Information on U.S. Marine Corps helicopter CH-46A tail number 150268
Date: 05/01/1967 MIA-POW file reference number: 0665
Incident number: 67050110.KIA
Unit: HMM-165
Over Water
UTM grid coordinates: BT750150 (To see this location on a map, go to https://legallandconverter.com/p50.html and search on Grid Reference 49PBT750150)
Casualties = 08 BNR . .
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Defense Intelligence Agency Reference Notes. Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database. Also: 0665, Command chronology ()
Summary: Lost both engines during medevac mission to SANCTUARY. All but one of the crew and some of the medevacs survived.
Loss to Inventory
Crew Members:
G SSG CORFIELD STAN LEROY BNR
G LCP SMITH CARL ARTHUR BNR
AC CPT JC TATUM
CE PFC TS BLOSSER
Passengers and/or other participants:
SGT BAILEY JOHN HOWARD, MC, PX, BNR
CPL GAUGHAN ROGER CONRAD, MC, PX, BNR
PFC GUAJARDO HILARIO H, MC, PX, BNR
PFC SOULIER DUWAYNE, MC, PX, BNR
War Story:
CPT J.Q. Nesmith, Jr. departed the First Hospital Company with two HMM-165 aircraft for a night Emergency Med-Evac to the hospital ship SANCTUARY. While on his approach the the SANCTUARY, CPT J.C. Tatum, CPT Nesmith's wingman, lost both engines and auto-rotated into the water alongside the ship. CPT Tatum successfully landed in the water and the CE, PFC T.S. Blosser, began assisting the med-evacs in their exit from the aircraft. CPT Tatum was believed to be the last man to exit the aircraft, which he did with difficulty while the aircraft was approximately 20 feet underwater and sinking fast. Meanwhile, CPT Nesmith had dropped his passengers aboard the SANCTUARY and was attempting to hoist one of the survivors out of the water, while also guiding the SANCTUARY's life boats to the scene with his searchlight. CPT Nesmith managed to get one man into the sling but the hoist jammed and would not come up. Therefore CPT Nesmith lifted the survivor out of the water and onto the ships deck; and after safely depositing the man aboard the SANCTUARY, he returned to the scene to assist the rescue boats by guiding them with his searchlight. CPT Nesmith then, due to a low fuel state, had to return to Ky Ha. Meanwhile, HMM-165 began launching SAR flights to search for survivors, and Naval ships rushed to the scene to render assistance. Out of the 17 men aboard the aircraft, including three of the crew, only nine survivors were rescued from this tragic accident. Seven of the med-evacs plus the HMM-165 gunner, Sergeant S.L. Corfield, were lost at sea. HMM-165 continued search operations throughout the night and the next day, but to no avail. The search was discontinued but renewed again during the night of the 2nd of May. The eight missing Marines are presumed to have been lost at sea. The above was taken from the HMM-165 Command Chronology.
This record was last updated on 09/20/1998
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Date posted on this site: 11/13/2023
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