Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 68-16520
The Army purchased this helicopter 1269
Total flight hours at this point: 00000564
Date: 08/10/1970 MIA-POW file reference number: 1655
Incident number: 70081010.KIA
Unit: D/1/1 CAV
Laos
UTM grid coordinates: YC700000 (To see this location on a map, go to https://legallandconverter.com/p50.html and search on Grid Reference 48PYC700000)
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Defense Intelligence Agency Reference Notes. Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database. Also: 1655 ()
Loss to Inventory
Crew Members:
AC CW2 BOYLE WILLIAM E RES
P WO1 SMITH GARY B RES
CE SP4 CROWLEY JOHN EDWARD BNR
G SP4 ALVAREZ JESUS O RES
REFNO Synopsis:
CROWLEY, JOHN EDWARD
Name: John Edward Crowley
Rank/Branch: E4/US Army
Unit: Troop D, 1st Squadron, 1st Cavalry, 23rd Infantry Division (Americal)
Date of Birth: 25 September 1949 (Sodus NY)
Home City of Record: Williamson NY
Date of Loss: 10 August 1970
Country of Loss: Laos
Loss Coordinates: 152149N 1073055E (YC700000)
Status (in 1973): Killed/Body Not Recovered
Category: 3
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: UH1H
Other Personnel in Incident: CW2 William E. Boyle; WO Gary B. Smith; SP4 Jesus
O. Alvarez (all rescued); passengers from MACV-SOG team (unnamed - rescued)
REMARKS:
SYNOPSIS: WO Gary B. Smith, pilot; William E. Boyle, aircraft commander; SP4
John E. Crowley, crew chief, SP4 Jesus O. Alvarez, door gunner; and an
unspecified number of passengers were in a UH1H helicopter (tail #68-16520) on
a classified "Prairie Fire" operation in the lower panhandle area of Laos.
"Prairie Fire" teams performed deep penetration missions of strategic
reconnaissance and interdiction which were also called, depending on the time
fram, "Shining Brass" missions. The missions operated under MACV-SOG (Military
Assistance Command, Vietnam Studies and Observation Group).
MACV-SOGG was a joint service high command unconventional warfare task force
engaged in highly classified operations throughout Southeast Asia. The 5th
Special Forces channeled personnel into MACV-SOG (although it was not a Special
Forces group) through Special Operations Augmentation (SOA), which provided
their "cover" while under secret orders to MACV-SOG.
When the helicopter was about 25 feet above the ground, it suddenly lost power
and crashed. No reason for the crash could be determined. Crowley and one
passenger were trapped inside the aircraft.
A medic from another helicopter entered the wreckage and managed to free the
passenger, but noticed that Crowley was firmly wedged between the aircraft and
the ground. After two or three minutes of effort, the medic gave up trying to
free him. The medic determined that Crowley was dead, as there was no pulse,
and he could get no response from him.
All personnel were extracted and another rescue team was inserted just before
dark, but was unable to get back to the wrecked aircraft because of enemy
activity. The second team was extracted the next day, and no further efforts
were made to go back to the crash site.
Crowley was flying in support of an exceedingly dangerous mission. For every
insertion like the one of August 10, 1970 that was detected and stopped, dozens
of other commando teams safely slipped past NVA lines to strike a wide range of
targets and collect vital information. The number of MACV-SOG missions
conducted with Special Forces reconnaissance teams into Laos and Cambodia was
452 in 1969. It was the most sustained American campaign of raiding, sabotage
and intelligence-gathering waged on foreign soil in U.S. military history.
MACV-SOG's teams earned a global reputation as one of the most combat effective
deep-penetration forces ever raised.
This record was last updated on 05/25/1998
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Date posted on this site: 11/13/2023
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