated 08/01/06
• Note of interest: “ *A single red asterisk represents those aircraft originally assigned to the 174th AHC, which made
up the 25 authorized under the TO&E, 9 UH-1Cs and 16 UH-1Ds. ** Double red asterisks represent the four UH-1Ds
assigned (10 August 1966) when the TO&E was changed, authorizing 20 UH-1Ds for each Assault Helicopter
Company” - Lt. Col. Martin Heuer (US Army Retired)
• The unit arrived at Qui Nhon, RVN 4/9/66 with a full complement of UH-1D Slicks and UH-1B/C Gunships with the 540
rotor system. While there has been much debate as to whether these first Gunships were actually “B” model or “C” model,
they were UH-1B airframes that had been outfitted by the Bell factory with the 540 C-model rotor system. Whether right or
wrong, this listing gives no reference to conventional “B” model UH-1s- Warren Hewetson
174th AHC UH-1 (S/N) Tail Numbers 1966 - 1971

MODEL S/N ARRV HRS LEAV HRS HRS COMMENTS
1 2 3
UH-1D 63-12983 6708 1193 6801 1754 0561 Date: 12/06/67: Total flight hours at this point:
00001650.This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was
repaired in theater. For an Air/land Assault, Hot Area.
Helicopter was landing at 0020 feet and 060 knots and took 1
hits from:Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched
non-explosive ballistic projectiles less than 20 mm in size.
(7.62MM) The helicopter was hit in the tail tection.The
helicopter returned from flight. However, a short time
afterwards it was xferred to the 335th Trans Co for unknown
reasons (Jan 1968)
1
1 2 3
UH-1D 64-13555 6708 1508 6710 1740 0232 10/19/67. Total Loss (Crew Members: WO1 Dennis
Blackmon, KIA, WO1 Prince Alexander, SP4 F Thomas,
SP4 F Dixon. Passengers: E5 L Lewis, E3 L Chambers, E5 F
Stewart, E6 K Cramer, E5 T Grey, E4 J Allison). After an
engine noise was heard, the pilot continued over trees and
crashed in a rice paddy.
UH-1D 64-13822 6707 1677 6708 1875 0198 Total flight hours at this point: 00001875 Date: 08/13/67
Unit: 174 AHC This was a Combat incident. This helicopter
was repaired in theater for Air/land Assault, Hot Area.
Helicopter was on Take-Off at 0200 feet and 060 knots.
Took 1 hit from: Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun
launched non-explosive ballistic projectiles less than 20 mm
in size. (7.62MM) The helicopter was hit in the Equipment
Section. Damaged were: FUEL SYS The self-sealing fuel
tank sealed and did not leak. The helicopter continued flight.
The aircraft continued and accomplished all mission
objectives (but was xferred out of unit)
UH-1D 64-13870 6610 0372 6705 0970 0598 05/27/67: Total flight hours at this point: 00000970. This was
a logistics support mission for resupply to forward area.
Helicopter was landing at 0065 feet. It took 2 hits in the
cockpit causing a fire from: Small Arms/Automatic
Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive ballistic projectiles
less than 20 mm in size. (7.62MM).Systems damaged were:
FLT CONTROLS, PERSONNEL, FUEL SYS. Casualties =
YES but unknown. The helicopter crashed and burned.
Aircraft totally destroyed .Both mission and flight capability
were terminated.
2
1 2 3
UH-1D 64-13885 6709 1605 6801 2041 0436 09/06/67:Total flight hours at this point: 00001665. A
air/land assault in hot area. Helicopter was Landing at 0020
feet and 150 knots and took 1 hit from: Small
Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive
ballistic projectiles less than 20 mm in size. (7.62MM).The
helicopter was hit in the Main Rotor Blade System. Systems
damaged were: MAIN ROTOR SYS, PERSONNEL.
Casualties = YES but unknown. The helicopter continued
flight and accomplished all mission objectives. Xferred to the
335 Trans Co for unknown reasons in 1/68.
UH-1C 64-14109 6812 0663 6907 1102 0439 Total flight hours at this point: 00001102. 08/12/69
Combat incident. This helicopter was total loss. This was a
Recon mission for Armed Escort, Other Aircraft. Unknown
this helicopter was attacking. UTM grid coordinates:
BS547761. Took 1 hit from: Small Arms/Automatic
less than 20 mm in size. (12.7MM) causing a Fire. Casualties:
1 Unknown WIA. The helicopter made a forced landing.
Aircraft destroyed. SP4 Terry Tecca C/E 1969
UH-1M 64-14140 7009 1428 7112 2239 0811 “Cobra”/"Woodstock" WO1 “Big Al” Harris KIA 8/29/71
(C/E was Bob LeGault that day) Harris was the only casualty
(ground fire) in this Shark UH-1M that was launched mid-
day to cover an extraction NW of LZ Professional (A/C was
Chuck Blake). Aircraft was recovered and lasted until “Unit
stand-down” 11/71. One of only three of the original eight
Shark gunships to survive Lam Son 719.
3
1 2 3
UH-1C 64-14157 6805 0812 7002 1815 1003 40mm. JC Pennington A/C 1968. 02/23/69: Total flight hours
at this point: 00001320. Helicopter took 1 hits from:
Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched non-
explosive ballistic projectiles less than 20 mm in size.
(7.62MM). Casualties = 2 unknown WIA .The helicopter
continued flight. The aircraft was diverted prior to
accomplishing any mission objectives.
05/12/69: Total flight hours at this point: 00001472. While
on target this helicopter was attacking when it took one hit
from: Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched non-
(7.62MM). Systems damaged were: ARMAMENT,
PERSONNEL Casualties = 2 unknown WIA . .
The helicopter made a Precautionary Landing. Aircraft took
off, fully flight capable.The aircraft continued and
accomplished all mission objectives. Repaired in theater.
Xferred to 142 TC DS in March 1970.
UH-1C 64-14162 6705 0567 6705 0599 0032 Wally Nunn C/E (Ron Hood Door Gunner) for a very short
period. Aircrcraft came in from stateside May 1967 and was
xferred to the 79th Trans Co in June of 1967! We only put 32
hours on the frame!
4
1 2 3
UH-1C 64-14170 6909 2034 7103 3072 1038 Ray Hawkins C/E in 1969 (MAJ Blevin’s C&C ship). Then,
“Ace of Spades (1st)” shot down/repaired- CW2 Greg
Manuel wounded (Plt. SGT Dale Parker was the C/E)
2/11/71. Eventually shot down/destroyed 3/3/71 side by side
with another Shark Gunship- Lam Son 719. Wednesday
March 3rd, 1971; #170 (UH-1C 64-14170) was crewed by
A/C Gary Harter, Co-Pilot unknown (Gary says “He was a
CPT. new to the Unit”.), Pat Wade (right Door Gun) and
Bob Jansen C/E (seriously wounded). “The aircraft was
actually hoisted out…then back to Quang Tri and X’d out
unrepairable”- SP4 Bill Wilder
UH-1C* 65-09423 6610 0237 6706 0470 0233 In June 1967 it xferred to the 335 Trans Co. for unknown
reasons. (From 7109 to non-available date) with HAL (Navy)
as M Model
UH-1C* 65-09424 6610 0304 6706 0533 0229 First 40mm in the 174th (modified at Lane). MAJ Bernie
Cobb A/C 1966…also MAJ Bob Jones and MAJ Dick
Overhamm (pilots), SP4 Mescher and SGT Frisby (crew
members) 1966. In June of 1967 it xferred to the 79th Trans
Co for unknown reasons
5
1 2 3
UH-1C* 65-09425 6610 0239 6702 0348 0109 FIRST SHARK GUNSHIP TO SPORT THE SHARK
MOUTH!! SP4 Jim Coyne artwork. Originally used for the
Service Platoon 1966. Platoon Leader MAJ Dick Overhamm
had it modified with M-3 rocket system. Date: 01/24/67:
Total flight hours at this point: 00000348. Total loss of
aircraft. Aircraft was taking off downwind, lost RPM, landed
sideways and rolled over.
Injured = 1 unknown PAX Passenger
Crew Members:
AC W1 HERZIG LH
P W1 LEISTIKO FA
CE E4 BARTON L
G E4 VICKERS JT
UH-1C* 65-09426 6610 0173 6801 0927 0754 “Converted from ‘hog’ to ‘miniguns’ in 1967, Don
Richardson last C/E 1/68. Aircraft went to depot with
bonding separation and left unit that month”- Don
Richardson
UH-1C* 65-09428 6610 0194 6802 0616 0422 Nobody remembers this Shark much? In the Unit from Oct 66
to Feb 68. Xferred to the 335th Trans Co for unknown reason
in 2/68.
UH-1C* 65-09429 6610 0211 6804 0941 0730 11/23/67: Total flight hours at this point: 00000823. This was
a Armed Recon mission While enroute this helicopter was at
Level flight at 0050 feet and 085 knots, and took 3 hits from:
(14.5MM).The helicopter was hit in the Cockpit Systems
damaged were: PERSONNEL, STRUCTURE Casualties =
YES but unknown. The helicopter continued flight and
accomplished all mission objectives. Xferred to the 335
Trans Co in May 1968 for unknown reasons. .Jack Hester
C/E '66. Paul Kunelius C/E '67
6
1 2 3
UH-1C* 65-09430 6610 0212 6705 0518 0306 Not much info. on this Shark gunship. However, when it left
the unit in May 1967, it was sent stateside and used by the
CA. Air National Guard. Today it is on static display in
Tucson, AZ. At the PIMA Air & Space Museum!
UH-1C* 65-09431 6610 0084 6610 0094 0010 A mystery Shark ; In Nov.1966 in xferred to CONCEP
TEAM VIE with only 10 hours that we put on her!
UH-1C* 65-09432 6610 0229 6705 0397 0168 4/28/67 During a rocket run, a 2.75" rocket (fired from the
left rocket pod), was inadvertently hit by fire from C/E (SGT
Jim Yocum’s) M60, abeam the left pilot's door. 1LT. Al
Roberson was flying on right side. The left pilot, LT Ike
Israel, was seriously wounded (his armored seat with sliding
side panel probably saved his life) and that ended his tour
with the 174th.
UH-1C 65-09470 7101 2202 7112 2605 0403 "Charlie Tuna" at Quang Tri. 1971 (artwork by CE Bill
Wilder) “Ace of Spades (the 2nd)” at Chu Lai (1971). Fred
Thompson wounded (head) in this aircraft 2/24/71. He
proclaims, that although the hit came through the windshield,
that the aircraft was doomed because it had no pilot doors (no
doors because they were ejected/released during rescue of
#161 “Surfer” a few days earlier)! Aircraft lasted until “Unit
stand-down” 11/71). One of only three of the original eight
Shark gunships to survive Lam Son 719. In Oct. of 1971 it
was moved to the 142 TC DS.
UH-1C 65-09484 6703 0393 6704 0572 0179 Not much on this Shark. Only in Unit from 3/67 to 4/67. 179
hrs. Then xferred to 79th Trans Co.
UH-1C 65-09504 6808 0907 6808 0908 0001 The 174th AHC Helicopter with second least hrs… ONE.
( See #65-9933 with “0” hrs)
7
1 2 3
UH-1C 65-09507 7008 2465 7102 2987 0522 “Have Gun -Will Travel” late 1970. Later became “Battlin'
Bitch” (AKA: “Madonna”) in 1971. “We were out at Khe
Sahn 2/71 when we got word that one of our aircraft had
gone down at Vandergrift. Apparently, CPT McGaffick had
tried a Cobra type take- off in a loaded Charlie-model. He
was flying 507. Anyway, 507 had a 40mm grenade launcher
mounted on the nose. The McGaffick take-off dug the barrel
into the deck and broke all the hard points in the ship (Door
Gunner- Mark Klindt). We'd lost a reliable aircraft and we
never saw or heard from McGaffick again. He would be
replaced by another unknown CPT (to us) named Jeff
Weller.”- Fred Thompson
UH-1M 65-09540 7008 1192 7112 1976 0784 "Jolly Roger"(AKA: "Skull & Crossed Bones") 1970, then
“Grim Reaper” (Shot down with .51 cal. Sept. of ’70. A/C
Mark Stefan. Door Gunner Jack Kauffman wounded (later to
lose his leg).
Also “shot up” on 22 Nov 1970. Jim Kinne A/C and Fred
Thompson Co-Pilot. “.51 cal came in up through floor on
Jim’s side…went through his cyclic and through his
leg…through the commo console and went out through his
windshield”- Fred Thompson.
One of only three of the original eight Shark gunships to
survive Lam Son 719. …Then it was, at that time, converted
to a “Mike”!
UH-1C 65-09555 7005 1708 7011 2030 0322 “Maltese Cross” (AKA: "Triple Nickel"). Fred Thompson’s
introduction to the Sharks… until too many mechanical
failures caused it to leave unit Nov.1970.
8
1 2 3
UH-1C 65-09557 6706 0462 6710 0706 0244 08/19/67: Total flight hours at this point: 00000611.This was
a Combat incident. This helicopter was repaired in theater.
This was a Recon mission for Armed Escort & other aircraft.
While in target area, this helicopter was attacking at 0500
feet and 085 knots.and took 2 hits from: Small
Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive
ballistic projectiles less than 20 mm in size. (7.62MM).The
helicopter was hit in the Tail Section Systems damaged were:
driveshaft, flt controls.The helicopter continued flight and
accomplished all mission objectives. Xferred for unknown
reasons to 335 Trans Co in 11/67. A/C Tom Morris (Shark 3)
in 1967.
UH-1D* 65-09605 6610 0186 6612 0334 0148 7/7/66: (A/C) R. Gauthier, (PP) F. Rawdon and unknown
passengers, crashed in LZ to avoid collision with other
aircraft. 12/17/66 (just south of Lane) crashed due to
mechanical failure (damper bracket broke). Main rotor went
thru fuselage. CPT Aaron Bram, SP5 William Seastrom and
Korean pilot LT Lee KIA
UH-1D* 65-09619 6610 0215 6610 0309 0094 Crashed 11/18/66 in LZ (CW2 H. Carriger and 1LT H.
Brant). “ In reference to UH-1D, 65-09619, We overshot the
LZ, turned, dropped the ROKs facing the wrong way, got
turned around and rolled over onto the right side. I was
facing the sky and Glover was nose down with only the hole
between the seat back rail and the roof to crawl out of - he
would have beat me out if I hadn't stepped on his fingers. By
the time we got the pilots out Tail End Charlie was there
waiting to take us home.”- Robert Seiple
9
1 2 3
UH-1D* 65-09621 6610 0402 6802 1945 1543 “Dolphin 621 was put into service before my ship (619) and
the first Crewchief was Peter (I think) Yates. Yates did a
‘header’ out of the ship as they were leaving a pinnicle
resupply point. A couple of more seconds and he would have
had quite a longer fall than the 15 feet that he did. He was
not badly hurt ... just enough for a ride stateside (poor guy)!
On the next mission I crewed '621’ on a flight into a hot LZ.
We did not have gun mounts yet, and I was merrily blasting
away when the AC turned around and yelled for me, over all
the noise, to stop firing ... seems the intercom was having
problems and I hadn't received the command to stop.”-
Robert Seiple.
Crashed 11/18/66 in LZ but airworthy (CPT J. Roberts and
CW2 S. Fant)
“Sometime in 1967 Summer or early Fall, the Commander
decided that each aircraft commander would have a
permanently assigned aircraft. Mine was #621 then. I forget
my C/E’s name, but he wanted me to name the bird, so I had
him paint my wife’s name on it. A month or two later the
experiment of having our own aircraft ended in a mess.”-
CW2 Jim Messinger
“When I crewed #621 (Dec. ’67), my first ship, I remember it
being a leaker (hub seals). It was a full time job keeping the
top of the aircraft clean… used a hell of a lot of rags. Next to
that ‘Cactus’ drawing, on the left side panel, there also was a
drawing of a ‘Coffin’. Just above it were the words ‘The
Flying Coffin’. I believe Wheeler (or Whelan) was the C/E
before I was.”- SP4 Dennis Pelliccia
UH-1D* 65-09638 6610 0518 6705 1116 0598 2nd Plt. Leader 1LT Ron Newcomer 9/66- 9/67. Xferred for
unknown reasons to 335 Trans Co in 6/67.
10
1 2 3
UH-1D* 65-09639 6610 0478 6802 2124 1646 2nd Plt. Leader 1LT Ron Newcomer 9/66- 9/67. 06/26/67:
Total flight hours at this point: 00001257.This was a Combat
incident. This helicopter was repaired in theater. Air/land
Assault , Hot Area. While on Landing Zone, helicopter was
on the ground it took 1 hit from: Small Arms/Automatic
less than 20 mm in size. (7.62MM).The helicopter was hit in
the Cockpit, but continued Flight and accomplished all
mission objectives. Xferred out to CONUS 3/68.
UH-1D* 65-09640 6610 0333 6802 1941 1608 7/6/66, ship was hit by small arms fire. Aircraft returned to
Lane for main rotor blade replacement Xferred out to
CONUS for unknown reasons 3/68.
UH-1D* 65-09641 6610 0402 6804 2289 1887 2nd Plt. Leader 1LT Ron Newcomer 9/66- 9/67. Xferred to 79
Trans Co for unknown reasons in May of ’68.
11
1 2 3
UH-1D* 65-09642 6610 0366 6807 1866 1500 2nd Plt. Leader 1LT Ron Newcomer 9/66- 9/67.
09/12/67: Total flight hours at this point: 00001467.
Helicopter was in Air/land Assault , Hot Area at 040 knots
and took 5 hits from: Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun
launched non-explosive ballistic projectiles less than 20 mm
in size. (7.62MM).The helicopter was hit in the equipment
section Systems damaged were: FUEL SYS. Casualties =
YES but unknown. The helicopter continued flight and
accomplished all mission objectives and repaired in theater.
11/01/67: Total flight hours at this point: 00001736. This
helicopter was in an Air/land Assault , Hot Area and on take-
off at 0200 feet and 050 knots, when it took 1 hit from:
(7.62MM). The helicopter was hit in the tail section. The
helicopter continued flight and accomplished all mission
objectives and was repaired in theater
11/24/67: Total flight hours at this point: 00001736.This
helicopter was on a Logistics Support mission for Resupply ,
to Forward Area. While in route, at 080 knots, it took 1 hit
from: Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched non-
(7.62MM).The helicopter was hit in the tail section. It
continued flight and accomplished all mission objectives and
repaired in theater.
Xferred to 79 Trans Co for unknown reasons in 8/68.
12
1 2 3
UH-1D* 65-09643 6610 0386 6705 0987 0601 “On 5/67, It took heavy fire while inserting an Eagle Flight
North of Duc Pho. WO Jim Campbell was AC and my
wingman on the flight (WO1 Larry Martin was peter pilot
and SP4 White was C/E- this per Larry Martin’s son, King
1/05-‘Dad lost a $95.00 Yashika camera left hanging on the
seat.‘). Jim was losing power and the ship smoking badly,
and set her down on the way back to Duc Pho one afternoon.
Later that day, before sunset, we called in artillery and had
her field stripped to deprive Charlie of the radios and
equipment. Weapons were removed- when I picked-up
Campbell and his crew under fire”- 2nd Plt. Leader 1LT Ron
Newcomer 9/66- 9/67
UH-1D* 65-09644 6610 0412 6712 1766 1354 2nd Plt. Leader 1LT Ron Newcomer 9/66- 9/67.
. Carl Muthersbaugh C/E 1966-67 says, “My slick was the
first in our unit to be hit while on a supply mission for the
Korean Tiger Division West and North of Phi Tai, a/o Lane
Field. The bullet went through the radio compartment. No
injuries. Lt. Brewster was my A/C that day”.-Carl . Xferred to
335 Trans Co then stateside back to Bell ( Ft. Worth) in
12/67.
UH-1D* 65-09646 6610 0372 6805 2092 1720 2nd Plt. Leader 1LT Ron Newcomer 9/66- 9/67. Xferred to 79
Trans Co for unknown reasons 5/68.
UH-1D* 65-09647 6610 0299 6707 1103 0804 “#647 was the only aircraft I ever knew of that got shot down
by a bed. It was on a re-supply out of Tuy Hoa when that
happened.”- Ted Saunders SP5. This was 07/25/67: Total
flight hours at this point: 00001103. The helicopter made a
forced landing and was destroyed. One unknown casualty.
UH-1D* 65-09648 6610 0478 6802 2088 1610 “#648 got shot down by a poncho while on a re-supply
mission in the Phu Cats. I had just got brand new rotors too”-
SP5 Ted Saunders C/E 1966. Xferred out to stateside
ARAMAC Naval Station in Feb of ’68.
13
1 2 3
UH-1H 65-09679 7105 3669 7110 4161 0492 From 6610-6707 0496hr w/335th AHC as D Model. Coverted
to H at Chu Lai 5/71. On the morning of 1 August 1971, at
approximately 0945 hours, WO1 Munkvold and 1LT Martin
(Martin was flying) left Chu Lai and proceeded to Ky Ha,
where they were to fly in support of division artillery at that
location. Upon calling the supported unit, they were diverted
to Op-1 (BS 517778) to start their mission. On reaching the
vicinity, WO1 Munkvold contacted the personnel and asked
for a smoke grenade. The smoke indicated the wind out of the
east-northeast. 1LT Martin started his approach. He was set
up well, but he noted that his rate of closure was too fast.
WO1 Munkvold agreed and instructed him to slow down.
Approximately five to ten feet from touchdown, 1LT Martin
realized he was still too fast and decelerated quickly, striking
the tailboom on the side of the pinnacle. WO1 Munkvold
took control of the aircraft and made a go-around and landed
safely. The C/E SP4 Dennis Orthmann took a quick look to
determine damage and saw none and reported such to
Munkvold. They then made a sortie to Tien Phuc, LZ Siberia,
for POL and then to Tam Ky to eat lunch. On shutdown they
noticed a severe dent in the aft underside of the tailboom (this
was approximately 1215 hours). They elected to start the
aircraft, contacted 174th operations and proceeded to Chu Lai
where the aircraft was grounded for further technical
inspection. E4 Mess, T was Gunner and one unknown
passenger. Xferred to 142 TC DS 10/71
UH-1D* 65-09906 6610 0080 6808 1927 1847 “The 14th UH-1D assigned to the Unit mid-May 1966”-
Marty Heuer. Xferred to the 79 Trans Co in 8/68 for
unknown reasons.
14
1 2 3
UH-1D 65-09910 6708 0527 6807 1469 0942 Previously -6610-6707-452hrs w/335th AHC. 174th’s C/E
Wally Nunn's famous "Spotted Slick" (the only camouflaged
bird ever in the unit). Johnson & Wifholm (pilots), Nunn
(C/E) & Dailey (Gunner). Bill Dunning was also a C/E at one
time for #910 Sept-Dec. ‘67. Xferred out to stateside
ARADMAC Naval Station for unknown reasons 7/68
UH-1D* 65-09911 6610 0140 6804 2049 1909 “The 15th UH-1D assigned to the unit 28 June 1966.”- Marty
Heuer. SP4 Tom Smith C/E, Doc Livingston Door Gunner
and MAJ Schartz A/C 1967. Currently on exhibit at Army
Reserve Barracks, New Orleans, LA.
UH-1D* 65-09933 6610 0128 6610 0128 0000 “This was the 16th UH-1D assigned on 28 June 1966,
bringing the 174th AvnCo to full-strength for UH-1Ds at
that point. It crashed on 10-04-66 (CW2 S. G. Hankins and
WO1 S. P. Fant) while hovering above trees to allow troops
to off-load by rope. RPMs were lost while the troops were
descending. The aircraft then settled into trees and the main
rotor struck the first man (RVN) on the rope (fatal). Aircraft
was severely damaged and then destroyed in place. The
cause was ‘overload condition to hover out of ground effect’-
as per the accident report.”- Marty Heuer. Please note
that on this one and only flight, the hours were never
logged. So this bird had the least hours of any 174th
Aircraft “0”.
15
1 2 3
UH-1D** 65-09938 6610 0119 6702 0607 0488 “Totally destroyed during resupply mission in Ninh Hoa area
3/12/67. Aircraft lost RPM on termination of a pinnacle
approach. The pilot attempted to dive the aircraft off the pad
to regain the RPM. The aircraft struck a tree, crashed and
burned. (AC) W1 HE CARRIGER, (P) 1LT JOHNSTON
RONALD LEE KIA, (CE) E4 DF FARGIER and (G) E3 GV
GORDON (Passengers: X2 LM JAE, PAX, D). WO1
Carriger walked away. Injured: SP4 Fariger, and PFC
Gordon. I witnessed the crash.”- Don Richardson- Shark C/E
1968
UH-1D** 65-09939 6610 0090 6804 1201 1111 SP4 Charles Bischdorf C/E 9/6/66. “While returning from
Tuy Hoa to Nha Trang, one round hit pilot's cyclic and
fragments wounded the pilot. Aircraft returned to Nha Trang,
was repaired, and flew the next day."- Marty Heuer
Xferred 4/48 to 355Avn Co then went stateside for Army
NITEOPS training.
UH-1D** 65-09946 6610 0052 6709 1167 1115 Jim McDaniel crashed in this aircraft twice. “It had a
notoriously weak engine”. 6/25/67- WO1 Jim McDaniel (PP),
WO1 R. Carmichael (AC), PFC Waden (CE) and PFC
Worsley (Gunner). Lost RPM after unloading troops and
crashed in rocks near LZ. Crew and aircraft recovered.
9/26/67- Jim McDaniel (AC), Steve Buzzel (PP), SP4 Dixon
(CE) and unknown Gunner. Took a round into the engine,
lost power and dropped 100ft down mountainside into trees
near LZ. Entire crew recovered. Aircraft lost.
16
1 2 3
UH-1D** 65-09952 6610 0082 6802 1759 1677 08/19/67: Total flight hours at this point: 00001171. This helicopter was
in an Air/land Assault , Hot Area on take-off at 0075 feet and 060 knots
and took 1 hit from: Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched
(7.62MM).The helicopter was hit in the engine section but continued
flight and accomplished all mission objectives. 01/18/68:Total
flight hours at this point: 00001759. Pilot landed aircraft on slope.
Aircraft started to settle backwards and aircraft commander took control
and tried to recover. Door gun mount hit stump spun, aircraft around
and forced aircraft into ground.
Crew Members:
AC W1 TEWS HJ
P W1 FIERCE JM
Xferred to the 335 Trans Co in 2/68 for unknown reasons.

UH-1H 65-10020 6812 1652 6902 1893 0241 3/1/69: Pinnacle crash in 515 Valley 3/1/69 WO1 Harris, WO1 Davis,
SP4 Zarina and SP4 Schultz and five (of seven) enlisted 11LIB Infantry
KIA. Aircraft was flying 1/20 Infantry Btn. C&C. Coordinates
BS641534. Approach was over-shot. Aircraft tried to make a pedal turn
to get on top of OP. Lost power and altitude. Approximately 50 meters
down the hill, the main rotor struck the ground and the slightly further
down- the main fuselage broke apart, starting fire. The only two
survivors (2 infantry men) were removed by medevac with injuries.
Crew Members:
AC WO1 DAVIS RAY RENE KIA
P WO1 HARRIS EDWARD LEWIS KIA
CE SP4 ZARINA DONN PETER KIA
G PFC SCHULZE DAVID EDWARD KIA
Passengers:
E4 DH HOTCH, PAX, D; SGT GOODE RODNEY MICHAEL, AR,
PX, KIA; SP4 GROSS JIMMY RAY, AR, PX, KIA; E4 JD BICKERS,
PAX, D; CPL LOVEGREN DAVID EUGENE (Remains lost during
“retrieval” and never found), AR, PX, BNR; SP4 GAINES THOMAS
LEE JR, AR, PX, KIA; CPL CRAFT JAMES ADOLPH, AR, PX, KIA;
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UH-1D 65-12863 6611 0000 6712 1472 1472 “C/E Don Richardson, Gunner Abran Lucero from 2/67 to
11/68. Shot down with bullet in engine 2/67. 6/67 took fire
during extraction, C/E (replacement while Richardson had
malaria) WIA, 1 infantry KIA. Hard landing, 12/68, aircraft
went back to states for rebuild.”- Don Richardson
UH-1D 65-12872 6703 0097 6809 1621 1524 08/13/67: Total flight hours at this point: 00000549. This
helicopter was in an Air/land Assault, Hot Area and took 1
hit from: Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched
(7.62MM). The aircraft was hit in the tail section but
continued flight and accomplished all mission objectives.
Xferred to 116th AHC for unknown reasons in 9/68.
UH-1D 65-12874 6703 0256 6703 0352 0096 03/07/67: Total flight hours at this point: 00000352.This was
a miscellaneous mission for Psychological Warfare.
Helicopter was hovering at 2000 feet and 080 knots and took
1 hit from: Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched
(7.62MM). The helicopter was hit in the passenger cargo
section and damaged the fuel system. The aircraft made a
forced landing. But was capable of one time flight. It was
diverted or delayed after completing some mission
objectives. Xferred after a short time (30 days) in the Unit to
stateside Army Avn Div, 6th Army, Dugway Proving Grounds
(in Utah) for unknown reasons in 3/67
UH-1C 66-00590 6811 1280 7004 2314 1034 “Pink Panther” SP4 Philip Luft painted the artwork 1969.
C/E SP5 Martin Alexander 1969. SP4 Bill Cowling C/E and
SP4 Steve Ratcliffe Door Gunner 11/69- 1/70. Crashed on
Hill 411 4/70.
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UH-1C 66-00621 7005 1700 7012 2087 0387 “Aircraft was downed 8/70 by enemy ground fire while part
of a Shark ‘light team’ supporting a two Dolphin slick
spraying mission. Mark Stefan and A/C Jeff Zavales pilots.
Severed fuel line. It was set down at Bato SF base and
Hooked out. Also hit during this action, though flyable, was
‘spray ship’ #463 ‘Satan’ (Dennis McCabe & Fred Thompson
pilots).”-Fred Thompson & Mark Stefan
UH-1C 66-00645 6910 1170 7101 1912 0742 "Mexican Express" Albert Garza C/E did the artwork 1971.
Sent Stateside AVSCOM 5th Army St. Louis 2/71.
UH-1C 66-00646 6809 1111 7006 2429 1318 “Texas Flag” SP5C/E Mark Zimmerman 1969. SP4 Steve
Ratcliffe C/E from 2/70 to until wounded 4/3/70 (his gunner
was SP4 Riggs). Aircraft crashed due to engine failure 6/70-
WO1 Brandt injured. WO1 Mizer, SP5 Bell and SP5
Vandiver KIA
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UH-1C 66-00662 7004 1194 7004 1274 0080 WO1 Henke, WO1 Sheffield, SP4 Jarrell, SP4 Johns & PFC
Patrick-- all KIA. 13 May 1970 0530 hours. Gunship
departed Duc Pho for combat Mission. Due to delay in CA,
the Shark team broke station to refuel at Quang Ngai. On
approach A/C Henke stated to team lead that they were
experiencing collective feedback. They landed, and after
inspection, assumed aircraft was OK. Shortly after departure
Henke reported he experienced the feedback again. Team
leader, CPT. Riddle questioned the severity, but Henke felt
he could make it back to Duc Pho. Five minutes later, Riddle
received Henke’s MAYDAY call. Riddle flew to the location
of the emergency call and found the burning wreckage of
Shark 662. An Australian Military Advisor, CPT Gunder, had
observed it as flying south along Rt. 1 at approx. 150 feet. As
the aircraft approached LZ Dragon, there was a change in
engine sound (similar to a backfire). He also observed the
aircraft make a 90-degree turn to the west, with heavy puffs
of black smoke emitting. And then it fell out of sight, behind
a tree line, with a tremendous impact sound. All souls lost.
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UH-1M 66-00722 7103 1305 7112 1596 0291 Sept. 1971: Mel Lutgring (C/E Witchdoctor 560) witnessed
this Shark gunship, on takeoff from Minh Long FSB after
rearmament. It was part of a Shark team that was to cover a
CA and extraction of some ARVNs. It appeared to lose rotor
RPM, then descended and hit nose low before flipping over
on its back. Mel says: "On departure, the Shark had snagged
some 'commo' wire, and the aircraft was so heavy (it was
normal to fly at or over maximum gross weight) that there
was not enough reserve power to 'pull through' the wire. A
174th Dolphin, also seeing the crash, landed next to the
Shark and picked up the crew (everyone got out all right
except for a new Shark crew member who hurt his back). One
of the slick pilots actually reached in and shut off the still-
running turbine. Rick Christopher (C/E 1971) recalls- "I don't
remember who the crew was except one. That would be
Galen 'Colorado' Koontz. I remember it did happen on take
off and they did hit the wire and went down. Koontz was the
one injured and hospitalized. We went to see him, brought
him some whiskey, if I remember right, and tried to cheer
him up. It seems that the nurses, un-politely, asked us to
leave. He wasn't feeling so great. I remember distinctly
though, the look of pain on his face. It's strange what stays
very vivid and what is blurry. His bed was on the right side,
as we turned right into the ward, about 3/4 of the way down
the room. I see his face is as if it happened today. The rest the
story, as to who went, the crew and etc… fuzzy. I don't think
it was C/E 'Colorado's' regular ship.”-Rick
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UH-1D 66-00864 6707 0690 6805 2014 1324 From 6701-6706 0682hr w/155th AHC. “The last flight of
UH- 1D #66- 00864 May 1968 (crew: A/C Hank Tews, PP
unknown, C/E SP4 Sam Davis and Door Gunner PFC Allen
Weamer). #864 appeared in the famous Time/ Life photo at
Pinkville/My Lai. Anyway, in May of 1968, we were
searching for an ‘unidentified’ tracked vehicle. We were
flying along what tracks we could see (about a half mile
south of the DMZ...near Dong Ha). Suddenly, a .51 Cal
rocked us almost sideways. The Peter Pilot (anybody know
ID?) yells, ‘I think I’m hit’! The impact sent his feet upwards
(he was OK though). We had taken the round right under my
seat (right side of aircraft). I checked my ass and crotch for
blood. All my faculties were there and I was OK…. However
my ammo box was igniting tracers. I was tossing these things
out as they were igniting! Some burns, but I knew we had a
full fuel cell …because we had just refueled. All we could
smell was JP-4! Tews put us down somewhere around a
‘ville’ near Nhi Ha. We had gone from full (1400lbs) to about
400lbs in about 20 seconds. The fuel cell under my seat was
punctured. A Chinook hooked us to Camp Evans. Where we
took inventory of the ship. We got pieces of wood tree and
pushed them into the openings and used some wire to hold
the plugs in. We actually flew it back to Chu Lai.”- Sam
Davis (CE)
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UH-1D 66-00874 6703 0101 6802 1356 1255 “874 came in new and was used as the Brigade C&C ship for
a couple of months. One day CW2 Sullivan and I were
playing C&C with one of the BN CDR and his staff.
Somewhere just north of Duc Pho the S2 (who?) was to mark
a spot on the ground with a Willie Pete. He missed the door
and the grenade landed behind our FM radios. It exploded as
he tried to reach for it, and some how he managed to fall out
of the a/c, at about 300 feet! Some of the stuff hit my
windscreen and onto my face. I went to the hospital for about
four days, thanks mostly to by helmet visor, and returned to
the unit. Sullivan was an old Air Force Captain. He was the
only W2 in the 1st Plt. When I got back to the Company, LT
Brant told me the aircraft would not be back, the grenade had
gone through the floor one panel forward of the right fuel
cell.”- Boyd Mitchell
“I was the Door Gunner on that day…went to the hospital
too. I still have scars on my back from the grenade”.- Gary
Herbert *Assistant Webmaster note: This is true story!. I
have photos of the aftermath!*
UH-1D 66-00888 6710 0846 6808 2051 1205 “Shark 4” J.C. Pennington: “This D-model #66-0888 was
called ‘Trip Eight’. I flew it in Aug 68. It was in the First
Platoon and I think it was the last D-model that was
operational in the 174th. It was notorious. It was a ‘gutless
pig’ that was so underpowered no one wanted to fly it or fly
in it. There was a Bn CO who refused to fly in it. He said, ‘If
you show up with Trip-8 as my C&C bird I'm staying on the
ground’.”-JC. Xferred to 79 Trans Co, then stateside to
ARADMAC 4th ARMY for unknown reasons in 8/68.
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UH-1H 66-00993 6903 1030 6908 1571 0541 From 6701-6706 w/155th AHC. However; on date:
08/15/1969 (Incident number: 69081555.KIA and UTM grid
coordinates: BS622352), Aircraft was trail in flight of four
with mission of putting Infantry in to take out .51 cal that had
been firing up aircraft going in and out of San Juan Hill. Gun
could not be knocked out by artillery or air strike and
decision was to put infantry in to take out the gun, because it
was constantly being moved. The .51 cal hosed aircraft. Mast
was hit causing main rotor separation and tail boom was
severed. Aircraft was on final to LZ at 200 feet, came apart
hit the ground exploded on hill top and then rolled on fire
down to the bottom of a ravine. Crew of four and six 11th
BDE infantry killed. (Crew Members: CE SP4 Delvalle
Sanchez Alejo, G PFC Graham Johnnie, Jr., AC WO1 Shields
Robert Hazen, P WO1 Bozinski John Michael. Passengers
and/or other participants: SP4 Lentz David Arnett, AR, PX,)
All KIA.
24
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UH-1D 66-01016 6710 0780 6806 1804 1024 “#016 arrived in Unit from the 155th AHC on 10/67 with nose
and body damage (and broken chin bubbles). Maintenance
told me if I could repair it, it would be ‘my bird’. I did and it
was. However, my last flight day was 6/12/68, so my best
friend , Allen Weamer was in my place on 13 June 1968. I
was not on the aircraft. I heard about the loss while I was
lounging between platoon hootches. Allen was my close
friend and hootchmate.”- Sam Davis (CE)
6/13/68: Midair collision with O-2. Helicopter was on a
Command and Control mission on May 13, 1968 in South
Vietnam. The aircraft landed, picked up passengers and
departed to fly a visual reconnaissance mission near the
Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). The Operation Center at Duc
Pho near Da Nang, South Vietnam, that was controlling the
flight received a report that Carter's aircraft was involved in a
mid-air collision with a U.S. Air Force O2 aircraft. The
helicopter and the O2 crashed. Another helicopter crew in the
area observed Carter's helicopter impact with the ground and
stated that they did not see anyone escape from the site. The
aircraft was burning. Another element from an infantry unit
was airlifted to the crash site and could find no survivors at
either site. A maintenance aircraft arrived and assisted in the
search. No remains were recovered that could be associated
with Carter. On subsequent searches, the remains of the pilot
of the O2, Major Brenner, and the crew of the UH1D were
recovered, but Carter's remains were never located. WO1
Carter, WO1 Johnson, SP4 Milton, & PFC Weamer all KIA
25
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UH-1H 66-01022 6905 0656 7011 2107 1451 02/12/70: CPT John Michael Gibbons KIA while performing
the duty of A/C in a Combat Assault. Quang Ngai Province I
Corps.
”Co-Pilot was WO1 Robinson. ‘Gibby’ was A/C flying left
seat. It was a two-ship movement of troops from one
location to another. ‘Gibby’ was Platoon Leader and he was
also Flight Leader this day. They were “climbing out” of the
area. The C/E spotted a military age male standing out in the
open. The man seemed to have produced an AK-47 from
under his clothing. The C/E said the man just “swept up”
toward the aircraft on full automatic. One of the rounds hit
Gibbons in the left side under his armpit and three other
rounds hit behind his left ear of his helmet. Gibbons slumped
forward and his right foot went forward and the aircraft went
out of trim & drifting towards the other ship. Robinson
grabbed the flight controls. Two (or more) rounds had come
through the radio console & his cyclic disabling his
radio. His C/E and Door Gunner left their stations to pull
Gibbons back into cargo and apply some first aid. They
managed to make it back to the 11th Brigade Medevac
area. Either the C/E or the Gunner had to make the radio
transmissions to Duc Pho Tower. By the time that they got
the aircraft down, ‘Gibby’ had died due to loss of blood and
the nature of his wounds.”- WO1 John Bailey (close friend of
Gibson’s).
Due to space here in this column the comments
continued appear on page 59
26
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UH-1C 66-15040 6908 1313 7004 1787 0474 C/E Bill Loken and Gunner Terry Rolinger 1969.
”I crewed with Bill from about the time the bird arrived in the
174th (August 1969) until the following February. Lots of
hours without major incidents. Rumor has it that the crew had
a bit of an “attitude”, but I can neither confirm nor deny that.
Bill might be able to pass on more info, especially as to what
transpired after I DEROSed.
Per records compiled by Gary Roush, # 040 was a well-
traveled bird. It was first in service with a unit in Alaska in
February of 1967…then it made it to Vietnam in June
1967…then was returned stateside to Bell Helicopter in
August… then back to Vietnam with C Trp 7/17th Cav in
November…then went back to the states from May 1968
until August 1968 …then back to Vietnam with F Trp 8th
Cav where it served until August of 1969… when it was
transferred to the 174th. It stayed with the 174th until June of
1970…then it was moved to the 57th AVN Co. On January 5,
1971 during a test flight at Pleiku, following a main rotor
blade change, the aircraft did a nose dive into the runway at
130 knots and burned completely upon impact with the loss
of three souls.”-Terry Rolinger
UH-1C 66-15045 7003 1920 7011 2490 0570 “Easy Rider (1st)” Crashed due to tail rotor strike. Pilots
1LT Bob Hackett & CW2 Greg Manuel 11/70
UH-1C 66-15060 6806 0420 6910 0912 0492 Only in the Unit for 10 mos., so hardly anyone remembers
this gunship. We do know that it suffered a crash on 11/23/70
and was sent to 142 TC DS and scrapped.
UH-1M 66-15089 7103 1857 7112 2198 0341 Replacement Gunship donated by 176th AHC at Quang Tri
during Lam Son 719 on 3/71 (Fred Thompson called it
“Musk-Shark”) Later became C/E Mark Klindt’s Gunship at
Chu Lai 1971 until Unit stand-down.
27
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UH-1C 66-15092 7102 2073 7103 2098 0025 Another replacement ship from 176th AHC. On Wednesday
March 3rd, 1971- Shot down over Laos- Lam Son 719.
Gunship #092 (UH-1C 66-15092) was piloted by CPT Greg
Smith flying “lead ”for the fire team (the other
crewmembers--- we don’t know yet)
UH-1C 66-15094 7101 1254 7103 1321 0067 Another replacement Gunship from 176th AHC. Friday March
5th, 1971- shot down over Laos- Lam Son 719 (crewed by
Neal Varner, Chuck Blake and Bill Wilder and Yogi Reaves)
28
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UH-1C 66-15098 6905 0706 7006 1407 0701 ” I picked it up at Depot Maintenance, Vung Tau on the 25
May 1969 and flew it back to Duc Pho. We were in a hurt for
gun ships so two others and I spent over a week enjoying the
sun and surf while it was getting ready (smile). Upon
returning I had to report to the Bn., in detail why it took so
long. The big problem was the folks at Vung Tau didn't work
on Sundays and that Saturday was organization day. Don't
remember the other pilot that was with me, but SP4 Earl
Ingram was with us as C/E.”- WO1 Tom Reinshagen “Witch
Doctor” 1969.
“ I was Crew Chief when it arrived in 5/69 and stayed with
her until I left the Unit August 1969. Then a "brand new"
UH-1C (5/69) it finally arrived after some sort of delay (as
explained by Reinshagen above). We armed her up and I
painted the shark teeth on. I meant for the mouth to look
very mean and aggressive, but it unfortunately turned out to
look more like a smile. Some hated the smile and others
looked at it as the "smiling kiss of death".”- SP5 Mark
Zimmerman.
This Aircraft is now in the possession of one Jeff Biles in
PA. The aircraft is miraculously intact (except for the
turbine… The transmission and all drive shafts and
rotors are intact). Biles plans to restore it completely to
it’s condition when it left the 174 AHC in 6/70. He intends
to transport it to future 174th AHC Annual
Reunions!Contributions to Jeff’s efforts (this is all out of
his pocket literally)!!!? This is a young “duck” just like
me, who wants to make good things happen - Contact
Warren at twarrenh@alltel.net
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UH-1C 66-15105 6707 0000 6802 0536 0536 Al Scheri C/E ’68. 02/09/68: Total flight hours at this point:
00000566.This was a Recon mission for Armed Escort- UTM
grid coordinates: BT979524. Helicopter took 1 hit from:
(12.7MM). The helicopter crashed and was destroyed. Both
mission and flight capability were terminated.Casualties = 01
unknown WIA .
UH-1C 66-15106 6707 0000 6801 0559 0559 Nobody remembers about this Shark either, but it was in the
Unit for 7 mos. and xferred to 335 Trans Co for unknown
reasons in 01/68
UH-1C 66-15137 6707 0000 7003 1778 1778 Pilots: Danny Burton ’68. Primarily CPT Jim Towle and J.C.
Pennington ‘69. Joe Lumley C/E 1969/70. Patrick Duncan,
(Armament) as a gunner, “was aboard her the first time she
was shot down (repaired) near Tam Ky” 5/68.This 40mm had
1778 hours on it when it left the unit 3/70 (most hours on a
174th AHC gunship)!
UH-1C 66-15138 6707 0000 6804 0561 0561 “40mm (1 of 3 in 1968). Don Richardson last C/E 1/68 to
4/68. To depot with bonding separation and left the unit
4/68”- Don Richardson
UH-1C 66-15161 7012 1494 7102 1612 0118 “Surfer” Shot down 2/71. Pilots Bruce Marshall and James
Souders seriously injured and medevaced.
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UH-1C 66-15162 6803 0153 6904 0830 0677 Crashed due to command-detonated 500lb booby trap
5/16/69. SP5 Dennis Schmidt KIA. J.C. Pennington: ” I was
part of the ‘secondary’ Shark team that day, and we were
scrambled to cover the crash. It was just west of Hwy 1
between Duc Pho and Quang Ngai. I was told my good
friend Bill Cooper was the AC on the crashed Shark. There
was an NVA flag flying on a small hill and they decided they
should hover by low and slow so the CE (Schmidt) could
reach out and grab the flag. As a result, Shark #162 was a
sitting duck for the command detonated booby trap. It blew
their tail boom off and the cabin rolled down the hill but did
not catch fire. Cooper was in the right seat with the rocket
site down and his face bounced off the site several times. He
had a broken nose and jaw as I recall, also a broken arm or
elbow. We went to see him at the Duc Pho aid station before
they moved him out and he looked like hell. Don't remember
whom the PP or DG were. Cooper was sent to the hospital in
Japan. A couple of weeks later we got a letter from him. I'll
never forget it. He wrote, ‘I may be an idiot but I'm in Japan
and you guys are still in Vietnam.’ That was Cooper :-)”- JC
Pennington/ Shark 4 68-69
UH-1C 66-15165 6712 0172 6807 0743 0571 “Called ‘Patches’ due to the numerous fuselage hole
repairs.”- Jim McDaniel A/C '68 (C/E Ron Conner).
07/29/68:Total flight hours at this point: 00000743. Shark
Gunship left the 174th permanently (and sent to 48 Eng.
,Thailand) after it “hard landed/crashed” in it’s own
revetment (while coming out for a “scramble”)! Duc Pho..
Crew Members:
A/C CW2 BRIGANTE WC
Pilot WO1 FIFE WS
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UH-1C 66-15169 7101 2399 7103 2433 0034 Replacement Gunship from 176th AHC. Friday, March 5th,
1971 shot down over Laos- During Lam Son 719 with #069.
Fred Thompson says: “We got replacement gunships from the
176th ‘Muskets’ several times during Lam Son 719. Because
of depletion of aircraft. Once or twice they even helped us
paint the Shark teeth on the nose. It was unanimous that it
intimidated the NVA!”
UH-1M 66-15190 7103 2198 7109 2639 0441 Originally thought to be a replacement gunship from the
176th AHC. Shark PLT SGT Dale Parker clarifies, “190 never
belonged to the 176th as far as I know. The closest I came to
an R&R in three years was a trip to Saigon in March 71 to
pick it up. It had just come in from overhaul in Corpus
Christi and was for all practical purposes new. At this point it
was a Charlie model and we put 19 round pods on it. When
we picked it up, I think it was either Bob Hackett or Fred or
maybe both in the front seats. Don't know who else went with
us or how we got there (Probably C130). Anyway I was
acting as TI. There were some minor problems and we made
them fix it before we accepted it so we got to spend the night
in a hotel in downtown Saigon. Nice change from what we
were used to. On the way back we RONed in Tuy Hoa
AFB.”- Dale. Xferred to 142 TC DS in 9/71 for unknown
reasons.
UH-1C 66-15201 6803 0168 6804 0300 0132 Xfrerred out stateside to 355 Avn. Co- Ft. Sill for unknown
reasons in 4/68
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UH-1C 66-15221 6806 0300 6810 0570 0270 “This was the Shark that I went down in while on a test flight
(the ship was just out of 100 hour PE). We hung & bore
sighted the guns, then went to test fire the weapons in a rice
paddy near Bronco, (simulating a gun run). After making the
low pass run with no firing and making sure that no IC's were
in the area I turned down wind and started a climb, so as to
make my live fire gun run into the wind [I remember very
well, because that we had a 16 knot wind from the north and I
had my C/E in right seat (a definite no-no) and two gunners
in the back] As I began this downwind climb, the engine quit
at about 200 ft! I had no time to turn 180 degrees into the
wind so I auto rotated straight ahead into a rice paddy. As I
flared with the 16-knot tail wind, we popped pitch. The skids
hit a dike and the rotor flexed down and severed the tail rotor
control arm (top of tail boom). We then hit he water of the
rice paddy and both chin bubbles broke allowing water to
rush in. We came to rest with the water level just up to the
floor of the helicopter. Believe it or not, the story is
somewhat humorous until we were rescued by CPT Cayton
flying the maintenance ship.” -Ken Peters (Shark 6 8/68-
11/68).
“SP4 Ron Connors was C/E on Shark 138. However, he was
riding in #221’s right seat for this test fire flight. Actually, I
was the C/E for #221 and I was in the back with one of the
maintainence people. We had not even installed the jump
seats in the back. We were sitting on the mini gun ammo
cans for the flight.”- SP4 Hal Koster
Warren Hewetson has an old B&W photo of it (a lot of
fuselage/nose damage-unknown date) at Texas ARDMAC
facility stateside.
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UH-1C 66-15224 6806 0305 6903 0906 0601 03/02/69: Total flight hours at this point: 00000906. This was
a Recon mission for Armed Escort. This was a Recon mission
for Armed Escort (UTM grid coordinates: BS670575). While
in target area this gunship was attacking? Apparently it was
destroyed by a MINE! The helicopter was hit in the tail
Section causing fragmentation damage. It crashed and
burned. Four unknown were injured. Anybody remember
this?
UH-1M 66-15242 7103 1556 7112 1981 0425 “Easy Rider (2nd)” “ Came to us in 1971 as a C model, a
fresh Bell rebuilt, one of the replacement aircraft for those
shot down in Laos. Fred Thompson was her first Aircraft
Commander. When he left country, he turned her over to me.
(It was a proud moment). Incidentally, when Typhoon Hester
hit Chu Lai, my crew and I took Easy Rider up the ramp to
the big concrete Air Force B-52 hangars. I asked an Air Force
sergeant if he had room for a Huey in a back corner. He said,
‘If you've got ground-handling wheels, roll it in.’ She came
through without a scratch.”-PJ Roths, Shark 10, 1971
One of only three of the original eight Shark gunships to
survive Lam Son 719.
UH-1D 66-16080 6704 0001 6801 0957 0956 “In late 1967 to Jan. 1968, I flew exclusively for Lt. Infantry
Brigade Commander COL Wear and the ‘late’ GEN
Lipscombe in tail number #080… until I crashed in it in
January. .I ‘destroyed’ that one. I went back out to the crash
site (a rice paddy) to help maintenance ‘blow it’ in place. -
CW2 Jim Messinger. “ I happened to be the Crew Chief on
080 that day with Mr. Messinger, SP4 Currie was the Door
Gunner. We experienced engine failure after picking up an
arms cache west of Duc Pho. “- SP4 David ‘Doc’ Livingston
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UH-1D 66-16100 6804 0791 6806 0913 0122 Crashed in Laos June 1968. CWO Jim Rawling, other pilot?,
C/E Tom Ellis and Door Gunner Andy Brito. Aircraft was
recovered and shipped to Ft. Belvoir July 1968 for “SEA
NITEOPS”
UH-1H 66-16155 6902 0662 6907 1208 0546 Xferred out to 142 Trans Co for transport stateside to
ARADMAC AVCOM in 7/69 for unknown reasons.
35
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UH-1H 66-16186 6908 2132 7112 3345 1213 04/09/70:Total flight hours at this point: 00002861. During
the morning of 9 April 1970, aircraft 186 flew from 0700
until 1000 supporting an infantry battalion on various
resupply flights. That afternoon, at 1315 hours, they resumed
support. At approximately 1700 they departed San Juan Hill
with about 750 pounds of cargo and three (3) passengers for a
forward unit. They arrived at the LZ, which was a bomb
crater unsuitable for a ground landing and surrounded by
high trees. The Pilot terminated his approach above the trees
to hover at approx. fifty (50) to a sixty (60) feet. When the
pilot descended below tree top level, he lost the lifting effect
of the strong head wind and began to descent faster than
desired. Power was added to slow his rate of decent, but due
to their heavy gross weight, the rotor rpm began to bleed off.
The A/C took control of the aircraft and the crew was
instructed to start throwing off some of the cargo. The A/C
attempted to make a go-around but his rpm decayed to 5800.
An attempt to regain lost rpm was made by lowering the
collective and adding right pedal. Aircraft made a 360 degree
right turn in attempt to regain enough rpm control. the
aircraft's descent could not be stopped and a decelerating
crash landing was made into the trees. The aircraft was shut
down and there were no injuries or indications of fire.
Crew Members:
AC W2 BAILEY JC
P W1 STRUEMKE CW
CE E4 VALLADOLID T
G E4 WHITFIELD R
Passengers:
LC LOCAL, LCO, G.
Helicopter was then xferred out to 142 TC DS and then
th
36 stateside. It came back to the 174 in 3/71 and remained
there until Unit Standdown 11/71!
1 2 3
UH-1D 66-16201 6804 0516 6805 0660 0144 Xferred to 114AHC in 5/68 for unknown reasons.
UH-1D 66-16235 6706 0000 6707 0278 0278 Crashed 7/67 due to rotor strike on hill. Carried the original
“Machina” Dolphin noseart. WO1 Richard Machina 1967
UH-1H 66-16406 7107 2168 7111 2496 0328 Xferred to 142 TC Ds for unknown reasons in 9/71.
UH-1H 66-16511 6903 1211 6903 1335 0124 CPT Mark Fisher, WO1Rodney Calloway, SP4 Tom Gauby
& SP4 Ben Kennedy wreck 3/69. Only serious injury was
Calloway (facial) and Gauby (back)
37
1 2 3
UH-1H 66-16589 6812 0495 6902 0712 0217 02/14/69: Total flight hours at this point: 00000712. Aircraft
and Crew were assigned a mission in Chu Lai, to sling load
an OH-23 from the 335th Trans Co to “Redbeach” in Da
Nang. At approximately 1430 hours, the aircraft (with the
OH-23 slung underneath) departed and headed north along
the coast. At approximately 1440 hours a loud snap and
grinding sound was heard from the engine compartment. The
Pilot (O’ Sullivan) turned the aircraft west toward the shore.
At this time, all abillity for the aircraft to climb or remain
straight and level was lost. The Pilot surveyed the situation
and decided he could make a normal approach with power.
While descending from 1500 feet, the C/E pulled the
inspection panel on the left side of the transmission island to
see if he could locate the problem. Negative results were
found. While continuing the approach, the A/C (Clark) noted
all instruments were in the green. At approx. 200 feet, the
Pilot released the OH-23. The instruments again indicated all
systems in the green. At approximately 50 feet a small flare
and pitch pull were performed with negative results. At
approx. 6 feet, the Pilot initiated a greater flare and full pitch
pull with negative results. The aircraft hit tail first severing
the tailboom (grid coordinates BT225375). Aircraft was a
total loss.
Crew Members:
A/C WO1 WAYNE CLARK
Pilot WO1 JOHN O’SULLIVAN
UH-1H 66-16651 7103 2641 7110 3334 0693 Left after 7 mos. to the 142 TC DS in 10/71 for unknown
reasons.
38
1 2 3
UH-1H 66-16811 6805 0277 6812 0806 0529 12/29/1968 Incident number: 68122911. KIA
UTM grid coordinates: BS526517
(P) CW2 Tews Henry James KIA. He had determined the
aircraft could make a, one time, 30-minute flight to Duc Pho
(after apparent minimal aircraft damage). CW2 Tews flew
alone in the aircraft. In route, the transmission seized, and the
aircraft crashed. *Recent Note: “Mr. Tews did not make the
decision to fly UH1H 66-16811, it was the (TI), who was
flying with that mission, who told Tews that the Aircraft
was flight ready. That (TI) was transferred by Major Brown
2 days later!”- Larry McKenna (1/05)
Dolphin 10, Ken Grogan adds: “I was only six weeks in Nam
when I was assigned to fly with John O'Sullivan on a CC
mission. We were about 10 K Southwest of Minh Long,
when we came under heavy automatic weapons fire.
O'Sullivan was hit in the leg, so I was flying the aircraft. It
was our good fortunes to be near a Recon Platoon, on a hill
nearby. We landed without any problems, even though the
helicopter was heavily damaged. Henry Tews showed up.
We had a short conversation concerning the damage to the
Helicopter. He got in, and took off in a Northeast direction.
Later, about dark, the crew and I left in another Helicopter
for Duc Pho. In route, we were advised that we were needed
to secure a Helicopter that went down. When we arrived
about a mile west of Minh Long, the Helicopter was engulfed
in flames. The crew and I were unable to do anything, but
standby and watch the fire burn”.
39
1 2 3
UH-1D 66-16863 6802 0013 6805 0498 0485 “#863… I’m sure that was the aircraft I flew with Frank
Dailey as my Crew Chief. Wally Nunn was the gunner quite
often. They were both the best I could have flown with. That
would have been about November 67 thru about June 68 for
me, ‘cause I arrived in the 174th from the 71st just after
Thanksgiving 67.”- Dean Lind. Xferred 5/48 to 355Avn Co
then went stateside for Army NITEOPS training.
UH-1D 66-16867 6802 0008 6805 0359 0351 Left 174th after only 4 mos. to 355 Avn Co in 5/68 for
unknown reasons.
40
1 2 3
UH-1H 66-16954 6809 0360 6905 1122 0762 “#66-16954 was assigned to the 2nd PLT and my ship. It
came to the 174th around 9/68, after being a Dust Off, and
carried many bullet holes patched in the cabin floor. SP4
Thad Kelly was the C/E. We flew #954 during the Fall of 68-
Spring of 69.”-Ross Clement. Thad Kelly then writes: ‘
About #221, it was actually, # 954 my ship with a new tail
boom. It was in for a PE and replacement of the tail when I
went home for Christmas ’68. When it came out of
maintenance, I think it was Steve Dewitt who took her out. It
seems, when they hovered near a farmer to ask him
something, he shoved his hoe into the tail rotor. And down
she came. I felt bad, really! She was a great bird, just out of
maintenance and no regular C/E to put the tail # and stripe
back on her or even tune ‘er up.”- Thad Kelly
Ross Clement continues: “ After I went to the 14th CAB, in
April 69, #66-16954 was rolled over and I understand it was
‘totaled’. I saw pictures of her, and it appeared it was due to
“Dynamic Roll over”. That was a term used later to explain
the aircraft got away from the pilot, who was lifting off and
not paying attention to rate of roll, and continuing to pull
collective pitch to attain a hover. The result was the
helicopter ending upside down. In this case, the crew walked
away, but #954 was slung to a repair location, probably Red
Beach, north of Da Nang. I have many fond memories of
#954, as she pulled us out of my tight LZ and night
missions.”- Ross Clement (now a Pilot/Capt. with Boeing
Alaska Airlines)
*NOTE: DUE TO COLUME SPACE, MORE
COMMENTS ON #954 ON LAST PAGE
41
1 2 3
UH-1H 66-17017 6903 0255 6904 0516 0261 05/21/69: Total flight hours at this point: 00000516. All we
known is that it was destroyed on this date at UTM grid
coordinates: BS830389
UH-1H 66-17036 6901 0099 7011 2355 2256 “I was the first to Crewchief this aircraft upon it’s arrival Jan
of ’69. I thought maybe it came from the Airborne because it
had their Eagle on it’s nose (actually the helicopter came
from HHD 44th Engineering Group, Thailand). On the 1st
mission, we were with MAJ Brown for a Combat Assault. He
told me that the 14th Battalion Commander wanted to talk to
me when we returned. It was in reference to a possible “war
crime” I had witnessed that day.”- SP4 Tom Rodery. Dolphin
14- Charlie Uhlich remembers piloting her in Feb of ‘69.
11/28/70: During flareship, aircraft crashed. CW2
CREAMER, 1LT JAUREGUI, SP4 POWELL and CPL
FIELD …all KIA
UH-1H 67-17191 7012 2615 7104 3069 0454 04/11/71: Total flight hours at this point: 00003069. Incident
number: 71041131.KIA. UTM grid coordinates: BS616520.
SP4 WAYNE W. BAGGETT
14 Mar 50
11 Apr 71
Tampa FL
04W117
Wayne Baggett was killed on Easter Sunday. The Dolphin
slick was just departing an LZ east and north of Duc Pho,
where a Chaplain had just conducted Easter services for the
infantry soldiers at the LZ. The Dolphin had just picked up
the Chaplain and was departing when it was hit by an RPG
round as it was lifting off. The chaplain, Baggett and other
passengers lost their lives. Baggett was the only 174th AHC
casualty. Source: Lee Fairchild Dec 89.
UH-1D 67-17193 6802 0000 6805 0534 0534 Xferred to the 355 Avn Co in 5/68 for unknown reasons.
42
1 2 3
UH-1D 67-17203 6802 0000 6803 0082 0082 03/11/68:Total flight hours at this point: 00000082. Accident
case number: 680311011. The aircraft made a shallow
approach to a slope LZ. The aircraft touched on its skids and
moved backwards. The pilot attempted to fly the helicopter
forward, but one main rotor blade hit the ground. Aircraft
lost. One unknown Injury.
Crew Members:
AC W1 HARDY JE
P W1 HOOK AL
CE E4 PEDAGNO SJ
UH-1D 67-17209 6802 0000 6805 0438 0438 Xferred to 175 Avn Co in 5/68 for unknown reasons.
UH-1D 67-17281 6803 0000 6804 0112 0112 Currently on static display (as an Memorial) outdoors at
Freeman Park next to the Airport in Burley, Idaho. We
believe that C/E SP5 Carl McCoy was C/E 1968.
UH-1D 67-17282 6803 0000 6804 0219 0219 Dennis Pelliccia C/E, Tony Yates Door Gunner 1968.
Xferred to 212 Avn Bn in 4/68 for unknown reasons.
was on short final to LZ in a slight down wind condition. LZ
was surrounded by tall trees on top of a pinnacle. Aircraft
approached the at 125 feet and 35-40 knots. The A/C veered
the aircraft slightly to the left in an attempt to increase speed
and decrease altitude. At 20 feet the aircraft lost
transactional lift, so the A/C increased power and
maneuvered the aircraft to avoid hitting the trees, however
the aircraft settled into small trees resulting in damage to
both main rotor blades. The A/C was WO1 BOB GENTRY.
The aircraft was then xferred to 142 TC DS in 2/71 for
further transportation stateside to AVSCOM, 5th Army, St.
Louis.
43
1 2 3
UH-1H 67-17410 6805 0002 7103 2334 2332 “Witch Doctor” Tom Reinshagen Dec 68-Aug 69. All we
know is something happened to aircraft 3/27/71 (Grid
Coordinates XD813359) that made an “inventory loss”.
Xferred to 142 TC DS then stateside to Naval Air
Station/Research- Michigan in 10/70.
UH-1H 67-17419 6805 0001 6904 1233 1232 Lost to operational accident - dynamic rollover/rotor strikes.
C/E Sam Sours and Door Gunner Larry Whalen 4/69
UH-1H 67-17421 6805 0002 6904 1379 1377 05/15/69: Total flight hours at this point: 00001447. Accident
case number: 690515291. The aircraft was on a resupply
mission and made a steep approach into the wind to a hilltop
LZ with an approx. 10 degree slope. While at a stabilized
hover, the nose of the aircraft started to slowly yaw to the
right. During this time, witnesses heard a high pitch snapping
sound coming from the aft section. The A/C (flying) noted
that when full left pedal was applied, the yawing did not
reduce but became faster. A/C elected to roll the throttle off
to initiate a hovering autorotation. After rotating 180 degrees,
the aircraft touched down hard, collapsing the skids, main
rotor struck the tail boom, and ground, the transmission
moved forward, and the rotor system separated from the
aircraft. The aircraft came to rest in an upright position with
major structural damage.
Crew Members:
A/C WO1 SHAW TC
Pilot WO1 MORGAN JJ
C/E E5 KILDALL EJ
G E3 BOND J
Passengers: 3 Unknown
Aircraft was then moved to 142 TC DS for return stateside to
ARADMAC in 5/69.
44
1 2 3
UH-1H 67-17428 6805 0000 6903 0938 0938 11/18/68: SP5 Tice KIA. Dolphin 428 came under enemy
fire. The ship took more than 15 hits. Although critically
wounded, SP5 Tice, the C/E, returned fire until the aircraft
was out of the area. Tice was medevaced to Chu Lai, but later
died of wounds. In recognition of gallantry, he was awarded
the Distinguished Flying Cross, posthumously. John
O'Sullivan was the A/C and the copilot was "Smokey"
Grykin.
UH-1H 67-17430 6805 0001 7010 3195 3194 Pat Mitchell C/E 69/70. Xferred to 142 TC DS then stateside
to Naval Research- Michigan in 10/70 for unknown reasons.
UH-1H 67-17444 6805 0001 6808 0289 0288 Tim Healy (gunner) & Dale Ellis (C/E) 1968. Xferred to 335
Trans Co in 8/68 for unknown reasons.
UH-1H 67-17445 6806 0002 7012 2989 2987 “Suzie” A/C Tom Sterrett 1969. “I immediately became a CE
upon my arrival (October 1968) to the 1st Flight Platoon.
My ship was Dolphin 67-17445. Steve Hicks was my
gunner. My AC was mostly Steve Kennedy”. - SP5 Mark
Zimmerman.
Xferred to 142 TC DS then to stateside to 5th Army- St. Louis
in 12/70 for unknown reasons.
UH-1H 67-17471 6805 0000 7104 3368 3368 “Connie” Dolphin with most hours 3368!! Xferred to 142 TC
DS then stateside to Naval Air Station/Research- Michigan
in 4/71.
45
1 2 3
UH-1H 67-17503 6806 0000 7101 2278 2278 Smoke Ship "Smokey": Says Wayne Clark: “I was the
A/C for #67-17503 as my first ship following my AC orders,
in Nov.’ 68. Zerberg (sp?) was my C/E. Sometime in Dec-
Jan, the unit got the smokeship equipment put on #503. The
test flight was fun and at the end of the flight we asked Duc
Pho tower for a ‘smoke run’; They expected to see a stream
of yellow smoke; instead we covered the entire Company
Area (until it blew away)! I flew the smoke ship until I
moved to Sharks in April of ‘69 (Shark 9) and I think WO1
Grogan took over next”- Wayne. SP4 Larry Whalen was the
C/E 1969. 01/09/71: Total flight hours at this point:
00002278. Accident case number: 710109101. The aircraft
was on short final to LZ on top of pinacle with limited
visibility and quartering tail wind. Helicopter “terminated”
above the LZ, reduced power and started to descend. They
inadvertently landed hard on top of a large rock damaging
under side of main fuselage. A/C was WO1 Rich Wondra.
Ship was red Xed.
UH-1H 67-17512 6806 0002 6904 1213 1211 SP5 Russell Pelke C/E 1968. All we know is something
happened to this aircraft on 5/21/69 (UTM grid coordinates:
BS830389) that made it an “inventory loss”.
46
1 2 3
UH-1H 67-17519 6806 0002 6901 0959 0957 11/03/68: Total flight hours at this point: 00000719. Accident
case number: 681103071. Aircraft suffered a hard landing
while transporting five (5) or six (6) passengers to "C"
Company, 4/3 location (LZ). The Helicopter then “limped” to
LZ Cork for inspection of damage. There was damage to a
chin bubble which caused foot pedal binding. However, the
aircraft was landed at Duc Pho without further incident. A/C
WO1 LOVETT DE and
Pilot WO1 KAZAITIS FJ.
01/21/69: Total flight hours at this point: 00000959.Accident
case number: 690121211. Aircraft was assigned a resupply
ammunition to a unit at coordinates BS 567793. It
approached the LZ and landed to drop the ammunition. The
unit on the ground had been receiving fire in the LZ for about
an hour. The crew kicked out the ammunition upon landing.
The aircraft lifted off for departure, but was told that there
was a medevac to be picked up approx 100 yards to the east.
A/C aborted take off and moved over to pick up the medevac.
The helicopter was flared then the aft skid and the tail rotor
struck the ground and started a spin to the right, during which
the other tail rotor blade came off. The tail boom struck the
ground and broke from the aircraft. The aircraft continued to
spin to the right, became inverted and came to stop. The
crew evacuated and took cover until they were extracted from
the LZ. Crew Chief Tom Rodery was medevaced out with
head injuries when he struck his M60 and mount.
Crew Members:
A/C WO1 OSULLIVAN J
Pilot O2 FISHER ME
CE SP4 RODERY T
G UNK
47
1 2 3
UH-1H 67-17521 7105 2739 7111 3278 0539 Xferred to 142 TC DS in 10/71 for unknown reasons.
UH-1H 67-17530 6806 0002 6808 0335 0333 09/22/68:Total flight hours at this point: 00000335.This
helicopter was for C&C. While on LZ this helicopter it took 1
hit from: Explosive Weapon; Non-Artillery launched or
static weapons containing explosive charges.Systems
damaged were: FLT CONTROLS, PERSONNEL. Casualties
= 02 INJ unknown. Helicopter made a Forced Landing.
Aircraft Destroyed. Both mission and flight capability were
terminated. UTM grid coordinates: BS390700. Sam Sours
C/E during 5/69
UH-1H 67-17540 6806 0000 7106 3240 3240 “I was the last CE of 67-17540, last AC was Guy 'Cowboy'
Martin. He and I flew 540 to Da Nang in June of 72 to turn it
in on frame hours (3240). This, mind you, happened after a
pissing match with the Witchdoctor group, pretty obvious
who won that one. Can’t blame them though :>).”- Dennis
Orthman
UH-1H 67-17543 6806 0002 7011 3091 3089 "Schlitz" First A/C Steve Kennedy 1969. Piloted frequently
by CPT Mark Fisher Dolphin Platoon Leader 1969. Noseart
by SP4 Ben Kennedy. Xferred to 142 TC DS to be sent
Stateside for 5th Army (St. Louis) in 11/70.
UH-1H 67-17550 6806 0002 6904 1286 1284 11/04/68: Total flight hours at this point: 00000753.Accident
case number: 681104011. While at hover, A/C (WO1 R.
Cichowski) moved right & contacted tree in LZ.
05/21/69: Total flight hours at this point: 00001286. All we
know is complete loss of aircraft on this date (no injuries) at
UTM grid coordinates: BS830389.
48
1 2 3
UH-1H 67-17566 6807 0000 6811 0619 0619 “Many knew the nose art on #566, the ‘My Yellow Balloon’.
My Crew Chief didn't ask permission.” (“ I was the crew
chief on that aircraft Dolphin 566”. Joseph Dundel)
Collins continues: “He just did it and I kind of liked it. #566
was a great craft. She was shot down on 7 September ’68.
She was riddled with machine gun fire (mostly through the
cockpit). I was wounded in the neck. My door gunner, a
young black SP4 named Ross, was also wounded. When I
saw him at the 2nd Surgical Hospital in Chu Lai, he had lost
his leg. #566 was ‘hooked out’ of where we had to put down.
It was so messed up that I was told it was going to be
scrapped. I guess it was a couple months before they got
everything out of it they wanted.”- Bob Collins (2nd Platoon
Leader 8/68)
UH-1H 67-17588 6807 0000 7005 2160 2160 05/13/70: Total flight hours at this point: 00002160 This
helicopter was a total loss.This was a Rescue and Recovery
mission for Medical Evacuation. While on LZ this helicopter
was on the Ground at 0000 feet and 000 knots (UTM grid
coordinates: BS581613). It took 2 hits from: Explosive
Weapon; Non-Artillery launched or static weapons
containing explosive charges. (RPG) causing fragmentation
damage.Casualties = 03 WIA unknown, 01 KIA unknown .
UH-1H 67-17718 6809 0000 7008 2483 2483 Xferred out of Unit to 142 TC DS, RVN in Aug 1970 then to
AVCOM stateside/Bell Helicopter (Ft. Worth) for unknown
reasons. It was in the 174th AHC for a long time. Anyone
remember this aircraft?
UH-1H 67-17753 6810 0000 6905 0573 0573 06/11/69: Total flight hours at this point: 00000573. Crashed
and was total loss. No injuries. UTM grid coordinates:
BS812334. Further information unknown.
49
1 2 3
UH-1H 68-15215 6901 0000 7103 2045 2045 Shot down over Laos during Lam Son 719. Dolphin 26
crashed and burned. Miraculously, the crew was extracted,
but all ARVN troops on board perished. (AC) CPT Charles
Johnson, (PP) Jim Story, (CE) Eddie Nichols and (Gunner)
Lee Fairchild. For a short time, Story was pinned in aircraft
and Fairchild was pinned under the aircraft. They were the
“Chalk” ahead of #639 CPT. Bishop’s ship, which also was
shot down.
UH-1H 68-15223 6901 0000 7104 2833 2833 “Debbie” Tom Gauby C/E '68. Named after Gauby’s wife at
that time. Ben Kennedy noseart. Some other C/Es: Frank
Daily, Charlie Upton and Sam Sours. Name changed to
"Gail" in the early 1970 by WO1 John “Beetle” Bailey: “I
was the assigned Aircraft Commander for the aircraft at the
time. Gail is the name of a young woman I was trying to
establish a relationship with who was from a suburb area in
my hometown. Another enlisted man who was the assigned
C/E,
after Sam Sours, was Hank Dorn from Wichita, Kansas,
who later moved to the Sharks gun platoon in 1970. A
picture of the aircraft (223) appeared in an issue of the Stars
& Stripes on one of the pages featuring an article about the
Americal Division. It was a first flight platoon aircraft with
yellow skid caps and the Dolphin tail stripe. It was probably
one of the
strongest birds in the unit next to Satan 463” - John.
See Comments continued on page 60
50
1 2 3
UH-1H 68-15403 7012 0799 7102 0856 0057 2/25/1971 WO1 Steven R. Burch and WO1 Patrick D. Erb
KIA. They were resupplying troops on or near a pinnacle- LZ
Scotch. LZ was obscured by smoke, had marginal visibility,
dead trees around the approach, and a departure route that
limited maneuvering. Richard Bricker was C/E, right behind
Doug Erb, who was on the controls. The aircraft took enemy
fire on climb out, caught fire, exploded, and fell to the
ground among the trees. The aircraft was engulfed in flames
before it hit the trees or the ground. SP4 Bricker, and SP4
Mike Walsh, were blown out of the burning aircraft during
the crash and survived. Walsh found Burch and carried him
to hide behind a log, until rescued by the Infantry. Bricker,
who was badly burned, cried out for Walsh, but Walsh could
not because of the intensity of the enemy fire. To get out of
the wreck, the pilots had to run through the intense fire in the
cargo compartment and were severely burned. The Infantry
came down the hill and assisted in the recovery of the crew to
the mountaintop, where they were flown out. All
crewmembers were able to walk away from the aircraft under
their own power and were taken to the hospital at Quang Tri
by a 174th Dolphin aircraft. Both pilots (Burch and Erb) had
burned their lungs running through the fire and died from
pneumonia weeks later in Japan. Walsh and Bricker were
sent to the Burn Center at Brooke Army Hospital, Ft. Sam
Houston, TX.
UH-1H 68-15458 7011 1411 7112 2413 1002 “Black Jack”- Rex Schumacher C/E 1971. This aircraft came
from the 4th AVN BN 4 INF in Nov of 1970. Xferred to
142TC DS as the Unit (174th AHC) “Stood Down”.
51
1 2 3
UH-1H 68-15463 6904 0000 7101 2233 2233 “Satan” 1969 C/E Ben Kennedy and the A/C WO-1/CW2
Melvin “Heimy” Heitman. Danny Davison C/E in 1970 says,
“The most powerful H model ever to go in country!” Also
used as “spray ship” 1970 A/C Dennis McCabe and George
Toomey C/E. Xferred to 142 TC DS to be sent Stateside for
5th Army (St. Louis) in 1/71.
UH-1H 68-15529 6905 0000 6905 0127 0127 Crashed 5/69 on its maiden voyage as a flairship (rotor
contact w/parked aircraft)! John O’ Sullivan’s last of many
crashes.
UH-1H 68-15531 6905 0000 6905 0105 0105 Not much on this aircraft, except it arrived from AVCOM
CONUS in May of 1969 and left the Unit the same month
(don’t know where it went)
UH-1H 68-15639 6906 0000 7103 2137 2137 Shot down over Laos 3/3/71. CPT John Bishop, 1LT Flemer,
SP4 Rhodes and SP4 Padilla. Gary Padilla (gunner) was
KIA. Bishop and Rhodes were not rescued until 3/6/71 (3
days later)
UH-1H 68-15644 6906 0000 7010 1853 1853 2nd Platoon-“Carolyn” Crashed through several trees due to
engine failure. (AC) Robert Chipley, (PP) Guy “Cowboy”
Martin, (CE) Holder.
UH-1H 68-15661 6906 0000 6911 0676 0676 WO1 Wilson, WO1 Regaldo, SP4 Ducommun and SP4
Hodgkin wrecked 11/15/69 all KIA. Aircraft was resupplying
artillery firebases on a very windy day. Due to wind
conditions and aircraft cargo, the crew had to make their
approach in the same direction, four times in a row. On the
fifth approach, the aircraft was shot down with all souls lost;
the crew of four and a single artilleryman from the S-4
section.
UH-1H 68-15671 6906 0000 7103 2005 2005 “Rampage” crashed and recovered during Lam Son 719
3/3/71 (took 5 hits!)
52
1 2 3
case number: 701018101. After shut down, the A/C (WO2 J.
McDonald) was conducting post flight inspection One main
rotor blade was observed having several dents on the top
side. Aircraft believed to have sustained the damage from
expended small arms shell casings from another aircraft
during a previous combat assault. The aircraft was flown
back to Duc Pho, where the rotor blade was replaced.
“The Pusher” Noseart Dave Rios- Doorgunner 1971
Xferred to 142 TC DS in 11/71 for unknown reasons.
53
1 2 3
case number: 701011101. Departed Duc Pho at 0800 for CAs
for 4 hours. Shut down the aircraft for lunch. at 1330 &
resumed CAs & completed at approximately 1500. They
refueled at Chu Lai & flew to Quang Ngai airfield for a flight
briefing in support of D company, 3d Btn, 1st Inf. They were
to insert troops into the Horseshoe area of Quang Ngai River.
Upon the second lift & approaching the proposed LZ, the
flight received clearance to approach & descended. Then,
there was notification that there were enemy troops in the LZ
& the “Guns” wanted more time to prep it. On short final, the
flight was ordered to make a go-around. The flight climbed to
an altitude of 400 feet. The A/C of #677 was using proper
torque & all instruments were normal. Then, there was an
explosion in engine compartment & smoke poured out of the
tail pipe. Aircraft lost power & yawed left. The A/C
stabilized the aircraft & entered autorotation, noting that the
RPM was 5000 & dropping fast. Loud grinding noises were
heard from the engine, but ceased about halfway down. RPM
now at 290, was hindered due to the low altitude. Aircraft
was into the wind, so the A/C chose a rough field for a forced
running landing. He initiated his flare at approx. 75 feet. At
20 feet, forward ground speed was stopped, but descent rate
was not decreased. A/C applied his initial collective pitch.
His descent was still too excessive, so he pulled the
remainder of the pitch & leveled the aircraft. Impact was
straight & level. One passenger sustained a compound leg
fracture when he jumped from the aircraft prior to impact.
Crew Members:
A/C WO1 WILLIAMS DR
Pilot O2 HAYS CT
54 Injured Passenger:
E3 J AMADOR, PAX, D;
1 2 3
UH-1H 68-15680 6906 0000 7012 1861 1861 “I was its first CE on #680. I remember I was on the flight
line, working on #718, (A real “bleeder”. Couldn’t carry
more than 4 infantry), when I saw #680 arrive. I dont think
that the blades had stopped before I was in front of SFC
Calhoun (2nd Plt SGT) asking him to assign it to me--and he
did .I remained the C/E until Jan 70 when I was the Assistant
2nd Plt. SGT. I assigned the EM crews and posted the
missions at night and many, many other duties as assigned.
The next C/E on that aircraft was SP4 Riddle.”- Jim Shedd
03/26/70: Total flight hours at this point: 00001049.
Helicopter was C&C and at LZ on take-off when it took 5
hits from: Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched
(7.62MM). Aircraft was hit in the right side damaging
COMM SYS & MAIN ROTOR SYS. Two WIA unknown.
The helicopter continued flight, but was diverted after
completing some mission objectives.
12/16/70: Total flight hours at this point: 00001911. All we
know is aircraft was lost to inventory on this date
UH-1H 68-16180 7101 2125 7102 2197 0072 Xferred to 173 AHC in 2/71 for unknown reasons.
55
1 2 3
UH-1H 68-16225 6910 0000 7004 0603 0603 05/14/70:Total flight hours at this point: 00000634. Accident
case number: 700514161. Injured = 4 unknown. On the
morning of 14 May 1970, aircraft was flown by CPT
Constance and Crew. During the afternoon at approximately
1600, a crew change was made at Quang Ngai airfield and
WO1 Dotterer became the new aA/C and WO1 Ward- pilot.
They were briefed for a CA- a formation flight of ten UH-
1Hs. At approximately 1600 hours, WO1 Dotterer heard a
loud banging noise coming from the rear of the aircraft. His
aircraft had slung a tail rotor blade and the tail rotor hub
assembly broke away from the tail boom and fell to the
ground. WO1 Dotterer immediately turned to the right to
break away from the flight. The aircraft became stream-lined
and headed for an open field, which was a grave yard
surrounded by high trees. The aircraft hit the top of trees &
landed hard in the grave yard. Helicopter leaned left & main
rotors hit the ground. The aircraft came to rest in an upright
position. WO1 Dotterer completed emergency shut down
procedures and the crew “de-assed” the helicopter.
Crew Members:
AC WO1 DOTTERER JH
P WO1 WARD HL
CE E5 OLSON SE
G E3 NAIL WL
56
1 2 3
UH-1H 68-16340 6911 0000 7112 1709 1709 Pilot A/C “Witch Doctor” Butch Elliott (Witch Doctor 5),
LT Richard Gabauer (Co-Pilot), SP4 Dave Smalley (CE),
SP4 Harold Brasket (gunner), SP4 Jim Watkins, SP4 Mike
(Mac) McFadden, and SP4 Rumaldo Salinas (maintenance
specialists). Shot down and crashed in trees west of LZ Aloui
in Laos 3/5/71. Entire crew was recovered after three days in
Laos.
UH-1H 68-16573 7105 0203 7111 0824 0621 “Frito Bandito #2”. The nose art was taken from (avionics
panel) crashed UH-1H #767. “Tom Boston was the A/C,
Steven Oshrio was the Door Gunner and I was C/E on
#573.”- Keith Jarett (SP4 1971). Xferred to 142 TC DS in
11/71.
UH-1H 69-15200 7004 0002 7008 0439 0437 8/8/70- WO1 Fred Thompson’s (as P/P) first crash. Alvord
(A/C). Bill Wilder (CE). While flying C&C for a combat
assault they were shot down. Aircraft burned/complete loss.
“A total of 6 packs and 4 crew walked away uninjured &
extracted. This was the personal ‘brand new’ CC ship of
174th CO Fred Blackburn!”- Fred Thompson
UH-1H 69-15516 7008 0000 7112 1389 1389 Hydraulic failure 1/28/71 during unit move to Quang Tri.
Pilots Buddy Howard and CPT Garner. No injuries.
UH-1H 69-15533 7102 0506 7107 0925 0419 Took 2 hits during Lam Son 719 3/3/71 (DX’d 7/71)
57
1 2 3
UH-1H 69-15759 7107 0505 7107 0579 0074 “This helicopter was making a ‘pinnacle approach’ to the re-
supply pad at (FSB) Hill 411 (coordinates BS 540730) July.
‘71. According to rumor only, Dolphin 759's C/E was in the
left pilot's seat, the copilot in the right seat, and the A/C was
in the left gunner's position! The aircraft landed too ‘hot’,
short of the pinnacle, and rolled down the hill .The 16th
Aviation Group Commander, LTC (P) Jim Leslie, was in the
area and was able to land at Hill 411's pad soon enough after
the crash to actually climb down to the Dolphin and shut
down the still-running engine by cutting off the main fuel
switch. Luckily, the short-shaft between the engine and
transmission had been severed during the crash sequence
(when the main rotor blades broke after hitting the hillside).
The pilot was trapped for a short time in his seat, hanging
upside down in the helicopter after it came to a rest partially
inverted, but was soon extracted from the aircraft with the
help of the crew chief.”- Commenter asks to remain
anonymous.
“Tail Number 69-15759 which crashed on a pinnacle
approach had been Ltc Rutkowski's personal C&C aircraft
with the 14th Avn Bn. I talked him into taking one of our
new replacement aircraft as his C&C Ship and he gave us
759. I think my ass still hurts from the ass chewing he gave
me when we lost his old aircraft on that pinnacle approach. I
don't even want to know who was in what seat?”- Dale Sprat
(Dolphin 6/Boats6)
UH-1H 69-15767 7012 0000 7104 0515 0515 “Frito Bandito #1”. “We crashed upside- down through
trees with #767- 28 April 1971. I painted the nose art. After
the crash, I moved the nose art (avionics panel) to UH-1H 68-
16573”- SP4 Keith Jarett 1971
58
1 2 3
UH-1H 69-15768 7105 0433 7111 1180 0747 Used for C&C missions. Mark Klindt C/E 1971. Xferred to
142 TC DS in 9/71 for unknown reasons.
UH-1H 69-15783 7011 0000 7103 0300 0300 On 3/5/71 this aircraft apparently took hits at Grid
Coordinates XD457412 during Lam Son 719. Xferred to 142
TC DS in 3/71 for unknown reasons.
UH-1H 69-16650 7103 0000 7111 0530 0530 The last “Witchdoctor” slick (AKA: ”Witch Bitch”). Mel
Lutgring C/E. Last flight 11/15/71 just before “stand down”
UH-1H 69-16698 7103 0000 7111 0725 0725 06/09/71: Total flight hours at this point: 00000377. The
aircraft was climbing ein route from one PZ to another and
was over an area where ground troops were blowing a PS.
Some of the debris from the explosion hit the bottom of the
aircraft causing minor damage. The aircraft was flown back
to Chu Lai. Accident case number: 710609161.
A/C WO1 MITCHELL JF
59
1 2 3
was hovering over the location of a downed aircraft and was
in the process of extracting the crew when the tail rotor
struck a small tree. The aircraft was flown back to chu la for
repair.- AC WO3 Kinsey CJ. 06/02/71: Total flight hours at
this point: 00000306. At approximately 1300 hours on 2 June
1971, departed on a psyops mission that was scheduled to last
the remainder of the day. The initial portion of the mission
was uneventful. The psyops speaker system had been
installed and a few missions were made to the south and west
of Chu Lai. At 1615 hours, the aircraft was enroute from Duc
Pho with six passengers who were to be dropped off at the
198th Brigade resupply pad, adjacent to the Chu Lai east
airstrip. The AC called the tower for landing instructions and
was told to enter left downwind and to report left base
landing 140. The Aircraft Commander, who was at the
controls, called left base and initiated a steep approach to
terminate at a hover, (the 198th resupply pad is located on the
crosswind taxiway between Chu Lai east and west and is
aligned 03-21.) but coming to a hover (approximately 6 feet
agl) the Aircraft Commander simultaneously made a left
pedal turn to line up with the 030 axis. Immediately upon
reaching a heading of 030, the crew heard a loud snap and the
aircraft started spinning to the right. After spinning 270 at an
altitude of five feet, the AC lowered the collective and the
aircraft hit the ground violently, sustaining major damage.
There was no fire. The aircraft has a crash worthy fuel system
and suffered no fuel leakage. There were no injuries to the
passengers or crew.
Comments continued on page 61
60
1 2 3
UH-1H 69-19191 7004 0000 7005 0353 0353 Brand new to the unit, but crashed 5/70- A/C John Bailey:
“As I recall, it was the day of the Change of Command for
Maj. Virgil E. Blevins and it (the crash) ruined his safety
record which I, at the time, was pleased to have done because
of my extreme dislike for him as a Commander. “- John
Bailey
UH-1H 70-15711 7103 0033 7112 0342 0309 CO Dale Spratt’s Slick “Boats 6” (also C/E 1SGT Bob
McClure). From 8/72 to 12/75 it did 920hrs with the 335th
AHC.
UH-1H 66-01022 6905 0656 7011 2107 1451 Additional comments continued from above #022:
I was flying in an adjoining AO and monitored the radio
traffic of the incident on the tower and company
frequencies. Mike was actually the assistant platoon
leader. Russ Lay was the second platoon leader at the
time. Mike used the call sign two six alpha. I think that
the aircraft involved was zero two two. I believe that the
pilots in the second aircraft called the approach to the
medevac pad rather than the crew on Mike's ship.
Robinson was the pilot in the right seat. I know that he
was badly shaken by the experience, but I believe that he
eventually resumed regular flying duties.
Andy Anderson.
Photos of aircraft (immediately upon it’s return to Duc
Pho) supplied to Warren Hewetson by John O’Sullivan to
provide helicopter identification.
61
1 2 3
04/19/71: This aircraft had departed Hawk Hill for Hill
510. The aircraft approached LZ Ryder. Due to the low
overhang, they didn’t know if it was the right LZ. They
descended to check. The aircraft leveled off at approx.
100 ft. Upon realizing that this was not their destination,
the Pilots executed a right hand turn in an attempt to re-
orient themselves. The left fuel boost caution light came
on. Pilot CPT McGaffick announced the light, but the fuel
pressure was still green. Aircraft suddenly yawed to the
left and right, the tachometer needles split and the low
RPM audio warning and light came on. AC CW2 Fisher
reduced pitch, reducing RPM, but the needles still showed
split. Fisher then applied pitch and with RPM still
decreasing, he entered autorotation. The aircraft hit hard
and skidded in a crater. The main rotor blades struck a
small hill and struck the tail boom Upon impact, some of
the cargo struck both Pilots in their heads. Fisher made a
"Mayday" call to a fixed wing aircraft overhead, and
checked to see if anyone was injured. Except for minor
cuts and scratches, there were no injuries (However, the
Crew Chief, SP4 Klindt complained of back pain the
following day and was treated by the Flight Surgeon). A
defensive perimeter was set up, while the Pilots shut down
and checked the aircraft. There was no fire or fuel
leakage. A “Gunsmoke” recovery team evacuated them &
aircraft by CH-47.
Crew Members:
A/C CW2 FISHER GK
PILOT CPT MCGAFFICK EF
C/E E4 KLINDT MG
62
GUNNER E3 AZIZ GA
Passengers
1 2 3
Crew Members:
AC O3 PETERSON DA
P W1 MILLER CK
CE E4 GEESEY SE
G E4 AHUMADA JM
Passengers:
UNK, MS, G; UNK, PTM, G; E4 R ROCHIJU, PAX, G;
O2 P HRYNKIENICH, PAX, G; E5 CW FULLERTON,
PAX, G; E4 ML HALL, PAX, G;
63
UH-1H 66-16954 6809 0360 6905 1122 0762 Additional Comments continued from above #954:
“I was C/E, John Wayne Bond (JB) was gunner - I can't
remember pilots, on board when 954 turned upside
down. I think the Post Crash revealed 'cyclic
malfunction'. I went straight up in the air and my ammo
fell out of my can on me, stuck all in my arms etc- also
wrapped around my helmet. Hurt like hell but no serious
injury.
After the main rotor hit the ground on the right side, the
chopper 'bounced up' and landed on it’s top. The pilots
were ‘hosed’- they were hanging upside down and their
armor was in place. JB (John Bond) ‘didied’ - the engine
was screaming bloody murder since there was no
transmission hooked to it. I opened the A/C door and let
him out - he took off. I went around to the other side and
the Peter-pilot was hanging upside down with his visor
still over his face. He was a little overweight and I could
not get to his seat-belt release but I finally got him to do
it. He fell straight into the green window (normally the
top of the ship) - then he ‘didied’ too. Remember, the
ship's engine was wide open, there are 1200 lbs of JP4
now above that red-hot engine, We're standing there and
I mentioned somebody (read- A PILOT!!) needed to go
down there and cut that thing off before it exploded. I
distinctly remember the A/C telling me how to do it, and
there would have been no reason for me to know that
otherwise. I can still remember there is a collar on the
collective and a button or something. There has been a lot
of discussion on whether it was a pilot error, mechanical
or what. It never mattered to us.” Robert Shoe C/E
Dec/68- Dec/69
64
Information gathered from the following sources 1997- 2006
• Web Sites of the 174th AHC, 155th AHC, 176th AHC, 187th AHC, 335th Trans Co, 79th Trans Co and 142nd
TC DS
• Vietnam Casualty Database
•VHPA Data Base (primarily Gary Roush) on CD-ROM “Vietnam Helicopter History”
• Joe Baugher's former Home Page (Listed military serial allocations) No longer on-line
• US MILITARY DESIGNATIONS AND SERIALS (Compiled by John M. Andrade)
• Vol.33 No.4 Winter 1988 AAHS Journal (Article on HAL-3)
• The Gold Book On-Line (no longer on-line)
th
• 174 AHC Crew Losses Web Page (Several contributors, but primarily Historian Mike Sloniker (Dolphin 15,
1971), Fred Thompson (Shark 7, 1970-71) and Jim McDaniel (Shark 4 1967-68)
• Tireless effort and Volumes of research done by Robert Brackenhoff (174th AHC Maintenance and PE Team
1970-71)
th th
• Research & Personal 174 Avn Co & 14 Avn Battalion Records of LT COL Martin Heuer (US Army Ret)
•All comments by 174th AHC Fan Club/ Assistant Webmaster- Warren Hewetson (“In person” interviews,
phone and Email correspondence of personal accounts by 174th AHC members)
Hell, a majority of this is from when (the late) Shark7 Fred Thompson and I sat down one long October
evening in 2002 and compiled it together on my laptop!
ENJOY!
th
The 174 AHC Fan Club/Assistant Webmaster
Warren Hewetson FNG
65
66

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Please see credits last page 64 Updated 08/01/06

174th AHC UH-1 (S/N) Tail Numbers 1966 - 1971

Xferred to the 335 Trans Co in 2/68 for unknown reasons.

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