GALAMBOS JOSEPH GARY

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Name: 1LT Joseph Gary Galambos
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 04/10/1964 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 23.5
Date of Birth: 10/25/1940
Home City: Sonora, CA
Service: IN branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 114 AHC
Major organization: other
Service: IN branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 01E-049
Short Summary: Tail boom separated in flight at 1500 ft and crashed with WO1 David Edward Miller who died 04/18/64 in Saigon Hospital. See memo.
Aircraft: UH-1B tail number 62-01916
Service number: O5310877
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: *
Primary cause: Lost tail boom
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: weapons
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: pilot
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - pilot
Length of service: 04
Location: Unknown Province

Additional information about this casualty:
David E. Miller and Joseph G. Galambos were flying together in the 114 AHC. We were 15 aircraft in trail on an eagle flight for a troop insertion. At 2500 ft the tailboom left the aircraft (this was the first know tailboom separation in flight). The fusalage started spinning opposite the rotor blade and the ARVN troops were slung out in flight. We watched them go in. The A/C caught fire and Miller got away from the A/C. He went back to the pilot station and tried to save Galambos who was engulfed in flames. He appearantly inhaled a lot of flames. Galambos died immediately and Miller died 8 days later from burnt lungs. Lewis J. Postles 3333 Austin Dr. Mobile, AL 36695

Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Religion: Lutheran (Missouri Synod)
Burial information: GOLDEN GATE NATIONAL CEMETERY, SAN BRUNO CA
The following information secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: non-battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: officer
This record was last updated on 07/29/1994

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Date posted on this site: 11/13/2023