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57th Assault Helicopter Co.
57th AHC
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Goldbook Info - AH-1G 68-15143

Information on U.S. Army helicopter AH-1G tail number 68-15143
The Army purchased this helicopter 0569
Total flight hours at this point: 00000143
Date: 09/05/69
Unit: D/229 AVN
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was REPAIRED IN THEATER
This was an Inactive mission for Parked
While in Revetment this helicopter was on the Ground at 0000 feet and 000 knots.
South Vietnam
Helicopter took 1 hits from:
Explosive Weapon; Non-Artillery launched or static weapons containing explosive charges. (82MM MOR)
The helicopter was hit in the Main Rotor Blade System causing Fragmentation Damage.
Systems damaged were: MAIN ROTOR SYS, TAIL ROTOR
The helicopter was parked.
Entry for parked aircraft.
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis Center Helicopter database. Also: BDART, SIF, 00287 (Incidents converted from the fixed-wing data base. Battle Damage Assessment and Reporting Team Report.)

Information on U.S. Army helicopter AH-1G tail number 68-15143
The Army purchased this helicopter 0569
Total flight hours at this point: 00000244
Date: 10/20/69
Unit: D/229 AVN
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was REPAIRED IN THEATER
This was a Recon mission for Armed Escort
While Enroute this helicopter was Unknown at 0600 feet and 090 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 Left Side
Systems damaged were: PERSONNEL, STRUCTURE
Casualties = 01 WIA . .
The helicopter made an Emergency Landing. Aircraft took off, fully flight capable.
Both mission and flight capability were terminated.
Aircraft inspected and found to be in flyable condition
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis Center Helicopter database. Also: JSIDR, CASRP (Joint Services Incident Damage Report. Casualty Report. )

Crew Members:
AC WO1 WHITLEY KENNETH RAY
P SEVERSON

War Story:
I flew this ship at 8:30 the evening of 20 Oct 1969 on a night resupply mission for a fire base under intense enemy attack near the North east side of Nui Ba Den. (Black Virgin Mountain) The base was running out of ammo. My mission was to cover a lone Huey carrying boxes of bullets into the base. The first Huey inbound broke off and returned to Tay Ninh stating it was simply too hot anywhere near the fire base. I stayed on station near the fire base waiting to see if another ship would replace the first ship. Soon another crew in the same Huey came on scene. We discussed our tactics in accomplishing the mission. Both of our aircraft crews knew it was critical that we resupply them. Severson my copilot was himself a slick pilot, from C-229th 1st Cavalry, riding inside my snake's front seat on his first combat Cobra ride. He'd been asking for a flight for weeks so it was arranged and happened this date. He'd told me prior to the flight that he really wanted a good war story to tell his grand children. I suppose he got his wish. The second Huey broke off as he neared the base as I fired my rockets underneath and around his belly. It simply wasn't working. I told the Huey crew if they'd try it one more time, I'd get over the base at 500' feet and turn on my navigation and anti-collision lights in an attempt to draw the enemy fire toward us instead of their Huey. The plan worked better than I could have imagined. When I flipped the outside lights on the enemy bullets rose toward us in abundance. Just as the Huey landed inside the base I heard a loud pop coming back to me from the front seat. Severson screamed, "I'm hit." Rolling the aircraft into a dive to gain airspeed while turning off the aircraft lights, I asked him if he'd been shot. He told me clearly, "Yes, I've been shot." I explained the situation to the Huey. He was now on his on. I flew at full speed toward the Tay Ninh hospital. The Huey got out of the fire base and returned to Tay Ninh without anyone being shot. I'm sure his bird took hits but I never learned that as fact. Severson on the flight toward Tay Ninh was having emotional difficulties dealing with being plugged. Myself being in the back-seat with him seemingly light years away in the front seat gave me a feeling of helplessness. My copilot being shot was my fault. I'd placed us in harms way and had caused my crewmember distress and bodily harm. Worried was an understatement for my feelings about him. I asked him where he'd been shot? He said the bullet had entered his right shoulder, and hadn't, the best he could tell, exited anywhere. The bullet he felt was still somewhere inside him. I asked him if he were bleeding heavily? "No, he wasn't," he said, "but I could be internally someplace." Basically I was helpless in helping my poor copilot. Clearly, I could hear the wind whistling through the bullet holes in the cockpit area up front. I landed at the hospital pad. Doctors and nurses surrounded my copilot and took him away. Moving my ship off the main pad, I shut it down to post flight our battle damage. The slick drivers company commander drove up in a jeep and helped me post flight my ship. He was telling me how sorry he was this had happened. I can't recall what I told him in return. The only bullet that hit our ship had gone from right to left through the front seat cockpit bubble. Severson was leaning forward firing the turret when the bullet struck. If he'd been sitting upright the bullet would have went straight through his head. I couldn't figure out the pieces of the puzzle. Severson had advised me the bullet hadn't come out of him but it had because there was an exit hole in the canopy. The CO and I went inside to check on Severson. They said it was a minor shoulder wound. The bullet had entered and exited almost at the same spot. They'd keep him overnight to make sure all was well. Feeling better I left the CO, thanking him for visiting me in my time of emotional need, cranked up my ship alone and flew out of Tay Ninh. The return trip to Dau Teing was a strange one. I was alone in the aircraft while it played tunes to my ear through those bullets holes up front. It was an eerie sounding condition. I'd called my base requesting another ship and another copilot so I could then return to that fire base and repay the enemy in kind. While I landed another company ship departed. After landing my CO approached and told me to shut down and go to my hootch. He sent another crew to deal with the enemy. Maintenance patched the bullet holes with clear plastic patches and 68-15143 was ready to go right back to work. Severson came back to his unit late the next day. All came out better than one could have wished because we'd accomplished our mission that night as well. Kenneth Ray Whitley, D-229th - 1st Cavalry - Dau Teing - WO-1 - 68-69, 196th Infantry - Da Nang - Jan. 72 - June 72 - Beginning of tour two. 17th Avn Brigade - HQ & HQ CO. - Pleiku - June 72 - Jan 73 - finished tour two; Left the army four days prior to America's combat role being over. "War is a place where strangers meet for the last time." KRW This record was last updated on 04/25/99

Information on U.S. Army helicopter AH-1G tail number 68-15143
The Army purchased this helicopter 0569
Total flight hours at this point: 00000719
Date: 03/12/70
Unit: D/229 AVN
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was REPAIRED IN THEATER
This was a Recon mission for Armed Escort
While in Target Area this helicopter was Attacking at 0500 feet and 130 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 Right Side
Systems damaged were: STRUCTURE
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: JSIDR (Joint Services Incident Damage Report.)

Information on U.S. Army helicopter AH-1G tail number 68-15143
The Army purchased this helicopter 0569
Total flight hours at this point: 00001333
Date: 09/18/70
Accident case number: 700918171
Unit: D/229 AVN
The station for this helicopter was Bear Cat in
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0
costing 70821
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.

Crew Members:
AC O3 STOEN JM
P W1 MCINTOSH NH

Accident Summary: ON 18 SEPTEMBER 1970, AH-1G, SN 68-15143, WAS RELEASED TO CPT STOEN FOR THE PURPOSE OF ESCORTING 1ST BDE SNIFFER MISSION. AFTER REFUELING AND REARMING AT FSB NANCY AT APPROXIMATELY 1620 HOURS, CPT STOEN DEPARTED THE REFUELING AREA. DURING THE TAKEOFF THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND CPT STOEN TURNED TO THE RIGHT IN ORDER TO SET THE AIRCRAFT IN A BAMBOO CLUSTER SINCE THE REST OF THE AREA WAS DOTTED WITH STUMPS. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A STUMP WITH THE TAIL BOOM AND SETTLED ON A STUMP UNDER THE AMMO COMPARTMENT.
Information on U.S. Army helicopter AH-1G tail number 68-15143
The Army purchased this helicopter 0569
Total flight hours at this point: 00002008
Date: 06/25/72
Accident case number: 720625011 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 57 AHC
The station for this helicopter was Camp Holloway in
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 1 . . Passengers = 0
costing 509833
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.

Crew Members:
AC W1 MACHHOLZ RC
P W1 ADAMS HR

Accident Summary: AT 0930 HOURS, 25 JUNE 1972, ^WO1 ROBERT C. MACHHOLZ, AIRCRAFT COMMANDER AND ^WO1 HARRY R. ADAMS, PILOT, OF THE ^57TH ASSAULT HELICOPTER COMPANY^, CAMP HOLLOWAY, RVN, APO S. F. 96318 COMPLETED THEIR RUNUP AND DEPARTED CAMP HOLLOWAY IN AH-1G ^SN 68-15143^. ^WO1 MACHHOLZ^ WAS THE TEAM LEADER OF A LIGHT FIRE TEAM WITH THE MISSION OF ESCORTING A UH-1H, ON A VISUAL RECONNAISSANCE MISSION. THE MISSION WAS COMPLETED WITHOUT INCIDENT. PRIOR TO DEPARTING THE AREA OF OPERATION, ^WO1 MACHHOLZ^ RECEIVED PERMISSION TO FIRE ON A TARGET SO THAT HIS RELATIVELY INEXPERIENCED WING MAN COULD FIRE HIS ORDNANCE. WHILE HIS WING MAN EXPENDED, ^WO1 MACHHOLZ^ FIRED ONLY HIS OUTBOARD ROCKET PODS. ^WO1 MACHHOLZ^ THEN GAVE UP CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT TO ^WO1 ADAMS^ FOR THE FLIGHT BACK TO CAMP HOLLOWAY. THEIR ENTRY INTO CAMP HOLLOWAY'S TRAFFIC WAS ON A FOUR MILE FINAL FOR LANDING HELIPORT 23 TO POLAND THE TOWER INSTRUCTED THEM TO REPORT ONE MILE FINAL. ON REPORTING ONE MILE FINAL, ^WO1 ADAMS^ WAS CLEARED BY THE TOWER TO LAND AND HAD STARTED HIS APPROACH FROM AN ALTITUDE OF 2940 FEET. ^WO1 MACHHOLZ^ INFORMED HIS WING MAN THAT THEY WERE CLEARED TO LAND AT POL AND THEN HE PUT OUT THE CIGARETTE THAT HE HAD BEEN SMOKING. HE THEN LOOKED OUTSIDE THE AIRCRAFT AND AFTER DETERMINING THAT THE APPROACH WAS PROGRESSING NORMALLY, HE BEGAN HIS PRELANDING INSTRUMENT CHECK. WHILE NOTING AN ENGINE OIL PRESSURE OF 80 PSI, THE PRESSURE BEGAN DROPPING RAPIDLY AND THE LOW RPM WARNING AUDIO SIGNAL CAME ON. THEN, NOTICING THAT THE ENGINE ROTOR TACH WAS AT 6000 RPM, NEEDLES JOINED, HE LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE PITCH AND THE NEEDLES SPLIT. ^WO1 MACHHOLZ^ TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT FROM THE PILOT AT 50 TO 100 FEET ALTITUDE AND 40 TO 50 KNOTS. HE ATTEMPTED TO DECELERATE AND BEGAN APPLYING COLLECTIVE PITCH AT 15 FEET. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND STRAIGHT, SLIGHTLY NOSE HIGH WITH A HIGH VERTICLE VELOCITY AND APPROXIMATELY 20 KNOTS FORWARD AIRSPEED. AFTER THE INITIAL IMPACT, THE TAIL ROCKED UP, THE RED MAIN ROTOR BLADE STRUCK THE SYNCHRONIZED ELEVATOR AND SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM JUST TO THE REAR OF THE SYNCHRONIZED ELEVATOR. SIMULTANEOUSLY, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO TURN TO THE LEFT AND ROLLED ONTO ITS RIGHT SIDE, HEADING 110 DEG, 67 FEET FROM THE INITAL POINT OF IMPACT. THE CANOPY WAS SHATTERED DURING THE CRASH AND ^WO1 MACHHOLZ^ EXITED THE AIRCRAFT THROUGH THE CANOPY. HE JETTISONED THE GUNNERS DOOR AND ASSISTED ^WO1 ADAMS^ FROM THE AIRCRAFT. A UH-1H AIRCRAFT LANDED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AND CARRIED BOTH PILOTS TO THE HOSPITAL AT PLEIKU.
The following is testGoldbook information on US Army helicopter AH-1G tail number 68-15143
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 0569.
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
  6905   0    0 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS      ITR CONUS                   AVCOMITR
  6906   1    1 W0MHAA DIR SUP / TRAN   IN MAINT   SHARPE AD        AVCOM
  6907   0    1 W0MHAA DIR SUP / TRAN   IN TRANSIT SHARPE AD        AVCOM
  6908  31   32 WAAXD0 COD 229ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
  6909 111  143 WAAXD0 COD 229ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
  6910 101  244 WAAXD0 COD 229ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
  6911 102  346 WAAXD0 COD 229ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
  6912  72  418 WAAXD0 COD 229ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
  7001  81  499 WAAXD0 COD 229ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
  7002 101  600 WAAXD0 COD 229ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
  7003 119  719 WAAXD0 COD 229ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
  7004 106  825 WAAXD0 COD 229ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
  7005 128  953 WAAXD0 COD 229ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
  7006  99 1052 WAAXD0 COD 229ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
  7007  85 1137 WAAXD0 COD 229ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
  7008 144 1281 WAAXD0 COD 229ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
  7009  52 1333 WC5DAA 605 TRANS CO DS  VIETNAM                     RVN
  7010  52 1385 WC5DAA 605 TRANS CO DS  VIETNAM                     RVN
  7011   0 1385 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVCOM
  7012   0 1385 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVCOM
  7101   0 1385 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVSCOM
  7102   0 1385 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVSCOM
  7103   1 1386 WAX5AA 57 AHC           VIETNAM                     RVN
  7104  73 1459 WAX5AA 57 AHC           VIETNAM                     RVN
  7105  15 1474 WAX5AA 57 AHC           VIETNAM                     RVN
  7106   0 1474 WAX5AA 57 AHC           VIETNAM                     RVN
  7107  20 1494 WAX5AA 57 AHC           VIETNAM                     RVN
  7108  38 1532 WAX5AA 57 AHC           VIETNAM                     RVN
  7109  30 1562 WAX5AA 57 AHC           VIETNAM                     RVN
  7110  59 1621 WAX5AA 57 AHC           VIETNAM                     RVN
  7111  31 1652 WAX5AA 57 AHC           VIETNAM                     RVN
  7112  48 1700 WAX5AA 57 AHC           VIETNAM                     RVN
  7201  86 1786 WAX5AA 57 AHC           VIETNAM                     RVN
  7202  27 1813 WAX5AA 57 AHC           VIETNAM                     RVN
  7203  38 1851 WAX5AA 57 AHC           VIETNAM                     RVN
  7204  72 1923 WAX5AA 57 AHC           VIETNAM                     RVN
  7205  13 1936 WAX5AA 57 AHC           VIETNAM                     RVN
  7206  72 2008 WAX5AA 361 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN
  7207   0 2008 WAX5AA 361 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN
  7208   0 2008 WC5CAA 604TH TRANS CO   VIETNAM                     RVN
  7209   0 2008 WC5CAA 604TH TRANS CO   VIETNAM                     RVN
  7210   0 2008 WC5CAA 604TH TRANS CO   VIETNAM                     RVN
  7211   0 2008 W0Y6AA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVSCOM
  7212   0 2008 W0Y6AA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVSCOM
  7301   0 2008 W0Y6AA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVSCOM
  7302   0 2008 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVSCOM
  7303   0 2008 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVSCOM
  7304   0 2008 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVSCOM
  7305   0 2008 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVSCOM
  7306   3 2011 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVSCOM
  7307   0 2011 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVSCOM
  7308   2 2013 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVSCOM
  7309   7 2020 WAGEAA 1ST CAV DIV      5TH ARMY   FORT HOOD        FORSCOM
  7310  19 2039 WAGEAA 1ST CAV DIV      5TH ARMY   FORT HOOD        FORSCOM
  7311  39 2078 WAGEAA 1ST CAV DIV      5TH ARMY   FORT HOOD        FORSCOM
  7312   0 2078 WAGEAA 1ST CAV DIV      5TH ARMY   FORT HOOD        FORSCOM
  7401   6 2084 WAGEAA 1ST CAV DIV      5TH ARMY   FORT HOOD        FORSCOM
  7402  17 2101 WAGEAA 1ST CAV DIV      5TH ARMY   FORT HOOD        FORSCOM
  7403   0 2101 WAGEAA 1ST CAV DIV      5TH ARMY   FORT HOOD        FORSCOM
  7404   1 2102 WAGEAA 1ST CAV DIV      5TH ARMY   FORT HOOD        FORSCOM
  7405  10 2112 WAGEAA 1ST CAV DIV      5TH ARMY   FORT HOOD        FORSCOM
  7406  15 2127 WAGEAA 1ST CAV DIV      5TH ARMY   FORT HOOD        FORSCOM
  7410   5 2181 WAGEAA 1ST CAV DIV      5TH ARMY   FORT HOOD        FORSCOM
  7411   0 2181 WAGEAA 1ST CAV DIV      5TH ARMY   FORT HOOD        FORSCOM
  7412   0 2181 WAGEAA 1ST CAV DIV      5TH ARMY   FORT HOOD        FORSCOM
  7501   0 2181 WAGEAA 1ST CAV DIV      5TH ARMY   FORT HOOD        FORSCOM
  7502  10 2191 WAGEAA 1ST CAV DIV      5TH ARMY   FORT HOOD        FORSCOM
  7503   5 2196 WH30AA 6TH CAV BDE      5TH ARMY   FORT HOOD        FORSECOM
  7504  22 2218 WH30AA 6TH CAV BDE      5TH ARMY   FORT HOOD        FORSECOM
  7505  18 2236 WH3QAA 6TH CAV BDE      5TH ARMY   FORT HOOD        FORSCOM
  7506  25 2261 WH3QAA 6TH CAV BDE      5TH ARMY   FORT HOOD        FORSCOM
  7507   7 2268 WH3QAA 6TH CAV BDE      5TH ARMY   FORT HOOD        FORSCOM
  7508   1 2269 WH3QAA 6TH CAV BDE      5TH ARMY   FORT HOOD        FORSCOM
  7509   0 2269 WH3QAA 6TH CAV BDE      5TH ARMY   FORT HOOD        FORSCOM
  7510   0 2269 W0Y6AA NASA             LOAN       LANGLY RSH CTR   AVSCOM
  7511   0 2269 W0Y6AA NASA             LOAN       LANGLY RSH CTR   AVSCOM
  7512   0 2269 W0Y6AA NASA             LOAN       LANGLY RSH CTR   AVSCOM
  

Printed from databases on: 08/27/00
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