SUPPLE JOHN PHILIP

Name: WO1 John Philip Supple
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 04/05/1968 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 24.3
Date of Birth: 12/30/1943
Home City: New York, NY
Service: AV branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 159 MED DET
Major organization: other
Flight class: 67-21/67-19
Service: AV branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 48E-021
Short Summary: Army Aviation Magazine list it as hostile action.
Service number: W3158590
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 062B = Helicopter Pilot, Utility and Light Cargo Single Rotor
Primary cause: Ground Casualty
Compliment cause: small arms fire
Started Tour: 02/27/1968
"Official" listing: ground casualty
Length of service: 02
Location: Hau Nghia Province III Corps.

Additional information about this casualty:
He was killed while on an air evacuation mission in the vicinity of the Sugar Mill Located to the west of Chu Chi. He recieved one small arms round to the head. His crew medic administered first aid while the A/C flew the aircraft diretly to a hospital at Long Binh that had a head trauma surgical team. He passed away while receiving treatment at the hosp. The Aircraft Commander was WO Anthony L Peters (probably won't be able to find as he was awaiting a court martial for manslaughter involving an unnecessary low level flight up QL 1 which struck a VN civilian.) The Unit Commander was Maj Raymond A. Jackson. The XO was CPT Ralph Bunch, Several additional Pilots besides myself of the unit were WO James Ellsworth (Mem) and WO Dave Alderson (my roommate then) I Don't remember clearly the names of other members of the unit at that time. I had the unpleasent duty of preparing his belongings for shipment to his family Mr Supple had not been in country long and we never really got to know him as we had 7 aircraft ( 6 TO&E and 1 Loaner with only 12 pilots with a minimum of 3 aircraft flying each day. The unit was constituted at Fort Polk La. and arrived incountry in Oct of 67. WOs Alderson, Peters, Ellsworth Myself and possibly some others were DEROS Shuffled into the unit after arrival in country. Paul W. Frank, pandefrank@kih.net October 2001

Reason: gunshot or small arms fire
Casualty type: Hostile - died of wounds
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Religion: Roman Catholic
Burial information: CALVARY CEMETERY, WOODSIDE, NY
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 04/26/2002


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Date posted on this site: 11/13/2023


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