Name: CPT Joe Wofford Eubanks
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 06/02/1972 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 25.8
Date of Birth: 07/30/1946
Home City: Concord, NC
Service: AR branch of the regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 57 AHC
Major organization: 1st Aviation Brigade
Flight class: 71-26
Service: AR branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 01W-034
Short Summary: Resupplying ARVN near Kontum, .51 cal shot out cyclic control causing hard landing. Joe was trapped and burned. AC Bruce Delan OK.
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 67-17446
Call sign: GLADIATOR
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 1981 = 19 Rotary Wing Aviator (Unit Commander)
Primary cause: Hostile Fire
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: suffocation or strangulation
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: aircraft commander
Vehicle ownership: government
Started Tour: 11/13/1971
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
The initial status of this person was: missing in action - P I D
Length of service: *
Location: Pleiku Province II Corps.
Military grid coordinates of event: ZA189689
Additional information about this casualty:
On 2 June 1972 CPT Joe Eubanks was flying right seat with CW2 Bruce E. Delau as aircraft commander on an ARVN resupply run near Kontum. They came under heavy .51 cal fire that shot out all cyclic control. As they went in, Mr. Delau pulled in all the collective he had and made a hard landing that put the rotor through the windshield in Joe's lap. Joe had no visible injuries, but all attempts to release him failed due to the tangled wreckage and spreading fire. The crew chief and gunner had to drag Bruce away before the A/C exploded. He still suffered burns on his hands and face. CPT Eubanks burned to death in the wreckage and CW2 Delau was medevaced home with burns and a back compression. He later returned to duty stateside and is now flying choppers in Australia (address Unknown). Submitted by Thomas C. Schalk on 25 Feb 1989.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - killed
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Religion: Methodist (Evangelical United Brethren)
Burial information: OAKWOOD CEMETERY, CONCORD, NC
The following information secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: officer
This record was last updated on 08/16/2023
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Date posted on this site: 11/13/2023
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