Information on U.S. Air Force helicopter HH-53C tail number 68-8283
Date: 06/30/1970 MIA-POW file reference number: 1643
Incident number: 70063001.TXT
Unit: 40 ARRS
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was LOSS TO INVENTORY
This was a Rescue and Recovery mission for Search
While in PickUp Zone this helicopter was at Hover at UNK feet and 000 knots.
Laos
UTM grid coordinates: XD617617 (To see this location on a map, go to https://legallandconverter.com/p50.html and search on Grid Reference 48QXD617617)
Unknown groundfire.
causing a Fire.
Systems damaged were: PERSONNEL
Casualties = 05 DOI . .
The helicopter Crashed. Aircraft Destroyed.
Both mission and flight capability were terminated.
Unknown
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.
Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis Center Helicopter database. Also: 1643, MISC,
PACAF, CASRP, 07121 (Pacific Air Force. Miscellaneous. Casualty Report. )
Loss to Inventory
Crew Members:
C SSG DEAN MICHAEL FRANK BNR
C SSG BELL MARVIN EARL BNR
C MSG JENKINS PAUL LAVERNE BNR
P MAJ GOEGLEIN JOHN WINFRED BNR
P CPT SCHANEBERG LEROY CLYDE BNR
REFNO Synopsis:
Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 15 March 1991 from one or more of the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews. Copyright 1991 Homecoming II Project.
SYNOPSIS: On June 30, 1970, a crew from the 40th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron at Udorn Airfield, Thailand was dispatched to rescue a downed flight crew. Crew aboard the Sikorsky HH53C "Super Jolly" helicopter included the pilot, Capt. Leroy C. Schaneberg, crewmembers Major John W. Goeglein, MSgt. Paul L. Jenkins, SSgt. Marvin E. Bell, and SSgt. Michael F. Dean.
The members of the 40th Air R & R were trained for both air and sea recovery, and the big "Super Jolly" was equipped to airlift both the crew and aircraft out of sticky situations.
The downed and injured pilot was located in Savannakhet Province, Laos, about two kilometers south of Bang Tang. The HH53C penetrated the area, known to be hostile, in an attempt to rescue the pilot, but was forced away by hostile ground fire. A second attempt was made, but the helicopter was hit by hostile fire, caught on fire, went out of control and crashed. The Air Force states it
received evidence on July 4, 1970, that the crew was dead, but that evidence is not specifically described, and no remains identifiable as Bell, Dean, Goeglein, Schaneberg, or Jenkins have been recovered. Schaneberg received the Air Force Cross for extraordinary heroism as the aircraft commander on this rescue mission.
On the same day, Capt. Williams S. Sanders was flying an OV10A Bronco southeast of Khe Sanh at a point where Laos veers north to intrude on South Vietnam. His aircraft was shot down just inside Laos, not far from the location of the downed helicopter. The Bronco was generally used for marking targets, armed reconnaissance and forward air control, so the nature of Capt. Sanders' mission and its precise relation to the mission of the Super Jolly from Udorn is unknown. The crew of the helicopter was numerically listed missing before the OV10, so it is does not seem likely that the helicopter was assisting the observation aircraft, but as no other aircraft is missing on that day in that area, either the downed pilot was Sanders or the pilot was rescued by other means.
War Story:
CPT Leroy C. Schaneberg and his crew were attempting to rescue an OV-10 pilot who went down in Laos. Earlier attempts by H-3 aircraft from the 37th ARR Squadron had been unsuccessful. On CPT Schaneberg's second pass, he reported heavy ground fire. The aircraft went out of control and crashed about one-fourth mile from the OV-10 crash site. The OV-10 pilots were later picked up by an H-3, but there were no survivors from the HH-53 crash.
from "Aerospace Rescue & Recovery Service 1946-1981 an Illustrated Chronology" published 1983 by Military Airlift Command History author was Donald D. Little.
The USAF Casaulty File states that evidence of death was received on 4 July 1970 and their status was changed to KIA. The remains of the crew were repatriated on 21 Dec 1993. The Armed Forces Identification Review Board approved the "Group Remains" recommendation on 7 Mar 1995.
This record was last updated on 02/12/2000
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Date posted on this site: 11/13/2023
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