Helicopter OH-6A 68-17359

Information on U.S. Army helicopter OH-6A tail number 68-17359
The Army purchased this helicopter 1269
Total flight hours at this point: 00000336
Date: 06/09/1970 MIA-POW file reference number: 1631
Incident number: 70060925.KIA
Unit: D/3/4 CAV
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was LOSS TO INVENTORY
This was a Miscellaneous mission for Administration
Unknown this helicopter was Unknown at UNK feet and UNK knots.
South Vietnam
UTM grid coordinates: XT376955 (To see this location on a map, go to https://legallandconverter.com/p50.html and search on Grid Reference 48PXT376955)
Count of hits was not possible because the helicopter burned or exploded.
Systems damaged were: PERSONNEL
Casualties = 03 DOI . .
The helicopter Crashed. Aircraft Destroyed.
Both mission and flight capability were terminated.
Burned
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Defense Intelligence Agency Reference Notes. Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database. Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis Center Helicopter database. Also: 1631, LNNF, CRAFX, HUGHS, CASRP (Lindenmuth New Format Data Base. Crash Facts Message. Casualty Report. )
Loss to Inventory

Crew Members:
P CW3 ELLIOTT ANDREW JOHN BNR
OB SP5 DOBRY STEVEN LOUIS KIA
G SP4 MCGLOTHLEN JERRY WAYNE KIA

REFNO Synopsis:
SYNOPSIS: The 3rd Squadron, 4th Cavalry provided ground reconnaissance for the 25th Infantry Division in Vietnam. Troop D was its air cavalry troop, serving mostly with the divisions 25th Aviation Battalion. In 1970, after having seen combat in the Saigon area during the Tet offensive of 1968, the Division continued its primary operations around Cu Chi, South Vietnam, and in the spring of 1970 sent elements into Cambodia seeking North Vietnamese Army sanctuaries. W2 Andrew J. Elliot was a pilot assigned to Troop D, and on June 9, 1970 was assigned a flight to a fire support base at Katum South Vietnam. Aboard the OH6A "Loach" with Elliott were SP5 Stephen L. Dobry and SP4 Jerry W. McGlothen, passengers. When the aircraft was about half-way between Fire Support Base Santa Barbara and Katum, WO Elliott radioed that he could not see the road nor Katum. He was instructed by the command and control aircraft to go to Tay Ninh and shut down, that everyone would be called to Koropey as soon as the weather cleared. Elliott acknowledged and said, "I'm going to Tay Ninh at this time." This was the last communication with Elliott. After it was determined that WO Elliott's aircraft was missing, a full scale search effort was initiated and continued for 5 days. On June 24, the wreckage was found and recovery teams inserted into the crash site. The bodies of Dobry and McGlothlen were recovered and positively identified. About 50 meters from the crash site, near the body of McGlothlen, a helmet and chest protector belonging to Elliott were found. It appeared that the body had been dragged to this position from the crash site. A search team remained on the ground 4 days, but were never able to find any trace of Elliott. He was listed Missing in Action.

This record was last updated on 03/20/2016

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Date posted on this site: 10/25/2024