THE WALL OF FACES

You will forever remain in our hearts and prayers

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. May you rest in eternal peace.

Specialist Four Clifford Sherman Bratcher, Served with the Headquarters and Service Company, 15th Medical Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division, United States Army Vietnam.

On July 20, 1966, a U.S. Army helicopter UH-1D (tail number 64-13542) from Headquarters and Service Company, 15th Medical Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division, was on a medical evacuation mission to pick up a soldier near Vinh Thanh who reportedly was suffering from a high fever. Poor weather conditions compelled the aircraft to proceed at low-level over the terrain to the location of the supposedly ailing GI. They never made it. The helicopter was found the following morning crashed and burned. There were no survivors. The cause of the crash was not determined. The lost crew included aircraft commander 2LT Dennis B. Easley, pilot CAPT Donald C. Woodruff, crew chief PFC Douglas. M. Kyser, gunner SP4 Clifford S. Bratcher, and medic SP5 Charles S. Ridout. There is a personal account for this incident by James Moyle: I was also a helicopter pilot and was in the same unit as 2LT Easley. At the time he was killed, I was at a different location, just north of Quy Nhon. I heard about the crash the next morning. I flew to the area of the crash to help look for his aircraft, but when I got there the wreckage had already been located. CPT Woodruff and 2LT Easley were on a mission to evacuate a soldier that had a high fever. I was at the LZ when that soldier was evacuated the morning following the crash. He jumped from the evacuation helicopter and walked into the medical tent looking as healthy as could be. It was ironic that five guys died trying to evacuate him the previous night. The 15th Med Battalion commander changed the rules to deny emergency evacuation of any patients with less than 105-degree temperature. Interestingly, a few days earlier, I had successfully performed a similar nighttime evacuation of a soldier with hiccups! These flights took place during a monsoon period and we had to hover to the pickup LZ under low clouds, just above the trees. It was a 5-10 mile trip. After picking the patient up, we took off into the clouds in IFR conditions (I had a rare IRF rating). Almost as soon as we got airborne, the medic called on the intercom and said that we scared the s--t out of the patient and his hiccups went away. I’ll never know if my flight had anything to do with 2LT Easley and CPT Woodrff’s decision to fly that fateful night. They would have been flying in the same conditions, probably just above the trees with the landing light on in order to see. There was no moonlight at the time and because of the cloud cover, it was pitch black under the clouds. [Taken from vhpa.org and information provided by James Moyle (October 2017)]

Dear Spec 4 Bratcher,
Thank you for your service as a Pioneer with the 1st Cavalry. Mike was 1st Cav, say hi to him. Independence Day is approaching, and it is important for us all to acknowledge the sacrifices of those like you who answered our nation's call. Please watch over America, it stills needs your courage and faithfulness. Rest in peace with the angels.