Name: WO1 Philippe Luc LasHermes
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 01/31/1970 while performing the duty of Aircraft Commander.
Died 14 days later on 02/14/1970.
Age at death: 23.2
Date of Birth: 12/15/1946
Home City: Annapolis, MD
Service: AV branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: C/158 AVN 101 ABN
Major organization: 101st Airborne Division
Flight class: 69-21
Service: AV branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 13W-010
Short Summary: "Frenchy" died on hospital ship of wounds received with CPT Donald L. Swanson 01/31/70.
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 68-15563
Call sign: PHOENIX
Service number: W3166459
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 100B = Utility/Observation Helicopter Pilot
Primary cause: Wounds
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: fire or burns
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: co-pilot
Started Tour: 09/02/1969
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
Location: Quang Tri Province I Corps.
Additional information about this casualty:
Interesting background. In 2004, when working on the Army DSC's, Ken Davis got contacted by a French medal collector who had obtained a (US) PH with Las Hermes name engraved. He had gotten it when Philippe's father died (penniless) and assets were being sold to pay for funeral costs. We found that his father was a French Legionnaire who had fought in the 1954 battle in Vietnam. The father later had an affair with an American lady in Paris who had a twin sister who had married Spiro Agnew. Through that connection, he moved to Annapolis, and was able to become a pilot (his life-long dream). Although a foreign-national, the US allowed him to be buried in Arlington - which was delayed until May 1 - to coincide with the date of the "Feast of the Apostle Philippe". From: Ken Davis, Coffelt Group
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - died of wounds
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Religion: Roman Catholic
Burial information: ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY, VA
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: warrant officer
This record was last updated on 10/21/2019
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Date posted on this site: 11/13/2023
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