Information on U.S. Marine Corps helicopter CH-46A tail number 150270
Date: 06/11/1967 MIA-POW file reference number: 0734
Incident number: 67061120.KIA
Unit: HMM-265
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was LOSS TO INVENTORY
for Air/land Assault , Hot Area.
While Enroute this helicopter was Unknown at 0500 feet and UNK knots.
South Vietnam
UTM grid coordinates: YD048689 (To see this location on a map, go to https://legallandconverter.com/p50.html and search on Grid Reference 48QYD048689)
Count of hits was not possible because the helicopter burned or exploded.
The helicopter was hit in the Aft area
Systems damaged were: PERSONNEL, MAIN ROTOR SYS
Casualties = YES . .
The helicopter Crashed. Aircraft Destroyed.
Both mission and flight capability were terminated.
Burned
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Defense
Intelligence Agency Reference Notes. Also: 0734, LNOF, 70372, CH46, JSIDR, TWIX, NSC (Naval
Safety Center. Lindenmuth Old Format Data Base. Joint Services Incident Damage Report. )
Loss to Inventory
Crew Members:
P CPT BOHLSCHEID CURTIS RICHARD BNR
P MAJ OLDHAM JOHN SANDERS BNR
CE LCP GONZALEZ JOSE JESUS BNR
CE PFC HANRATTY THOMAS MICHAEL
Passengers and/or other participants:
LCP CHRISTIE DENNIS RAY, MC, PX, BNR
LCP KOOI JAMES WILLARD, MC, PX, BNR
CPL MOSHIER JIM EDWIN, MC, PX, BNR
LCP HAVRANEK MICHAEL WILLIAM, MC, PX, BNR
LCP FOLEY JOHN JOSEPH III, MC, PX, BNR
PFC CHOMEL CHARLES DENNIS, MC, PX, BNR
PFC WIDENER JAMES EDWARD, MC, PX, BNR
REFNO Synopsis:
On 11 June 1967, 1LT Curtis Bohlscheid was the pilot of a CH46A helicopter inserting a seven-man Marine Force Recon team into a predesignated area 11 1/2 nautical miles northwest of Dong Ha, South Vietnam -- right on the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). A total of four aircraft were involved in the mission, two CH46's and two UH1E helicopter gunships. Bohlscheid flew the lead aircraft. His crew included MAJ John S. Oldham, LCPL Jose J. Gonzales (crew chief), and PFC Thomas M. Hanratty (crew chief).
Members of the 3rd Recon Company, 3rd Recon Battalion, 3rd Marine Division who were being inserted were CPL Jim E. Moshier, LCPL Dennis R. Christie, LCPL John J. Foley III, LCPL Michael W. Havranek, LCPL James W. Kooi, PFC Charles D. Chomel, and PFC James E. Widener.
The flight departed Dong Ha at about 11:15 a.m. and proceeded to the insertion location. The gunships made low strafing runs over the landing zone to clear booby traps and to locate any enemy troops in the area. No enemy fire was received and no activity was observed. The lead aircraft then began its approach to the landing zone. At an estimated altitude of 400-600 feet, the helicopter was observed to climb erratically, similar to an aircraft commencing a loop. Machinegunmen had been waiting for the opportune time to fire on the aircraft. Portions of the rear blades were seen to separate from the aircraft and a radio transmission was received from the aircraft indicating that it had been hit. The helicopter became inverted and continued out of control until it was seen to crash by a stream in a steep ravine.
Subsequent efforts by ground units to reach the crash area failed due to a heavy bunker complex surrounding the site. The ground units inspected the site from within 500 meters through binoculars and observed no survivors. All eleven personnel aboard the helicopter were therefore classified Killed In Action, Body Not Recovered. Other USMC records indicate that the helicopter also burst into flames just prior to impacting the ground.
Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 15 June 1990 from one or more of the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews.
This record was last updated on 09/20/1998
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