Name: WO1 Roger Sletten Cameron
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 01/31/1968 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 23.3
Date of Birth: 10/10/1944
Home City: Pierpont, SD
Service: AV branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 334 AHC, 145 CAB
Major organization: 1st Aviation Brigade
Flight class: 67-3
Service: AV branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 36E-001
Short Summary: In front seat shot in the head with 50 cal.
Aircraft: AH-1G tail number 66-15301
Service number: W3156132
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 062B = Helicopter Pilot, Utility and Light Cargo Single Rotor
Primary cause: .51 Caliber
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: small arms fire
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: pilot
Started Tour: 05/07/1967
"Official" listing: ground casualty
Length of service: 02
Location: Dinh Tuong Province IV Corps.
Additional information about this casualty:
The 334th was the first "all gun" company in Vietnam, one of their
platoons was called the Playboys, and one of my roommates from flight
school was a Fire Team Leader for the Playboys, WO Roger Cameron. I am
looking at a picture of Roger and myself standing before a brand new
Playboy Cobra, the bunny head visible on the side of the helicopter.
That was the first Cobra I had ever seen in Vietnam and Roger was the
pilot.
Roger was a quiet man from North Dakota. Hard working, smart, and full
of life. I got the ride of my life with Roger at the controls of his
Cobra, I even managed a few approaches from the front seat. Roger was
not happy with the new Cobras. Roger was one of the first Cobra team
leaders in Vietnam, and was learning new tactics every day. Trying to
use his C model skills in a new machine, with out making the fatal
mistake.
Tet 68 was in full rage; the f****** dinks had set up a 51 right down
town. That 51 was knocking the s*** out of every thing that got near
it. The BOQ was pretty much surrounded and they had no weapons or ammo
and were about to be overrun.
I went up on Guard and found Roger.
As I hovered over the BOQ dropping weapons and ammo through the roof,
Roger and his wing were laying down heavy fire so I could get in and out
in one piece. A second 51 opened up from the top of a building and had
them in crossfire, Roger was hit in the head and the Cobra almost hit
the ground. I do not remember the Peter Pilots name but what a
spectacular save. I had seen other men killed in the air at the
controls, I knew Roger was dead the way the Cobra dropped out of the
sky.
When I hear the word Playboy, I think of Roger.
Remember Roger for me this year on the 11th.
Wayne R. "Crash" Coe, Nov 97.
Reason: gunshot or small arms fire
Casualty type: Hostile - killed
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Religion: Lutheran (Missouri Synod)
Burial information: HOMER CEMETERY, PIERPOINT, SD
The following information secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: warrant officer
This record was last updated on 11/10/1997
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Date posted on this site: 10/25/2024
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