More detail on this person: TH-13T accident during training at Ft. Rucker. Body Of Oregon Flier Found At Crash Site ELBA, Ala. (AP) - Army investigators Wednesday found the bodies of a Milwaukie, Ore., soldier and his flight instructor near the rural Alabama spot where two helicopters collided Tuesday and crashed. This brought the death toll for the accident to four. The searchers were probing the area where one downed machine claimed two lives when they stumbled on the wreckage of the second helicopter. Found Wednesday were Martin Dietrich, 19, a warrant officer candidate from Milwaukie, and his instructor, Wayne Tolan of Enterprise, Ala. Dietrich's parents are Mr. and Mrs. Charles Dietrich of Milwaukie. Both helicopters were from Ft. Rucker. Witness Recalls Blast A witness to the crash of the first of the training helicopters reported an explosion before the craft crashed in flames. That, apparently was the collision. The witness did not report the second machine's fall. Each of the helicopters carried a civilian instructor and student pilot. Killed in the first helicopter discovered were Eugene S. Bailey of Columbus, Ohio and warrant officer candidate Charles R. Ammons, Jr., 25, of West Palm Beach, Fla. The second machine fell nearly 1,000 yards from the first. Tolan and Bailey were instructors for Ross Aviation Co., which trains pilots under contract with the Army. Dietrich was born Aug. 30, 1947 and was graduated from Milwaukie High School in 1965. He enlisted in the Army in April, 1966 and, in the fall of 1966, began helicopter crew chief training. Dietrich was involved in a warrant officer training program which he began in February of this year. He was to have been graduated from the program this fall. According to his parents, the young man was engaged to be married when he completed helicopter training. In addition to his parents, Dietrich leaves three brothers and a sister.
Burial information: Willamette National Cemetery, Portland, OR
This information was last updated 03/27/2018
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Date posted on this site: 08/31/2024
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