Information on U.S. Army helicopter OH-6A tail number 67-16135
The Army purchased this helicopter 0668
Total flight hours at this point: 00000954
Date: 02/24/1970
Incident number: 70022444.KIA
Unit: A/2/17 CAV
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was LOSS TO INVENTORY
This was a Recon mission for Unarmed Recon
While Enroute this helicopter was at Level Flight at 0050 feet and 080 knots.
South Vietnam
UTM grid coordinates: XD866489 (To see this location on a map, go to https://legallandconverter.com/p50.html and search on Grid Reference 48QXD866489)
Count of hits was not possible because the helicopter burned or exploded.
Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive ballistic projectiles less than 20 mm in size. (7.62MM)
Systems damaged were: ENGINE, MAIN ROTOR SYS, TRANSMISSION, FUEL SYS, FLT CONTROLS
Casualties = 01 WIA, 01 DOI . .
The helicopter made a Forced Landing. Aircraft Destroyed.
Both mission and flight capability were terminated.
Destroyed by friendly forces
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Defense
Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database. Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis
Center Helicopter database. Also: OPERA, LNNF, JSIDR, CRAFX, HUGHS, FM385 (Operations
Report. Lindenmuth New Format Data Base. Joint Services Incident Damage Report. Crash Facts
Message. )
Loss to Inventory
Crew Members:
P 1LT SWATTS ROY D RES
OB PFC YOUNG RONALD EUGENE KIA
War Story:
A LRRP team from 2/17 Air Cav made contact with the enemy NVA. LRRPs suffered several casualties. Needed medevac. Pink team from A/2/17 cav was low on fuel and ordinance. I was on stand down, but was alerted to relieve the pink team. PFC Young volunteered to fly observer in my OH-6A. While flying interference for the Dustoff and engaging the NVA, we spotted several large bunkers and thatch roof warehouse buildings. While trying to mark the targets for the Cobras we came under heavy ground fire and were hit numerous times. Our OH-6A was heavily damaged, pilot unconscious and crashed. PFC Young died of wounds before rescue team could insert and extract us. From Roy D. Swatts, 4 July 1997.
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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