THE WALL OF FACES

On July 16, 1969, a U.S. Army helicopter CH-47A (tail number 66-19001) from the 196th Assault Support Helicopter Company was on a test flight when it crashed on approach to Lane Army Heliport near Qui Nhon, RVN. Seven personnel were killed in the crash and subsequent fire. The lost crewmen included aircraft commander 2LT Jack L. Price, pilot CW2 Kenneth M. Willis, flight engineer SP5 Elwin E. Singleton, gunner SP4 Darrell V. Hurt, and crew chief SP4 Arthur R. Allison. Also killed were passengers/maintenance team members SP4 Ronald A. Hoff and SP4 Johnny L. Kidd. The aircraft was on a test flight for completion of the 13th Preventive Maintenance Periodic (PMP), a 100-flight hour inspection. On approach to Lane, the crew contacted Lane Tower and was cleared to land. Suddenly, the aircraft pitched nose up, continued pitching up until inverted, and, upon reaching a vertical nose-down position, plunged to the ground. The impact was severe and was followed by a destructive fire. The following is an eyewitness account of the incident by Robert E. Weygandt: I witnessed this crash from in front of my Hydraulics Shop and it was obvious from the force of the crash and the ensuing fire that there was little chance of survivors. While there was a loss of the five crewmembers and two members of the Maintenance team that had performed the PMP on the aircraft, there is more to tell of the aftermath of the incident. There were normally three maintenance team members that flew on the test flights. The one member that missed the flight was my friend SP4 Larry Nusbaum. After the crash, I found him between the Flight office and the Maintenance office, standing in shock, just looking out at the scene (he had been unable to find a flight helmet as I recall and missed the flight). This incident had a profound effect on Larry for the rest of his tour. Out of all of the people on the flight, CW2 Ken Willis was the individual I knew best. He would often come down to our barracks and share a few beers with us and always made the enlisted personnel feel at ease around him. It was a pleasure and an honor to have known him. It should be noted that after the crash, there were still many things to do, including a roll call of all enlisted personnel and officers. Then the collection of the personal effects of those lost in the accident. As a SP5, I was selected to be part of the party that collected the personal property of the enlisted personnel that died in the crash. This put a lot of responsibility on me because the Senior NCO and Officer that accompanied me were responsible to see that it was done correctly. However, it was my duty to actually collect the effects and interact with and check with the bunk mate to determine if the individual owed money to anyone or if anyone owed him money and verify what in the cubical belonged to the deceased. I would then pack the belongings for shipment home. It was a hard thing to do, knowing that I was the last one to touch these personal belongings before they were shipped home to the family. I have wondered what the impact was on the family, when they receive that final shipment. While I did not know all of the personnel very well, there is always a sense of loss when you lose those you have worked with. I had forgotten just how much impact this had on me. The feelings came back and I remember comforting or rather trying to comfort the bunk mates of these men and them crying over the loss of someone who had become a close friend. Now, I again think of Larry and how close to death one of my closest friends came on that July day. (Narrative by Robert E. Weygandt, March 2005) [Taken from vhpa.org]

DEAR SPECIALIST 4TH CLASS ALLISON,
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AS A CH-47 (CHINOOK) HELICOPTER REPAIRER.
REST IN PEACE.

Tim Staats
deros69@execpc.com
Fellow Unit Member
8600, W., Burleigh Street, Milwaukee, WI., 53222, USA
You Are Remembered!
Arthur Allision, was a maintenance mechanic assigned, to the 196th, Avn., Co., 1st, Avn., Bde., at Lane, Army Heliport, a CH-47, unit, 10, miles west, of the port city of Qui Nhon. On 7/16/69, CH-47A, #66-19001, nickname "Balls One," was released from maintenance, following a scheduled 100, hr., PE., exam. Art flew, on the test flight, as he had worked on the ship. As the ship, was returning to the runway, it suddenly nosed upward. Some men say it did a 360¦ loop. Others say, it stalled and then nosed down. It exploded, on impact, one-quarter mile, short, of the runway killing the crew of seven. Cause of the crash, was undetermined. Events within the unit, prior to the crash suggested, maintenance, malfunction. Most men, including myself, agreed. Some thought, it had been shot down. I was a door gunner/armorer, with the 196th. I didn't know Art well, but the Maintenance Platoon, all spoke very highly of him, as well, as fellow mechanic, Johnny Kidd. The loss of the crew, was devastating, for the unit, and we miss them all. A memorial service, was held on 8/3/69, at the post chapel for the crew: E Singleton, D Hurt, R Hoff, J Kidd, K Willis, J Price. Rest, in Peace Art. You, are not forgotten.

Arthur is buried at Peoples Cemetery, Chatham,MA. BSM