THE WALL OF FACES

Thank you Captain Miller for your leadership and exemplary courage under fire.

Dear Captain Richard Charles Miller, 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, Sir

Curt Carter

On September 3, 1969, a U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H (tail number 68-15537) from Company B, 158th Aviation Battalion was involved in an accident with the loss of four crewmen and five passengers. The aircraft was number eight in a flight of fourteen. The flight was assigned the mission of executing eight combat assaults in support of the 2nd Brigade. The first mission involved the extraction of one Rifle Company. The first seven aircraft landed in the pickup zone and departed without incident. A large tree approximately 60 feet tall was directly north of the touch down point. Each aircraft commander turned his aircraft approximately 20 degrees to the left, which allowed sufficient clearance between the rotor disc and the large tree, allowing a safe departure on a north-northwesterly heading. Aircraft Number 8, upon approach the pickup zone, was instructed to utilize a right down wind and right base traffic pattern, due to artillery fire impacting southwest of the pickup zone. Because of inadequate spacing, resulting from the change of the approach pattern, the aircraft commander executed a go around and 360 degree turn to the west. The second approach was successful, and the loading of five passengers was accomplished. The aircraft, upon departure from the pickup zone, did not execute a 20 degree turn to the left, and subsequently followed a flight path more northerly in direction than the preceding aircraft in the flight. As the aircraft executed a maximum performance takeoff, the main rotor blades made contact with a tree, 60 feet tall, ten inches in diameter, and located 40 meters forward of the takeoff point. It is surmised that the aforementioned blade strike resulted in an instantaneous decay of rotor rpm to a level unacceptable for continued climbout. The aircraft then turned left approximately 10 degrees, with a slight loss of altitude, whereupon the underside of the aircraft and the tail boom passed through the top of a bushy dead tree approximately 40 meters along the flight path. At the point, the left synchronized elevator was torn from the tail boom and remained suspended in the upper limbs of the tree. The aircraft continued approximately 70 meters along its' flight path in a nose low attitude, making contact with the top of the jungle canopy, down the side of a ravine, with the final point of impact being in a stream 10 meters wide, the depth of the water being approximately 4 feet. Final impact was in a nose low attitude, with an estimated 20 knots forward motion. Upon impact, the transmission and main rotor system were thrown forward, collapsing the cabin roof, with the rotor head coming to rest in the pilot’s compartment of the aircraft. The cabin portion was immediately engulfed in flames, and as a result, all nine personnel aboard perished in the crash and resulting fire. The lost crewmen included pilots CW2 Ben F. Sutton and WO1 Carl P. Hughes, crew chief SP4 Michael M. Cox, and gunner SP4 Marvin E. Screen. The passengers were SP4 Neal D. Epifanio, PFC Louis T. Mills, CAPT Richard C. Miller, SGT Gary L. Evans, and CPL Leroy Rutherford. [Taken from vhpa.org]

Thank Captain Miller for your leadership and courage under fire.

If I should die, and leave you here awhile, be not like others, sore undone,. who keep long vigils by the silent dust, and weep...for MY sake, turn again to life, and smile...Nerving thy heart, and trembling hand to do something to comfort other hearts than thione...Complegte these dear, unfinished tasks of mine...and I, perchnace, may therein comfort you.