Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1D tail number 63-08808
Date: 12/28/1965 MIA-POW file reference number: 0224
Incident number: 0D506ACD Accident case number: 0D506 Total Loss Accident
Unit: 229 CAB 1 CAV
South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 4 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0
costing 0
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. Army Aviation Safety Center database. Also: 0224 ()
Loss to Inventory
Crew Members:
P CW2 PHELPS JESSE DONALD BNR
P CW2 STANCIL KENNETH LEON BNR
CE SP5 GRELLA DONALD CARROLL BNR
G SP4 RICE THOMAS JR BNR
REFNO Synopsis:
Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 15 October 1990 from one or more of
the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with
POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews.
SYNOPSIS: The large influx of American combat and support battalions arriving in
Vietnam in the mid-1960's afforded the Army Special Forces a wealth of potential
military backup and engineer support. Airmobile infantry promised quick and
decisive response to CIDG patrolling opportunities or adverse camp situations.
The availability of engineers assured required camp construction and defensive
strengthening of existing sites.
In exchange, the Special Forces provided support, regional intelligence and area
indoctrination for the arriving Army formations. In mid to late December 1965,
Special Forces Major Brewington's B-22 Detachment helped the 1st Cavalry
Division to settle into the An Khe area. Assisting, was the 299th Attack
Helicopter Battalion of the Aviation Company of 7th Special Forces Group
(Assault Helicopter).
On December 28, 1965 a UH1D helicopter from the Aviation Company departed An Khe
on a supply mission to a combat unit in the early hours. Radio transmissions
revealed that flight was difficult because of weather and darkness. The pilot,
WO2 Jesse Phelps, radioed for weather reports. The other crew of the aircraft
consisted of SP5 Donald Grella, crewchief; WO3 Kenneth Stancil, co-pilot; and
SP4 Thomas Rice, door gunner.
When the aircraft was about 10 minutes' flying time from An Khe, radio contact
was suspended, and no further word was received from the aircraft. When the UH1D
failed to return, an intensive search was conducted, with no sign of either the
lost aircraft or its crew. The crew was believed to be all killed.
War Story:
The following is the truth about what happened to the crew of flight #808 on Dec. 28th, 1965, as told by Cpt. Ed Freeman, the platoon leader for CWO Jesse D. Phelps.
On Dec. 27th, CWO Phelps was selected to fly from a base camp near Qui Nhon, about 20 miles north of An Khe, to the "golf course" at An Khe. The reason he was selected was because he was the most qualified to fly by instrumentation. The crew stayed the night at An Khe, so they could get a good nights rest and clean up. The next morning they departed from An Khe with a cargo of machine guns and hot food for the troops at the base camp near Qui Nhon. They radioed ahead to the forward camp that they were in the air and on the way. There was no contact after that.
Within a short time of being overdue a search was ordered of a grid area that was determined to be where they could have run out of fuel, in all directions. According to Capt. Freeman, (Too Tall), the search went on by air for a period of 3 days. There was one spot that appeared to have had disturbance in the trees and a Chinook helicopter was brought in and troops did repel into the area. They didn't find anything. A ground search was conducted in various areas, but some areas were not accessible, due to the jungle and swamp conditions.
This record was last updated on 04/16/2003
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