THE WALL OF FACES

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

Charles A. Brooks. thank you for serving our country. for putting your life on the line to protect others. thank you for never giving up on our country.

Thank you on Veteran’s Day for the ultimate sacrifice from Omuqua S. from Hirschi

I was XO of the 184th Chemical platoon at this time. I did not know Charles nor had I ever met him, as there were 4 teams spread out over our AO and Charles, I believe, was based out of Quon Loi. I was based out of Phuoc Vinh. I knew of this incident and was informed that the CO of the 184th would contact Charles’ family. Pilots disliked flying the low and slow sniffer missions for obvious reasons. I apologize to you Charles and to your family for taking so long to acknowledge your service and sacrifice.

On May 22, 1970, a U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H (tail number 67-17226) from C Company, 227th Assault Helicopter Battalion, was conducting a low-level sniffer mission, an airborne personnel detector operation in which equipment in the aircraft was used to detect scents unique to human beings in order to locate enemy soldiers in hidden positions. The mission required that the sniffer aircraft fly at tree-top level, making the helicopter vulnerable to enemy ground fire. On this mission, aircraft 226 had an AH-1G Cobra attack helicopter as an escort. The terrain in which they were operating in Quang Duc Province, RVN, was dense jungle and mountains, with the only forced-landing areas limited to bomb craters. The escort helicopter was directing the flight path of 226 from a higher altitude, performing the missions of navigation and cover for the sniffer aircraft. While traveling to the north on an upslope run, 226 called a Mayday engine failure. The aircraft was observed to attempt an autorotative flare and disappear into the trees. Both the aircraft commander and pilot of the Cobra witnessed the crash. All four crewmen on 226 were killed. They were aircraft commander WO1 John C. Reilly, pilot CPT Richard A. Larson, crew chief SP4 James L. Abler, and gunner PVT Richard W. Mehlhaff. The three passengers aboard were injured. One of the injured, SP4 Charles A. Brooks, succumbed to his injuries June 14, 1970. [Taken from vhpa.org]