CUỘC ĐỜI CỦA TIỀN QUÂN NGUYỄN VĂN THÀNH QUA LĂNG KÍNH CỦA LTS.

1/ Theo Wikipedia, ông Nguyễn Văn Thành sinh ngày 13 tháng 11 âm lịch năm Mậu Dần (tương đương dương lịch là 1758). Tiên tổ người xứ Thuận Hóa, phủ Triệu Phong, huyện Quảng Điền, tổng Phú Ốc, xã Bác Vọng. Tằng tổ là Nguyễn Văn Toán dời vào Gia Định. Tổ là Nguyễn Văn Tính lại dời đến ở Bình Hòa. Cha là Nguyễn Văn Hiền lại dời vào Gia Định.

Sử sách ghi: "Nguyễn Văn Thành trạng mạo đẹp đẽ, tính trầm nghị, thích đọc sách, tài võ nghệ".^[1][2]

...

Nhận xét: Tuy là khai quốc công thần, nhưng lúc gần cuối đời, do lời dèm pha của những kẻ ghen tị ông, cha con ông bị vua Gia Long nghi ngờ tạo phản nên ông tự tử, con trai bị xử chém. Sau này danh dự được phục hồi, ông được người đời nay thờ phượng, làm lễ nhân ngày giỗ của ông.

Vì thấy cuộc đời của ông quá đau khổ nên tôi dùng LTS để tìm hiểu.

Đầu tiên tôi dùng Âm Dương lịch đối chiếu, tôi biết ngày sanh của ông là ngày 12 tây, xem hình.

                               

          

2/ Nay dựa vào bảng trị số của LTS, thay thế các chữ trong tên họ của ông, tôi có:

Nguyễn = 536155 = 25 = 7

Văn = 615 = 12 = 3

Thành = 45155 = 20 = 2

Cộng lại: 7 3 2 = 12, rất xấu.

Sau đây là ý nghĩa của số này, xem hình, xin đọc kỹ phần có gạch đỏ. 

     

Kết luận: Những gì xảy ra đã ứng với tên và ngày sanh (số 12) của ông.

Đọc thêm:

Lăng mộ

Lăng mộ Tiền quân Nguyễn Văn Thành hiện an vị ở xã Thủy Phương, huyện Hương Thủy, Thừa Thiên Huế. Lăng mộ có diện tích năm mươi mét vuông, bao gồm bốn cột trụ biểu, bia tiền và bia hậu. Trên bức bia tiền còn ghi rõ chức tước của Tiền quân khi đã trở về cố đô Huế vào năm 1810 cho đến khi mất: "Việt Cố Khâm Sai Chưởng Trung Quân Bình Tây Đại tướng Quân Thành Quận Công Chi Mộ". Trên Bức bia hậu ghi tóm tắt tiểu sử công trạng cùng tên tuổi gia quyến của Tiền quân. Đặc biệt trên bia còn khắc cảnh Xuân Hạ Thu Đông và các hoa văn tượng trưng cho uy quyền và đức độ của ngài khi xưa.

Đền thờ: Tại xã Tân An, thị xã Thủ Dầu Một, tỉnh Bình Dương, trên vùng đất cao trong khu rừng sao, ngôi đền thờ Tiền quân Nguyễn Văn Thành được xây dựng từ năm 1820. Toàn bộ khung sườn đền đều làm bằng gỗ sao đốn từ những cây sao già tại khu rừng ấy. Trải qua hơn một trăm tám mươi năm thăng trầm của lịch sử, đền vẫn còn đó dáng uy nghiêm và trầm mặc. Hằng năm vào ngày rằm tháng Mười Một âm lịch là ngày giỗ của Tiền quân.

Ngày giỗ: Theo như lệ thường hàng năm, vào ngày mười lăm tháng mười một âm lịch năm Bính Tuất, tức là vào thứ tư, ngày mùng ba tháng giêng dương lịch năm 2007 đã diễn ra buổi lễ cúng đình thần, Đức Tiền quân Nguyễn Văn Thành, tại xã Tân An. Từ tờ mờ sớm đã diễn ra lễ rước sắc phong thần từ ngôi nhà cổ vào đền Tân An. Trong bầu không khí trang nghiêm và long trọng của buổi lễ cúng thần, các đội tế lễ trong trang phục truyền thống, áo dài khăn đóng, đã ra làm lễ tế. Các khách thập phương lũ lượt từ các nơi gần xa cũng đã có mặt đông đủ tại đình cổ Tân An để thấp hương và cầu an.

Đường phố;  Ở Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh trước năm 1985 có tới 2 con đường mang tên Nguyễn Văn Thành. Đường Nguyễn Văn Thành (thường hay gọi là bến Nguyễn Văn Thành, do nằm dọc theo rạch Hàng Bàng) của Đô thành Sài Gòn cũ hiện nay là đường Phan Văn Khỏe (trước đó cũng gọi là bến Phan Văn Khỏe, nhưng hiện nay không còn gọi là bến nữa do rạch Hàng Bàng đã bị lấp gần hết) ở quận 5 và quận 6, còn đường Nguyễn Văn Thành của tỉnh Gia Định cũ nay là đường Huỳnh Đình Hai ở quận Bình Thạnh. (http://vi.wikipedia.org/)

 I remember when......Page 2

 PHÉP LẠ CHO NGƯỜI NÀY NHƯNG CÁI CHẾT CHO NGƯỜI KHÁC

đôi khi trong chiến đấu người ta thấy rằng sống và chết cách nhau trong gang tấc. câu chuyện sau nhấn mạnh bằng chứng đầy thuyết phục (overpower) về 1 phép lạ cho 3 nhân viên phi hành nhưng bất hạnh cho nhân viên còn lại.

Ngày đó hợp đoàn chúng tôi gồm 1 số chở quân và hai gunship được lịnh bốc quân VNCH tại Gò Dầu Hạ, gần Đức Hòa, nằm giữa Sài Gòn và vùng Mỏ Vẹt. Sau khi bốc quân, chúng tôi về Đức Hòa chờ đợi và ăn trưa.

Chuyên viên bậc 5 Dave Norton kể lại:

Hãy xem ảnh chiếc gunship UH-1C có biệt danh Bandit 3, người ta ko thể nghĩ rằng có ai sống sót. Chỉ có chuẩn úy Carl Martin Creal tử trận. Chỉ có một người bị thương ở đầu, lúc đầu ko biết nguyên nhân, sau mới biết do AK47.

Vì ko thể liên lạc với quân Nam VN và do máy móc trục trặc, máy bay đã đâm xuống đất với tốc độ cao. Vài nhân viên phi hành nhảy khỏi máy bay trước khi nó chạm đất.

 COMBAT CRASH:

MIRACLE FOR SOME AND DEATH FOR ONE !

 

Sometimes in combat there seems to be no reason for some to die and others to live. The difference is often only milimeters or seconds. Many question why they are spared while others never know what hit them. This story emphasizes the overpowering evidence of a miracle for three crewmembers and unfortunate death for one. No doubt, those who survived have asked, "why me?"

The story of the mysterious crash of Bandit 3, UH-1C, 66-15029 on April 20, 1969(the dry season) begins with an administrative lifting of ARVNs at Go Dầu Hạ, near Duc Hoa, located between Saigon and the Parrot's Beak. The flight, which apparently included several slicks and a light fire team, finished their lifts and returned to Duc Hoa to wait to see if they were needed for support and to have lunch.

SP5 Dave Norton, Crew Chief of "The Fabulous Blue 7" narrates the following story:

Eyewitness remembrance of Dave Norton

"I didn't like Duc Hoa for lunch because we always parked close to the artillery and of course they would always get a fire mission while we were there. Those 105s cracked so sharp that even with the flight helmets on, it hurt the ears. I was flying as Crew Chief in "The Fabulous Blue 7" with Thunderbird 29er, Lyman Sramek, as AC, a Peter Pilot( I don't remember his name), and Gunner, SP4 George Gomez. We had been flying trail and were responsible to monitor guard frequency in case there was some kind of emergency while we were on the ground." "After we had time to complete lunch, a couple of the guns took off to go cover the ARVNs. Not too long later, while hiding from the hot sun on the shady side of the chopper, we got the word to scramble. After take-off we learned that a Bandit was down and we were to recover the crew. They were saying the Bandit got shot down and we gotta go pick them up. The other gun team was right behind us. Adrenaline and butterflies were going wild inside!" "Just a few minutes out of Duc Hoa we located the crash site and the other guns were reconing the area by fire. On the guns and ready for what is sure to come, we head in. The crash site is freshly burned rice paddies with brush and small trees to one side and pretty well open on the other. The closer we get, Bandit 3 clearly is just a bunch of bent up scrap metal scattered around."

 

Searching wreckage of Bandit 3

(Photo courtesy Dave Norton)

 

Eyewitness remembrence(con't)

At first we didn't see anyone and feared the worst for the crew. Gomez and I jumped off and went in search for them. The Peter Pilot we found first sitting on the ground some distance from the wreckage. He is all cut up on the face and head and somewhat wobbly and woozy, but we walk him to the slick. Then out again. Finally, we spot the Crew Chief in the tall grass. He is not so good. His left leg has about 5 or 6 knees. As carefully as we can, we quickly carry him to Blue 7 and lay him inside on the floor(I find out later his pelvis is broken, also.) We looked up, ready to head out to look for others and what? Here is the gunner sitting in the chopper. Other than black ash all over him and a half inch cut on the forehead, he seems OK! George was having a tough time handling the broken bodies and I'm not doing too well myself. He stays to help the three injured on Blue 7 while I head out again to look for the missing man, the Aircraft Commander, CWO Carl Martin Creal. The damage is incredible! The tail boom was separated and laying to one side. The engine had been torn away and was laying out in the field. The fuselage was standing straight up. Everything was black with soot. As I went back and was looking around, I couldn't understand where WO Carl Creal could be. Then I went back to the fuselage and looked up at it. The top of the cockpit was gone, but then I saw him, still strapped in the seat and hanging nearly upside down with no helmet on. I just about lost it. There seemed to be no major injury other than a large deep wound in his head over his left eye. After I had assured myself that he was in fact dead, I left and hurried back to the waiting chopper. The others really needed to get to Saigon and medical attention. When I was plugged back in to the intercom, WO Lyman Sramek asked where CWO Creal was. I just said he was dead and the crash site was secure. We high tailed it to the hospital in Saigon.

ARVN security force(with helmets) and "Blue 7 " Peter Pilot on right without helmet.

(Photo courtesy Dave Norton)

 

Eyewitness remembrence (con't)

"On the way into Saigon, the injured Bandit 3 Gunner (Dennis Surop, a CE acting as a Gunner that day) waved his hand at me to get my attention. I leaned over to hear what he wanted. He said, "Norton, don't let my foot fall out of the chopper." Again, I about lost it as I looked and saw what he was talking about. His right foot was 2-3 inches inside the cargo area and his left foot was just going over the edge and falling out! With no bone to hold it together, there was only flesh holding it inside the aircraft! As carefully as I could, I got it back inside and as close to where it should be and then put my foot in the way to keep it there the rest of the flight. Then he asked me were CWO Creal was. I couldn't bring myself to say, so I just drew my finger across my throat. The despair on his face just about made me cry." "Once we were back at the crash site, we learned that another aircraft had picked up WO Carl Creal and taken him back to Bien Hoa. We were told to go get the guns and radios. When we arrived the ARVNs were poking around. We looked over the crash site and got what we were after. Since we had been there last, someone had knocked over the fuselage onto its top, apparently removing CWO Creal's body. The word "KILL" that was written on the bottom was now clearly visible."

Tangled wreckage of Bandit 3

(Photo courtesy Dave Norton)

The crash of Bandit 3 and the death of only one crewmember was a real mystery. Looking at the pictures of the wreckage of UH-1C, 66-15029, it is unclear how anyone could have lived through the crash. CWO Carl Martin Creal was the only person killed. Other than the head injury, described by Dave Norton, there was no other evidence.(later identified as head wound by AK-47) The miracle truly was how all the others on board could have survived!

Dave Norton,later talked to one of the surviving crewmembers and learned what had apparently happened. Because of no action or contact by the ARVNs, Bandit 3 had been on a rocket run and had failed to pull out of the run at sufficient altitude and thus "mushed" into the ground going at a high rate of speed. Several of the crew had been thrown free of the aircraft prior to its rolling and coming to a stop. Whether WO Creal or the new Peter Pilot was flying is not known. The gunner was pretty sure that they had not taken fire during the run.

As a result of their actions to medivac the injured crewmembers from the crash site and the recovery of the radios and weapons, SP5 Dave Norton and SP4 George Gomez, gunner of Blue 7 received the Bronze Star with V device for their actions. Dave Norton to this day feels that he and Gomez did nothing special. They did only what they had to do and what they would have expected anyone else to have done. That is the way it was in Vietnam.

Dave Norton

118th AHC, Bien Hoa, 68-70

Thunderbird 521, "The Fabulous Blue 7 ”

vnvet@olynet.com

Montesano, WA

 

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WHEN & WHY DID THEY

GET RID OF THE

DOORS?

"Pollution IV" the 118th "Smoke Ship" in 1969 with its Crew Chief SP4 Brian Willard(aka "Wizard")

Note the tank and hoses under the seat and the removed Pilot doors. Also note the troops beyond the helicopter. If this is "Pollution IV" what happened to Pollution I, II and III?

(Photo courtesy Dave Norton)

As the picture shows, sometime a commander decided to get rid of the pilot and co-pilot doors on the UH-1H, "Huey." It is doubtful that a company level commander could arbitrarily make such a decision, it had to be a higher command. Just why were the doors on the helicopter in the first place? Was it just tradition, or normal convention or was Bell trying to increase the price of the "Huey" by building them on the helicopter? Surely the doors offered some structural integrity when closed. And, what did they do with the doors after removal and how did they keep them straight and stored? All questions surely will be answered as we look into this interesting development.....I hope!!

We can all remember at flight school how we had to wait until the outside temperature reached near boiling before the doors were removed. The doors would mysteriously start disappearing from the OH-23's or the TH-55's and reappear in wooden racks inside the maintenance hangers. Come early April or May what a welcome sight it was to walk out on the heliport and find the doors gone, removed by Southern Airways maintenance personnel. Those flimsy plexiglass things could magnify the sun's heat causing sweat to pour out from under the helmet, thus running into the eyes and eventually the mouth where you could lick off the droplets before they dripped from your chin onto your lap. But, the "Huey" was a different matter and the doors were NEVER removed, regardless of the season.

A "Huey" without its pilot doors just looks abnormal, even naked... incomplete! So we wonder, "Why did the command decide to remove pilot doors and exactly when? Below is a portion of a 145th CAB Operational Report that apparently led to the decision or justified the action to remove all UH-1 doors. However, being a "traditionalist" some of the reasons for the decision seem a little lame! What do you think?

145th Bn Operational Report May 68-31 July 68   7) Removal of Pilot/Co-pilot Doors on UH-1 Aircraft (a) Observation: The removal of pilot compartment doors greatly enhances the safety of helicopters in a combat flying environment. (b) Evaluation: Units of this battalion have been flying all combat assault and combat related missions with pilot compartment doors removed from aircraft. The removal allows the following; (aa) Increased visibility greatly assisting in airborne observation of other aircraft and is felt to greatly reduce the possibility of mid-air collisions. (bb) Increased visibility in dusty landing and pick-up zones. (cc) Increased visibility and safety is obtained when operated in an LZ or PZ during rain showers by permitting ground reference to the side when vision is obscured by rain on the aircraft windshield. (dd) Elimination of shrapnel from doors and Plexiglas. (ee) Increased ground surveillance through the open area created by these doors. (ff) Improvement of emergency escape capabilities. (gg) Increased airflow in cockpit area reducing pilot fatigue caused by stuffy air and high temperatures. The only disadvantages to the removal of these doors is that protective measures must be taken to avoid damage to the console and it's electrical equipment when the aircraft is in a static condition. This has been overcome by placing a poncho or a salvage piece of canvas over the radio console when aircraft will remain on the ground for an extended period of time. (c) RECOMMENDATION: That all pilot compartment doors be removed from UH-1 helicopters that are directly involved in aircraft operations.

A little survey is planned, 30 years after the fact on this subject. E-mail the Webmaster with your opinion/comments. Your opinions/comments, however vociferous, will be posted here. Comments from those who flew with the doors off are especially desired. We want to see how many liked the doors off and how many did not!

RESPONSES TO THIS STORY

Bob Hoffman remembering when he returned for his 2nd tour writes, "At that time(1969) the entire 145th BN was not flying with any cargo or pilots doors on the aircraft. I asked why, and as I recall, was told that it was a 12th Group decision and that the reason was that it afforded better visibility and prevented the possibility of the cargo doors coming off and going into the rotor system. Needless to say, we had some radio problems. " "Apparently there had been a mid air that was attributed to poor visibility from the pilot's compartment and was the moving force in this decision." "Having flown both with the doors off and on I have to say that I preferred them on. It was a bit cooler owing to the increased airflow, but you also had to keep everything secured and the visibility was not much, if any, better. When flying in rain you got a lot more moisture inside then with the doors on...... I didn't like it."

(Table of Contents)

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FIRST IN VIETNAM, FIRST IN PIZZA........?

 

Pizza! Yea you're reading right. It was a tradition at the villa to have pizza on Friday nights. For the first month or so of my tour classifying what was being served as "pizza" was a stretch of the imagination. It had more resemblance to tomato paste on sliced bread than real pizza. Fortunately God in his infinite wisdom (maybe the Pope heard about our "pizza" and put in a word for us, but in any event we were blessed with the arrival of Dr. Altamonte, our new flight surgeon, and most importantly a connoisseur of pizza. One look at the Friday night "special" and Doc almost had a heart attack. He vowed on the stop to deliver us from this gawd-awful excuse for pizza and get us some of the real stuff.

Doc collected a few bucks from a number of us pizza lovers and wrote to his mother about our plight, asking her to send the needed ingredients for the making of pizza. A month or so later a large (like really large) box arrived at the villa. Fred Cooper and I were taking the opportunity to make the most of pigs and rice day to catch up on our paperwork. Doc called us over to the mess hall and we began unpacking the box. In it were the ingredients for making pizza dough, some of his mother's home made pepperoni sausage, various Italian cheese rounds and lots of cans of sauce. Oh man, we were drooling just looking at the stuff. Altomonte announced that he was going to make a pizza immediately and set Huyen, our head cook to getting the oven ready. Then he called for Duc, our maitre de and told him to translate to Huyen Doc's instructions on how to make pizza. As Doc mixed and prepared Huyen watched but appeared a bit detached about the whole thing. Doc then put the pizza into the oven and we adjoined to the bar for a beer (or two!).

When it was pizza time we all assembled in the kitchen, including Duc and Huyen. Our eyes were popping; our senses were reeling…PIZZA! Doc cut it up and started passing out slices. When he handed one to Huyen, he said (through Duc) that he did not eat pizza, he only made it. The look on Doc's face was horrific! Someone was refusing his pizza, his work of art, and his gift to the 118th, unbelievable. The look on Doc's face must have scared Huyen because he immediately bit into his slice of pizza, and just as quickly a surprised look come over his face. He had never tasted real pizza and was stunned at its wonderful taste. Nodding his head back and forth and babbling in Vietnamese, he made it clear that this pizza he liked. Within minutes we put away that large pizza.

Doc then turned to Duc and instructed him to tell Huyen that now it was his turn to make a pizza exactly like the one Doc had made. Doc then whipped out his 45-cal automatic and had Duc tell Huyen that if he screwed up the pizza he would shoot him on the spot. With eyes bulging, the cook went about making his pizza, but at every step of the process he looked at Doc to see if he was doing O.K. As soon as the pizza when into the oven we resumed our places at the bar. When it come time to take the pizza out, Huyen was nowhere to be found. The pizza was perfect! He told Duc that Huyen was now and honorary Italian and official pizza chef. A few minutes later the cook peeked around the door. Our happy chattering over this second pizza had drawn him out of his hiding place.

Everyone was sworn to secrecy about the pizza. Friday evening when it was time to bring out the pizza, the aroma reached out ahead of the Vietnamese ladies who waited on table as they delivered the treasure to the bar. It was a mad house. The pizza was gone in seconds and everyone was heading for the kitchen so as to be first when the next one come out of the oven. Within the hour the word had spread along Cong Ly Street and people were showing up from A/501st, the Engineer headquarters, and some people we have never seen before. Unfortunately most arrived too late but the aroma was still in the air. A few more were quickly baked up and everyone announced that from now on the 118th was going to be the place to be on Fridays.

Doc pointed out that this new pizza was being sent over by his family and that it cost money. Within seconds someone passed a basket around and it was quickly filled with cash. Doc Altomonte sent home for a double order of fixings and it was a good thing he did for within the next couple of weeks the place was flooded with "guests" on Fridays, some coming in from as far away as Vung Tau, Phouc Vinh, and even Saigon. The Air force pukes on Bien Hoa air base who had previously denied us access to their "O" club showed up. They made it clear that they had made a grave error in keeping us out of their club and that we were certainly welcomed anytime. We even gained a musical band made up of flybys who played for pizza.

First in Vietnam, first in pizza…the 118th was always the leader in things that matter.

 

Ted Jambon

"Thunderbird 3"

118th Thunderbirds

1965-66

tjambon@gateway.net

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BANDITS ESCORT A FREEDOM BIRD !

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(Table of Contents)

 

 Ngày bi thảm của đại độ 118 không vận*

*Đại đội này có biệt danh Thunderbirds, thuộc TĐ 145 không vận, đồn trú tại Biên Hòa.

ngày 9/10/1969, là một ngày mà chúng tôi sẽ ko bao giờ quên vì đã mất phi hành đoàn 6 người và 6 người thuộc lữ đoàn 199 bộ binh. 

Ngày hôm đó, một trực thăng UH-1D mang số 63-08826 được lịnh triệt xuất một toán viễn thám tại 1 bãi đáp ở phía đông tỉnh Long Khánh. Bãi đáp rất gần bờ của Sông Đồng Nai nước chảy mạnh. Lúc cất cánh từ bãi đáp, cánh quạt của rotor chánh của chiếc trực thăng chở nặng đã chặt khoảng 45 feet hay 13.7 mét của bụi tre dầy. Đồng hồ RPM bắt đầu mất cao độ. (Nói thêm: Điều này có thể xảy ra hầu như bất cứ lúc nào và nó thường là kết quả của collective và tay ga không đúng cách. Thường thì nó xảy ra vào lúc thephi công phải kéo collective lên để ngăn chặn sự hạ cánh của trực thăng và thêm sức mạnh để bay lơ lửng).

Máy bay quay qua phải và hướng về phía tây, bay trên sông để định tăng tốc độ. Một lúc sau đó, trưởng cơ, chuẩn úy hay CW 4 James Bailey đã buộc phải đáp xuống nước với độ sâu 15-20 feet hay 4,5 tới 6 mét. Bên trái của chiếc UH-1D đã chìm trong nước chưa tới 10 giây, theo báo cáo.

Các toán người nhái và trực thăng đã lập tức tiến hành việc tìm kiếm. Họ chỉ cứu được hai người: chuẩn úy Kilbourne và chuyên viên bậc 4 Cowherd. Năm người lính viễn thám mất tích. Những ngày sau đó, máy bay phát loa kêu gọi và rải truyền khắp khu vực. Đợt 1 từ 9-15/10 và đợt 2 từ 19-21/10/1969, chỉ gián đoạn từ 16-18/10/1969 vì thời tiết xấu.

Một thợ lặn thuộc toán viễn thám cố gắng tìm kiếm khu vực, dù mang theo dây, đã gặp nhiều khó khăn do nước chảy mạnh ở khúc sống này. Y báo cáo đã tìm thấy máy móc ở bờ sông kế nơi máy bay rơi. Nhưng người ta ko thể xác định bao nhiêu đã thoát khỏi máy bay sau khi lâm nạn. Một người cho biết đã cố gắng nhiều lần bơi vào bờ trước khi đến bờ sông. Một người khác nói bạn mình chìm cách y bốn feet nhưng ko thể cứu.

Chỉ có 2 người sống sót của chiếc UH-1D này là chuẩn úy Kilbourne và cơ khí phi hành, chuyên viên bậc 4 Cowherd. Hai tử thi được tìm thấy

 Tragic Day for the Thunderbirds

October 9, 1969

To borrow and word, October 9, 1969 was a day that will live in "infamy" in the history of the 118th Thunderbirds. October 9, 1969 was a terrible day because of the loss of 6 Thunderbird lives and 5 men from the 199th Light Infantry Brigade.

On October 9, 1969, a UH1D (63-08826) helicopter crew and 5 passengers were in the last aircraft of a flight of Thunderbird aircraft executing an extraction from a mined PZ (pick-up zone) in eastern Long Khanh Province, South Vietnam. The PZ was very near the shores of the swiftly flowing Song Dong Nai River. During the extraction, the heavily loaded helicopter's main rotor blades clipped some 45 feet tall bamboo while struggling out of the PZ as formation trail. The helicopter, already struggling with low rotor RPM began losing altitude. It turned right and headed west over the river in an attempt to regain air speed. Shortly thereafter, the aircraft commander, CW 4 James A. Bailey was forced to make a textbook water landing in 15-20 feet of water. The UH-1D sank on its left side in less than 10 seconds according to reports.

Continuous air and water searches were conducted immediately after the crash. They resulted in the rescue of two crew members, WO1 Steven. T. Kilbourne and SP4 O. Cowherd. None of the 5 passengers could be rescued and all perished! For days after that, loudspeaker broadcasts, and leaflet distributions to the locals were conducted. These took place during the periods of 9-15 October and 19-21 October, 1969. They were finally suspended October 16-18, 1969 only because of poor weather conditions. Recovery of most of the missing personnel aboard was accomplished. However, 5 were never recovered and classed as BNR.

A LRRP swimmer trying to search the site had difficulty working in the swift waters of the Song Dong Nai river, even with a rope. The individual reported that equipment was seen on the shore after the crash and it appeared to be alternately submerged and then to reappear. It could not be determined immediately how many persons escaped the aircraft. One who did escape reported that he could not make it to shore and went under numerous times. Another survivor reported seeing a man go down within 3-4 feet of him, but never saw him again. One of the individuals who was initially thought to have survived, later drowned or was lost in the incident.

The only survivors of the crash of UH-1D (63-08826) was WO1 Steven T. Kilbourne, the young pilot and the Crew Chief SP4 O. Cowherd. The two crew member remains located were identified as the crew chief, who had survived the immediate crash, but later drowned, and CW4 James W. Bailey, the aircraft commander, who was lost and remains recovered. However, the gunner SP5 James Henry Turner, was presumed drowned and he eventually classified as BNR.

The waters of the Song Dong Nai River were swift and treacherous that day apparently due to monsoon rains. It is particularly tragic that men who survived an aircraft crash would then drown trying to reach safety or aid others who were passengers. SGT James Lawrence Suydam, SGT Dallas Alan Driver, SGT Jimmy Ray Garbett, SGT Raymond Gregory Moore and SP5 James Henry Turner were listed as Killed, Body Not Recovered (BNR).

The fact that so many 199th Light Infantry Bde. Sergeants died in the last aircraft out of the PZ should not go unnoticed. Typically when a unit on the ground was extracted from a PZ, the unit places many Claymore mines around the PZ and then detonates them as the last men load on the aircraft to leave. These Sergeants did just that and were the last to leave the PZ and the ones to detonate the Claymore mines. True leaders and men doing the job of heros.

 

CW4 James A. Bailey, leaning against the aircraft before the incident. CW4 Bailey, a very experienced US Army Aviator,

at the age of 42, died tragically with 6 others when his aircraft crashed and sank into the Song Dong Nai River.

The pilot in the aircraft seat is Lawrence B. Smith, who was given this photo the day before the tragic crash.(69)

(Photo courtesy Lawrence B. Smith)===========

A Bandit Crew Unfound for Days!

October 9, 1969

While supporting troops in heavy combat at coordinates YT 3025, about 7 miles East of Bien Hoa on October 9, 1969, Bandit 2, a UH-1C (66-00530) gun ship, was lost for days when it crashed in tall bamboo in bad weather. Bandit 2 with the bodies of the 4 killed crew members on board, was not found for many days afterward. Apparently, some Vietnamese wood cutters found the aircraft in thick bamboo, completely covered (See photos below).

According to the accident summary, Bandit 2, piloted by Aircraft Commander CW2 Owen Tetsumi Hirano, and Pilot 1LT Robert Scott Mason, Jr. and Crew Chief SP5 Greg Bradford Scott and Gunner SP4 Danny Ray Spencer, was flying wing with 1LT John W. Mack who was the fire-team leader of the light fire-team. CW2 Hirano's aircraft had a 20 minute fuel warning light on. It was dark and both aircraft experienced lost contact with the ground and began flying on instruments in very poor weather. They were within 500-600 feet above the jungle tops. They both new this was in the vacinity of the high tension power lines that followed Highway 1. CW2 Hirano called Lt. Mack and told him he had Highway 1 in sight with his search light and would pick it up and follow it back to Bien Hoa. 1LT Mack followed CW2 Hirano and shortly after passing over Trang Bom they ran into extremely heavy rain and went completely IFR. CW2 Hirano called and said he was making a 180 degree turn to the right. They both turned right and LT Clay A. Hinderliter, co-pilot with LT Mack, lost sight of CW2 Hirano's aircraft. LT Mack's aircraft made it back to Trang Bom and landed. They tried repeatedly to contact CW2 Hirano's aircraft by FM, UHF and VHF radios, but no contact.

After about 20 minutes on the ground at Trang Bom, the weather cleared sufficiently to take-off. LT Mack and LT Hinderliter took off and proceeded the short distance to Bien Hoa, but CW2 Hirano was not there. A search was conducted for many days, without success. However, following an intelligence report that some Vietnamese woodcutters had found an aircraft crashed in thick bamboo, the aircraft was finally found.

SP5 Dan Chase, Crew Chief of a 145th CAB, HQ,

aircraft, standing beside Bandit 2 wreckage,

which was lost for days in thick bamboo.(69)

(Photo courtesy Dan Chase)

 

 

A closer photo showing the "2" of Bandit 2 vertical stabilizer, above.(69)

(Photo courtesy Dan Chase)