the following were lost on NOV 15. God bless them all.
1969 1LT Walter D. Romero -- 71 AHC, Age 23, Tulsa, Oklahoma
1969 WO1 Ricardo W. Regalado -- 174 AHC, Age 19, Everett, Washington
1969 WO1 Adam Wilson -- 174 AHC, Age 21, San Diego, California
1970 CPT Richard W. Salmond -- 116 AHC, Age 24, Metamora, Michigan
1971 WO1 Vincent P. Martin Jr. -- 187 AHC, Age 23, Mobile, Alabama
1971 WO1 Thomas J. Puff -- 187 AHC, Age 20, Garden Grove, California
Report detailing the loss of WO1's Regalado and Wilson.
The 174th AHC "Dolphin" aircraft was resupplying artillery fire bases on a very windy day. Due to wind conditions and aircraft cargo, the crew had to make their approach in the same direction, four times in a row. On the fifth approach, the aircraft was shot down with all souls lost; the crew of four and a single artilleryman from the S-4 section.
I flew with Adam in flight school, and we grew to be friends. He was so very talented in so many ways. His 8mm movies were creative and original, I still laugh to tears when I remember the stop-action film he made in the Americal combat center where we "raced" footlockers around the compound! He flew for the Dolphins, and was shot down near Quang Nai, where we called the bend in the river the "Fish Hook" - a nasty area. Adam had a deep voice and a hearty laugh, he stood very straight and he carried his American Indian heritage with pride. My son carries the middle name Adam in memory of my friend.
To find out why all us old helicopter pilots are hard of hearing hit this "starter trigger" to hear what it sounds like to start a huey from the cockpit. Ignore the initial "wop-wops", that sounds like another aircraft running closeby. To get the full effect use headphones and turn the sound up. UH-1 Starter trigger
SCOUTS OUT!
