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OH-23 Vietnam Losses }-> 1967-1968

04 NOV 72

CW2 Roger H. Ambruson [P]

Massachusetts

B/26 DIV AVN BN
H-23
#63-12830

A/C crashed in a wooded area of the Walter E. Fernald School in Templeton while returning to Fitchburg from a routine training flight.

05 SEP 72

CW3 William J. Pickren [P]
CIV Charles Wendel

Wisconsin

[Need A/C Unit] Camp Shelby based
H-23

A/C crashed in Hayton Swamp killing pilot and his father-in-law. Wreckage was discovered 53 days later by a farmer. One or both occupants apparently survived the crash but died of injuries and/or exposure.

22 JUL 72

CPT Gary A. Hibbs [P]

Arkansas

39 INF BDE (AR ARNG)
H-23
#59-2706
A/C was flying about 60' when it began a gentle left turn and the engine began backfiring and sputtering during a routine training flight near North Little Rock.

16 MAR 71

CW2 Charles W. Allison Jr [P]

Connecticut

23 ID (CT ARNG)
H-23

A/C nose dived into a swampy forest clearing about 300 yds off Route 6 behind the Stanley Works plant at approx 1930 hours near the Farmington-Plainville town line.

21 OCT 69

WOC Terry L. Crowe [P]

Texas

USAAVNS
H-23
A/C crashed during routine training at Ft Wolters.

13 OCT 69

CW2 James W. Paydo [P]
A1C Terrance G. Drake (USAF)

California

91 DIV (USAR)
H-23

A/C crashed and burned into the Pacific a mile west of the Golden Gate bridge after losing power. They were flying out of Crissy Field at the Presidio.

20 NOV 68

CW2 William O. Jenkins [IP]
WOC injured

Texas

USAAVNS
H-23
[Need Tail#]

A/C crashed during a training flight at Ft Wolters while attempting a landing manuever.

12 MAR 68

CW2 John B. Kinney [P]

Germany

3 BDE/24 ID
H-23

A/C crashed and exploded in a wooded area N of Ingolstadt at approx 1300 hours due to loss of control caused by air turbulence by F-105 jet fighters.

31 JAN 68

2LT Larry R. Mullens [P]
2LT N.D. Russell

Texas

USAAVNS
H-23

A/C crashed approx 8 miles W of Newcastle during cross country training flight from Ft Wolters. A/C went missing and was found 3 days later.

26 OCT 67

2LT Dale C. Bailey [P]

Texas

USAAVNS
H-23

A/C crashed about 20 miles NE of Mineral Wells after wire strike.

10 OCT 66

CIV John M. Swengel [IP]
2LT John T. Lyons

Texas

USAAVNS
OH-23D

A/C crashed on a training flight near the Brazos River, 10 miles W of Mineral Wells. Class began on 03 OCT.

21 JUN 66

CWO James W. Schwarzrock [P]
1LT Donald E. Hodges [OR]

Montana

163 CAV (MT ARNG)
H-23

A/C crashed in a ravine shortly after takeoff and burned in the Limestone Hills area near Townsend.

NOTE: first fatalities in the 20-year history of the Montana Army Aviation program.

10 NOV 65

2LT Michael A. Galaida [P]

Texas

USAAVNS
H-23D

A/C crashed 1 mile north of a Nike Hercules missile site near Mineral Wells during night take offs and landings at a stage field after some fog rolled in.

07 AUG 65

CWO C.E. Spiva [P]

Arizona

[Need A/C Unit] Ft Hood based
H-23

A/C crashed and burned about 100 yds off US HWY 80 in Telegraph Pass after striking power lines while transporting A/C from San Bernadino to El Paso in flight of two.

09 FEB 65

LTC Rudolph F. Giglio [P]

Korea

15 AVN BN
H-23
A/C crashed in the South Korean village of Ma Dong near the DMZ. A 6-year-old Korean boy was also killed.

08 AUG 63

SP4 Dexter T. Floyd* [CE]
P injured

South Carolina

D/4/12 CAV
H-23
Ft Carson based A/C lost power and crashed into Lake Greenwood near Long's Fish Camp at Cross Hill during Operation Swift Strike III. *Body recovered 10AUG63.

30 JAN 61

CWO Nicholas W. Nickas [P]

Illinois

[Need A/C Unit]
H-23
5956 DA

A/C nosedived into a snowy cornfield near suburban Arlington Heights after the blades detached themselves as it hovered 150-200' in the air minutes after taking off.

04 JAN 61

CWO Robert F. Pohl [P]

Wisconsin

[Need A/C Unit]
H-23

A/C crashed in an open field approx 1 mi from Timmerman Field after dropping off PAX. A/C was level at 400-500', slowed and started a nose-low, rapid descent. At 200-300' the A/C made a right turn almost 180 deg still descending. A/C tilted fwd an impacted the ground in a 45 deg angle. PAX seat belt slipped under the pitch control causing loss of M/R RPM.

23 JAN 60

CPT Ronald S. Elwell [P]

Texas

USAAVNS
H-23

Mid-air collision at 1315 hours approx 2 1/2 miles north of Camp Wolters on the Grady Seale Ranch while on solo cross country flight to Abilene.

2LT Jerry L. Burton [P]

02 APR 59

CWO Leo F. Tuttle [P]
MAJ Joseph Giuliani
CPT Patrick G. McDonnell

Washington

[Need A/C Unit]
H-23D

A/C crashed and burned on the Hanford Atomic Works Reservation, 25 miles north of Richland.

25 SEP 56

LTC Clair R. Burpee [P]

Michigan

46 DIV (MI ARNG)
H-23

A/C crashed and burst into flames on the outskirts of Lansing after the rotor was lost in mid-air.

07 JUN 56

1LT Joseph B. Warner* [P]
SP3 Richard W. Sayre

Arizona

521 ENG (TOPO AVN)
H-23

A/C crashed in the mountains while aiding in a surveying job at Yuma Test Station, 23 mi NW of Indio. Pilot attempted to land on rock formation which apparently gave way causing A/C to pitch left and forward down the steep slope, rolling 250' down the slope and burst into flames. *Warner died in early July of burn injuries received.

13 FEB 55

CPT Joseph S. Wolfinger [P]
PVT James F. Gilliam

California

521 ENG (TOPO AVN)
H-23

A/C crashed near Banning while ferrying helicopter to Palm Springs from Fort Winfield Scott. A/C was traveling east when it suddenly flipped in the air, dove to the ground and burst into flames at approx 1650 hrs into a plowed field one block north of US Hwy 99 near Highland Springs Rd.

05 AUG 54

SGT Robert J. Mulqueen

Oklahoma

USAAVNS
H-23

A/C suddenly went out of control crashed and burned at Ft Sill killing the student pilot after attempting to loop the A/C.

26 MAR 54

CPT Donald R. Gunter [P]

Oklahoma

[Need A/C Unit]
H-23

A/C fell from 400', crashed and burst into flames near a landing strip 15 miles N of Ft Sill, while on a routine training flight.

03 NOV 53

WO1 Herbert W. Simmons Jr [P]
CP injured

North Carolina

509 TC
H-23

Mid-air crash between two H-23 aircraft during training flights at Ft Bragg.

*Simmons AAF at Ft Bragg named in his honor.

10 FEB 53

WO Alfred C. Felker [P]
PFC William T. Taylor [CE]

Georgia

506 TC
H-23

A/C crashed and burned near Winterville while ferrying cross-country from Ft Benning to Ft Bragg. A/C had just departed Athens Municipal Airport.

*Felker AAF at Ft Eustis was named in honor, dedicated on 07 DEC 54.

01 JUN 51

CPT Loftin Martin [P]
CIV William M. Nell [IP]

Oklahoma

AIR TRN DEPT
H-23A
#51-3984

A/C spun 500 feet and crashed to the ground during a routine training mission from Ft Sill.

Raven Vietnam Losses

21 NOV 68

WO1 Gerald M. Ortego [P]
SGT Joe H. Stanley [CE]

Quang Nam Province

198 INF BDE
H-23
#64-15303
Killed by a 122mm rocket while running up on the HQ pad at Da Nang.

09 JUL 68

CW2 George A. Gray [P]

Dinh Tuong Province

HHC 3 BDE
H-23
Hit by small arms fire - landed helicopter after wounded, died of wounds.

22 JUN 68

CPT Warner C. Jacobson [OB]

Vietnam

[Need A/C Unit]
H-23G
Killed when the A/C was struck by automatic weapons fire near Chu Lai.

21 MAY 68

SP5 Victor R. Heesacker [CE]

Quang Ngai Province

B/123 AVN
H-23
During armed recon about 12K NW of Quang Ngai, CE was shot in the face by a BAR, roughly 20' from the A/C.

08 APR 68

SP5 Charles M. Dutton [CE]
SP4 Glenn U. Andreotta [G]
P WIA

Quang Ngai Province

B/123 AVN
H-23
#62-03813
A/C was hit with 12.7mm in the swashplate and flight controls.

06 MAR 68

WO1 Donald E. Kenton [P]
SP4 Gary L. Engebretson [OB]
SP4 John A. Kozach [OB]

Quang Ngai Province

HHC 198 BDE
H-23
#63-12874
A/C was shot down while on an unarmed recon mission.

19 FEB 68

1LT James E. Mullins [P]

Thua Thien Province

101 ABN
H-23
#64-15135
A/C shot down south of Quang Tri.

03 FEB 68

CW2 Orrin L. Dyer Jr [P]
1 WIA

Kontum Province

B/4 AVN
H-23
#64-15300
A/C shot down, crashed and burned.

28 NOV 67

1LT David R. Blackburn [P]
1LT Edward R. Naylor Jr [OB]

Dinh Tuong Province

9 INF DIVERTY
H-23
#63-12823
Speculate he may have been flying too close to the gun target line and shot himself down.

08 SEP 67

WO1 Gaylord L. Westbay [P]
SP4 Russell G. Garrison
1 WIA

Pleiku Province

2 BDE
H-23
#62-03822
A/C crashed due to fuel exhaustion (faulty gauges). Pilot and PAX was trapped in the wreckage and other PAX was searching for help when NVA killed them and pilfered the acft.

14 AUG 67

WO1 Leonard E. Easley [P]

Quang Tin Province

282 AHC
H-23
#62-03815
Shot in the neck near Da Nang.

12 AUG 67

SGM Cyril E. Stirnkorb [OB]

Vietnam

11 ACR
H-23
#64-15180
While climbing to 180', a grinding noise was heard and the RPM started to bleed off. The engine quit and the xmsn light came on. While making an autorotation into jungle growth, the left skid struck a log and A/C rolled on its right side. The rotor blades of the rescue aircraft (OH-23G #63-12784) struck OB as he stood on the skid of the downed aircraft. Suspect xmsn and/or engine failure A/C and engine failure on the rescue acft.

18 JUN 67

1LT William E. Lemmons [P]
CPT James C. McKittrick [OB]
SFC Edward J. Guillory [OB]

Quang Tin Province

HHC 196 BDE
H-23
#64-15194
A/C became missing on a visual recon mission. A/C was reportedly sat down due to maintenance problem and crew were later killed in firefight. VC moved the A/C and hid it in the river.

01 JUN 67

WO1 James R. Simpson [P]
MAJ William G. Coats [OB]

Vietnam

25 AVN
H-23
#62-03793
A/C apparently crashed in a level attitude and burned on impact. Crashed due to control rotor paddle separation at trunion caused by corrosion.

17 FEB 67

WO1 Ernest V. Hensel Jr [P]
1 WIA (POW)

Kontum Province

D/1/10 CAV
H-23
#64-15293
A/C shot down by anti-aircraft fire while transitioning to low level to begin VR.

17 FEB 67

SP4 Ronald D. Hart [C]
1 other KIA

Kontum Province

D/1/10 CAV
H-23
#64-15313
A/C was shot down by anti-aircraft fire near the Cambodian border west of Pleiku. (YA568588)

12 JAN 67

CPT Ronald R. Van Regenmorter [P]
SSG Thomas C. Shea [CE]

Vietnam

196 BDE
H-23
#62-03800
A/C was on a test flight after replacing a transmission oil seal and #3 PE. Pitch link gave way and A/C crashed from 750' into an empty hootch and burned.