Information on U.S. Army helicopter OH-6A tail number 67-16275
The Army purchased this helicopter 0868
Total flight hours at this point: 00002216
Date: 06/11/1972 MIA-POW file reference number: 1873
Incident number: 72061102.TXT
Unit: F/8 CAV
South Vietnam
UTM grid coordinates: YD562138 (To see this location on a map, go to https://legallandconverter.com/p50.html and search on Grid Reference 48QYD562138)
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. Also: 1873 ()
Loss to Inventory
Crew Members:
G SP4 HACKETT JAMES EDWARD RR
P 1LT MCQUADE JAMES RUSSELL RR
REFNO Synopsis:
Personnel In Incident: Wayne Bibbs; Arnold E. Holm; Robin R. Yeakley
(missing from one OH6A); James R. McQuade, James Edward Hackett (missing from
second OH6A).
SYNOPSIS: By December 1971, U.S. troops in-country had declined dramatically -
from the 1968 peak of nearly 55,000 to less than 30,000. The enemy, temporarily
on the defensive by the moves into Cambodia in 1970 and Laos in 1971, began
deploying new NVA forces southward in preparation for another major offensive.
In March 1972, the Vietnamese launched a three-pronged invasion of the South.
One NVA force swept south across the DMZ, its goal apparently the conquest of
the northern provinces and the seizure of Hue. A second NVA force drove from
Laos into the Central Highlands, and a third effort involved a drive from
Cambodia into provinces northwest of Saigon.
Fierce fighting ensued on all three fronts, with NVA success the greatest in
the northern provinces. Fighting continued until by June, the North Vietnamese
began withdrawing from some of their advance positions, still holding
considerable amounts of South Vietnamese territory in the northern provinces.
On June 11, 1972, Capt. Arnold Holm, pilot, PFC Wayne Bibbs, gunner, and SP4
Robin Yeakley, passenger, were aboard an OH6A observation helicopter flying
from Camp Eagle to the Northern Provinces of South Vietnam on a visual
reconnaissance mission. The function of their "Loach" chopper was searching out
signs of the enemy around two landing zones (LZ's). The OH6 joined with the
AH1G Cobra gunship as "Pink Teams" to screen the deployment of air cavalry
troops. On this day, Holm's aircraft was monitoring an ARVN team insertion.
During the mission, Holm reported that he saw enemy living quarters, bunkers,
and numerous trails. On his second pass over a ridge, at about 25' altitude,
the aircraft exploded and burned. It was reported that before the aircraft
crashed that smoke and white phosphorous grenades began exploding. After the
aircraft impacted with the ground, it exploded again. Other aircraft in the
area received heavy anti-aircraft fire. No one was seen to exit the downed
helicopter, nor were emergency radio beepers detected.
OH6A (tail #67-16275), 1Lt. James R. McQuade, pilot, and SP4 James
E. Hackett, gunner, tried to enter the area of the crashed OH6A, but
encountered heavy fire and their aircraft was also shot down. McQuade's
aircraft was hit, and the intensity of the resulting fire caused white
phosphorous and smoke grenades carried aboard the aircraft to explode prior to
hitting the ground. The aircraft continued to burn after impact and no crewmen
left the ship before or after the crash.
No ground search was made for survivors or remains of either aircraft because
of hostile fire in the area.
War Story:
The Crew of Lt James R. McQuade was shot down attempting a rescue of Cpt Arnold Holm and his OH-6 crew. The NVA fire was so intense that we were never able to return to the crash sites to search for bodies. McQuade's remains were recovered in 2000 and buried at Ft. Lewis WA. Search continues for Holm and crew. I was a Cobra pilot on this mission on this DARK day.
William H. Bryan, wbryan06@earthlink.net
Colonel, U.S. Army
Retired
This record was last updated on 12/11/2004
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Date posted on this site: 11/13/2023
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