Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 67-17191
The Army purchased this helicopter 0168
Total flight hours at this point: 00003069
Date: 04/11/1971
Incident number: 71041131.KIA
Unit: 174 AHC
South Vietnam
UTM grid coordinates: BS616520 (To see this location on a map, go to https://legallandconverter.com/p50.html and search on Grid Reference 49PBS616520)
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:
CE SP4 BAGGETT WAYNE CARLOS KIA
Passengers and/or other participants:
CPT BROWN MERLE DEWAYNE, AR, PX, KIA
War Story:
The 23d Inf Div ORLL states: On 111500 April, a UH-1H on a resupply mission for A/1-20 at BS628523 received small arms and indirect fire causing the aircraft to burn and explode. There were 6 US KIA, 7 US WIA (Evaced) and combat loss of 1 UH-1H helicopter.
Communists killed 10 Americans and wounded six when an element of the Americal Div. attempted to secure a downed helicopter 13 miles south of Quang Ngai Sunday afternoon. U.S. Command spokesmen said. One American was killed and two wounded when the U.S. Army UH1 Helicopter crashed Sunday, the spokesman said. (Historian note: The infantry unit was A/1/20th Inf Bn., the helicopter shot down was a 174th helicopter tail #67-17191. Several air strikes were applied as well has helicopters from B/123rd Avn Bn, F/8th Cav, and of course the 174th AHC which was in from the start. The report was delayed and placed in the April 12, 1971 reports although the action took place on Sunday April 11, 1971) Two more helicopters were listed as downed, with one crewman wounded spokesmen said. A U.S. Army UH1 helicopter was shot down 38 miles west of Da Nang Thursday, according to a delayed report. No casualties were reported. Sunday morning Communist gunners downed a U.S. Army OH58 observation helicopter in Kampong Cham Province of Cambodia, they said. One crewman was wounded. From: Compiled From UPI and S&S Vietnam Bureau
From the Americal Division TOC report page 1-2 of 10 for 12 April 1971. Entry # Time 2 0001 (C) 11 Bde, Lt Strother, A/1-20, BS628523 at 111600H. R/S acft (Tail #191) was approaching (acft commander said acft had just set down when 1st rd hit in front of acft, started off and 2d hit the fuel cell causing acft to burst into flame and set down) 3/A/1-20 field loc when hit by 1xM-79 rd. Acft attempted to fly out of LZ and was hit by second M79 rd, crashed into LZ and burned. LZ came under heavy volume of SAF, M79, B40 and MG fire from NE, E and S of perimeter at approx 75- 100m. Element of 3/A/1-20 assisted crew from acft. Acft exploded 5xtimes, causing 2xKIA and 4xWIA. At same time LZ rec H/gren and satchel charges at 1610H. G/S req at 1604H, on station at 1611H. FAC on station at 1623H. Arty called in by FO at 1630H. Also at 1630H D/O on station. 3/A still rec SAF. At 1710H B/S (Gunsmoke 6, Warlord 3 & 34 and Warlord 20 on station. FAC (Helix 39) on station 1717H, called in A/S at 1730H, consisting of 4xsorties of planes w/hard bombs and napalm. D/O picked up 7xpersonnel from A Co CP and inserted them into contact LZ for assistance. At 1738H D/O extr 5xUS WIA to B/23d Med. At 1740H F/8 Cav G/S on station. FAC (Helix 39) put in another A/S at 1820H (4xsorties of napalm). CA fleet (1-2-5) on station at 1825H. 1/B/1-20 picked up at Liz at 1830H (29xpax). Inserted into contact LZ at 1847H. AMC rec approx 15-20 rds of SAF from BS617523 at approx 1840H. G/S expended ammo on grid w/unk res. 174 Avn (Dolphin 21) crew and 2xWIA were extr by 174 Avn (Dolphin 6) at 1850H and taken to B/23d Med. at 1855H FAC (Helix 32) on station, had A/S of 2xsorties. AMC broke station at 1901H. XXIV Corps acft (Shadow 61) on station at 1901H. FAC (Helix 32 broke station at 2130H. 174 Avn (Shark 3 & 7) and 123 Avn (Gunsmoke 6) broke station at 1950H. Res: 11x US KIA (9xbelonged to A Co, 1xwas crew chief of 174 Avn and 1xwas chaplain of 1-20 Bn), 9xUS WIA, 2xen KIA confirmed 3x KIA within sight; (will confirm at first light), 1xAK47 CIA. XXIV Corps acft (Shadow 61) will be in area all night. 155mm, 8” and 175mm will be fired all night. 2xother plat of A Co will sweep at first light. 4x officers on ground at contact area (XO A Co, 3d plat leader A Co, 1st plat leader B Co and FO B Co). D Co will move toward contact area in morning. Ntfy: XXIV Corps, 120200H; C/S, 120145H; G3, 120140H.
I was nearby that day and watched the whole thing, I even made a Tribute video to the men killed that day. The whole thing happened when Bob Chipley (he has been in my home twice) came back to pick up the Chaplain from giving Easter Sunday services to Alpha Co. (I was in Delta, the Chaplain had been to our location nearby earlier). We flew in (CA) the prior day and I filmed the whole thing with a 8mm movie camera I had just bought in the PX at LZ Bronco a few days before and decided to hump it into the bush. I was a grunt.
John "Wolfie" Wolf
This record was last updated on 05/03/2017
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Date posted on this site:
11/13/2023
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