On February 11, 1971, a U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H (tail number 67-17768) from D Troop, 3rd Squadron, 5th Cavalry, call sign Charlie Horse 21, was shot down one mile northwest of the Rockpile in Quang Tri Province (I Corps), RVN, while attempting to rescue the crew of a downed OH-58A Kiowa scout helicopter (#69-16091). The UH-1 aircraft commander, CW2 Kenneth A. Barger, and the crew chief, PFC Raymond F. Carroll, were killed in the incident. While approaching the Kiowa, the UH-1 radioed it was OK, then seconds later was hit by .51 caliber fire. It crashed inverted and began burning, trapping Barger and Carroll. The co-pilot, 1LT Melvin B. Pobre, survived the crash and was rescued. According to Pobre, who was flying in the right seat, the aircraft had eight ARVN soldiers on board when hit. The three most seriously injured were lifted out by another Huey (UH-1) using a jungle penetrator. The Huey with the jungle penetrator was the second medivac on the scene, the first one was fired on and driven away. The other survivors walked to a clearing to get picked up. Pobre’s injuries required that he be medevacked to Tripler Army Medical Center Japan. [Taken from vhpa.org]

DEAR CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER BARGER,
THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE AS AN UTILITY/OBSERVATION HELICOPTER PILOT. WATCH OVER OUR NATION. VETERANS' DAY JUST PASSED - SO IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER AND HONOR ALL OF YOU. THANKSGIVING IS APPROACHING. WE GIVE THANKS FOR YOU. MAY THE SAINTS AND ANGELS GUIDE YOU. REST IN PEACE.

Dear Kenneth,
You Have Not Been Forgotten!

The Society of the Fifth Division, U.S. Army, during its 95th Annual Reunion in Pittsburgh, PA (Sept 10-14, 2015) , held a Reading of the Names Ceremony to honor the 514 Soldiers from the 5th Division that were Killed in Action during the War in Vietnam. Your Name Was Read Aloud Among Those Soldiers. You Have Not Been Forgotten! Rest in Peace, Dear Brother.

Thomas Grafton
Alpha company, 7th Engineer Battalion, 1st Brigade, 5th Infantry Division
Vietnam (1968-1969)

He loved us so.
Every day, in a hundred ways, he told us so.
In honesty, in affection, he told us so.
He loved us so.
Every day, in a hundred ways, he showed us so.
With loyalty and bravery, he showed us so.
He was our defender, and he kept us free!
He took an oath to guard us, and fought for liberty!
He loved us so, and we should know.
For we loved him so.
Mr. Barger (warrant officers are addressed as "Mister", as in "Mister Barger"). you were the very essence of DUTY!...HONOR!...and COUNTRY! You had been there and done that in Vietnam! You were one brave man who did brave deeds for our America! You flew like the EAGLE and you fought for the right without question or pause! Your name and fame are the BIRTHRIGHT of EVERY American citizen! In your youth and strength...your love and loyalty...you had given all to defend liberty everywhere! Petrolia is very proud of you, Sir! You sacrificed your life so that freedom and justice may live! You had lived yup to the code of conduct and chivalry of those who guard this beloved land!...an ideal SO NOBLE that it arouses in all of us a sense of pride, and yet, of humility! I strongly and honestly believe that Avonmore's own Jill Corey, whom I greatly and immensely admire as one of my three top favorite songbirds of all time, the other two being Walton-on-Thames's own Julie Andrews, England's musical queen, and London's own Dusty Springfield, another thrush from England, would be very proud of your service to America, and the sacrifices you made to keep us and our country free! Well done, Sir! Be thou at peace. ARMY STRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dear CWO Kenneth Allen Barger, sir

As an American, I would like to thank you for your service and for your sacrifice made on behalf of our wonderful country. The youth of today could gain much by learning of heroes such as yourself, men and women whose courage and heart can never be questioned.

May God allow you to read this, and may He allow me to someday shake your hand when I get to Heaven to personally thank you. May he also allow my father to find you and shake your hand now to say thank you; for America, and for those who love you.

With respect, and the best salute a civilian can muster for you, Sir

Curt Carter