THE WALL OF FACES

There’s been a hole in my heart for 52 years. Today my heart breaks on your birthday. So much opportunity lost. I miss you brother.

On December 14, 1970, a U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H (tail number 69-15137) from Aviation Platoon, 326th Medical Battalion, 101st Airborne Division, was conducting a night medical evacuation in Thua Thien Province, RVN, when it struck a mountain in bad weather. Five crewmen were killed in the incident. They included aircraft commander WO1 Paul R. Brass, pilot WO1 Randall G. Freeman, medics SSG Steve F. Johnson and SP4 Jeffery D. Kuersten, and crew chief SP4 John W. Murphy. The aircraft reportedly was headed to the pick-up location when at approximately 4:32 PM it diverted to Camp Evans to refuel. Later, the helicopter was returning to perform the evacuation when it crashed into Coc Muen Mountain (Hill 1298), eleven miles northwest of the hamlet of A Luoi. A 2nd Brigade aircraft monitored their last transmission at 5:00 PM: “This is Dustoff 922 on guard.” Nothing more was heard from the crew. They were placed in a Missing in Action status until December 21, 1970, when their remains were recovered and identified. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and vhpa.org]

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. The remembrance from Joe Campbell is especially poignant. As long as you are remembered you will always be with us,,,,

Warrant Officer Paul Robert Brass, Served with the Aviation Platoon, 326th Medical Battalion, 101st Airborne Division, United States Army Vietnam.

Remembered always. RIP