More detail on this person: Retired in 1972 at
Ft. Wolters, TX. Died in 1973. Mentioned in the
Vietnam Diary as the lop-eared hillbilly. From
Pope's statement: "Cleat was almost to retirement
at Camp Wolters when he had his heartache(sic)
(heart attack?). He was digging water line
ditches for the trailer park he was opening at
Mineral Wells.
He was instrumental in developing armed
helicopters. He mount(ed) small cal machine guns
on CH-21's and developed one of the early
intervolometers(sic) for firing 2.75" rockets
mounted on UH-1A's.
Elvin R. Helsel, 67, auto accident victim
Elvin R. Helsel, 67, of 3810 Bellows Drive, Camp
Hill, died Saturday in Westminster, Md., from
injuries caused by an automobile accident.
He was a retired Army officer; commander of Mount
Airy Legion Post 191; and a member of 40 et 8, the
Retired Army Officers Association, West Shore
Elks Club 2257 and St. Timothy Lutheran Church,
Hampden Twp.
He was the widower of Isabell Helsel. Surviving
are a son, Dennis E. of Minoa, N.Y.; a daughter,
Donna E. Paul of Camp Hill; a brother, James A. of
Mount Airy, Md.; two sisters, Audry Decker
Glenolden and Nancy Falkenbury, both of Pinellas
Park, Fla.; and five grandchildren.
Services will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday in his
church. Burial with military honors will be at 11
a.m. Friday in Arlington National Cemetery.
Viewing will be from 7 to 9 p.m. tomorrow at
Myers-Harner Funeral Home, Camp Hill, and from
noon to 1 p.m. Thursday at the church.
Memorial contributions may be made to his
church's memorial fund, 4200 Market St., Camp Hill
17011.
Burial information: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA
This information was last updated 12/15/2017
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Date posted on this site: 03/14/2020
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