Name: MAJ Donald Gordon Radcliff
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 08/18/1965 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 37.6
Date of Birth: 01/04/1928
Home City: Louisville, KY
Service: AR branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: HHT/1/9 CAV 1 CAV
Major organization: 1st Cavalry Division
Service: AR branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 02E-059
Short Summary: Gunship escorting LZ Blue assault. Radcliff was 1/9 Squadron XO. See Bows book
Aircraft: UH-1B tail number 63-08711
Service number: O1020571
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 61204
Primary cause: Hostile Fire
Compliment cause: small arms fire
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
Length of service: 18
Location: Unknown Province
Additional information about this casualty:
The 6th Airlift Platoon was initially based in Danang as part of the I Corps Aviation Co (Prov). The Platoon provided gunship support to elements in I Corps. In Mid August 1965 prior to moving to Tan Son Nhut, the platoon was providing support to a Marine Operation in I Corps. The AC of one of the guns was Dave Gehling, his pilot was a member of the Advanced Party of the 1st Cav Div, Maj Radcliff. During the assault the aircraft came under fire and took a number of hits. Maj Radcliff was fatally wounded - thereby becoming the first casualty of the 1st Cav Div and the Div base camp was named for him. So the first casualty of the 1st Cav Div occured in a 6th Platoon aircraft.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - killed
married male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Religion: Presbyterian
Burial information: ZACHARY TAYLOR NATIONAL CEM, LOUISVILLE, KY
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: officer
This record was last updated on 12/09/2009
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Date posted on this site: 11/13/2023
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