Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 67-17559
The Army purchased this helicopter 0668
Total flight hours at this point: 00001161
Date: 01/24/1970
Incident number: 70012424.KIA
Unit: A/7/1 CAV
South Vietnam
UTM grid coordinates: WS948515 (To see this location on a map, go to https://legallandconverter.com/p50.html and search on Grid Reference 48PWS948515)
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database. Also: OPERA (Operations Report. )
Loss to Inventory
Crew Members:
AC DW GIBBONS
G SP4 THOMAS NATHANIEL KIA
Passengers and/or other participants:
CPT GRIFFIS WILLIAM A III, MC, PX, KIA
War Story:
USNAVFORV Command History for Jan 1970 contains the following entry:
"Following a four day stand-down posture, Brigade "B" [RVN Marine Corps]
began RIF operations in the 7th ARVN Division AO of Dinh Tuong Province
ten miles to the north and northwest of Vinh Long (4th Bn WS991496, 5th Bn
XS016520, 6th Bn XS061474, and 2nd Arty Bn WS983413). Confronting a
situation similar to the operations earlier in the month, the Marines faced
an evasive enemy who continued to place his major emphasis on mines and booby
traps. In one booby trap incident that took place on 24 January, Capt
William A. Griffis III, two RVMC, including the executive officer of the 4th
Infantry Battalion, and one USA [US Army] were killed when a booby trapped
enemy ammunition container exploded within a helicopter. Three USA soldiers
were also wounded, and the helo was completely destroyed."
This record was last updated on 08/12/2006
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Date posted on this site: 11/13/2023
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