PURSEL THOMAS RONALD

Name: WO1 Thomas Ronald Pursel
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 05/19/1968 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 19.7
Date of Birth: 09/17/1948
Home City: Yakima, WA
Service: AV branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: HHC 15 MED 1 CAV
Major organization: 1st Cavalry Division
Flight class: 67-21/67-19
Service: AV branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 63E-016
Short Summary: Flying ac MEDEVAC E of Evans after 3 wks in Ashau rotated to "easy" mission. One round from sniper at 300 yds through the head. memo
Call sign: MEDECAV
Service number: W3158916
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 062B = Helicopter Pilot, Utility and Light Cargo Single Rotor
Primary cause: Sniper
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: small arms fire
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: pilot
Started Tour: 01/18/1968
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - pilot
Location: Thua Thien Province I Corps.

Additional information about this casualty:
Pursel would take a MEDEVAC anywhere but would not fire a gun. I covered him many times. A. R. Price his rommate in class 67-19.

Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - killed
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Religion: Protestant - other churches
Burial information: WEST HILLS MEMORIAL PARK, YAKIMA, WA
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 04/26/2002

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Date posted on this site: 11/13/2023