unit history information
for 155 AHC
For date 670316
155 AHC was a US Army unit
Primary service involved, US Army
Operation SAM HOUSTON
Incident reference: 67031655.KIA This information is available on CD-ROM.
Kontum Province, II Corps, South Vietnam
Location, Kontum
155 AHC losses were 2 KIA, 2 WIA
Aircraft lost in 155 AHC were 1 UH-1
Description: The 155th Aviation Company unit history states that while participating in a CA west of Pleiku, a flight element of the 155th came under intense enemy fire. Two aircraft were seriously damaged by hostile rounds and one other was shot down and burned upon contact. The company suffered two KIA and two WIA during the fierce engagement with the enemy. "I saw the ship going down with flames billowing from the engine compartment. Then it hit the trees and fell through the canopy. We noticed a small clearning about 200 meters from the crash and set our ship down in it. The crewchief and I jumped from our ship, he with his M-60 machine gun and I with my M-16." This was the way 1LT Richard Sperling described the action after the 155th Huey crashed after being hit by enemy ground fire during Operation SAM HOUSTON on that eventful day. The survivors of the ill-fated mission may well owe their lives to the fact action taken by Lt. Sperling and his crewchief, SP5 Michael Baucom, who unhesitatingly went to their rescue with complete disregard for the enemy mortars that were trying desperately to destroy the downed crew. These actions are indicative of the characteristics display by all personnel of the 155th.
Comments: SGT GRIFFIN KEITH D; KIA; ;
SP5 PATTERSON JAMES G; KIA; ;
1LT Sperling, Richard; ; ;
SP5 Baucom, Michael; CE; ;
*** Johns, Jerry; 155 pilot; ;
*** Schurr, Robert; 155 pilot; ;
The source for this information was 1967 Unit History of the 155th AVN by SP4 Hunter, Ban Me Thuot Barb 2/99
Additional information is available on CD-ROM.
Please send additions or corrections to: Gary Roush Email address: webmaster@vhpa.org
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Date posted on this site:
05/13/2023