Name: 1LT Samuel Ray Gardner
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 05/05/1968 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 25.0
Date of Birth: 05/07/1943
Home City: Wichita, KS
Service: AT branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 176 AHC, 14 CAB
Major organization: Americal Division
Flight class: 67-18
Service: AT branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 55E-012
Short Summary: Admin lift 50 cal hit fuel cell at 2500+ ft. blew rotor system off at LZ center. 2 UH-1c guns shot down going to crash. w/david blattel.
Aircraft: UH-1D tail number 66-17075
Service number: O5538136
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 1981 = 19 Rotary Wing Aviator (Unit Commander)
Primary cause: .51 Caliber
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: fire or burns
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: co-pilot
Started Tour: 11/29/1967
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
Length of service: 01
Location: Quang Tin Province I Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - killed
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Religion: Methodist (Evangelical United Brethren)
Burial information: OLD MISSION CEMETERY, WICHITA, KS
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 08/08/1999
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Date posted on this site: 11/13/2023
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