Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 68-16375
The Army purchased this helicopter 1069
Total flight hours at this point: 00000311
Date: 05/18/1970
Incident number: 70051818.KIA
Unit: C/158 AVN
South Vietnam
UTM grid coordinates: YD296161 (To see this location on a map, go to https://legallandconverter.com/p50.html and search on Grid Reference 48QYD296161)
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 WO1 SAUNDERS NICHOLAS GABRIEL KIA
P WO1 COLE ROBERT KENNETH KIA
G SGT GRAY CARLTON COE KIA
CE EASTERLING RES
Passengers and/or other participants:
SP4 STONE HARRY J, AR, PX, KIA
1LT DARLING JOHN EDWARD JR, AR, PX, KIA
This record was last updated on 11/30/1998
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Date posted on this site:
11/13/2023
Copyright © 1998 - 2023 Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association
War Story:
I flew with the Phoenix from Feb70-Feb71 and I remember
Nick Saunders. Nick's crew disappeared 18May70 after
resupplying infantry near FSB Ripcord. We searched for days with
no luck. Every time we were in the mountains, which was daily, we
would keep an eye out for the wreckage but no luck. One day (after
a considerable amount of time 10 days or so) a passing aircraft
spotted the Crewchief on a ridge and from there the crash site was
located. The crewchiefs name was Easterling. I do not believe any
passengers were with Nick. After they departed the resupplied
troops, they took fire while very low to the ground. They were shot
down and Easterling was thrown (or jumped-?) from the aircraft prior
to impact. The thick jungle broke his fall, saving his life. WO1 Nick
Saunders, WO1 Robert Cole and Sp4 Carlton Gray were killed.
I am familiar with the missions involving the CIA. They were
missions with Special Forces SOG teams and involved cross
border (Laos) operations. As I stated, I believe Saunders had no
passengers. If he did (your Brother) they were NOT involved with
any CIA stuff on this mission. It was just a simple infantry resupply
that went bad. Someone is giving you bad info there.
"Ken Mayberry"