1968 WO1 James E. Cummings Jr. -- C/227 AHB 1 CAV, Age 20, Norfolk, Virginia
1968 WO1 Wilbur L. Mong -- C/227 AHB 1 CAV, Age 26, East Amherst, New York
1969 MAJ Howard B. Henry -- VMO-2, Age 36, Baltimore, Maryland
1969 1LT Joseph A. Lofton -- VMO-2, Age 24, Akron, Ohio
1971 CPT Eric G. Herold -- 1 AVN BDE, Age 24, Seattle, Washington
Unit patch of VMO-2.
The Father I Remember
I was 13 years old (the oldest of 6 children) and wrapping newspapers for my route when a car pulled-up to the house and the Chaplin and Officers came to the front door. This I remember about a day that would change my life forever. They met my mother at the door and she broke down and began crying uncontrollably. She asked me to contact the neighbor and began to figure-out what to do next. 30 years later the family is still intact and there is not a bad apple in the basket. Dad was a good father. I still miss him after all these years.
LT Lofton's last mission
Lt. Lofton was flying as co-pilot to the squadron executive officer of VMO-2, MAJ Henry, on November 12, 1969.
LT Pat Dumas and I were in the number 2 bird in a flight of two AH-1G Cobras. The flight was under the call sign Hostage Papa (MAJ Henry's call sign).
The mission originated at the Marble Mountain Marine Corps Air Station near Danang. I believe it started out as a routine supply mission. After a briefing, and pre-flight of the gunships, we checked in with Luminous Base and Danang DASC and married up with 2 CH-46's. We flew southwest toward the Que Son Mountains.
As we approached, we learned that a Marine unit was pinned down in a bomb crater. They had wounded and were unable to manuever because a heavy machine gun had them pinned down. The emplacement was in the hillside above the valley in which the Marines were pinned down. Our first priority was to silence the gun so the CH-46's could evacuate the wounded and resupply the unit.
Both Cobras began to attack the gun. Our gun runs were being made parallel to the hillside, with our gunships positioned about 180 degrees from one another. Trouble began immediately. The gun seemed impossible to knock out. (We learned later it was being moved in and out of a cave).
After a couple of firing passes, first our mini-gun and then the 40mm chunker jammed. Then the intervelometer for the rockets malfunctioned making it impossible for LT Dumas and I to fire any of our weapons.
MAJ Henry and LT Lofton continued the attack by themselves. We went high and dry. After a couple of more gun runs the enemy zeroed in on their Cobra. LT Dumas and I could see pieces of their aircraft being hit and blown away. Almost instantaneously, a small fire appeared around the exhaust. Maj. Henry radioed that he was on fire. LT Dumas advised that there was an open area to crash land at his 10 o'clock.
They made a crash landing in an area pocked marked by previous artillery fire. It looked like a reasonably good landing. We called for help and dove at the crash site. LT Bartlett with a flight of two Cobras diverted to our area. We made several simulated firing passes to keep the enemy at bay until we could extract Henry and Lofton from the area.
There was no sign of them. There was no radio transmission on guard. One of the '46's went into the zone with Barlett's gunships for cover. They found MAJ Henry and LT Lofton. They had been struck by the rotorblade as they exited the burning aircraft. Crewman from the '46 found them and carried them back to their aircraft. Al was a friendly, competent and dedicated pilot. He is gone but he will never be forgotten.
SCOUTS OUT!
