HONORED ON PANEL 41W, LINE 2 OF THE WALL
DENNIS ARTHUR WIRT
WALL NAME
DENNIS A WIRT
PANEL / LINE
41W/2
DATE OF BIRTH
CASUALTY PROVINCE
DATE OF CASUALTY
HOME OF RECORD
COUNTY OF RECORD
STATE
BRANCH OF SERVICE
RANK
REMEMBRANCES
LEFT FOR DENNIS ARTHUR WIRT
POSTED ON 6.16.2000
POSTED BY: Doug (Sgt) Marsh
Crash at Camp Evans
Information from <http://www.toad.net/~n3tef/page7.html>
Mid Air Collision at Camp Evans RVN October 3, 1968
Probably one of the greatest fears in Vietnam was to die on the way home. Time and again there
were
example after example of how you weren't really safe until you heard the wheels thump into the
wheel
wells of the DC-8 Freedom Bird taking us home. What follows is our recollections of that day in
1968,
the accident report and the list of all known KIAs from the National Archives for the First
Cavalry
Division.
It all started with:
Official Accident Summary:
THE US AIR FORCE C7-A DEPARTED CAMP EVANS AIRFIELD FROM RUNWAY 36. HIS LAST
RADIO TRANSMISSION AFTER RECEIVING TOWER CLEARANCE WAS "ROLLING". THIS
AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED TO BREAK RIGHT PRIOR TO REACHING THE END OF THE
RUNWAY. HE CONTINUED A CLIMBING TURN TO A HEADING OF APPROXIMATELY 130
DEGREES. THE CH-47 HELICOPTER HAD DEPARTED LZ NANCY ONLY A FEW MINUTES
BEFORE.
IT WAS PROCEEDING SOUTH ALONG HIGHWAY QL-1, ON A HEADING OF 170 DEGREES,
IN A SHALLOW DESCENT. THIS IS A SCHEDULED DAILY PASSENGER AND MAIL SHUTTLE
AND WOULD HAVE ENTERED TRAFFIC ON A RIGHT BASE LEG FOR LANDING AT THE
CAMP EVANS ASP PAD IS THE REGULAR STOP FOR THIS SHUTTLE AND IS LOCATED
EAST OF THE CENTERLINE OF RUNWAY 36, APPROXIMATELY 1000 FEET SOUTH OF THE
APPROACH END OF THAT RUNWAY.
HE HAD NOT YET CALLED THE TOWER FOR CLEARANCE, THOUGH HIS UHF RADIO WAS
ON TOWER FREQUENCY. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT THE CH-47 WAS CRUISING AT
APPROXIMATELY 95 TO 100 KNOTS. THE C7A WITH CLIMB POWER, SHOULD HAVE BEEN
AT ABOUT 105 KNOTS. THE TWO AIRCRAFT CONVERGED AT AN ALTITUDE OF
APPROXIMATELY 1100 FEET AT A RELATIVE ANGLE OF APPROXIMATELY 40 DEGREES.
THE COCKPIT SECTION OF THE C7-A CONTACTED THE REAR ROTOR OF THE
HELICOPTER. THE C7-A HAD STARTED A RIGHT BANK, PROBABLY A LAST MINUTE
ATTEMPT TO AVOID THE COLLISION. WHEN THE TWO AIRCRAFT COLLIDED, AT LEAST
ONE OF THE HELICOPTER REAR ROTOR BLADES SLICED THROUGH THE COCKPIT
SECTION OF THE AIRPLANE ON AN ANGLE FROM THE TOP OF THE COPILOTS
WINDSHIELD DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF THE PILOTS WINDSHIELD, KILLING BOTH
PILOTS INSTANTLY, AND DESTROYING ALL ENGINE CONTROLS.
AT THE SAME TIME, ONE OF THE ROTOR BLADES, OR DEBRIS FROM THE COCKPIT
STRUCK THE LEFT PROPELLER OF THE C7-A. ONE OF THE BLADES WAS SEVERED FROM
THE PROPELLER, AND PASSED THROUGH BOTH SIDES OF THE FUSELAGE OF THE
AIRPLANE. THE LEFT PROPELLER THEN SEPARATED FROM THE ENGINE AND FELL TO
THE GROUND. THE C7-A MADE A STEEP DESCENDING RIGHT TURN AND STRUCK THE
GROUND ON A HEADING OF 340 DEGREES. THE AIRCRAFT DISINTEGRATED, ALL
PERSONNEL ABOARD PERISHED, THERE WAS NO FIRE. THE CH-47, AT THE MOMENT OF
THE COLLISION LOST ALL OF ITS REAR MAIN ROTOR BLADES. ONCE THESE BLADES
WERE BROKEN AND DISTORTED BY THE COLLISION, THEY CHOPPED INTO THE TOP OF
THE HELICOPTERS FUSELAGE BEFORE FINALLY SEPARATING FROM THE HUB.
THEY DISLODGED TWO SECTIONS OF THE SYNCHRONIZER DRIVE SHAFT WHICH ALSO
FELL TO THE GROUND. AT THIS TIME, NEITHER ROTOR SYSTEM COULD PROVIDE ANY
THRUST, AND THE HELICOPTER BECAME A FREE FALLING BODY. WHILE IT WAS
TUMBLING TO EARTH, THE REAR ROTOR MAST AND PYLON SEPARATED FROM THE
FUSELAGE AND LANDED 150 METERS SHORT OF THE FUSELAGE. THE FUSELAGE
TUMBLED TO EARTH AND IMPACTED ON A HEADING OF APPROXIMATELY 120
DEGREES. IT LANDED ON ITS TOP LEFT SIDE IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE, WITH NEAR
ZERO FORWARD SPEED. IT EXPLODED ON IMPACT. TWO PERSONS FELL OUT OF THE
HELICOPTER AS IT TUMBLED THROUGH THE AIR. THEY WERE FATALLY INJURED ON
CONTACT WITH THE GROUND. THOSE REMAINING IN THE HELICOPTER DIED IN THE
CRASH.
Information on U.S. Army helicopter tail number 66-19041
Date: 681003
Incident number: 681003141ACD
Accident case number: 681003141
Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: A/ 228 Combat Support Aviation Battalion 1st Cavalry Division
Phu Bai Province
Number killed in accident: 11 Injured: 0 Passengers: 6
Crew Members:
AC W2 JOHNSON THOMAS EUGENE KIA
P W1 CONROY RONALD LEE KIA
FE E4 COSTLEY LARRY L KIA
CE E4 PIERCE JERRY LEE JR KIA
G E4 REESE DENNIS DEAN KIA
Passengers from the aircraft accident list are:
CPT ALDERSON THOMAS EARL
SFC CLEMENTS DAWSON
SSG YOUNG WILLIAM RANDOLPH
PFC LUCIER JOHN WILLIAM
SSG WALLACE CHARLES JAMES
SP4 SEE MICHAEL DUANE
CPT Thomas E. Alderson was not a member of the First Cav and not listed in the National Archives
list
of all known losses - 1st Cavalry Division The National Archives list of all known losses in the 1st
Cavalry Division on October 3, 1968 lists the following names. Each name has a code beside it
which
designates whether they were on the CH-47 or the C-7A. The military occupational specialty
(MOS) is
the numerical designation shown to the right of the name, i.e 11B20 is a lower ranking infantryman.
SFC Dawson Clement 31G40 Tactical Communication Chief CH-47
WO1 Ronald L. Conroy 062B CoPilot CH-47 CH-47
SP4 Larry L. Costley 67U20 CH-47 Crewmember CH-47
SP4 Donald J. Cramer Jr. 05B20 Comm. Specialist C-7A
SP4 David J. Dellangelo 11B20 Infantryman C-7A
SP5 David A. Disrud 44C20 Welder C-7A
SP5 Allen E. Gomes 94B20 Cook C-7A
SP5 Dale G. Granger 31E20 Field Radio Repairer C-7A
PFC Joe J. Hibbler 11B20 Infantryman C-7A
CW2 Thomas E. Johnson 062B Pilot CH 47 CH-47
PFC John W. Lucier 71F20 Postal Clerk CH-47
SP5 David B. Perreault 94B20 Cook C-7A
SP5 Jerry L. Pierce 67U20 CH 47 Crewmember CH-47
SP4 Dennis D. Reese 67A1P OH-6 Crew Chief CH-47
SP4 Michael D. See 91B20 Medic CH-47
PFC Robert D. Tomlinson 11B20 Infantryman C-7A
SSG Charles J. Wallace 67Y40 AH-1G Maint NCO CH-47
PFC Dennis A. Wirt 11B20 Infantryman C-7A
SSG William R. Young 45B40 Small Arms/Artillery Repairer CH-47
From the United States Air Force in Southeast Asia-Tactical Airlift, page 475:
Prior to 1968, three serious operational problems defied effective solution, all requiring better
coordination
between the U.S. Army and the Air Force in the field. First, flying officers of both services
testified to the
danger of midair collision near forward airstrips. This was the result of uncontrolled flying,
incompatible
radio equipment, and the absence of commonly accepted procedures for Army helicopter and Air
Force
transport operations at shared airheards. A midair collision between a Caribou and a Chinook near
Camp
Evans on October 3, 1968, cost twenty five lives and tragically illustrated the problem. Second,
physical
conditions at forward airstrips were sometimes unnecessarily dangerous. Hazards included
bunkers or
other obstacles near runways and taxi areas, uncontrolled vehicle and pedestrian traffic and
landing
surfaces needing improvement. Third, a better system for warning transport crews of firing by
friendly
artillery was needed. The destruction of an Air Force Caribou by a 155MM shell while landing at
Ha
Thahn in August 1967 highlighted this problem.
Joe Potvin A/227 a UH-1H Huey unit
I was sitting in POL hot refueling and watched the C7-A take off to the North from the active
runway.
We were facing north so I lost sight of the fixed wing after it made a hard right break which I'm
sure kept
it either inside of or over Hwy 1. The Air Force jocks thought the Evans area was pretty
dangerous so
they max performance takeoffs out of there to limit exposure.
The next thing I knew was my crew chief was at my door telling me he had just watched the C7
run into
a Chinook, at about the same time the tower frequency lit up with calls for assistance from any
helicopters in the area.
We buttoned up and headed for the crash sight, you could see smoke coming from the CH-47
crash site
but the C7 was harder to find. I landed next to the C7 wreckage ( a polite term meaning big ass
hole in the
rice paddy ) and did a quick walk around with my crew chief. There wasn't a thing left. It was all
buried
in the rice paddy ( no standing water but still wet ). The biggest thing I saw was one of the
mangled
engines..
Chief and I looked at each other, went back to aircraft and left the area. Not a pleasant sight. By
that time
many more troops were arriving and it was clear we were only in the way. I don't think any of us
wanted
to stay around and sift through the wreckage looking for parts.
Gene Lassiter, 228th, 68-69
I was already at Bn HQ when this happened. I remember Lt. Col. Paquette , who commanded from
June
to December 1968, in a rage because the AF type who commanded the Caribou unit tried to blame
the
Hook for the crash. It turned out that the Caribou driver was horsing around and pulled a steep
climb and
turn immediately after take-off. If I remember right, the blade of the Hook took out the cockpit
of the
Caribou and it was thought that the plane was otherwise flyable, but of course had no hands "at
the
wheel". I think there was a Longhorn on the Caribou going on R&R and his brother was at Evans
watching the whole thing. I could be wrong about that. Still don't remember the date. The 228th
flight
surgeon was one of the first on the scene and I'll never forget his face when he came back. We
were all
pretty sick.
Dave Greene B/227th
The mid-air between the hook and the caribou happened the day before I was to DEROS (from
Evans to
AnKhe). I was watching the Caribou take off ('cause I was to ride it the next afternoon), when it
turned
through the downwind leg of traffic. It clipped the back rotor of the hook. It lost about 15-20
feet of
wing, but the rotors probably went through the cockpit too. It pitched up to stall, then nosed over
straight
down. The hook started to spin, throwing bodies out the back of the aircraft. God, what a horrible
sight. I
think 42 people were killed. It was hard to get on that plane the next day!
Web Masters Note: The information above I feel is important to the History of our unit and a
Tribute to
the Men that Died in this event. Let us not Forget them.
I am still trying to dig up more information on this unit but the record keeping was sparse and
hard to
find. I will post what I find as soon as I can put it together.
Mid Air Collision at Camp Evans RVN October 3, 1968
Probably one of the greatest fears in Vietnam was to die on the way home. Time and again there
were
example after example of how you weren't really safe until you heard the wheels thump into the
wheel
wells of the DC-8 Freedom Bird taking us home. What follows is our recollections of that day in
1968,
the accident report and the list of all known KIAs from the National Archives for the First
Cavalry
Division.
It all started with:
Official Accident Summary:
THE US AIR FORCE C7-A DEPARTED CAMP EVANS AIRFIELD FROM RUNWAY 36. HIS LAST
RADIO TRANSMISSION AFTER RECEIVING TOWER CLEARANCE WAS "ROLLING". THIS
AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED TO BREAK RIGHT PRIOR TO REACHING THE END OF THE
RUNWAY. HE CONTINUED A CLIMBING TURN TO A HEADING OF APPROXIMATELY 130
DEGREES. THE CH-47 HELICOPTER HAD DEPARTED LZ NANCY ONLY A FEW MINUTES
BEFORE.
IT WAS PROCEEDING SOUTH ALONG HIGHWAY QL-1, ON A HEADING OF 170 DEGREES,
IN A SHALLOW DESCENT. THIS IS A SCHEDULED DAILY PASSENGER AND MAIL SHUTTLE
AND WOULD HAVE ENTERED TRAFFIC ON A RIGHT BASE LEG FOR LANDING AT THE
CAMP EVANS ASP PAD IS THE REGULAR STOP FOR THIS SHUTTLE AND IS LOCATED
EAST OF THE CENTERLINE OF RUNWAY 36, APPROXIMATELY 1000 FEET SOUTH OF THE
APPROACH END OF THAT RUNWAY.
HE HAD NOT YET CALLED THE TOWER FOR CLEARANCE, THOUGH HIS UHF RADIO WAS
ON TOWER FREQUENCY. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT THE CH-47 WAS CRUISING AT
APPROXIMATELY 95 TO 100 KNOTS. THE C7A WITH CLIMB POWER, SHOULD HAVE BEEN
AT ABOUT 105 KNOTS. THE TWO AIRCRAFT CONVERGED AT AN ALTITUDE OF
APPROXIMATELY 1100 FEET AT A RELATIVE ANGLE OF APPROXIMATELY 40 DEGREES.
THE COCKPIT SECTION OF THE C7-A CONTACTED THE REAR ROTOR OF THE
HELICOPTER. THE C7-A HAD STARTED A RIGHT BANK, PROBABLY A LAST MINUTE
ATTEMPT TO AVOID THE COLLISION. WHEN THE TWO AIRCRAFT COLLIDED, AT LEAST
ONE OF THE HELICOPTER REAR ROTOR BLADES SLICED THROUGH THE COCKPIT
SECTION OF THE AIRPLANE ON AN ANGLE FROM THE TOP OF THE COPILOTS
WINDSHIELD DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF THE PILOTS WINDSHIELD, KILLING BOTH
PILOTS INSTANTLY, AND DESTROYING ALL ENGINE CONTROLS.
AT THE SAME TIME, ONE OF THE ROTOR BLADES, OR DEBRIS FROM THE COCKPIT
STRUCK THE LEFT PROPELLER OF THE C7-A. ONE OF THE BLADES WAS SEVERED FROM
THE PROPELLER, AND PASSED THROUGH BOTH SIDES OF THE FUSELAGE OF THE
AIRPLANE. THE LEFT PROPELLER THEN SEPARATED FROM THE ENGINE AND FELL TO
THE GROUND. THE C7-A MADE A STEEP DESCENDING RIGHT TURN AND STRUCK THE
GROUND ON A HEADING OF 340 DEGREES. THE AIRCRAFT DISINTEGRATED, ALL
PERSONNEL ABOARD PERISHED, THERE WAS NO FIRE. THE CH-47, AT THE MOMENT OF
THE COLLISION LOST ALL OF ITS REAR MAIN ROTOR BLADES. ONCE THESE BLADES
WERE BROKEN AND DISTORTED BY THE COLLISION, THEY CHOPPED INTO THE TOP OF
THE HELICOPTERS FUSELAGE BEFORE FINALLY SEPARATING FROM THE HUB.
THEY DISLODGED TWO SECTIONS OF THE SYNCHRONIZER DRIVE SHAFT WHICH ALSO
FELL TO THE GROUND. AT THIS TIME, NEITHER ROTOR SYSTEM COULD PROVIDE ANY
THRUST, AND THE HELICOPTER BECAME A FREE FALLING BODY. WHILE IT WAS
TUMBLING TO EARTH, THE REAR ROTOR MAST AND PYLON SEPARATED FROM THE
FUSELAGE AND LANDED 150 METERS SHORT OF THE FUSELAGE. THE FUSELAGE
TUMBLED TO EARTH AND IMPACTED ON A HEADING OF APPROXIMATELY 120
DEGREES. IT LANDED ON ITS TOP LEFT SIDE IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE, WITH NEAR
ZERO FORWARD SPEED. IT EXPLODED ON IMPACT. TWO PERSONS FELL OUT OF THE
HELICOPTER AS IT TUMBLED THROUGH THE AIR. THEY WERE FATALLY INJURED ON
CONTACT WITH THE GROUND. THOSE REMAINING IN THE HELICOPTER DIED IN THE
CRASH.
Information on U.S. Army helicopter tail number 66-19041
Date: 681003
Incident number: 681003141ACD
Accident case number: 681003141
Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: A/ 228 Combat Support Aviation Battalion 1st Cavalry Division
Phu Bai Province
Number killed in accident: 11 Injured: 0 Passengers: 6
Crew Members:
AC W2 JOHNSON THOMAS EUGENE KIA
P W1 CONROY RONALD LEE KIA
FE E4 COSTLEY LARRY L KIA
CE E4 PIERCE JERRY LEE JR KIA
G E4 REESE DENNIS DEAN KIA
Passengers from the aircraft accident list are:
CPT ALDERSON THOMAS EARL
SFC CLEMENTS DAWSON
SSG YOUNG WILLIAM RANDOLPH
PFC LUCIER JOHN WILLIAM
SSG WALLACE CHARLES JAMES
SP4 SEE MICHAEL DUANE
CPT Thomas E. Alderson was not a member of the First Cav and not listed in the National Archives
list
of all known losses - 1st Cavalry Division The National Archives list of all known losses in the 1st
Cavalry Division on October 3, 1968 lists the following names. Each name has a code beside it
which
designates whether they were on the CH-47 or the C-7A. The military occupational specialty
(MOS) is
the numerical designation shown to the right of the name, i.e 11B20 is a lower ranking infantryman.
SFC Dawson Clement 31G40 Tactical Communication Chief CH-47
WO1 Ronald L. Conroy 062B CoPilot CH-47 CH-47
SP4 Larry L. Costley 67U20 CH-47 Crewmember CH-47
SP4 Donald J. Cramer Jr. 05B20 Comm. Specialist C-7A
SP4 David J. Dellangelo 11B20 Infantryman C-7A
SP5 David A. Disrud 44C20 Welder C-7A
SP5 Allen E. Gomes 94B20 Cook C-7A
SP5 Dale G. Granger 31E20 Field Radio Repairer C-7A
PFC Joe J. Hibbler 11B20 Infantryman C-7A
CW2 Thomas E. Johnson 062B Pilot CH 47 CH-47
PFC John W. Lucier 71F20 Postal Clerk CH-47
SP5 David B. Perreault 94B20 Cook C-7A
SP5 Jerry L. Pierce 67U20 CH 47 Crewmember CH-47
SP4 Dennis D. Reese 67A1P OH-6 Crew Chief CH-47
SP4 Michael D. See 91B20 Medic CH-47
PFC Robert D. Tomlinson 11B20 Infantryman C-7A
SSG Charles J. Wallace 67Y40 AH-1G Maint NCO CH-47
PFC Dennis A. Wirt 11B20 Infantryman C-7A
SSG William R. Young 45B40 Small Arms/Artillery Repairer CH-47
From the United States Air Force in Southeast Asia-Tactical Airlift, page 475:
Prior to 1968, three serious operational problems defied effective solution, all requiring better
coordination
between the U.S. Army and the Air Force in the field. First, flying officers of both services
testified to the
danger of midair collision near forward airstrips. This was the result of uncontrolled flying,
incompatible
radio equipment, and the absence of commonly accepted procedures for Army helicopter and Air
Force
transport operations at shared airheards. A midair collision between a Caribou and a Chinook near
Camp
Evans on October 3, 1968, cost twenty five lives and tragically illustrated the problem. Second,
physical
conditions at forward airstrips were sometimes unnecessarily dangerous. Hazards included
bunkers or
other obstacles near runways and taxi areas, uncontrolled vehicle and pedestrian traffic and
landing
surfaces needing improvement. Third, a better system for warning transport crews of firing by
friendly
artillery was needed. The destruction of an Air Force Caribou by a 155MM shell while landing at
Ha
Thahn in August 1967 highlighted this problem.
Joe Potvin A/227 a UH-1H Huey unit
I was sitting in POL hot refueling and watched the C7-A take off to the North from the active
runway.
We were facing north so I lost sight of the fixed wing after it made a hard right break which I'm
sure kept
it either inside of or over Hwy 1. The Air Force jocks thought the Evans area was pretty
dangerous so
they max performance takeoffs out of there to limit exposure.
The next thing I knew was my crew chief was at my door telling me he had just watched the C7
run into
a Chinook, at about the same time the tower frequency lit up with calls for assistance from any
helicopters in the area.
We buttoned up and headed for the crash sight, you could see smoke coming from the CH-47
crash site
but the C7 was harder to find. I landed next to the C7 wreckage ( a polite term meaning big ass
hole in the
rice paddy ) and did a quick walk around with my crew chief. There wasn't a thing left. It was all
buried
in the rice paddy ( no standing water but still wet ). The biggest thing I saw was one of the
mangled
engines..
Chief and I looked at each other, went back to aircraft and left the area. Not a pleasant sight. By
that time
many more troops were arriving and it was clear we were only in the way. I don't think any of us
wanted
to stay around and sift through the wreckage looking for parts.
Gene Lassiter, 228th, 68-69
I was already at Bn HQ when this happened. I remember Lt. Col. Paquette , who commanded from
June
to December 1968, in a rage because the AF type who commanded the Caribou unit tried to blame
the
Hook for the crash. It turned out that the Caribou driver was horsing around and pulled a steep
climb and
turn immediately after take-off. If I remember right, the blade of the Hook took out the cockpit
of the
Caribou and it was thought that the plane was otherwise flyable, but of course had no hands "at
the
wheel". I think there was a Longhorn on the Caribou going on R&R and his brother was at Evans
watching the whole thing. I could be wrong about that. Still don't remember the date. The 228th
flight
surgeon was one of the first on the scene and I'll never forget his face when he came back. We
were all
pretty sick.
Dave Greene B/227th
The mid-air between the hook and the caribou happened the day before I was to DEROS (from
Evans to
AnKhe). I was watching the Caribou take off ('cause I was to ride it the next afternoon), when it
turned
through the downwind leg of traffic. It clipped the back rotor of the hook. It lost about 15-20
feet of
wing, but the rotors probably went through the cockpit too. It pitched up to stall, then nosed over
straight
down. The hook started to spin, throwing bodies out the back of the aircraft. God, what a horrible
sight. I
think 42 people were killed. It was hard to get on that plane the next day!
Web Masters Note: The information above I feel is important to the History of our unit and a
Tribute to
the Men that Died in this event. Let us not Forget them.
I am still trying to dig up more information on this unit but the record keeping was sparse and
hard to
find. I will post what I find as soon as I can put it together.
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