THE WALL OF FACES

The “Friends of Rocky Versace” remember one of Rocky’s fellow alumni from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point - a brother Airborne-Ranger - Captain Robert John Zonne Jr., USMA Class of 1965, on what would’ve been his 78th birthday - 28 May 2020. CPT Zonne died on his second combat tour in Vietnam.

Thanks for your service to our country. May you rest in peace, brave soldier.

The “Friends of Rocky Versace” remember one of Rocky’s fellow alumni from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, CPT Robert John Zonne Jr., on what would’ve been his 75th birthday - 28 May 2017.

On April 17, 1970, a U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H (tail number 67-17706) from Company A, 25th Aviation Battalion, an element of the 25th Infantry Division, crashed after striking wires on the Saigon River near Bien Hoa. Five crewmen and five passengers were killed in the crash. One passenger survived with injuries. The lost crew members included aircraft commander WO1 Dean A. Harig, pilot WO1 Frederick M. Simeonoff, crew chief SP4 William K. Hunter, gunner SSGT Frederick C. Marsh, and passenger pilot CW2 Alvin E. Cross. There were six passengers aboard the aircraft, five who perished. They include SGT Jack D. Tuggle Jr., CAPT Howard R. Andrews Jr., PFC Howard D. Landry, SP4 Michael J. Weik, and CAPT Robert J. Zonne. There are four accounts for this incident: First account - The helicopter was assigned to be division courier aircraft on this day. The primary mission of this aircraft was to fly the division courier while interjecting passenger pick-up and drop-offs during the courier run. While on its final mission of the day, the aircraft was flown to II Field Force (Red Carpet helipad) arriving at 1712 hours (local) to pick up the division LNO officer at 1800 hours. During the hour ground time at II Field Force, WO Harig, Simeonoff, and CW2 Cross, departed the aircraft and went to the II Field Force officer's club, located approximately one block from the helipad, for supper. All three returned to the aircraft at approximately 1800 hours. The crew and passengers departed Red Carpet helipad at 1812 hours to return to Cu Chi base camp. At approximately 1825 hours while flying at an altitude of approximately 70 feet AGL, the aircraft struck two stranded steel cables, the first striking the center of the nose of the aircraft, cutting the radio compartment cover in half, then sliding up over the roof of the aircraft cutting the UHF antenna and air vents, then into the controls of the aircraft cutting the fore and aft, and lateral cyclic servos. The tension on the mast of the aircraft gave it an excessive nose high attitude at which time the main rotor blade struck the wire, shattering the blade and breaking the wire while the second wire, which was just growing taut, pulled the aircraft into a nose low attitude, broke due to stress from the weight and velocity of the aircraft and the aircraft went into the river vertically, nose first. It is suspected that as the aircraft was sinking, three bodies floated to the surface of the river. One was SSGT Ouellette, who was rescued by the Vietnamese, another was Hunter, the only Negro on board, and the third person unknown. Fifteen minutes after the accident occurred, a U.S. harbor craft tug boat arrived at the scene and picked up SSGT Ouellette and transported him to the old French pier located next to the Co Gi Do barge site. SSGT Ouellette was then taken to the 24th evacuation hospital by ambulance and admitted at 1900 hours. Second Account - I was assigned to B Company of the 720th Military Police Battalion in 1970. Our tactical area of responsibility consisted of the 22 square miles in and around Long Bihn and Bien Hoa. My unit was not delegated with the kinds of duties all the other Military Police units in Vietnam were performing. We were combat infantry MPs. Three platoons were tasked with the responsibility of setting up ambushes on the Viet Cong travelling on the Song Dong Nai River and its tributaries. One platoon was assigned to PBR's (river patrol boats) to provide support for the ambush units and patrol the Song Dong Nai River. In April of 1970, a 25th Infantry Division Helicopter crashed into the Song Dong Nai River. At that time I was assigned to the PBR platoon and we arrived at the scene of the crash within minutes. During the ensuing 24-36 hours, I was the NCOIC of three PBRs and crews directed to recover the bodies and documents on board the downed helicopter. It is my recollection that both pilots and nine others were killed with one survivor. (Narrative by Robert Bogison) Third account - Just a little more to the story: At the time of the crash, I was assigned to the 25th Admin Company and on my way back to Cu Chi with another member of our unit. I believe his last name was Parks. We boarded the helicopter before all the pilots came back from the club. I chatted with one of the pilots, passenger CAPT Zonne (whom I served with in the 4/23 Mech) and I seem to recall a crew or ground member. Everyone was in a good mood. All was fine when we departed and then within 90 seconds of being airborne, the pilot returned and instructed myself and the other member of the Admin Company to exit and take the next flight coming in so he would have additional seats to pick up passengers at his next stop. I had many close calls in Vietnam. Just lucky to be alive. (Narrative by James DeBiase) Fourth account - On April 17, 1970, CAPT Zonne boarded a UH-1H, tail number 67-17706. The aircraft was assigned to perform division courier duty. The primary mission was to fly the division couriers as needed while at the same time interjecting passenger pick up and drop offs of other personnel during the courier run. The crew were on their final mission of the day and flew to II Field Force where the crew departed the aircraft for their evening meal. This was at about 1720 hours. They were on the ground for approximately one hour. CAPT Zonne boarded the aircraft at this time. The aircraft and passengers departed at about 1812 hours headed for Cu Chi base camp. The aircraft was flying at an attitude of about 70 feet AGL and was following the Saigon River. Around 1825 hours, the aircraft struck two stranded cables suspended between two poles. The point of impact when the helicopter struck the first cable was at the nose of the aircraft. The velocity of this tossed the aircraft up and over and the main rotor was separated when it struck the second cable. The helicopter then crashed into the Saigon River. Three bodies were found floating at the surface when ground forces and rescue arrived for assistance. Two of the three were alive, including CAPT Zonne. CAPT Zonne and the other survivor were taken to the 24th Evacuation Hospital at Long Binh. CAPT Zonne died three days later on April 20, 1970 from injuries suffered in the crash. The other fatalities perished from drowning and/or other causes. There were 11 personnel on the aircraft at the time of the incident. (Narrative taken from veteransmemorial.us) [Taken from vhpa.org and veteransmemorial.us]

CPT Robert John Zonne Jr. was an alumnus of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, NY. He was one of 335 men from West Point who died or are MIA in Southeast Asia/Indochina during the period October, 1957 – September, 1972. “Well done; Be thou at peace.”