DECHENE ROBERT NORMAND

Name: WO1 Robert Normand Dechene
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 09/17/1967 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 23.4
Date of Birth: 04/12/1944
Home City: Biddeford, ME
Service: AV branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: D/229 AHB 1 CAV
Major organization: 1st Cavalry Division
Flight class: 67-7
Service: AV branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 26E-083
Short Summary: At Check Point 102 near Plei Koo Jil while flying as a pilot during combat operations.
Aircraft: UH-1B
Call sign: TOMCAT
Service number: W3156466
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 062B = Helicopter Pilot, Utility and Light Cargo Single Rotor
Primary cause: Ground Casualty
Compliment cause: small arms fire
Started Tour: 07/16/1967
"Official" listing: ground casualty
Location: Binh Dinh Province II Corps.

Additional information about this casualty:
Fatally wounded in his seat on the right side at check point 102 about 20 K west of An Khe on highway 19. During a combat assault, guns jammed. CPT Dave Hockett landed on highway 19 near armed check point in an effort to clear weapons to help support the hot LZ near the highway. The aircraft was over run. Hockett got it moved (flown) several hundred yards before rescue. I was the rescue aircraft that went in and got the crew who were hiding in a near by ditch. Called MEDEVAC but it was too late for Bob - the others survived. from Dave Rittman, July 1995

Reason: gunshot or small arms fire
Casualty type: Hostile - killed
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Religion: Roman Catholic
Burial information: ST JOSEPHS CEMETERY, BIDDEFORD, ME
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 08/20/1995

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Date posted on this site: 11/13/2023