Information on U.S. Air Force helicopter HH-3E tail number 64-14230
Date: 12/25/1968
Incident number: 68122537.KIA
Unit: 40 ARRS
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was REPAIRED IN THEATER
This was a Rescue and Recovery mission for Rescue of Persons
While in PickUp Zone this helicopter was at Hover at 0100 feet and 000 knots.
Laos
UTM grid coordinates: WD998225 (To see this location on a map, go to https://legallandconverter.com/p50.html and search on Grid Reference 48QWD998225)
Helicopter took 7 hits from:
Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive ballistic projectiles less than 20 mm in size. (7.62MM)
The helicopter was hit in the Nose
Systems damaged were: FUEL SYS, EQUIPMENT, STRUCTURE, ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYS, COMM SYS, PERSONNEL
The armor protecting the personnel was effective.
Casualties = 01 MIA, 01 INJ . .
The helicopter Continued Flight.
The aircraft was diverted prior to accomplishing any mission objectives.
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis Center Helicopter database. Also: BRLH3, 80125, OPREP, FM20, MPC ()
Crew Members:
PR CMS KING CHARLES DOUGLAS BNR
Passengers and/or other participants:
COL BROWNLEE CHARLES RICHARD, AF, PX, BNR
War Story:
Jolly Green 17, an HH-3E was attempting to rescue MAJ Charles R Brownlee, the pilot of Panda 01 an F-105 shot down near Ban Lathama, Mahaxia District, Khammouan Province, Laos. Pararescueman Airman First Class Charles Douglas King descended by rescue hoist to rescue the injured pilot. With the pilot attached to the hoist, the HH-3E and Airman King were hit by enemy fire, seriously injured, King instructed the helicopter to depart. King was posthumously awarded the Air Force Cross,. The bodies of King and Brownlee were not recovered and both were listed as KIA-BNR.
This record was last updated on 03/28/2021
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Date posted on this site: 11/13/2023
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