Helicopter UH-1B 62-02063


Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1B tail number 62-02063
The Army purchased this helicopter 0763
Total flight hours at this point: 00003681
Date: 07/14/1969 MIA-POW file reference number: 1466
Incident number: 690714231ACD Accident case number: 690714231 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: C/1/9 CAV
The station for this helicopter was Phouc Vinh in South Vietnam
UTM grid coordinates: XT910459 (To see this location on a map, go to https://legallandconverter.com/p50.html and search on Grid Reference 48PXT910459)
Number killed in accident = 4 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0
costing 456360
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. Army Aviation Safety Center database. Also: 1466 ()
Loss to Inventory

Crew Members:
P MAJ FELTON THOMAS MOODY KIA
P CW2 BURNS ERNEST DOOM KIA
CE SGT DAVIS RAY GENE KIA
G PFC BUTLER DEWEY RENEE BNR


REFNO Synopsis:
BUTLER, DEWEY RENEE Name: Dewey Renee Butler Rank/Branch: E3/US Army Unit: Troop C; 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry; 1st Cavalry Division Date of Birth: 15 August 1949 (Goldsboro NC) Home City of Record: Washington DC Date of Loss: 14 July 1969 Country of Loss: South Vietnam Loss Coordinates: 111559N 1064500E (XT910459) Status (in 1973): Killed/Body Not Recovered Category: 3 Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: UH1B Other Personnel In Incident: Ernest Burns; Ray G. Davis, Thomas M. Felton (on UH1B); all killed, remains recovered. SYNOPSIS: On a rainy July 14, 1969, a UH1B helicopter from Troop C, 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry was sent on a night combat support mission in Binh Duong Province, South Vietnam about 10 miles northeast of Ben Cat. Its crew included Maj. Thomas M. Felton, pilot, PFC Dewey R. Butler, door gunner; Sgt. Ray G. Davis and another unnamed crewman (these two served as aircraft commander and crew chief). The UH1B was operating with a "Pink Team" when it collided in mid-air with the team's OH6A Loach helicopter, flown by Ernest Burns. The UH1B exploded and caught fire, and continued in a northwesterly heading until it hit trees and exploded. It then crashed and burned. All four crewmembers of the UH1B were killed, but the three crewmembers of the OH6A survived and were evacuated from the area. The color system of identifying the various units was peculiar to cavalry units. The white section, or "Whites" were the scouts. The Loach lost on July 14, was a "White". The "Reds" were the gun platoon, and were normally Cobra gunships. The blue section was the Aero Rifle Platoon. The common acronym used to describe infantry within the cavalry unit is "Blues", just as other units described infantry as "grunts". The team of two Loach and Cobra helicopters came to be known as a "Pink" team. When the pink team found an enemy unit that they wanted to pursue, they would call the "Blues". The "Whites" would provide assistance in inserting and extracting "Blues", while the "Reds" provided cover. Butler's aircraft was undoubtedly a "Blue", and probably completing an insertion of troops. When search teams located the wreckage of the planes, they recovered the bodies of Burns, Davis and Felton. Butler's remains had been mutilated, leaving only portions of his body, but identification was still possible. The Captain on the search and rescue team recognized Butler's negroid features immediately. It was felt that the mutilation was not done by the enemy because, although an old AK47 clip was found, no recent sign of enemy presence was found. Butler's remains were brought back to camp, but disappeared before an official positive identification could be made. As pig tracks were found leading away from the area, it was belived that the remains may have been carried away by animals and could not be recovered.


Accident Summary:

 THIS MAJOR AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT INVOLVED TWO ROTARY WING AIRCRAFT ENGAGED IN COMBAT SUPPORT ACTIVITIES AT NIGHT. A UH-1B AIRCRAFT WITH 4 PERSONNEL ABOARD, STRUCK AN OH-6A AIRCRAFT CARRYING 3 PERSONNEL. THE UH-1B AIRCRAFT CRASHED AND BURNED FOLLOWING THE MID-AIR COLLISION. ALL FOUR PERSONNEL ABOARD THE UH-1B SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. THE OH-6A AIRCRAFT MADE A HARD AUTOROTATION LANDING IN A SMALL CLEARED AREA IN THE TREES FOLLOWING THE MID-AIR COLLISION. ALL THREE PERSONNEL ABOARD THE OH-6A SUSTAINED MAJOR INJURIES. THE OH-6A DID NOT BURN.\\


War Story:
Mid-air with OH-6A 67-16601. The B-model Burns and Felton were flying was the CO's (CAV 6 Maj Felton) Gunship & C&C. REFNO synopsis incorrectly attributed it as a Blue Team lift ship doing an Insertion. Not the case. CAV 6 used the B-Model it as a C&C and Gunship, Ernie Burns was his personal pilot. Rob Zastrow WO1 Cav 37, C/1/9 1 Cav

This record was last updated on 12/23/2006


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Date posted on this site: 11/13/2023


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