THE WALL OF FACES

Chief Warrant Officer Second Class Michael Joseph S. DePaul, Served with C Troop, 16th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Aviation Brigade.

On March 17, 1971, a U.S. Army helicopter AH-1G (tail number 67-15676) from C Troop (Air), 16th Cavalry, was involved in a mid-air collision with an Air America Pilatus PC-6 Porter fixed-wing aircraft over Can Tho Airfiled. The AH-1G, call sign Darkhorse 32 (DH 32), was crewed by instructional pilot CW2 Michael J. DePaul and pilot CAPT Robert C. Green. CW2 Depaul was 0.8 hours (estimated) into the aircraft check ride with CAPT Green. The Air America Portor, call sign 93R, had called in to Can Tho tower for landing instructions 6 miles west on a VHF radio frequency. The tower replied, "93R, straight in runway 08, winds 090/15, altimeter 29.83, report 2 mile final." This was acknowledged by 93R. At this point, for clarification sake, it is stated that the AH-1G was transmitting and receiving to the tower on a UHF frequency. His VHF was not being utilized. The Portor had only VHF, therefore neither aircraft could hear the other’s transmissions although they could hear all the tower transmission. DH 32 called on downwind for an autorotation to the active runway. DH 32 was cleared #2 for an autorotation on the active. The #1 in the traffic was an OH-58 helicopter just touching down on B row helipad. DH 32 entered the maneuver on final when the tower saw a fixed wing on final less than a mile from the airfield boundary. The tower asked the fixed wing for his ID, the response was, "93 R, one mile out here." The tower then instructed 93 R to slow his approach. Flaps were applied to an intermediate setting (examination of wreckage). Airspeed of 70 to 80 knots was then attained (80 knots being maximum flap speed). The Cobra’s airspeed at this point in a straight in autorotation would be 60 to 70 knots indicated. The tower then realized that the two aircraft were dangerously close. DH 32 was instructed to "go around." The reply was, "This is DH" to which the tower immediately repeated, "DH 32, go around." Again, the reply was "DH 32 on the go." Immediately, following that last reply by DH 32, 93R was asked if he saw the Cobra. The reply was "Negative." The tower immediately repeated, "93R, do you see the Cobra?" to which was replied "Negative, going around 93R." The tower then called "93R make a–oh!” when impact occurred at that time. The PC-6 hit the Cobra from above and behind. The Cobra fell forward and to the north side of the active runway. The left skid contacting a seven foot high pile of PSP (remains of the old runway which had been bull dozed into a pile). The Cobra at this point was in a left bank. It then slid forward off the PSP pile and came to rest on its left side. Both crewmen suffered fatal injuries in the crash. After impact with the Cobra, the Porter rolled to the left to an inverted position nose low and impacted into an empty revetment 50 meters east of the Cobra. Its pilot, CAPT Kenneth A. Houp, was killed. The number of occupants in the Porter reported as one, three, and six. [Taken from vhpa.org and utdallas.edu]

Mike made it his duty to attempt to get me away from the airfield and have fun down in the village. He thought that I was way too tight and needed to have fun and loosen up. In that he succeeded.

We became best friends in his short time there. He told me that he was on his third tour but would never say why. I started to wonder if he would ever go home or just keep extending in Vietnam under that conflict was over.

Mike took my spot at the Cobra Instructor Pilot school - I still think that it should have been me that went down, not Mike.

I will miss you always my friend. 30

March 17.1971; 5:30 PM; autorotation practice & crashed with an Air America. It is a helpless feeling watching something like this happen to 2 of your pilots & not be able to lift a finger to help. RIP

Michael is buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Sec 25, site 4215