unit history information
for B/7/17 CAV
For date 680402
B/7/17 CAV was a US Army unit
Primary service involved, US Army
Incident reference: 68040210.KIA This information is available on CD-ROM.
South Vietnam
B/7/17 CAV losses were 1 KIA
Aircraft lost in B/7/17 CAV were 1 OH-6A
Description: B/7/17 Cav's Scouts and Guns were on station in an AO southwest of Polei Kleng. The morning began as usual, the Scouts received light AW fire. The Guns returned the fire silencing the enemy weapons. The Scouts continued to work the area initiating light contact through-out the morning. They acquired only 1 extra hole in a LOH but no casualties. Airstrikes were called in on the enemy position. DBAs were conducted following each airstrike and the Air Force was credited with the destruction of many bunkers with interconnecting tunnels in 2 seperate complexes. At 1212, CPT Hayman, the Scout Platoon Leader, was directing the Scout team on station conducting a VR of a suspected NVA base camp. He received intense AA and AW fire from 360 degress of his location. The LOH was brought down by the enemy fire which killed the pilot, CPT Hayman, and wounded the observer, PSG M.C. Hood, prior to reaching the ground. The LOH immediately burst into flames. PSG Hood, althought wounded, crawled around to the opposite side of the aircraft and pulled CPT Hayman dead body from the burning wreckage. The gunships were employing all types of armament to silence the constant AWs in the area. The C&C called for an immediate airstrike and received two flights of fighters. They were employed as near the downed aircraft and crew as safety would permit. The Blues, with reinforcements, were inserted 800 meters west of the downed OH-6A. Just prior to their reaching the downed LOH, two individuals were repelled in on top of it to extract PSG M.C. Hood. PSG Hood was extracted by DUSTOFF to the 71st Evac at Pleiku. The Blues reached the downed LOH. The individual equipment of the crew together with the remains of CPT Hayman were extracted with the Blues and the OH-6A was destroyed in place.
The source for this information was B/7/17 CAV 4 Feb 67 - 1 JAN 69 Unit History
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