Information on U.S. Marine Corps helicopter CH-46A tail number 151938
Date: 11/20/1968
Incident number: 68112022.KIA
Unit: HMM-265
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was LOSS TO INVENTORY
for Troop Insertation
While on Landing Zone this helicopter was Landing at 0050 feet and 050 knots.
South Vietnam
Count of hits was not possible because the helicopter burned or exploded.
Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive ballistic projectiles less than 20 mm in size. (RPG)
Systems damaged were: UNK
Casualties = 01 KIA, 02 WIA, 04 D . .
The helicopter Crashed. Aircraft Destroyed.
Both mission and flight capability were terminated.
Exploded
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Defense
Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database. Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis
Center Helicopter database. Also: OPERA, NSC, BOING, CH46, Bruce Lake's book (Naval Safety Center.
Operations Report. )
Summary: Received enemy fire, shot down, crashed, and burned while approaching the zone. Both pilots died of burns, both EM seriously injured.
Loss to Inventory
Crew Members:
P CPT EMERSON WILLIAM KIA
P 1LT HARRELL JOHN REHILL KIA
War Story:
This aircraft was part of a 40 to 50 CH-46 strike at Hill 55. All but one or two of them took some enemy rounds. This aircraft was one of three from HMM-265 shot down this day. Both EM were thrown clear in the crash but were seriously injured. One had a bad head injury and the other a ruptured spleen. Bruce Lake visited to two EM in the hospital the next day and was shocked at how badly they were hurt. Extracted from 1500 Feet Over Vietnam, page 261
This record was last updated on 05/25/1998
Additional information is available on CD-ROM.
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Date posted on this site: 09/07/2007
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