Pacific Stars and Stripes information
for 189 AHC

For date 680125


189 AHC was a US Army unit
Primary service involved, US Army
Kontum Province, II Corps, South Vietnam
Location, Dak To
Description: The following is an edited version of an article titled "Brings in Stricken Copter." Dak To (IO) - An Army pilot successfully landed his "doomed" smoke-filled helicopter after an enemy .50-cal. round had ignited a red-colored smoke grenade within the aircraft. After completing one mission, WO Thomas L. Brink of Ridgeway, Pa., piloted his 189th AHC helicopter toward Hill 943, which is just a few miles from the battle-scarred Dak To. Brink was searching the hill for signs of enemy mortars in the dense jungle foliage. During his second pass over the area, the warrant officer's aircraft came under enemy .50-cal. automatic weapons fire. "When the round struck the aircraft, it sounded like a rocket had hit me in the tail," the pilot remarked later. "When I looked around to check for damage, red smoke was coming from somewhere." The round had pierced the belly of his ship and hit a red smoke grenade hanging from the radio console. Thick red smoke completely blinded the occupants of the "Ghostrider" as Brink thrust his head out of the window in search of an emergency landing zone. The grenade, still burning, had lodged between the radio and its carriage. The crew chief SP4 John P. Miller grabbed the "hot" grenade and pitched it from the ship.
Comments: WO Brink, Thomas L.; 189th AHC pilot; ; SP4 Miller, John P.; 189th AHC CE; ;

The source for this information was 6801pss.avn supplied by Les Hines


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Date posted on this site: 05/13/2023