Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1C tail
number 66-00587
The Army purchased this helicopter 0966
Total flight hours
at this point: 00000575
Date: 02/26/68
Unit: 117 AHC
This was a Combat
incident. This helicopter was REPAIRED IN THEATER
for Close Air Support
While in Target Area this helicopter was Attacking at 0500 feet and 100
knots.
South Vietnam
Helicopter took 2 hits from:
Small Arms/Automatic
Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive ballistic projectiles less than 20 mm in
size. (7.62MM)
The helicopter was hit in the Main Rotor Blade
System
Systems damaged were: MAIN ROTOR SYS
The helicopter Continued
Flight.
The aircraft continued and accomplished all mission
objectives.
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was
created or updated: Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis Center
Helicopter database. Also: UH1P3, 05703 ()
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1C tail number 66-00587
The Army
purchased this helicopter 0966
Total flight hours at this point:
00000659
Date: 03/17/68
Unit: 117 AHC
This was a Combat incident. This
helicopter was REPAIRED IN THEATER
This was a Recon mission for Armed Escort
, Other Aircraft.
Unknown this helicopter was Unknown at UNK feet and UNK
knots.
South Vietnam
Helicopter took 1 hits from:
Small Arms/Automatic
Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive ballistic projectiles less than 20 mm in
size. (7.62MM)
Systems damaged were: UNK
The helicopter Continued Flight.
The aircraft continued and accomplished all mission objectives.
Original
source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated:
Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis Center Helicopter database.
Also: UH1P3, 07712 ()
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1C tail number 66-00587
The Army
purchased this helicopter 0966
Total flight hours at this point:
00000659
Date: 03/28/68
Accident case number: 680328011
Unit: 117
AHC
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers =
0
costing 480
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated:
Army Aviation Safety Center database.
Crew Members:
AC W1 BRUSSE L
Accident Summary:
In route to home base, the engine failed. The aircraft commander made an
autorotation causing damage on touch down. The number one bearing failed, fell
and broke the case
This record was last updated on 01/31/97
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1C tail number 66-00587
The Army
purchased this helicopter 0966
Total flight hours at this point:
00000776
Date: 06/03/68
Unit: 117 AHC
This was a Combat incident. This
helicopter was REPAIRED IN THEATER
for Close Air Support
While Enroute
this helicopter was Climbing at 0300 feet and 090 knots.
South
Vietnam
Helicopter took 2 hits from:
Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun
launched non-explosive ballistic projectiles less than 20 mm in size.
(7.62MM)
The helicopter was hit in the Main Rotor Blade System
Systems
damaged were: MAIN ROTOR SYS
The helicopter Continued Flight.
The
aircraft continued and accomplished all mission objectives.
Original
source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated:
Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis Center Helicopter database.
Also: UH1P3, 15505 ()
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1C tail number 66-00587
The Army
purchased this helicopter 0966
Total flight hours at this point:
00001246
Date: 08/04/69
Unit: 57 AHC
This was a Combat incident. This
helicopter was REPAIRED IN THEATER
This was a Recon mission for Armed Recon
While Enroute this helicopter was at Level Flight at 0075 feet and 070
knots.
South Vietnam
Helicopter took 1 hits from:
Small Arms/Automatic
Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive ballistic projectiles less than 20 mm in
size. (7.62MM)
The helicopter was hit in the Main Rotor Blade
System
Systems damaged were: MAIN ROTOR SYS
The helicopter Continued
Flight.
The aircraft continued and accomplished all mission
objectives.
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was
created or updated: Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis Center
Helicopter database. Also: UH1P3, 21601 ()
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1C tail number 66-00587
The Army
purchased this helicopter 0966
Total flight hours at this point:
00001527
Date: 12/22/69 MIA-POW file reference number: 1539
Incident
number: 69122216.TXT
Unit: 57 AHC
This was a Combat incident. This
helicopter was LOSS TO INVENTORY
for Close Air Support
While Enroute
this helicopter was Unknown at UNK feet and UNK knots.
Unknown
UTM grid
coordinates: YA678975
Helicopter took 1 hits from:
Small Arms/Automatic
Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive ballistic projectiles less than 20 mm in
size. (7.62MM)
The helicopter was hit in the Tail Section
Systems damaged
were: TAIL ROTOR, PERSONNEL
Casualties = 02 DOI, 01 INJ . .
The
helicopter Crashed. Aircraft Destroyed.
Both mission and flight capability
were terminated.
Burned
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the
incident was created or updated: Defense Intelligence Agency Reference Notes.
Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database.
Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis Center Helicopter database.
Also: 1539, UH1P3, 35602 ()
Loss to Inventory
Crew: BURRIS, DONALD DEANE
JR;
Crew Members:
P CW2 BURRIS DONALD DEANE JR BNR
G SSG
KENNEDY
JAMES EDWARD BNR
AC WO1 HUNSICKER JOHN H RES
CE PURSER TIMOTHY A
RES
REFNO Synopsis:
SYNOPSIS: On December 22, 1969 SP4 James E.
Kennedy, door gunner; WO Donald D. Burris Jr., pilot; WO John H. Hunsicker,
aircraft commander; and SP5 Timothy A. Purser, crew chief; were the crew of a
UH1C helicopter (serial #66-00587) on a combat support mission when it developed
mechanical problems and crashed landed. Official records differ as to the
location of the crash. U.S. Army casualty and Joint Casualty Resolution Center
records indicate that the crash was in Cambodia, yet Defense Department, State
Department and other records indicate that the crash occurred near the border of
Attopeu and Saravane Provinces in Laos, some 30-35 miles north of the closest
point in Cambodia. Coordinates 152029N 1972941E are that location. The locality
of YA678975 is undoubtedly Cambodia. It is possible that their combat support
mission was in Cambodia, and the subsequent rescue flight took a circular
northwesterly course around the mountains in northern Cambodia along the Laos
border, circled back east towards Dak To (its destination), and that some
records pinpoint the actual location of loss at the beginning of the flight,
while others record it during flight. Regardless, when the aircraft landed,
Burris, Purser and Hunsicker had survived the crash, but they could not locate
the door gunner, James
Kennedy. WO Hunsicker and WO Burris escaped therough the
left cargo door uninjured. They found the crew chief (Purser), who had also
scrambled free of the wreckage. He had a broken arm. A search of the general
area around the crashed helicopter revealed no trace of SP4
Kennedy, and he was
not trapped in the wreckage. (As door gunner, and at a position on the side of
the main cargo area of the aircraft positioned at an open door,
Kennedy may have
decided to bail out of the descending aircraft, or may have fallen, - although
the gunners were generally strapped in to the frame of the helicopter so this
seems unlikely - thus becoming separated from the others.) Minutes after the
helicopter crashed, a recovery helicopter arrived in the area and lowered ropes
with McGuire rigs attached through the dense jungle to the downed men. The
survivors were not trained in the proper use of this equipment, and SP5 Purser
fell out of his rig a few feet off the ground. WO Burris and WO Hunsicker
remained in their rigs and were lifted out, and the helicopter started toward
Dak To, with the two rescued men still on the ropes. Five minutes into the
flight, Burris lost his grip on the rope and fell from an altitude of from 2500
to 3000 feet. The rescue helicopter continued to the nearest landing area. A
search and rescue team was inserted into the crash site area and recovered
Purser, who was injured. The team searched widely for SP4
Kennedy, but found no
trace of him, and concluded their search on December 25. No search was made for
Burris because of the lack of positive information to pinpoint his loss site and
the hostile threat in the area.
War Story:
The 57th AHC\'s unit history states the \"Cougar\" gunship,
commanded by WO John Hunsicker and piloted by CWO Don Burris, with the CE SP5
Timothy Barger and gunner SP4 James
Kennedy, was hit by hostile fire resulting
in the loss of its tail rotor. WO Hunsicker controlled the aircraft as long as
possible but after a short period of time, the aircraft no longer responded to
the controls and had to be crash landed. SP4
Kennedy, the gunner was lost before
the aircraft hit, but the remaining crew members sustained moderate to light
injuries. They were rescued by WOs Malcolm Peterson and Carter Higginbotham, on
ropes, but CWO Burris lost conscienceness and fell out of his extraction rig. WO
Burris and SP
Kennedy were great losses to the company
This record was last updated on 08/22/00
The following is crew member information for this incident:
Name: CW2 Donald Deane Burris, Jr.
Status: Body Not Recovered from an
incident on 12/22/69 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death:
23.0
Date of Birth: 12/26/46
Home City: Wayne, PA
Service: reserve
component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 57 AHC
Flight class: 67-19/67-17
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 15W-081
Short Summary: Crash -
rescue ropes were used to lift out Burris. He lost his grip at about 2500 ft.
2nd tour.
Aircraft: UH-1C tail number 66-00587
SSN: 196367814
Country:
South Vietnam
MOS: 100E = Attack Helicopter Pilot
Primary cause:
Laos-BNR
\"Official\" listing: helicopter air casualty - pilot
Length of
service: 03
Military grid coordinates of event: YA678975
Reason: aircraft
lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - died while missing
single male
U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Presbyterian
This record was last
updated on 06/28/91
Name: SSG James Edward
Kennedy Status: Body Not Recovered from an incident
on 12/22/69 while performing the duty of Gunner.
Declared dead on
01/11/74.
Age at death: 20.0
Date of Birth: 01/02/50
Home City: Pine
Hill, NJ
Service: regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 57
AHC
Major organization: 1st Aviation Brigade
Service: U.S. Army.
The
Wall location: 15W-081
Aircraft: UH-1C tail number 66-00587
SSN: 155423333
Country: Cambodia
MOS: 64C40 = Motor Transport Operator
Major
attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: vehicular
accident
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: door
gunner
Vehicle ownership: government
Started Tour: 05/26/69
\"Official\"
listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
The initial status of this
person was: missing in action - interim
Length of service: *
Military grid
coordinates of event: YA678975
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty
type: Hostile - died while missing
single male U.S. citizen
Race:
Caucasian
Relgion: Baptist - other groups
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
07/30/95
The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1B tail number
66-00587
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 0966.
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
6610 1 2 W0MHAA DIROF SUP TRAN 6TH ARMY SHARPE GD SUPMACOM
6611 0 2 W0MHAA DIROF SUP TRAN 6TH ARMY SHARPE GD SUPMACOM
6612 0 2 W0MHAA DIROF SUP TRAN 6TH ARMY SHARPE GD SUPMACOM
6701 9 11 WAX8AA 117 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6702 36 47 WAX8AA 117 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6703 51 98 WAX8AA 117 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6704 42 140 WAX8AA 117 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6705 24 164 WAX8AA 117 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6706 50 214 WAX8AA 117 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6707 18 232 WAX8AA 117 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6708 72 304 WAX8AA 117 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6709 48 352 WAX8AA 117 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6710 28 380 WAX8AA 117 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6711 45 425 WAX8AA 117 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6712 67 492 WAX8AA 117 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6801 7 499 WAX8AA 117 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6802 76 575 WAX8AA 117 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6803 84 659 WAX8AA 117 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6804 0 659 WAX8AA 117 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6805 69 728 WAX8AA 117 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6806 48 776 WAX8AA 117 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6807 65 841 WAX8AA 117 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6808 102 943 WAX8AA 117 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6809 101 1044 WAX8AA 117 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6810 13 1057 WAX8AA 117 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6811 0 1057 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM
6812 0 1057 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM
6901 0 1057 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN TRANSIT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM
6902 0 1057 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN STORAGE NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM
6903 3 1060 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM
6904 0 1060 3300 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC
6905 5 1065 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW VIETNAM RVN
6906 61 1126 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW VIETNAM RVN
6907 42 1168 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW VIETNAM RVN
6908 78 1246 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW VIETNAM RVN
6909 84 1330 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW VIETNAM RVN
6910 81 1411 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW VIETNAM RVN
6911 54 1465 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW VIETNAM RVN
6912 62 1527 WC5CAA 572ND MI DET VIETNAM RVN
Printed from databases on: 08/27/00
