THE WALL OF FACES

Dear WO Edwin Sholar, Thank you for your service as an Utility & Light Cargo Single Rotor Helicopter Pilot. The 53rd anniversary of the start of your tour was 5 days ago. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart. Happy Valentine’s Day. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage, guidance and faithfulness, especially now. Rest in peace with the angels.

While my family was celebrating my 6th birthday, yours were getting the news of your death.

Your sacrifice is not forgotten.

HOOAH

At 1455H on June 4, 1969, a UH-1D (tail number 66-00819) from A Company, 101st Assault Helicopter Battalion, 101st Airborne Division was hit by an unidentified type explosive round from an undisclosed location and crashed, killing all five people on board. The mysterious incident was immediately investigated but the findings were initially inconclusive. The persons lost in this incident included aircraft commander CAPT Gregory G. Fuchs, pilot WO1 Edwin F. Sholar, crew chief SP4 Richard L. Barnes, gunner SP4 Stephen L. Roberts, and passenger SP4 Robert L. Jennings. The following account describes the scene on the ground: “I was the Flight Operations NCOIC and was in Flight Ops with MAJ Wall and CAPT Dreves when we heard a cry for help come over the FM radio. Minutes later we got a call confirming that aircraft 66-00819 had crashed and was on fire. An aircraft was readied and we immediately flew to the crash site. MAJ Wall the Company CO piloted and CAPT Dreves flew co-pilot. I was a rated crew chief so I flew as the door gunner. When we reached the crash site, the aircraft was pretty much gone and the bodies had been recovered by pilot Ed White and his crew and they were placed on his aircraft for transport to Graves Registration. After further inspection, it was learned that part of the crew chief’s body were missing. After Ed White took off, I and several others began a sweep of the crash area to try and locate the missing remains. After about 20 minutes, we located the missing remains on the side of a hill and I placed them in a plastic bag and we flew them back to Graves Registration. The crew chief had apparently tried to jump from the aircraft before it crashed but the main rotor blade (which had detached from the aircraft due to the explosion) had caught him and decapitated him before he ever hit the ground. A later investigation did reveal that a grenade being handled by the door gunner had exploded while the aircraft was in flight. Shrapnel had apparently penetrated the transmission, which caused it to seize up and the main rotor blade assembly snapped off in flight. I think it was one of the toughest days I had ever seen my unit go through and the memorial service we held back at camp later on was even tougher. The chicken plate and flight helmet that was worn by the door gunner when the grenade exploded was brought back to Flight Operations as part of the crew's effects. They were great young men and Comancheros to the end.” (From Timothy Moore, Comanchero 3M) Note: The U.S. Army Aviation Safety Board investigated this accident and it was determined that the hand grenade was mishandled by the door gunner based on the details on the door gunners protective chicken plate. [Taken from vhpa.org]

Dear WO Edwin Franklin Sholar, 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

Edwin is buried at Murry Memorial Gardens, Murray, KY. BSM PH