Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 67-17817
The Army purchased this helicopter 1068
Total flight hours at this point: 00000559
Date: 04/01/1969
Incident number: 69040157.KIA
Unit: 57 AHC
Laos
Casualties = 01 KIA, 01 WIA . .
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database. Also: OPERA, Unit History (Operations Report. )
Summary: Shot down by .50 cal. Crashed and burned.
Loss to Inventory
Crew Members:
CE SP4 GAY ALVIN LEON KIA
AC WO1 HESTAND THOMAS WIA
War Story:
The 57th AHC's unit history states on the first an aircraft was trying to climb out of a hot LZ and sustained .50 cal hits causing the engine to fail. The pilot entered autorotation but the terrain did not permit a successful termination and the aircraft crashed and burned. The AC, WO Thomas Hestand, received a broken arm and the CE, SP4 Alvin T. Gay, died instantly from a .50 cal wound. The pilot and gunner were fortunate enough to escape without injury.
This record was last updated on 05/25/1998
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Date posted on this site: 11/13/2023
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