More detail on this person: Warrant Officer
Frank Welch served his second tour with the 281st
Assault Helicopter Company in the Republic of
South Vietnam in 1970 as a UH-1 "slick" pilot. He
remained with the 281st until it was deactivated.
Frank served his first Vietnam tour as an enlisted
specialist with the 5th Special Forces Group.
Sometime after his return to the USA, after his
second tour, he reverted to his former enlisted
status and became a member and then team leader
(E-7) of the famous U.S. Army Golden Knights
parachute demonstration team at Ft. Bragg, NC. On
the morning of 8 March 1973, SFC Welch lost his
life in the crash of the Golden Knights C-47
aircraft. Fred Funk, also a former member of the
281st AHC, recalls that he had been conversing
with Frank at the Ft. Bragg Special Operations
Hangar at Simmons Army Air Field on the morning
the tragedy occurred. Fred relates that there were
a total of four teams, 18 parachutists, loaded on
the aircraft on their way to a three-day parachute
demonstration. The C-47 took off disappearing into
rain and fog in minimal flying conditions. Within
the hour word was received that the aircraft had
crashed near Silar City, NC. There were no
survivors.
The cause of the crash was that it reportedly
exceeded the weight and balance limits due to a
heavy metal plating that was installed in the
aircraft floor during Vietnam service. The heavy
plating's weight was never logged into the weight
and balance data for the aircraft. Michael
Johnson, another 281st AHC member, also
contributed to this memorial.
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024
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