PISHNER WILLIAM JR

Name: CW2 William Pishner, Jr.
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 03/10/1970 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 22.8
Date of Birth: 05/07/1947
Home City: Tracy, CA
Service: AV branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 128 AHC
Major organization: 1st Aviation Brigade
Flight class: 69-1
Service: AV branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 13W-106
Short Summary: Ground casualty. Died of an anurism while drinking at the Officers Club one night.
Call sign: GUNSLINGER
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 100B = Utility/Observation Helicopter Pilot
Primary cause: Aneurism
Compliment cause: unknown
Started Tour: 04/09/1969
"Official" listing: ground casualty
Length of service: 02
Location: Binh Duong Province III Corps.

Additional information about this casualty:
On the day he died, he provided gun cover for my 10 ship airlift (I was lead copilot with Gregory Keith as aircraft commander) We overflew an NVA regiment which proceeded to lace our formation. Bill's heavy team expended in one pass and quieted them down long enough for us to insert our blocking force. Bill's ship took some hits to the engine and he landed hard in a wooded area. His inertia reel failed to lock and his chest slammed down onto the cyclic control. Greg landed our ship and Bill, along with CPT Jacobsen an their door gunners jumped onto our Huey. We dropped them at the refueling port and continued to insert troops. That night, Bill was released from the hospital with a "bruised sternum". He came to the officer's mess and ordered a steak. He ordered a round of drinks for Greg and me. As he ate his steak he collapsed. We performed CPR but could not get a heart beat. Blood was flowing out of his mouth and nose with every chest compression. Since I was there and performed the chest compressions until the Flight Surgeon arrived, I can testify to two things which are inaccurate about the KIA writeup: 1. Bill didn't drink. 2. He died of an aneurism, not a heart attack. This doesn't change anything. Bill is still KIA and I lost a good friend. Maybe the next of kin will be comforted to know that he was a great aviator and good man. From: Jeff Clater

Reason: heart attack
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died illness or injuries
married male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Religion: Roman Catholic
Burial information: BLUEBONNET HILLS MEMORIAL PARK, COLLEYVILLE, TX
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: warrant officer
This record was last updated on 11/13/2008

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Date posted on this site: 11/13/2023