Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail
number 67-17817
The Army purchased this helicopter 1068
Total flight hours
at this point: 00000559
Date: 04/01/69
Incident number: 69040157.KIA
Unit: 57 AHC
Laos
Casualties = 01 KIA, 01 WIA . .
Original
source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated:
Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database. Also: OPERA, Unit History
(Operations Report. )
Summary: Shot down by .50 cal. Crashed and
burned.
Loss to Inventory
Crew Members:
CE SP4 GAY ALVIN LEON
KIA
AC WO1 HESTAND T WIA
War Story:
The 57th AHC's unit history
states on the first an aircraft was trying to climb out of a hot LZ and
sustained .50 cal hits causing the engine to fail. The pilot entered
autorotation but the terrain did not permit a successful termination and the
aircraft crashed and burned. The AC, WO Thomas Hestand, received a broken arm
and the CE, SP4 Alvin T. Gay, died instantly from a .50 cal wound. The pilot and
gunner were fortunate enough to escape without injury
This record was last updated on 05/25/98
The following is crew member information for this incident:
Name: SP4 Alvin Leon Gay
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on
04/01/69 while performing the duty of Crew Chief.
Age at death: 20.2
Date
of Birth: 02/03/49
Home City: Springville, UT
Service: regular component
of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 57 AHC
Major organization: 1st Aviation
Brigade
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 28W-101
Short Summary:
Died from .50 cal wounds. Helicopter crashed and burned.
Aircraft: UH-1H tail
number 67-17817
Service number: 18815260
Country: South Vietnam
MOS:
67N2F = UH-1 Helicopter Repairer
Primary cause: Hostile Fire
Major
attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: small arms
fire
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: crew
chief
Started Tour: 11/12/68
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty -
other aircrew
Location: Unknown Province
Reason: aircraft lost or
crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - killed
married male U.S. citizen
Race:
Caucasian
Relgion: Latter Day Saints (Mormon)
The following information is
secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as
defined by the Army: battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army
Military class: enlisted personnel
This record was last updated on
04/18/98
The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number
67-17817
It is provided here as an ESTIMATE of the history of this helicopter
and is not intended to be the final authority.
This helicopter was purchased
by the US Army in 1068.
Please provide any additional information on this
helicopter to the VHPA.
Tabular Data unavailable on mobile device
DATE FLT HRS UIC UNIT AREA POST COUNTRY
6810 0 0 W0Y6AA INTRANSIT IN TRANSIT AVCOMCTR
6811 24 24 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW VIETNAM RVN
6812 174 198 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW VIETNAM RVN
6901 145 343 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW VIETNAM RVN
6902 107 450 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW VIETNAM RVN
6903 109 559 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW VIETNAM RVN
Printed from databases on: 08/27/00