Chinook I can’t remember the date of the incident. All I know is it was after May 1968 and before the end of October 1968 ( Thanks Bruce, the date was October 3rd) over Camp Evans in the High I Corps. This is a true story as I remember it. I am sure that there are others who may remember it differently. I have asked my friend Bruce Huffman about the date. He kept very good records. When he tells me I will update this blog. A lot of men got killed in Vietnam by the enemy. Some got killed by a mistake that another soldier made and some got killed because someone wasn’t doing their job. This story is because of the third reason. Although it is not a gory story it is graphic. This did not have to happen.
We had just finished eating lunch. We did not have a mission that day so after lunch we were just sitting around waiting for a mission to come in. The sky was blue with a few white fluffy clouds here and there. I was talking to a couple of guys when I noticed their faces change from laughter to shock. I turned around. A Caribou is a medium size aircraft use for shuttling personnel and supplies from one base to another. A Chinook is a very large helicopter use for the same purposes but to deliver the men and supplies to the field. Eleven hundred feet in the air on this sky blue day the two of them collided. The front set of blades from the Chinook cut through the window of the Caribou. The after action report said the blades from the Chinook decapitated the pilot, co-pilot and navigator . The Caribou did a 360 degree turn and then proceeded to head towards the ground in a belly landing. It took almost a 1/4 mile on the ground for the Caribou to come to a stop. A few on board the Caribou survived for a short time but then passed on. Everyone else on board died instantly. These men were either going back to the base camp and then to a week of Rest and Relaxation (R&R) or from base camp they were going home for their time in Vietnam was up.
The chinook helicopter broke in half. On the helicopter was food going to the troops, much-anticipated mail but worst of all there were men who going to join their unit. When the chinook broke in half, men began to fall to the ground. As they fell they were scratching and clawing trying to grab a hold of a particle of air or something to stop them from falling. Their screams were haunting. No one survived. All we could do was watch in horror. We understood the fear going through those mens minds. Two hundred feet is a long way.
On board each of these aircraft were soldiers whose jobs were to make sure something like this didn’t happen. They were the crew chiefs whose job was to keep watch for other aircraft coming into thier area. The Air Traffic Controller also didn’t do his job. Was it that they just got to the point where they had made these take offs and landings so many times they didn’t take the time to make sure all was okay? Who knows. If just one of them had been doing their job that day, the results would have been different.
Thanks to Bruce Huffman I add the following information. These are actual reports and eyewitness accounts:
Mid Air Collision at Camp Evans RVN October 3, 1968
Probably one of the greatest fears in Vietnam was to die on the way home. Time and again there was example after example of how you weren’t really safe until you heard the wheels thump into the wheel wells of the DC-8 Freedom Bird taking us home. What follows is our recollections of that day in 1968, the accident report and the list of all known KIAs from the National Archives for the First Cavalry Division.
It all started with:
Official Accident Summary:
THE US AIR FORCE C7-A DEPARTED CAMP EVANS AIRFIELD FROM RUNWAY 36. HIS LAST RADIO TRANSMISSION AFTER RECEIVING TOWER CLEARANCE WAS “ROLLING”. THIS AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED TO BREAK RIGHT PRIOR TO REACHING THE END OF THE RUNWAY. HE CONTINUED A CLIMBING TURN TO A HEADING OF APPROXIMATELY 130 DEGREES. THE CH-47 HELICOPTER HAD DEPARTED LZ NANCY ONLY A FEW MINUTES BEFORE.
IT WAS PROCEEDING SOUTH ALONG HIGHWAY QL-1, ON A HEADING OF 170 DEGREES, IN A SHALLOW DESCENT. THIS IS A SCHEDULED DAILY PASSENGER AND MAIL SHUTTLE AND WOULD HAVE ENTERED TRAFFIC ON A RIGHT BASE LEG FOR LANDING AT THE CAMP EVANS ASP PAD IS THE REGULAR STOP FOR THIS SHUTTLE AND IS LOCATED EAST OF THE CENTERLINE OF RUNWAY 36, APPROXIMATELY 1000 FEET SOUTH OF THE APPROACH END OF THAT RUNWAY.
HE HAD NOT YET CALLED THE TOWER FOR CLEARANCE, THOUGH HIS UHF RADIO WAS ON TOWER FREQUENCY. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT THE CH-47 WAS CRUISING AT APPROXIMATELY 95 TO 100 KNOTS. THE C7A WITH CLIMB POWER SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT ABOUT 105 KNOTS. THE TWO AIRCRAFT CONVERGED AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 1100 FEET AT A RELATIVE ANGLE OF APPROXIMATELY 40 DEGREES. THE COCKPIT SECTION OF THE C7-A CONTACTED THE REAR ROTOR OF THE HELICOPTER. THE C7-A HAD STARTED A RIGHT BANK, PROBABLY A LAST MINUTE ATTEMPT TO AVOID THE COLLISION. WHEN THE TWO AIRCRAFT COLLIDED, AT LEAST ONE OF THE HELICOPTER REAR ROTOR BLADES SLICED THROUGH THE COCKPIT SECTION OF THE AIRPLANE ON AN ANGLE FROM THE TOP OF THE COPILOTS WINDSHIELD DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF THE PILOTS WINDSHIELD, KILLING BOTH PILOTS INSTANTLY, AND DESTROYING ALL ENGINE CONTROLS.
AT THE SAME TIME, ONE OF THE ROTOR BLADES, OR DEBRIS FROM THE COCKPIT STRUCK THE LEFT PROPELLER OF THE C7-A. ONE OF THE BLADES WAS SEVERED FROM THE PROPELLER, AND PASSED THROUGH BOTH SIDES OF THE FUSELAGE OF THE AIRPLANE. THE LEFT PROPELLER THEN SEPARATED FROM THE ENGINE AND FELL TO THE GROUND. THE C7-A MADE A STEEP DESCENDING RIGHT TURN AND STRUCK THE GROUND ON A HEADING OF 340 DEGREES. THE AIRCRAFT DISINTEGRATED, ALL PERSONNEL ABOARD PERISHED, THERE WAS NO FIRE. THE CH-47, AT THE MOMENT OF THE COLLISION LOST ALL OF ITS REAR MAIN ROTOR BLADES. ONCE THESE BLADES WERE BROKEN AND DISTORTED BY THE COLLISION, THEY CHOPPED INTO THE TOP OF THE HELICOPTERS FUSELAGE BEFORE FINALLY SEPARATING FROM THE HUB.
THEY DISLODGED TWO SECTIONS OF THE SYNCHRONIZER DRIVE SHAFT WHICH ALSO FELL TO THE GROUND. AT THIS TIME, BOTH ROTOR SYSTEMS COULD NOT PROVIDE ANY THRUST, AND THE HELICOPTER BECAME A FREE FALLING BODY. WHILE IT WAS TUMBLING TO EARTH, THE REAR ROTOR MAST AND PYLON SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE AND LANDED 150 METERS SHORT OF THE FUSELAGE. THE FUSELAGE TUMBLED TO EARTH AND IMPACTED ON A HEADING OF APPROXIMATELY 120 DEGREES. IT LANDED ON ITS TOP LEFT SIDE IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE, WITH NEAR ZERO FORWARD SPEED. IT EXPLODED ON IMPACT. TWO PERSONS FELL OUT OF THE HELICOPTER AS IT TUMBLED THROUGH THE AIR. THEY WERE FATALLY INJURED ON CONTACT WITH THE GROUND. THOSE REMAINING IN THE HELICOPTER DIED IN THE CRASH.
Information on U.S. Army helicopter tail number: 66-19041
Date: 681003
Incident number: 681003141ACD
Accident case number: 681003141
Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: A/ 228 Combat Support Aviation Battalion 1st Cavalry Division, Phu Bai Province
Number killed in accident: 11 Injured: 0 Passengers: 6
Crew Members:
AC W2 JOHNSON THOMAS EUGENE KIA
P W1 CONROY RONALD LEE KIA
FE E4 COSTLEY LARRY L KIA
CE E4 PIERCE JERRY LEE JR KIA
G E4 REESE DENNIS DEAN KIA
Passengers from the aircraft accident list are:
CPT ALDERSON THOMAS EARL
SFC CLEMENTS DAWSON
SSG YOUNG WILLIAM RANDOLPH
PFC LUCIER JOHN WILLIAM
SSG WALLACE CHARLES JAMES
SP4 SEE MICHAEL DUANE
CPT Thomas E. Alderson was not a member of the 1st Air Cavand not listed in the National Archives list of all known losses – 1st Cavalry Division. The National Archives list of all known losses in the 1st Cavalry Division on October 3, 1968 lists the following names. Each name has a code beside it which designates whether they were on the CH-47 or the C-7A. The military occupational specialty (MOS) is the numerical designation shown to the right of the name, (i.e. 11B20) is a lower ranking infantryman.
SFC Dawson Clement 31G40 Tactical Commo Chief CH-47
WO1 Ronald L. Conroy 062B CoPilot CH-47 CH-47
SP4 Larry L. Costley 67U20 CH-47 Crewmember CH-47
SP4 Donald J. Cramer Jr. 05B20 Comm. Specialist C-7A
SP4 David J. Dellangelo 11B20 Infantryman C-7A
SP5 David A. Disrud 4C20 Welder C-7A
SP5 Allen E. Gomes 94B20 Cook C-7A
SP5 Dale G. Granger 31E20 Field Radio Repairer C-7A
PFC Joe J. Hibbler 11B20 Infantryman C-7A
CW2 Thomas E. Johnson 062B Pilot CH 47 CH-47
PFC John W. Lucier 71F20 Postal Clerk CH-47
SP5 David B. Perreault 94B20 Cook C-7A
SP5 Jerry L. Pierce 67U20 CH 47 Crewmember CH-47
SP4 Dennis D. Reese 67A1P OH-6 Crew Chief CH-47
SP4 Michael D. See 91B20 Medic CH-47
PFC Robert D. Tomlinson 11B20 Infantryman C-7A
SSG Charles J. Wallace 67Y40 AH-1G Maint NCO CH-47
PFC Dennis A. Wirt 11B20 Infantryman C-7A
SSG William R. Young 45B40 Small Arms Artillery Repairer CH-47
From the United States Air Force in Southeast Asia-Tactical Airlift, page 475:
Prior to 1968, three serious operational problems defied effective solution, all requiring better coordination between the U.S. Army and the Air Force in the field. First, flying officers of both services testified to the danger of midair collision near forward airstrips. This was the result of uncontrolled flying, incompatible radio equipment, and the absence of commonly accepted procedures for Army helicopter and Air Force transport operations at shared airheads. A midair collision between a Caribou and a Chinook near Camp Evans on October 3, 1968, cost twenty five lives and tragically illustrated the problem. Second, physical conditions at forward airstrips were sometimes unnecessarily dangerous. Hazards included bunkers or other obstacles near runways and taxi areas, uncontrolled vehicle and pedestrian traffic and landing surfaces needing improvement. Third, a better system for warning transport crews of firing by friendly artillery was needed.
The destruction of an Air Force Caribou by a 155MM shell while landing at Ha Thahn in August 1967 highlighted this problem.
Joe Potvin A/227th /1st Air Cav
I was sitting in POL hot refueling and watched the C7-A take off to the North from the active runway. We were facing north so I lost sight of the fixed wing after it made a hard right break which I’m sure kept it either inside of or over Hwy 1. The Air Force jocks thought the Evans area was pretty dangerous so they max performance takeoffs out of there to limit exposure.
The next thing I knew was my crew chief was at my door telling me he had just watched the C7 run into a Chinook, at about the same time the tower frequency lit up with calls for assistance from any helicopters in the area.
We buttoned up and headed for the crash site, you could see smoke coming from the CH-47 crash site but the C7 was harder to find. I landed next to the C7 wreckage ( a polite term meaning big ass hole in the rice paddy ) and did a quick walk around with my crew chief. There wasn’t a thing left. It was all buried in the rice paddy (no standing water but still wet). The biggest thing I saw was one of the mangled engines..
Chief and I looked at each other, went back to aircraft and left the area. Not a pleasant sight. By that time many more troops were arriving and it was clear we were only in the way. I don’t think any of us wanted to stay around and sift through the wreckage looking for parts.
Gene Lassiter, 228th /1st Air Cav, 68-69
I was already at BN HQ when this happened. I remember Lt. Col. Paquette, who commanded from June to December 1968, in a rage because the AF type who commanded the Caribou unit tried to blame the Hook for the crash. It turned out that the Caribou driver was horsing around and pulled a steep climb and turn immediately after take-off. If I remember right, the blade of the Hook took out the cockpit of the Caribou and it was thought that the plane was otherwise flyable, but of course had no hands “at the wheel”. I think there was a Longhorn on the Caribou going on R&R and his brother was at Evans watching the whole thing. I could be wrong about that. Still don’t remember the date. The 228th flight surgeon was one of the first on the scene and I’ll never forget his face when he came back. We were all pretty sick.
Dave Greene B/227th /1st Air Cav
The mid-air between the hook and the caribou happened the day before I was to DEROS (from Evans to An Khe). I was watching the Caribou take off (’cause I was to ride it the next afternoon), when it turned through the downwind leg of traffic. It clipped the back rotor of the hook. It lost about 15-20 feet of wing, but the rotors probably went through the cockpit too. It pitched up to a stall and then nosed over straight down. The hook started to spin, throwing bodies out the back of the aircraft. God, what a horrible sight to witness such a tragedy. I think 42 people were killed. It was hard to get on that plane the next day![1]
J. Bruce Huffman C/1/9th /1st Air Cav
I was standing just inside the RED tent, near Charlie Troop’s company street, when I was startled by the hideous sound of metal tearing and engines roaring; no longer under control. There was immediate recognition of what had transpired without ever turning my head to look. As I stepped out into the dusty street, I saw the severed pieces of the Chinook tumbling toward the earth, while a C7-A continued briefly to climb in a steep right bank streaming a mist of fuel behind it’s severed right wing. The Chinooks aft pylon and ramp tumbled toward the earth; spewing leaflets from the ramp with each rotation. The forward fuselage seemed to slump and hesitate, beneath the forward rotor, before it took a downward path and impacted the soft earth outside the southern perimeter with a heavy ‘thump’.
The Caribou stalled, toward its severed wing, and went into a violent nose down spinning spiral of one and a half rotations to the right before impacting the soft earth in the rice paddy vertically. There was very little dirt in the air, the terrible sounds had ceased, and the moment took on a surreal atmosphere as the ‘Choi Hoi’ leaflets continued to drift down slowly toward a landscape strewn with the wreckage of what was, only moments earlier, two perfectly good aircraft filled with soldiers.
My recollection is that a Charlie Troop aircraft was in the immediate vicinity flown by a WO Darrel Vose and WO Gerome Bradley with a handful of Blue in the back. They proceeded to the scene and immediately realized that there was nothing more that could be done and returned visibly shaken by their experience.
This was not to be my last experience with the terrible sights and sounds of a mid-air collision. In early 1969, Charlie Company of the 227th Assault Helicopter Battalion, 1st Air Cavalry Division was to have a four ship mid-air above the north side of the airstrip at Phouc Vinh. Phouc Vinh was under almost nightly NVA mortar or rocket attack and many aircraft had been damaged and rendered unserviceable in their revetments. Some idiotic staff officer had convinced the Company Commander to take his aircraft to the safety of Ben Hoi, at the end of each flying day, and bring them back the following morning to reduce their exposure to damage and thus enable them to support the needs of the daily mission slate.
The unit commander insisted his exhausted and tired airman fly tight formations on their return to ‘look sharp’ as they returned to Phouc Vinh. The inevitable became reality when the blades touched and four helicopters plummeted down and among what was once a French minefield surrounded by concertina wire. Some of the badly damaged aircraft landed with only minor injuries but one aircraft, piloted by a friend WO Varney, burst into flames, following the detonation of an anti-personnel mine, and severely injured its crew.
[1] David Greene lives today in Colorado, with his wife Patty, and remains an active member of the VHPA
Remember this as you start to drive your car while texting someone, fooling with the radio or after you have been drinking. It only takes a few seconds of your time to kill some innocent person.
Some years back, I was talking to some friends at a VFW. I told them about the Mid Air
Collison in 1968. Some guy setting at the table, said he was an Air Traffic Controller at Camp
Evans at the time and this never happened. I was with HQ (Div G-3), 1st Cav Div at the time.
This Collison has been on my mind ever since 1968. Hoping to run into this ‘A—–E again.
For some reason my mind keeps telling I knew one of the guys killed, but after being hit in
the head & neck on my second tour (Recon Platoon, 1/52nd Inf, 198th LIB, 23rd ID (Americal) 1970-71) and two auto accidents, my mind couldn’t tell you who it was. I have been working on
the 1:50,000 series maps for 16 years now and will have them in jpg up and running soon I
hope. In reading a lot of these documents, I found out Mid Air collisions happened a lot more
than we knew about. 3 Oct 1968 will always be in my mine.
Don Smith
My mother’s first husband was the Co-pilot of the CH-47. His name was Ronald Lee Conroy. They were from Topeka, KS. He left behind that daunting day, a widow and my oldest sister, who was 9 weeks old at the time of the crash. My mother remarried years later to another Vietnam Veteran (my father, Patrick McCarty from Wichita.) Every year on October 3, my mother still “grieves” in her own way. She remembers every detail vividly: from being notified, to receiving letters after he was buried. She remember the funeral Director telling her that his body was “unviewable” and how cold the steel coffin felt, under the flag. She remembers it was raining the day she went to the Post office to pick up the “Personal Property of the deceased.” She remembers asking God why He would take him so young, and leave her so alone… The article above blames the pilots, but from what she was told, the Air Traffic controller set the chaos in motion. The controller signaled for them to take off at the same time…from what she was told by the Army. There was nothing that the Pilots could do, once they were attached to each other, dislodging fuselages and slicing through each others cockpits. I am not sure how I came across this website…but I am thankful I did. God bless you all, and God bless who served, past and present. KJ
This was a very real event in my life. My Uncle Larry (Larry L. Costley) was killed on the Chinook. My Aunt Karen lived with us because she had a new baby, Larry jr. born on June 17th. He was 4 months old on the day of his dad’s funeral. I never forget anyone of the men who died that day and have taught my own children about how important these soldiers were. One of my favorite memories is Uncle Larry holding me the last Christmas he was home and alive. He had a leather jacket that was soft and worn.
Dawn
David Baugh writes:
I was one of the 545th Military Police that helped guard the one of the crash sites on October 3, 1968. The crash sites were just off highway One or QL-1 not far outside of Camp Evans. We were told by someone from grave registration I believe, that if we found any personal belonging to please turn them in because it would mean so much to their families because they would not be able to view any remains of their loved ones. One of us found a pearl handled pistol in good condition. I remember finding a watch. There were several twisted M-16 and several damaged helmets. An officer showed up on the scene and said he was a close friend of the Caribou pilot or co-pilot and the pistol was given to him. He said he would see that it was returned to the family.
I don’t want to get into any graphic details but it was a horrible site. The biggest piece of wreckage was the front section of the airplane. I never saw the wreckage of the Chinook because it was a short distance away from the Caribou. I remember picking up papers that were scattered around in the wet rice patty and reading where so of the men had extended their stay in order to get an early out. It upset me to read that thinking if they had only left when their tour was over they would still be alive.As I was looking around a snake swam through the shallow water beside my foot and scared the daylights out of me.
I never heard anyone place the blame on anyone. I know there was some words back and forth about who’s fault it was though. The Chinook was not taking off as some have said it was making an approach to land. I don’t know why they didn’t see one another because it was a beautiful clear day. Some things I guess we’ll never know. I know I really felt sad about what happened that day. I knew that many families back home would soon be getting the news they are dreaded to hear.
Charlie Troop 1st Squadron 9th Cavalry Regiment 
Walker Jones
July 13, 2010
Where was this?
patrickbieneman
July 13, 2010
It happened up at Camp Evans in 68.
Don Smith
August 19, 2010
Some years back, I was talking to some friends at a VFW. I told them about the Mid Air
Collison in 1968. Some guy setting at the table, said he was an Air Traffic Controller at Camp
Evans at the time and this never happened. I was with HQ (Div G-3), 1st Cav Div at the time.
This collison has been on my mind ever since 1968. Hoping to run into this ‘A—–E again.
For some reason my mind keeps telling I knew one of the guys killed, but after being hit in
the head & neck on my second tour (Recon Platoon, 1/52nd Inf, 198th LIB, 23rd ID (Americal) 1970-71) and two auto accidents, my mind couldn’t tell you who it was. I have been working on
the 1:50,000 series maps for 16 years now and will have them in jepg up and running soon I
hope. In reading alot of these documents, I found out Mid Air Collisons happened alot more
than we knew about. 3 Oct 1968 will always be in my mine.
Don Smith
patrickbieneman
August 19, 2010
Don,
Yes, it did happen. It was a horrible day. If you see that idiot again tell what for for me too.
Pat. I posted your comment directly to the blog. I will leave it as a comment as well.
Kimberly Jenkins
October 6, 2010
My mother’s first husband was the Co-pilot of the CH-47. His name was Ronald Lee Conroy. They were from Topeka, KS. He left behind that daunting day, a widow and my oldest sister, who was 9 weeks old at the time of the crash. My mother remarried years later to another Vietnam Veteran (my father, Patrick McCarty from Wichita.) Every year on October 3, my mother still “grieves” in her own way. She remembers every detail vividly: from being notified, to receiving letters after he was buried. She remember the funeral Director telling her that his body was “unviewable” and how cold the steel coffin felt, under the flag. She remembers it was raining the day she went to the Post office to pick up the “Personal Property of the deceased.” She remembers asking God why He would take him so young, and leave her so alone… The article above blames the pilots, but from what she was told, the Air Traffic controller set the chaos in motion. The controller signaled for them to take off at the same time…from what she was told by the Army. There was nothing that the Pilots could do, once they were attached to each other, dislodging fuselages and slicing through each others cockpits. I am not sure how I came across this website…but I am thankful I did. God bless you all, and God bless who served, past and present. KJ
Dawn
November 28, 2010
This was a very real event in my life. My Uncle Larry was killed on the Chinook. My Aunt Karen lived with us because she had a new baby, Larry jr. born on June 17th. He was 4 months old on the day of his dad’s funeral. I never forget anyone of the men who died that day and have taught my own children about how important these soldiers were. One of my favorite memories is Uncle Larry holding me the last Christmas he was home and alive. He had a leather jacket that was soft and worn.
donlavoie
July 31, 2011
I was at Camp Evans and saw it. Some one yelled they are going to hit. I said “no the distance makes it look like they will”. They hit. The account is accurate. We were waiting for a Huey to take us on a “Sniffer” mission. (machines which sampled air for ammonia given off from urine and sweat. As we launched our mission the pilots asked if they could help. The reply was “No” they had enough aircraft and mail was scattered everywhere.
The next month Nov 68 the 1st Cav moved 4 days by ship from Hue up the Siagon river to base camps at Phouc Vinh and Quon Loi. The parrets beak and fish hook region along cambodia was our blocking mission. After I left the Cav went into Cambodia
Dr. John Thiel
September 17, 2011
Don, send a message: DrJThiel@iowatelecom.net. SP5 Thiel or “Teal” as you spelled it on Jimmie Valov’s page. I survived.
patrickbieneman
September 18, 2011
Dr. Thiel,
I apologize for the spelling. I copied the names from a site, I will correct that. We were told that no one survived. What unit were you assigned to that day? Were there any other soldiers that survived? I can see that you are a Doctor but would you mind sharing what happened to you after the crash? Do you remember anything about the crash. I just held a Charlie Troop 1/9 Cav Blues reunionn and we talked about that day. If you would like to write as short story about what all happened to you that day and what all you had to go through for recovery. I would love to post it on my site
DONLAVOIE
September 19, 2011
Dr Thiel
Great news. You sure suffered. I only met you for a couple weeks after you returned at Phouc Vinh before I departed for States. When I got to Evans you had been hit the first time. I think it was about 9 months later you returned. I retired a First Sergeant then worked for 16 years as a Dept of Army Civilian getting a Laboratory State certified for the “Microbiological examination of Drinking Water”. Also got myself State certified. Now I am medically retired. Had high BP in Army and in March 2007 had 5 by passes. Got Afib but still get around well. Course take a bunch of meds..
Don
DONLAVOIE
September 19, 2011
Sorry was so excited didnt answer your questions. I was with the 26th Chemical Detachment. James Valov bunked right beside me. Nobody survived the crash. We were waiting for a 1/9th Huey for a “sniffer” (airborne ammonia detection) mission. It came about 5-10 minutes after crash. We headed toward crash site. Air was filled with mail like snow flakes. FAC Commander said he had enough choppers and sight and we could proceed with our mission.
Got shot down doing same kind of mission on 11 Dec 68 by NVA regiment. We had Loach with mini gun and cobra with us. Our artillery sealed us off. Blue Max cobra squadron showed up about 30 minutes later (Im not exact on times probably). But we took 17 hits from 51 cal. The gunners got the 51 cal and I was tossing out WP as fast as I could pull pin. Course we were right at tree tops. 51 cal bullets just missed my feet but lots of small shrapnel splinters on all of us. The NVA with small arms were not leading us enough. We were doing 80 knots. Lots of dings in skin of chopper. But 51’s went right through floor and through rotor (taking a cigar size bite out of rotor.
Combat engineers repelled with chain saws to cut LZ then eventually lift birds with quick reaction force secured area. Chinook slug our Huey out of there. As we lifted out RTO told me took look and watch. Phantoms were napalming area
In Nov 68 Division moved from I Corps to III Corps with base at Phouc Vinh. Spent much time supporting 1st BDE out of Qoun Loi.. Course we did the CS drum drops from chinook and put fougasse around all Division firebases.
Don
Dr. John Thiel
September 19, 2011
I apologize for the confusion, folks. I was not involved with the mid-air crash in any way. I was just trying to contact Don Lavoie. The incident I survived was in April 1969. My partner didn’t and his friend did not.
Rennie Norris
January 3, 2012
Another verification. This was an horrific event to witness. I was stationed in Camp Evans with C-Troop 1/9th when the mid air crash occured. I had just completed some type of maintenance /on a UH-1B and we had taken off for a test flight. We watched as the Chinook and Caribou collided. So who ever the knucklehead is that said it didn’t happen is full of (well you know).
donaldlavoie
January 3, 2012
Of course it happened. I was with the 26th Chemical detachment and we were going to fly and airborne sniffer recon mission. was waiting for chopper at pad when some one shouted they are going to hit. I said no it looks close because of the distance. Then there was a puff of smoke and the C7A hit near the tail rotor T-boning the Chinook. About time our Huey and gunships showed up. I had commo with the pilot as we headed toward crash scene. he asked if we could help. The air was full of mail as the chinook was making the milk run of surrounding FB picking up mail too. We were waved off saying traffic was getting to heavy and there were no survivors to evac,
.
Jim Caufman
April 9, 2012
I was Chicken Wan 22 Mike. I was in POL refuling when the mid air happened. Evans Tower (Black Hats not real air controllers) announced the mid air. I was finished refueling a few seconds later and my crew chief and gunner jumped onboard. I tookoff and landed at the Caribou impact area. My CC and G got out and retrieved all the body parts they could stuff in our Huey. We took the remains to the MedEvac pad. CW2 Jim Caufman A/227
David Baugh
October 5, 2012
I was one of the 545th Military Police that helped guard the one of the crash sites on October 3, 1968. The crash sites were just off highway One or QL-1 not far outside of Camp Evans. We were told by someone from grave registration I believe, that if we found any personal belonging to please turn them in because it would mean so much to their families because they would not be able to view any remains of their loved ones. One of us found a pearl handled pistol in good condition. I remember finding a watch. There were several twisted M-16 and several damaged helmets. An officer showed up on the scene and said he was a close friend of the Caribou pilot or co-pilot and the pistol was given to him. He said he would see that it was returned to the family.
I don’t want to get into any graphic details but it was a horrible site. The biggest piece of wreckage was the front section of the airplane. I never saw the wreckage of the Chinook because it was a short distance away from the Caribou. I remember picking up papers that were scattered around in the wet rice patty and reading where so of the men had extended their stay in order to get an early out. It upset me to read that thinking if they had only left when their tour was over they would still be alive.As I was looking around a snake swam through the shallow water beside my foot and scared the daylights out of me.
I never heard anyone place the blame on anyone. I know there was some words back and forth about who’s fault it was though. The Chinook was not taking off as some have said it was making an approach to land. I don’t know why they didn’t see one another because it was a beautiful clear day. Some things I guess we’ll never know. I know I really felt sad about what happened that day. I knew that many families back home would soon be getting the news they are dreaded to hear.
k. a. keily
December 20, 2012
I was scheduled to leave Camp Evans that day for rotation back to the states. I got bumped from the Caribou I was scheduled on and got a later one to Phu Bai. That night I was in the NCO club and somebody I knew said my unit, 371st RR co., had called and said I was on the plane that crashed. I wasn’t, of course, but I often wonder who bumped me from the flight.
kurt
December 21, 2012
Correction. The part I said about scheduled for this flight is correct but I caught a ride on an earlier one. Sorry for the error. At 72 you get fuzzy about details.
CATHY PUVOGEL
March 3, 2013
Jerry Lee Pierce was my brother. And I can assure you he died that day onboard the Chinook. I can verify that the crash really happened or he would be here now…bouncing his grand children on his knee. His only child, a beautiful baby girl, was born 24 days after the crash. She now has two children. You know…it is kind of like the plane that crashed into the Pentagon on 9-11 that many say didn’t? If it didn’t happen then where did all those passengers and crew members go? As for the mid-air crash on October 3, 1968? If it never happened—then who is that boy in my brother’s grave? We were told by one his commanding officers my brother was supposed to be onboard the the Caribou that day. He was supposed to go on R & R. But due to his wife being 8 months pregnant her doctor advised her at the last minute to not take any long flights. Since she could not meet him for R&R he gave up his seat on the Caribou and resumed his normal duties onboard the Chinook. So it seems whether he went on R & R, or not, he could not have escaped the fact that his number was up. He was a good boy. Super proud of serving his country and maybe he was young and naive…but he wanted to help save the people of South Vietnam. He wrote home about it. In one of those letters he said: It may not make sense to you as a young girl why I wanted to this but—if you could see these people and how they suffer…you would want to help them too. He was a good boy. No. Let me take that back. He was great man. And nobody can take that away from him. I am grateful for this website and the chance to share this.
patrickbieneman
March 3, 2013
Cathy,
I hope that in no way did I say anything in this post that would lead you to think otherwise. I know this happened because I, like many others, watched it happen. Every man on both ships were brave men. I would have liked to have known your brother. He sounds like he was a great man who would have made a great friend.
I know there are those out there that say this never happened. They either weren’t on Camp Evans that day or they have put that memory in a special place in their mind where they can stop it from coming forward. PTSD can do that. I had put it in that place for a long long time. When that memory came out I cried like a baby for atleast a half hour as I pictured it in my mind.
You just keep letting your neice and those grand children know what a Great man your brother “is”. He will always be here as long as we don’t allow him to be forgotten.
Thank you for you comment.
Larry Costley
July 26, 2013
My father Larry l Costley was a crew member on the chinook . I turned 4 months old on the day of his funeral . I have no brothers or sisters and my mother never remarried. Thanks for this thread god bless you all
patrickbieneman
July 26, 2013
If you would like me to post a picture of your father on this site. send it to pcbnamin@verizon.net and I will post it for you.
donaldlavoie
March 3, 2013
CATHY you be sure to tell Jerry Lee Pierce’ grandchildren and daughter her was a hero they they can be very proud of.. I was there I saw the incident we went to help in a Huey but were waved away as there were too many aircraft trying to assist. I think of him and others amny time and Thank God that such man exist. I am no hero but thank God He let me serve with heroes. You all can be very very proud of Jerry. God Bless you all.
CATHY PUVOGEL
March 4, 2013
THANK YOU SO ALL SO MUCH! As for the person who said it never happend: I also chalk it up to post tramatic stress or maybe full blown denial. Trauma will do that to a person. Like an old song says: What is too painful to remember…we simply choose to forget…I think that happens a lot in war. And maybe that is merciful in it’s way. And yet whatever we don’t remember…we are doomed to repeat. So—no matter how painful it is to think about that crash and all the others we owe it to those serving now to revisit all the causes…so that we can prevent more tragic accidents. War is dangerous enough. We don’t need our own aircraft colliding just because of poor planning or poor training or some other highly preventable cause. And I know every soldier that died in that collision would want to know that we took care of the problem on their behalf. Hard to believe some of the fellas that died that day may now have grand children serving in the middle east or other places. Seems like yesterday—that we got the news. It really does. I am sure they would like this website and be quite proud. And who knows? Maybe they do know about it somewhere out there…That is what I hope anyway. Thank you again.
donaldlavoie
March 4, 2013
VIETNAM seems likes 15 minutes ago. Especially the incidences like what happened to your brother. It really affected me that 40 years later a dot was connected to the incident. A child now with two of her own. We fought for each other and your brother was performing his mission as a piece of the Division against a hostile force. Im no hero but I thank God that he allowed me to serve with such heroes as your brother. His daughter and Grandchildren should know he was a hero. It sure did happen I saw it from the ground and a few minutes later my Huey I was a passenger on asked to help. Unfortunately it was over in seconds. We were told to get out of the air space because so many aircraft where trying to help.
Im sorry it happened. Im sorry for you, his daughter and her children. Soon we will be all together. God Bless you all. I thank your family for your brother’s sacrifice and service to this country. I can still remember where I was sitting watching the incident.
Larry Costley
July 12, 2017
Cathy my father was also on the chinook i was named after him i was 4 moths old the day of his funeral . I visit the moving wall whenever i can and i thinks about all those men that died that day all so young and families that would miss them
David Lee Baugh
March 3, 2013
Anyone saying this didn’t happen don’t know what they are talking about. I didn’t see it happen but I saw the aftermath. I was there and saw it with my own eyes. It is something that will live with me the rest of my life. I had the honor of talking with the brother of Jerry Lee Pierce a few months back. A huge lump hit me in the throat and for a while I could not speak. He thought our phone connect had been lost. I never expected that to happen to me while trying to talk. Tears still come in my eyes when I think about all of those lives lost that day. Don’t ever tell me to my face that this didn’t happen.
David Lee Baugh
March 3, 2013
Just one last comment and I’ll shut up. It is amazing how so many did everything they could to avoid serving in Vietnam and succeeded in doing so. Now here we are many years later and we have more claiming to be Vietnam Veterans many times more than the total number who served. Some people have no shame and steal what it not rightly theirs. I can spot a wannabe easily in a two minute conversation. They usually try to get away in a hurry because they don’t want to talk with a real Vietnam Vet.
Chris Brodbeck
March 3, 2013
David, r.e. wannabe’s; Yes sir, you are correct. They disgusts me, too. I am just a GI brat from a Father who retired with 30 in (He was involved in the Berlin Air Lift, so I am rather dating myself). I had many friends who were in ‘Nam, and most are dragging way too many skeletons along with them. All I can do is listen. I didn’t make it then, rather, I ended up doing my service in the civilian sector as a LEO. So much admiration for all of you.
David Lee Baugh
March 4, 2013
No sir Chris, you are not just a GI brat. The families of those like your Father also serve even though they may not wear a uniform. We too often fail to recognize the sacrifices made by the family members. We don’t think about the many times they must pull up roots and move to a new duty station. I salute you for listening to the vets. There’s not a lot of people who want to listen. Sometimes that’s all that’s needed. I have much admiration for those who served like your Father and for their families who stood beside them.
CATHY PUVOGEL
March 21, 2013
ALSO-over time I’ve heard CREW CHIEFS blamed time and time again. My brother has never been listed as the Crew Chief onboard the Chinook in any records or website until now. Not sure if this is a correction that finally happened…or a mistake??? Anyway—I’ve heard crew chiefs blamed many times in hindsight. Nobody from inside the CH-47 is alive to tell the real story. SO—I have spoken with some experts—some Chinook pilots and crew. They say the problem with the Chinook is it’s size. If Crew Chief is looking down and out at one vantage point and focussed on something specific—he may miss something on the other side or other end of the craft. Also if he’s at the back screaming his head off that there is danger oncoming…the pilots may not hear him if the crew chief hasn’t also got a microphone on (that actually works). The Gulf pilot I talked to didn’t know what equipment they had then? Anybody know? Also–we all have to remember lots of times operations and issues. Anyway—I still say all causes should be examined–improvements made, if possible. Maybe every soul onboard should be looking out for hazards onboard Chinooks. But wow. This collision happened at such bazaar angles. NOBODY saw it coming from either craft. I’m sure of that. Doesn’t mean that anybody was derilict. Maybe in trying so hard to stay alive—they were over focussed on one thing–and not seeing another.
David Lee Baugh
March 21, 2013
No one on either aircraft survived the accident to tell their story. Camp Evans was a big place but not so big that the paths of choppers and fixed wing aircraft didn’t often cross. Blame should be placed on the war. All the men on both aircraft died serving our country in time of war. Blaming one over the other serves no purpose. Bad things happen in war.
Larry Costley
September 25, 2016
Cathy if you see this please contact me
Larry L Costley
July 17, 2019
Cathy my dad was the flight engineer on the chinook with your brother . Please tell hid daughter i think of the other families often .
Jim Chamberlain
April 7, 2013
I was in Company A 5/7 Cav at the time. I remember hearing that many of the victims were
going to a dental clinic in DaNang and not on in country R&R.
David Lee Baugh
April 7, 2013
Jim, I can’t say because I don’t know for sure. I can tell you this though. I picked up papers scattered on the ground from the airplane that were orders that showed some of the men had extended their stay in Vietnam. Probably in order to get an early out when they returned home.
Fred Murillo
May 20, 2013
SP/5 Allen E. Gomes and SP/ 5 David B. Perreault were from my Unit, 13th Signal Bn. A lot of us remember them from An Khe where they were both Cooks. When we had to pull KP, they both treated us with respect. Not like many Mess Sgt’s and Cooks in the united States who treated us like dirt. For this, many of us, including myself stood on our bunkers to watch them go home Then when we saw the plane go down, it was so sad. I still remember this today. They were both good people.
Fred Murillo
Co. A
13th Signal Bn.
1st Cavalry Division
1967-68
patrickbieneman
May 20, 2013
Fred,
Thank you for your comments. I did not know these men so I couldn’t say anything about then. Thanks to you now people have the knowledge that they were good Men. If you happen to have q picture of them send it/them to me at me email address and I will post them to the blog.
Raymond Carrier
July 16, 2020
I have picture. Tell me how to get it to you. My email rcarrier82448@gmail.com.
Larry Costley
July 17, 2020
What photo’s do you have? my father was the crew chief on the chinook .
Raymond Carrier
July 16, 2020
My name is Raymond Carrier. I was in HQ company 13th Signal Bn. I was the person that took Gomes and Perrault to the airstrip for their first leg on trip home. We said our goodbyes and they both vowed to send us benny boxes when they got home. I was send by Captain Wilson to the tent where all bodies had been assembled. I id both bodies. I will never forget it.
Sp 5 Raymond Carrier
13th Signal Bn.]
HQ Company
1st Cavalry Division
1967-68
douglas a laroque
July 2, 2013
my names douglas , I was in the u.s.navy I was with the u.s. Seabees mcb -4 1968 I was a navy cook .I saw everything from where I was at , I had a full view of the collision, I saw the caribou hit the Chinook hit. what I saw was the Chinook split in two pieces , I saw men falling from the Chinook. the blades were making a loud trashing sound. the caribou nosed down and I could hear the engines running wide open —- sounded like full power. i guess i was aprox 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile from the crash site. our our medical personal went right away to the crash site. they said there was nothing they could do.
David Lee Baugh
July 4, 2013
It was an honor to talk by phone back in March with the brother of SP5 Jerry Lee Pierce who was one of those that died in the collision that day. He thought something was wrong with our connection but for the first time I had a hurting lump in my throat that was so bad no words would come out of my mouth for a few moments. I knew each and every one of those men had loved ones that would never be able to see them again. I had never expected the feelings of emotions that came over me as I tried to talk with Jerry’s brother. How can any of us come back home and not bring the haunting memories back with us? God Bless those men and every one of their family members who have lived many years with only the memories of their loved ones.
Sargenat Ramon Cintron
November 9, 2013
Donald Cramer’s death was the saddest of all of those killed or wounded in our unit – 21st Artillery, 7th Airmobile Calvary. Donald and I celebrated our 21st birthday in September 1968, just a few days after he received word that a relative had died and left him $500K. Donald was besides himself since he only had about 40 days to go on his tour before retuning to the “world”. He began looking for an excuse to get to the rear so as to cheat death, and he finally started complaining abut a tooth ache – he complained and begged to be sent to Da Nang to see a dentist. Sargent Thornton eventually gave in and said he could go and asked me to drive him to the landing pad at the airstrip. He was as happy as can be and swore he would not return to Camp Evans. I dropped him at the strip as the others were boarding – all joking and laughing, goofing off. I said I would see soon and he replied I would never see him again – I drove away but not 3-4 minutes later fire trucks and ambulances were rushing to the crash site. All were killed. The morgue was next to our tents and bunkers, and all those killed were laid side by side outside the small morgue tent- that late afternoon – some still had their helmets on. Sargent Thornton had me pack his things, for delivery, I think to his parents.
Mike Wirt
September 25, 2016
I ran across this today and wondered if the blog is still active.
As October 3 nears I’ve been thinking about my older brother, Sp4 Dennis Wirt, B 2/5 of the 1st Cavalry Division, who was on board the Caribou. He was headed for R&R to meet up with his girlfriend on Okinawa. You can imagine her feelings when he never showed up at the appointed time.
A college graduate, Dennis was drafted while working for General Motors in Flint, Michigan. While in Vietnam he had applied to and been accepted into law school when he finished his tour. He was 25; I was 21.
Some years after his death I wrote to one of our senators to see if I could get any details on the collision. Several months later I received an actual file copy, holes punched in the paper, of the entire investigation with supporting documentation and photos (none of them showing victims).
I now live in Spokane, WA and several years ago discovered that one of the Chinook crew members, Jerry Pierce, lived about a half mile from our home and that I drove by several times a week. Strange.
patrickbieneman
September 25, 2016
That was a day in my life that I will never forget again. I had forgotten it I guess to protect myself from the horror. I started to go to the VA for PTSD and the shrink asked me to write about three things that happened to me in Vietnam. The first two was easy. Then all of a sudden, watching this unfold returned to my mind. I cried for over thirty minutes before I could start to write about it. God bless everyone on board the Chinook and the Caribou that day.
Larry Costley
September 25, 2016
My father was on the chinook. I never got to meet him . I am very sorry for your loss
Larry Costley
September 25, 2016
Sorry for the loss of your brother. My father was on the chinook
David
September 26, 2016
Sorry about your father Larry. I was one of those that guarded the wreckage while an investigation was being done. This sight of this horrible accident has been with me for 48 years. I spoke with Jerry Pierce’s brother about three years ago by phone. My heart still breaks thinking about the death of all those young men. This is why I will always stand for our flag and our anthem. Too many have given so much to not honor them and what they died for.
David
January 30, 2017
I drop by this page ever so often to read the comments. I was at Camp Evans that day and was one in the group of MPs that guarded the wreckage site of the caribou during the investigation. Tears come in my eyes every time I visit this page and think back to that awful day so many years ago. The families of those men should know that they have never been forgotten and never will. We were all so young with our whole lives ahead of us. It still bothers me to this day. I remember the sights, sounds and smell. I remember being so sad and then being so damn angry about the deaths. We I see some prick take a knee or burn a flag I don’t understand how that is right. If they want respect the people doing that stuff needs to show some respect.
Tom Rinehart
July 11, 2017
I was a new guy, right seater in A/227 on final approach when the accident happened. I remember things a little differently than the official version but the years can play tricks on the mind. We broke off approach and went to the Caribou crash site. Nothing could be done to rescue anyone, almost everything was buried in the muck.
patrickbieneman
July 12, 2017
Tom, Everyone remembers things just slightly different then others. That doesn’t mean your recollection is wrong. It doesn’t mean theirs is either.
Suzi Clements Higginbotham
September 8, 2017
My uncle, Dawson Clements was killed in this wreck. Let me give you a little detail regarding his family. His older brother, James died at the age of 21 while active military when a tank rolled over a foxhole and crushed his back in 1951. If I remember correctly (I was very young) Uncle Chick (Dawson) was coming home on emergency leave because another brother was sick and near death (he didn’t die at this point). The brother did die in 1969 at the age of 35. My father, 20+ year veteran was sheduled to retire when he passed away of a heart attack at the age of 41 while still active army.
Dawson left behind his wife, who like my mother was German and 3 small children. His death always haunted my father. I do remember him although i was 5 years old when he was killed.
My brother served in the Gulf war and my nephew has also served. I come from a long line of career army relatives. Being an army brat, things like this tragedy NEVER leave your mind. God bless the other families for their loss and those that witnessed this.
patrickbieneman
September 8, 2017
Suzi, Your family is filled with American Heroes. That was a terrible accident that day with the pictures in my mind haunting me still today,
Don Doke
July 17, 2019
That was a traumatic day for many of us stationed at Camp Evans. That accident rotates in and out of my memory for all these years. I was with HHC 2/7 and had been at Evans since mid May 1968. I can’t remember specifically what I was doing at that moment but it was obvious that something terrible had happened, with all the activity that was going on.
Then the word got around what had happened. I remember all the thoughts that went through my mind about the personnel that were on board those aircraft, and that soon their loved ones would be notified of the horrific deaths of their loved ones.I can remember the bodies being taken to I think it was the 15th Med Bn area that was located near us. I went there that evening to pay my respects and to pray for their loved ones ,who would soon be notified of this tragic event. I have other memories of what I saw but don’t think they would be of any use to anyone as they were after the fact.
To all the relatives , sorry for the loss of your loved ones.
Larry L Costley
July 17, 2019
Don, thank you for thinking of the families. I for one appreciate it . My dad was a crew member on the chinook i was just a few months old when he was killed
DellAngelo
June 9, 2018
My uncle (father’s brother) was on the Caribou, and from what I’ve heard, he was on his journey back to the states. He never made it, and it changed the course of events in my father’s life. That event shouldn’t differ that much from the price paid by other heroes that fell in battle, it just seems tragic that he had served his time and was on his way home. Thankfully, my father became a wonderful man, but the price of war is always, without exception, too steep. — Relative of David J. DellAngelo
patrickbieneman
June 10, 2018
David, I am sorry to hear that. I know that a lot of the men were either on their way home or to R&R. On the helicopter were troopers doing their job and Troopers going to the field for the first time. In Charlie Troop 1/9 Cav we also two Troopers who were leaving their base camp to return home when their helicopter collided with another helicopter. War is never fair and any death is to much. This website and this particular blog has brought many people together who have lost loved one because of that crash. I myself will never forget that crash as I watched in horror as to what was happening. God Bless you and your father.
Dave Strand
May 22, 2019
I too was with MCB #4 (Seabees) at Camp Evans Oct. 3rd 1968 and have never forgotten that day. The ironic thing was I discovered I taught at a High School out of Spokane with Jerry Spence’s cousin and the subject came up of his death and realized I witnesses it. Then a couple of years ago at 1:30 in the morning while volunteering at a “Visiting Wall” I again crossed paths with another volunteer Dennis Wirts’ brother Mike on the blog. Twice in my life, I guess it was meant to be. Dave Strand
Dave Strand
May 22, 2019
Sorry correction Jerry Pierce.
Mike Wirt
July 17, 2019
Dave, I’ve told that eerie story many times, the 1:30 am chat, half an hour into the extra hour I volunteered for at the end of my shift, your “I was there!” and the shiver that ran down my spine.
And Don Doke, thanks for paying your respects on the evening of the collision. I don’t remember how soon afterward my mom was notified of Denny’s death-maybe the following day-only the surprise evening call from my uncle to tell me. The time between the call and his body arriving home is a blur but somewhere in there I had to have driven back from East Lansing. What I do remember and always will is the kindness and support offered by the Army escort who was with us until after his burial. I’ve often wished I had his name so I could thank him again. What a job to have. Escorting remains and comforting grieving families.
Dave Strand
July 18, 2019
Yes Mike, I too relate the story to others. Our once in a life time meeting that night was just half of an unbelievable experience having done the same with Jerry Pierce’s cousin a few years earlier. Makes you wonder how this thing called life works. I am just thankful that two pieces of my Vietnam puzzle have found their matching pieces. And I could be of some comfort to others. So many unanswered pieces for so many people.
I had the opportunity to visit with a lot of my brothers on the Wall in D.C. last fall, your brother being one of them. Never to be forgotten. Dave Strand EOH2 Viet Nam ’68
Don Doke
July 19, 2019
It was something that I felt I had to do, just like extending my time over there to fly scouts
with the 3rd Brigade of the First Cav. We only had 2 teams and had to borrow Cobras when we could them but our SOPs were basically the same as the 1/9.
David
July 18, 2019
I’m also 72 years old but I remember that day as if it were yesterday. When we got there at the sight of the Caribou crash, a man from Grave Registration started telling all of us if we found any personal belonging to please turn it in. He said there was no way the families would be able to view their loved ones and that might be all they have. They had already gone through the wreckage and recovered almost everything. We did find a 38 pearl-handled pistol that an officer came by there and took. He said he knew the family. I have wondered about that ever since. I think I found a watch and a pocket knife. The crash site was a good distance from the crash of the Chinook and we could not see that sight from where we were. I remember there were a few inches of water in the rice patty where we were. One time I looked down in time to see a snake swim between my legs. I am not going to lie. I do not know what kind it was. All I know was it was a snake and I am not a fan of snakes. I was only 20 years old. A few days later on the 18th, I turned 21. I had seen some bad stuff. I had been there since Jan 1st of 1968 but this really hit home with me and shook me up. To this day it still touches me just thinking about it. My heart goes out to all the families of the victims. You are never alone in your grieving for your loved ones. Even though I did not personally know any of those who died, they were and are our brothers forever.
Don Doke
July 19, 2019
My reply was for Mike Wirt . I just posted it in the wrong spot.
Tony m Villanueva
April 24, 2020
Charlie Company 8th Engineer Battalion (Combat) Charlie love ,Tony Villanueva and another fellow whose name escapes my memory at the moment.witness to this collision October 1968 we were at the end of the runway because The Navy Seabees have built as a new company area For us. And I said Charlie love that the air traffic was kind of busy at that time because the first Caribou had taken off and then the second one had taken off and that’s when they had collided with the chinookAnd if you read the rest of the statements above we concur with them
David Michalsky
April 8, 2022
Oct 3rd it was as it was my first day in country and I saw the Chinook plummet to the ground entry way first and then the Caribou do a 180 and crash. Day I will never forget.
Donald Keith Hamilton
June 12, 2022
I was very lucky that day. I was sent to courier some papers. I was rushing to catch the flight. When I got to the terminal I could not get aboard the plane because it was full. Since that day you always wonder how you just missed not being on that plane. I caught the next flight and it flew right over the wreckage. It was very disturbing sight.