Information on U.S. Army helicopter AH-1G tail number 68-15044
The Army purchased this helicopter 0269
Total flight hours at this point: 00000375
Date: 10/08/1969 MIA-POW file reference number: 1499
Incident number: 69100823.KIA
Unit: D/158 AVN
Laos
UTM grid coordinates: YC280885 (To see this location on a map, go to https://legallandconverter.com/p50.html and search on Grid Reference 48QYC280885)
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: 1499 ()
Loss to Inventory
Crew Members:
P CW2 WATKINS ROBERT JAMES JR BNR
AC CPT RT ANDREWS RES
REFNO Synopsis:
SYNOPSIS: Capt. Robert T. Andrews was the pilot and CW2 Robert J. Watkins the
copilot in a 2 gunship flight providing protective cover for a downed aircraft
in the A Shau Valley, South Vietnam. After the flight had completed its
mission, and was returning to Camp Evans, Capt. Andrews determined that because
of approaching darkness, bad weather and low fuel, he would attempt to land in
the A Shau rather than attempt to continue the hazardous trip.
As the aircraft was descending through a cloud layer in a landing attempt, it
apparently hit some trees, and Andrews was knocked unconscious. Andrews
regained consciousness the following morning, and saw that Watkins was hanging
from the helicopter. He was unable to find any heartbeat or pulse and reported
that the remains were cold.
Andrews was rescued 5 days later during which time he attempted to walk to a
recognized area, walking away from the crash in what he believed to be a
westerly direction.
Andrews was rescued in Laos, but was unable to determine where the helicopter
had crashed. It is for this reason, and for the reason that the helicopter's
last known location was on the border of Laos and South Vietnam at a point
where the Lao Province of Saravane meets Thua Thien Province in South Vietnam,
that some lists vary as to the country of loss.
An attempt to find the crash site by air was unsuccessful. An attempt at map
tracking by intelligence specialists located the probable crash site location,
but because of enemy presence, that site has never been visited.
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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