THE WALL OF FACES

Sgt Ricky Bowden is buried at Pisgah Cemetery in Pottsville, Arkansas.

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

On February 10, 1970, a U.S. Army helicopter UH-1D (tail number 66-16664) from the 335th Transportation Company was conducting a courier run to Da Nang from Chu Lai, RVN, when a tail rotor malfunction caused the aircraft to crash, killing twelve U.S. personnel. Aircraft commander CW2 Bobby C. Frost and pilot MAJ Ronald R. Baker departed the Ky Ha Helipad at Chu Lai at about 8:15 AM. The aircraft commander or pilot flew the helicopter to a point one mile south of Da Nang main airfield, just east of Highway 1. The aircraft was low level through this area due to a high density of aircraft, flying at an approximate altitude of 100-300 feet and an airspeed close to 80 knots. The helicopter then experienced a tail rotor malfunction causing the aircraft to slow. Its nose began to tuck under as the helicopter started spinning to the right. The aircraft next assumed an extreme nose-high attitude at which time the main rotor hub and blades separated, severing the tail boom section. The fuselage rolled left and turned upside down, impacting the ground in an inverted position. Fire broke out immediately due to ruptured fuel lines or cells. Vietnamese civilians attempted to extinguish the fire with pails of water, but to no avail. Several military personnel arrived at the crash site within minutes. They immediately took control of security and extinguished the fire with hand-held fire extinguishers, and assisted in removing personnel from the aircraft. Four crew members and eight passengers were killed in the crash. The lost crewmen included pilots CW2 Frost and MAJ Baker, crew chief SP5 Raymond G. Miles, and gunner SP5 Duane L. Richard. The passengers included five sailors, a Marine, and two soldiers. The lost seamen were LCR George R. Matthews, SK3 David F. Schuette, SN Timothy J. Green, SN Joel R. Stepp, and LTJG Robert G. Browne; the Marine was CPT John V. Francis; and the two soldiers were SGT Ricky L. Bowden and SP4 John Maynard. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and vhpa.org]

DEAR SERGEANT BOWDEN,
THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE AS AN AIRCRAFT RECIPROCATING ENGINE REPAIRMAN. TODAY IS MOTHER'S DAY. IT HAS BEEN FAR TOO LONG FOR ALL OF YOU TO HAVE BEEN GONE. WE APPRECIATE ALL YOU HAVE DONE, AND YOUR SACRIFICE. WATCH OVER THE U.S.A., IT STILL NEEDS YOUR COURAGE. GOD BLESS YOU. MAY THE ANGELS BE AT YOUR SIDE. REST IN PEACE. YOU ARE ALL IN OUR PRAYERS.

Sergeant Ricky Lynn Bowden, Served with the 335th Transportation Company, 123rd Aviation Battalion, 16th Aviation Group, Americal Division.