GOODNIGHT PETER RAY

Name: WO1 Peter Ray Goodnight (posthumously promoted)
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 10/11/1970 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 20.8
Date of Birth: 01/01/1950
Home City: Pacoima, CA
Service: AV branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 174 AHC, 14 CAB
Major organization: Americal Division
Flight class: 69-35
Service: AV branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 07W-125
Short Summary: Accidentally shot when m-60 in cargo area discharged while preparing to move a downed Huey crew from 68-15677 on Hill 422 to Chu Lai.
Aircraft: UH-1
Call sign: DOLPHINS
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 100B = Utility/Observation Helicopter Pilot
Primary cause: M-60 Accident
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: vehicular accident
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: passenger
Vehicle ownership: government
Started Tour: 05/12/1970
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - non-aircrew
The initial status of this person was: no previous report
Length of service: *
Location: Quang Ngai Province I Corps.

Additional information about this casualty:
See 68-15677 for information on the crew who was picked up. UH-1H 68-15677 crash landed due to engine failure on a go-around from an LZ. While the crew of 68-15677 were being recovered by another Huey, an M-60 from the downed Huey accidently discharged as it was being removed by the door gunner killing the 174th AHC pilot, Peter Goodnight.

Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Religion: Roman Catholic
Burial information: SAN FERNANDO MISSION CEMETERY, MISSION HILLS, CA
The following information secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: non-battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: warrant officer
This record was last updated on 05/17/2019

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Date posted on this site: 11/13/2023