WAUGH DELBERT L

WO1 Delbert L. Waugh was a VHPA member who died after his tour in Vietnam on 10/15/2008 at the age of 69.2 from A/C accident
Carmel, IN
Flight Class 67-7
Date of Birth 07/29/1939
Served in the U.S. Army
Served in Vietnam with 61 AHC in 67-68, 174 AHC in 71, 14 CAB in 71-72
Call signs in Vietnam LUCKY STAR 22, DOLPHIN 22
This information was provided by Kevin Mason, John Keller

More detail on this person: Carmel man killed in medical chopper crash Aurora, IL - A medical helicopter taking a 1-year-old girl to a Chicago hospital apparently clipped a radio tower wire before crashing and burning in field, killing all four aboard, and federal authorities were investigating Thursday whether the tower's lights were on at the time. The victims included a Carmel, Ind., crewman. It was the sixth fatal crash involving medical helicopters this year, according to federal data. The helicopter carrying 1-year-old Kirstian Blockinger of Leland, Ill., was headed for Children's Memorial Hospital from Valley West Hospital in Sandwich when it went down minutes before midnight, said Aurora police spokesman Sgt. Rob Wallers. John Brannen with the National Air Transportation Safety Board said the helicopter apparently clipped the radio tower support wire before the crash. A snapped wire could be seen hanging from the 734-foot tower that stands across a busy road from the crash site. Brannen said the helicopter was flying about 50 feet below the top of the tower when the wire was clipped. He said NTSB was investigating whether lights on the tower were on at the time or could have been knocked out during the incident. "I can say that when I was out here last night after the accident that the lights on the tower were not lit," Brannen said Thursday. Children's Memorial Hospital spokeswoman Julie Pesch initially said the child was being transported to the hospital because of epileptic seizures. She later said she could not reveal the reason for the transport because of privacy rules. The child was en route to the Chicago hospital after a closer hospital indicated there was no room for her there. The crash occurred before the helicopter would have reached either hospital. Sandwich is about 50 miles west of Chicago. "Our Pediatric Intensive Care Unit was full last night," said Amy Jo Steinbruecker, spokeswoman at Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield, which is about 20 miles closer to Sandwich than Chicago. Wallers said the helicopter belonged to Air Angels Inc., an emergency medical transport service based at Clow Airport in suburban Bolingbrook. Telephone calls to the Air Angels offices went unanswered Thursday morning. However, Air Angels CEO Jim Adams told reporters the helicopter's crew included the pilot, nurse and a paramedic employed by the company. Aurora Police identified the crew as Dell Waugh, 69, of Carmel, Ind.; William Mann, 31, of Chicago; and Ronald Battiato, 41, of Peotone, Ill. Public records show Delbert Waugh was a certified commercial pilot who flew helicopter air assault missions during the Vietnam War. Adams said the pilot did not report mechanical problems, and weather was not an issue. A news conference was expected later in the day. The helicopter crashed in a forest preserve field near a residential area in east Aurora and became engulfed in flames. No one on the ground was hurt. Signs along the nearby road identified the area as the Night Huron Marsh Forest Preserve. The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board were investigating the crash - the 11th this year and sixth fatal one involving medical helicopters nationwide, according to NTSB data. NTSB spokesman Terry Williams said the agency will hold a public hearing on medical helicopter crashes sometime next year to look into the recent increases. A date has not been set. "The hearing will allow us to gather more information about the operations of these EMS helicopters and to work on preventing these accidents from occurring again," Williams said. The Aurora crash is the third involving helicopters from Air Angels, whose Web site says it was founded in 1998. In January 2003, an Air Angels helicopter crashed, killing the pilot. Investigators determined pilot error and weather caused the accident. Mechanical problems were blamed for an August 2007 crash in which there were no injuries. "We extend our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of the patient and our crew. Air Angels is working with the National Transportation Safety Board and FAA to investigate the cause of the accident and we will provide more information as it becomes available," Adams said in a statement. Last month, the main rotor came off a medical helicopter before the craft crashed into a southeastern Indiana farm field, killing three crew members. (Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

Killed in Bell 222 during a medical evacuation mission. Flying at night in good weather at 700 AGL while calling the tower the aircraft rotor system separated after a wire strike on a lighted and well known 749 foot tower near Aurora, IL. He died 15 Oct 2008. Delbert Lee Waugh Born in Ashland, Kentucky on Jul. 29, 1939 Departed on Oct. 15, 2008 and resided in Muncie, IN. Visitation: Thursday, Oct. 23, 2008, Service: Thursday, Oct. 23, 2008, Cemetery: Arlington National Cemetery. Delbert Lee Waugh 69 years old, of Muncie. The tragic and untimely helicopter crash which resulted in the death of Del Waugh, and three others, leaves an enormous and painful vacuum in the hearts of those of us who knew him and loved him. Raised in Muncie, Del graduated from Ball State University and immediately enlisted in the U.S. Army. Pursuing his passion for adventure he volunteered for Parachute Jump School, donned the famous red beret, and spent three years with the 82nd Airborne supporting military operations in Vietnam. Upon completion of his tour with the 82nd Del was accepted as a student pilot in the U.S. Army Flight school. After graduation he returned to Vietnam as the pilot of a helicopter gun ship and rescue pilot, where he supported our ground troops who were constantly under fire. On one mission, while he was attempting to extract wounded fellow soldiers from the jungle, he was shot down and wounded himself. Dauntless in his resolve to survive, he evaded capture for several days and was finally rescued. After his convalescence he returned to the air and completed his tour of duty. While most would be content to say, "that's enough" Del volunteered again and returned to Vietnam. I don't know what makes a true hero, but Del was indeed one of them. In a succinct summary, Del was shot down twice while placing himself in harms way to save his comrades. For his selfless gallantry he was awarded The Legion of Merit, two Purple Hearts, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, the Bronze Star with the Device for Valor, two Vietnam Crosses of Gallantry with Palm and Silver Star, 12 Combat Air Medals and the Meritorious Service Medal. Many, many men owe their lives to the singular courage of Del Waugh. Following his active military service Del remained in the U.S. Army Reserves where he continued to fly and rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Del became the Commanding Officer all Reserved Army Aviation in Indiana and Michigan. He served as an Army Aviator and Flight Instructor for more than 25 years, and accumulated more than 7000 flight hours. Following his Military career Del pursued several business ventures, working at one time for Ross Perot at Electronic Data Systems (EDS) in Dallas. He attended graduate school at Texas Tech while working for EDS, but his passion for flying remained a constant itch which he had to scratch. When the opportunity to fly for Air Angels, as an EMS helicopter Captain presented itself, Del could not resist. After passing the FAA Medical Examination, Del returned to the thing he loved most, and took off once more flying through the night on missions of mercy where he died trying to save a small child. Del is survived by his son, Bradley Waugh; his daughter in-law, Jessica and his two grandchildren, Bailey Jean and Brennan Jay. Del will be missed. Heroes are all too hard to chance upon. They are like eagles, they don't flock in groups they must be found one at time. True good and loyal friends are even harder to find. A Funeral service will be held Thursday, October 23, at 3 p.m. at the Indiana War Memorial with visitation starting at 10 a.m. Burial will be at Arlington National Cemetery. Friends and family may visit his online guestbook at www.indianafuneralcare.com In lieu of flowers please contribute to the VFW National Home for Children, 3573 S. Waverly Road, Eaton Rapids, MI 48827, 800.424.8360

Burial information: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA

This information was last updated 05/18/2016

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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024


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