Name: WO1 Donald Russell Saegaert
Status: Body Not Recovered from an incident on 06/10/1965 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 25.1
Date of Birth: 05/03/1940
Home City: Berlin, CT
Service: AV branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 118 AML
Major organization: other
Flight class: 63-7W
Service: AV branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 02E-006
Short Summary: Rotor head hit by mortar round on take off from 2nd CA at Dong Xoai at 100 ft AGL, crashed and exploded. See Hall.
Aircraft: UH-1B tail number 63-08557
Call sign: BLUE THUNDERBIRD 2
Service number: W3151620
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 062B = Helicopter Pilot, Utility and Light Cargo Single Rotor
Primary cause: SVN-BNR
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: artillery or mortar
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: co-pilot
Started Tour: 07/10/1965
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
Length of service: 04
Location: Unknown Province
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - died while missing
married male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Religion: unknown
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 09/12/2011
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Date posted on this site: 11/13/2023
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