Information on U.S. Army helicopter OH-6A tail number 68-17338
The Army purchased this helicopter 1169
Total flight hours at this point: 00001494
Date: 06/12/1972 MIA-POW file reference number: 1875
Incident number: 72061222.TXT
Unit: F/8 CAV
South Vietnam
UTM grid coordinates: YD544152
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. Also: 1875 ()
Loss to Inventory
Crew Members:
OB SP4 WILEY RICHARD DENNIS BNR
War Story:
S T A T E M E N T
- - - - - - - - - 13 June 1972
SUBJECT: Sandy 07 & 08 (BLUE GHOST 10)
1. A successful rescue was made of Blue Ghost 10 a U.S. Army OH6 LOH pilot.
The aircraft with 2 SOB was downed by suspected small arms fire on the 280
degree radial for 19 nautical miles off of channel 69. THis was within 3
kilometers of where two army helicopters had been downed by enemy ground
fire the previous day with no survivors.
2. Blue Ghost 10 was downed at approximately 0200Z. Sandy 07 & 08 (Lt
Hukee & Capt Bardahl) were scrambled at 0215Z [from DaNang] but before
getting airborne were told to return to the parking area and shut down.
Queen [DaNang GCI] advised that there were numerous army choppers in the
area and that the Sandys and Jollys were not needed at this time. At 0330Z
Sandy 07 & 08 and Jolly Green 65 & 21 were scrambled by Queen and told that
although no radio contact had been made with the survivor, mirror flashed
were observed from the crash site. We were airborne at 0345Z and contacted
King [USAF SAR command and control C-130]. King advised that Covey 116 was
the on scene commander at the time and that he was putting fast mover
strikes in the area. Covey 116 advised that known enemy locations were 300
meters north, 300 meters west, and 300 meters east of the survivor. Since
no radio contact had been made, Covey 116 was not sure whether there was
one or two survivors. Jolly Green 65 and 21 held feet wet east of channel
69 and Sandy 07 & 08 went straight to the SAR scene. Covey 116 showed
Sandy 07 the survivor's position as soon as he arrived in the immediate
area at 0415Z. On scene command was given to Sandy 07 at this time and
Covey 116 RTB'd to channel 77 as he was running low on fuel. Sandy 07 made
several low passes over the survivor with Sandy 08 watching for ground
fire. Covey 15 now arrived on scene and he started putting in fast movers
to the west and north. Each time Sandy 07 rolled in over the survivor, he
got mirror flashes from him. The survivor was about 10 meters from the
wreckage of his chopper. Sandy 08 and Covey 15 were shown the exact
location of the survivor by Sandy 07. Due to the lack of [observed] ground
fire received, Sandy 07 decided a pickup attempt would be made using Jolly
Green 65 and 21 who were holding feet wet east of channel 69. The plan was
to have Covey 28 put in a flight of fast movers 500 meters north of the
survivor during the pickup. Sandy 08 exited the area to bring the Jollys
to a final holding point about 5 kilometers to the east of the survivor.
Jolly 65 was told to proceed from the final holding point on a heading of
210 degrees as low and as fast as he could. At the command of execution,
Sandy 07 dropped a "too far" M-47 [100 lb smoke bomb] and headed out to
join with Sandy 08 and Jolly 65. Sandy 07 and 08 put down parallel
east-west smoke screens 25 meters south and 50 meters north of the survivor
respectively. Sandy 07 and 08 delivered ordnance while the Jolly was in
the hover and no ground fire was observed during the pickup which occurred
at 0630Z. The survivor who was severely burned and lost his radio in the
crash said the chopper rolled onto the other occupant after the crash.
Sandy 07 and 08 escorted Jolly 65 with the survivor and Jolly 21 to channel
77 [DaNang]. Sandy 07 & 08 landed at 0710Z.
SIGNED SIGNED
Hukee, Byron E., 1Lt, USAF Bardahl, Eugene A., Capt, USAF
Sandy 07 Sandy 08
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Byron Hukee
5762 Hwy 25 S.
Fruitland, WA 99129
(509) 722-3469
This record was last updated on 05/25/1998
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