Vietnam War Pacific Stars and Stripes

Pacific Stars and Stripes information

For date 700426

Primary service involved, US Army
South Vietnam
Location, Saigon
Description: The following is an edited version of an article titled "U.S. Loses 27 Helos In Week ." Saigon (S&S Vietnam Bureau) - The United States lost 27 helicopters and nine fixed-wing aircraft in the Vietnam war during the week ending April 21, the U.S. command reported Friday. The new figures bring the totals lost during the war to 3,603 helicopters and 3,091 fixed-wing aircraft, according to a U.S. spokesman. Just the helicopter losses for the week would amount to more than $6 million figured on the basic cost of $318,000 for the most common chopper used in the war, the UH1 "Huey." The command does not break down chopper losses by type. However, the spokesman said one of last week's losses was an AH1 Cobra shot down by Red gunners in the Mekong Delta 14 miles southwest of Saigon Wednesday. Both crewmen were reported wounded. The spokesman said the Cobra's basic cost is $318,000; the CH47 Chinook's is $1.5 million; the OH6A Cayuse light observation helicopter $190,000; and the OH58A Kiowa LOH $100,00. Four of the fixed-wing aircraft went Laos, the command spokesman said. One other went down in Vietnam, and four were support aircraft, he said. He did not say where the support aircraft were lost. One of these planes was a U.S. Air Force F4 Phantom jet shot down by Red gunners in the lower panhandle of Laos Wednesday, the spokesman said. He said both crew members were rescued from the area of Laos just west of South Vietnam's northern most area.

The source for this information was 7004pss.avn supplied by Les Hines 02/02/2000

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Last updated 02/03/2000

Date posted on this site: 05/13/2023