Information on U.S. Army helicopter AH-1G tail number 68-15062
The Army purchased this helicopter 0269
Total flight hours at this point: 00001890
Date: 03/12/1971
Incident number: 71031210.KIA
Unit: C/1/9 CAV
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was LOSS TO INVENTORY
This was a Recon mission for Unarmed Recon
Unknown this helicopter was Unknown at UNK feet and UNK knots.
Cambodia
UTM grid coordinates: WT891658 (To see this location on a map, go to https://legallandconverter.com/p50.html and search on Grid Reference 48PWT891658)
Explosive Weapon; Non-Artillery launched or static weapons containing explosive charges. (H/S RKT)
causing an Explosion.
Systems damaged were: UNK
Casualties = 02 DOI . .
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 Helicopter Loss database. Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis
Center Helicopter database. Also: CASRP, OPERA, KIAMAIN (Operations Report. Casualty Report.
)
Summary: The main rotor head was blown off by .51 cal fire.
Loss to Inventory
Crew Members:
P 1LT JOYCE VAN JOHN KIA
P CPT HAGEMAN JOEL THOMAS KIA
War Story:
I have had several e-mail conversations with the pilot who was flying C&C/Downed Bird Recovery for their Pink Team (Donald Armstrong), and also spoke with the pilot of the OH-6 who was the low bird (Bob Lemaster, who was at the DC Reunion): BOTH confirm the Cobra was hit by .51 fire. The C&C pilot saw the rounds hit the aircraft, including the mast, the mast separation, the momentary hanging in the air before the fatal plunge, and heard Van's final radio transmission (an "expletive deleted" that the pilot won't repeat, as Van realized they were goners). Lemaster told me his gunner saw the rotorhead come off, told Bob, Bob looked up and saw them begin their fall. Bob said he spoke as much of the Lord's Prayer as he could on the radio before they crashed.
Ross Rainwater, August 2000, r-rainwater@juno.com
This record was last updated on 08/17/2000
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Date posted on this site: 11/13/2023
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