THE WALL OF FACES

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. As long as you are remembered you will always be with us….

You will forever remain in our hearts and prayers

Dear Lt David Jauregui, Thank you for your service as a Rotary Wing Aviation Unit Commander - Helicopter Pilot. I researched you on the 49th anniversary of your tour's start, sad. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart. It's the end of summer. The time passes quickly. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage and faithfulness. Rest in peace with the angels.

On November 28, 1970, U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H (tail number 66-17036) from the 174th Assault Helicopter Company was on a flare mission in Quang Ngai Province (I Corps), RVN, when it failed to return to base. The aircraft was found crashed December 5th on the side of a mountain with no survivors. No details of what caused the crash are known. The lost crewmen included pilots CW2 Charles F. Creamer III and 1LT David C. Jauregui, crew chief SP4 James B. Powell Jr., and gunner CPL Gary E. Field. The following is a personal recollection of the incident by Bruce Marshall: My memory of this loss has diminished some over the years. I think the date of the accident was Nov 24th (checked my flight records). If I remember correctly, it took a few days to locate the accident site due to inclement weather and a lack of coordinates. On this night, I was on primary standby with the Sharks (attack UH-1 helicopters). CW2 Creamer was flareship standby. Sometime during the night, we were scrambled to provide gun support to an outpost which was under attack. The outpost was north of Duc Pho and south of Quang Ngai. I think it was adjacent to or near Route 1. I do not remember who I was flying with at the time, but the Team was two Sharks and one flareship. We did not need any vectors to the outpost, the fire fight had it lit up pretty well, and the bad guys were right at the perimeter wire. Creamer kept the area lit up and we were able to do our job. After being released by the ground troops, we all three headed for home. The chatter on the radio was normal until Creamer quit responding to our calls. There was no mayday call, and as far as I recall, there was no other indication that anything was wrong. I think we were all hoping he had experienced a radio failure, but due to the poor weather and cloud cover, we were very uneasy about the silence from Creamer's ship. Speculation was that they flew into inadvertent IMC (instrument meteorological conditions) conditions. (Narrative by Bruce Marshall, October 2002) [Taken from vhpa.org and 174ahc.org]

Dear 1LT David Cruz Jauregui, 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