MCKENZIE GEORGE T

MAJ George T. McKenzie was a potential VHPA member who died after his tour in Vietnam on 10/25/1970 at the age of 48.5 from A/C accident
Prichit, Thailand,
Flight Class 52-A
Date of Birth 04/27/1922
Served in the U.S. Army
Served in Vietnam with HHC 3 BDE TF 25 INF in 65-66, JUSMAGT in 68-70
This information was provided by Margaret Kuni, SSN deceased search

More detail on this person: George was the pilot and his UH-34 crashed near Prichit, Thailand. Co-pilot Sgt. Hunter, Mr. Gee mechanic (Thai national) and 6 Laotian helicopter students all deceased.

At that time, as a teen was told it was a "mechanical malfunction" (this is same helicopter that he flew for several years there, did stunt flying in it for fundraisers, etc.) but my English teacher whose husband was military said it may have been shot down? I know that while in Thailand, he told me (and showed me maps) that he was officially in Thailand to train Thai and Laotian nationals how to fly and fix the helicopters the US govt gave them but unofficially he would be out spotting Communist camps near and over the borders between Thailand and Laos/Cambodia (maybe some connection to Air America?).

In Thailand Apr 1968 - Oct 25 1970 with DEPCHJUSMAG Thai stationed at Udorn (we lived in Bangkok Jun 1969 - 1970, he came down to visit every other weekend)

Tour in Vietnam: Dec/Jan 1966 (Operation Blue Light) to 4 Dec 66, stationed at Pleiku. His military record shows HHC 3dBdeTF25thInfDiv. (don't know what TF stands for) He was part of group that called themselves unofficially "Aloha Airlines - Vietnam Branch"

From: Margaret Kuni

I was stationed with Mr George T. McKenzie at Udorn RTAFB in 1970 when he and Sgt Hunter were killed in an aircraft accident. From: Dale Kelly

This information was last updated 05/18/2016

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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024


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