Helicopter UH-1E 151294

Information on U.S. Marine Corps helicopter UH-1E tail number 151294
Date: 06/07/1968
Incident number: 68060777.KIA
Unit: VMO-6
South Vietnam
Casualties = 02 KIA . .
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database. Also: OPERA, KIAMAIN (Operations Report. )
Summary: Believe this is the UH-1E that crashed into a hill and burned during a air recon mission for 3d Marine Div.
Loss to Inventory

Crew Members:
P 1LT HUNT RALPH EDWARD JR KIA

Passengers and/or other participants:
CPT CORCORAN RICHARD FRANCIS, MC, PX, KIA
MAJ KURILICH ROBERT VASO, MC, PX, KIA

War Story:
See 2/1 Marines CmdChron Texas Tech 1201020128.pdf pp 62-63 for details of crash and recovery of 3 KIA from wreckage. Apparently 2 WIA also were recovered. Crash location XD909365: "From 2/1 S-3 to 1stMar at 1955H: Spot Report DTG 070900H to 071200H. Foxtrot [Fox 2/1] at 070900H to 071200H at 909365. Huey helicopter crashed at above location. Fox 2 dispatched as Sparrow Hawk to recover bodies. Two WIA reported in area prior to departure. Sparrow Hawk lifted in crash area and proceeded to site of wreckage. Helo had apparently struck the top of the ridge, sheering off one skid and skidded or rolled down the slope for approximately 300 meters. Wreckage was completely consumed by fire. Three bodied were found in the wreckage, burned beyond recognition. Two bodies still had dog tags around their necks. Extensive search of area failed to reveal location of guns or radios. Assumed to have been destroyed in crash and fire. Frequency chart (Confidential) was discovered and turned in to S-2 on return. Returned to Khe Sanh Combat Base with remains." See also 1/1 Marines CC TT 1201020035.pdf p9: "On 07 June 1968, 1st Battalion made preparation to continue its attack in accordance with 1st Marines Frag Order 95-68. At 070842H a helicopter carrying Battalion Commander LtCol M. J. GRAVEL and S-3 Major R. V. KURILICH was shot down in the vicinity of XD909365. The Battalion Commander was injured but retrieved and medevaced at 070930H." See also 3rd MarDiv CC TT 1201031026.pdf p53 entry #23: "From Division AO: Worked for 1/1 in extraction of survivors of a downed Huey. Extracted 2 survivors w/o incident." See also HQ Bn, 3rd MarDiv CC TT 1201036069.pdf p7: "KIA Officer - Capt Richard Francis CORCORAN 084623/0302 USMC Headquarters Company died 0830, 7 June 1968, 2 miles south of Khe Sahn Combat Base. Received burns entire body as a result of enemy small arms fire when helicopter crashed while participating in operation against hostile forces. Body taken to D-Med to be further transferred to Tan Son Nhut Mortuary, Saigon, RVN." From: Ken Davis.

This record was last updated on 08/09/2006

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Date posted on this site: 10/25/2024