Information on U.S. Army helicopter OH-6A tail number 67-16412
The Army purchased this helicopter 1268
Total flight hours at this point: 00001970
Date: 03/10/1971 MIA-POW file reference number: 1722
Incident number: 71031010.TXT
Unit: A/1/9 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 Unknown at UNK feet and UNK knots.
Cambodia
UTM grid coordinates: XU504545 (To see this location on a map, go to https://legallandconverter.com/p50.html and search on Grid Reference 48PXU504545)
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.
causing an Explosion.
Systems damaged were: PERSONNEL
Casualties = 01 DOI, 01 INJ, 01 M . .
The helicopter Crashed. Aircraft Destroyed.
Both mission and flight capability were terminated.
Burned
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: 1722,OPERA,
LNNF, CASRP (Operations Report. Lindenmuth New Format Data Base. Casualty Report. )
Loss to Inventory
Crew Members:
P WO1 HOUSER CRAIG J RES
G SFC SMOOT CURTIS RICHARD BNR
CE SP4 KISER ROBERT THOMAS KIA
REFNO Synopsis:
SMOOT, CURTIS RICHARD
Name: Curtis Richard Smoot
Rank/Branch: E5/US Army
Unit: Troop A, 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division
Date of Birth: 09 December 1949 (Bogaloosa LA)
Home City of Record: Varnado LA
Date of Loss: 10 March 1971
Country of Loss: Cambodia
Loss Coordinates: 121444N 1062255E (XU503540)
Status (in 1973): Missing in Action
Category: 2
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: OH6A
Other Personnel in Incident: WO1 Craig J. Houser (escaped); SP4 Robert Kiser
(remains recovered)
REMARKS:
SYNOPSIS: On March 10, 1971, WO Craig Houser, pilot, SP4 Robert Kiser, crew
chief, and Sgt. Curtis R. Smoot, door gunner, were flying in an OH6A (serial
#67-17412) on a visual reconnaissance mission over Kracheh Province, Cambodia
just southwest of the city of Phumi Sre Roneam.
At about 1400 hours, while making a low pass over a suspected enemy position,
the helicopter was hit by an enemy rocket and crashed. The helicopter landed on
the bank of a river, burst into flames, and fell into the river. The crash
occurred in the vicinity of the recon. A team of ARVN and two U.S. Army
enlisted men were inserted into the area to search for survivors and recover
aircraft parts. At that time, the body of SP4 Kiser was recovered. Due to
darkness, the search team was extracted.
On March 13, WO1 Houser returned to military control, having evaded capture and
walked to a friendly position. He reported that he had not seen Sgt. Smoot
after the aircraft had hit.
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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