FREEMAN GARY D

CPT Gary D. Freeman was a VHPA member who died after his tour in Vietnam on 05/22/2003 at the age of 55.3 from A/C accident
Lipan, TX
Flight Classes 68-17 and 68-27
Date of Birth 02/12/1948
Served in the U.S. Army
Served in Vietnam with F/8 CAV in 68-69
This information was provided by Don Williams

More detail on this person: Long line caught in tair rotor caused accident in UH-1H in Hawaii.

From: Gary Freeman (Blueghost 68-69)

I find this email extremely hard to write but I must inform the BlueGhost 1969 of the passing of Gary Freeman. On May 22, 2003 while piloting a UH-1H helicopter on the island of Kahoolawe in Hawaii, Gary suffered mechanical failure and crashed. The helicoper burned in a post impact fire. It appears now, that a "longline" that was attached to the hook became entangled in the tailrotor with the subsiquent loss of the main rotor blades due to "mast bumping". Gary was recovered late yesterday afternoon and a small ceremony was held upon his final flight to Maui. His body was draped in the flag of our nation as he was honored with respect from his fellow pilots and friends and former VET'S. The Police Dept. Chaplin held a short ceremony shortly after Gary's arrival back at the hangar. As more information is available I will post to the Blueghost site.

From: Mike McDonald (Blueghost 42),

This information was last updated 05/18/2016

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Date posted on this site: 08/31/2024