64-13156    05-30-66    270 Hrs.    CH47A   Lost to accident in RVN

Nui Ba Den Mountain, also known as Black Virgin Mountain near Tay Ninh, was covered by fog as A/C 156 approached looking for the landing spot. The chinook, with internally loaded fuel barrels, was at a hover when it fell off it's ground effect and caught fire as it tumbled down the side of the mountain. Joe Boylan was at the left gun and dove over it to safety. The flight engineer, SP/5 Ross Brown, and two passengers from the Big Red One were killed in the aircraft. An unknown number of Vietnamese civilians on the ground were killed in the fire.

64-13162    06-27-66    214 Hrs.    CH47A   Lost to accident in RVN

Crashed on take-off from confined PZ with an internal load of tin panels, after loss of power.
CWO Logan - Aircraft Commander
Capt. Seeley - Pilot - killed in crash
SP/6 Luster - Flt. Engineer
SP/5 Akins - Crew Chief - burned badly
Pvt. James W. Johnson - Gunner

64-13153    06-25-67    1086 Hrs.    CH47A   Lost to accident in RVN

Aft pylon caught fire in flight, and the crew chief bailed out on final. Aircraft destroyed by fire.

64-13158   08-18-67   846 Hrs.   CH47A   Lost to accident in RVN

The aircraft, with a heavy internal load of steel fence stakes, lost rotor RPM during the take off from the LZ at Mo Duc. The crew chief reported a fire in the aft transmission and during the emergency forced landing the rotor blades struck a stone or concrete arch. When the aircraft impacted the ground, the cabin broke apart and was consumed by fire. There were no fatalities but the crew chief, Jon D. Green, was seriously burned but was able to escape through one of the rear port holes. He was med-evacuated to Japan.

67-18475   05-12-68   108 Hrs.   CH47B   Lost to combat action in RVN

Hit at 300 ft. by 50 caliber ground fire, while on final approach to Kham Duc runway. The aircraft crashed and burned but the crew escaped. A/C 475 was the lead A/C on the first flight of Chinooks into Kham Duc that morning.

67-18469   05-12-68   147 Hrs.   CH47B   Lost to combat action in RVN

The aircraft sustained intense 50 caliber ground fire, while taking off from Kham Duc. No. 2 engine was shot or blown off and both hydraulic systems were lost. Several hits were taken in the forward rotor area and one blade was reported lost at approximately 400 feet. With a full load of troops the aircraft crashed uncontrolled and burned. One fatality to a passenger, PFC Sand (A Co. 1st BN. 46th Inf. 198th Lib.) was reported as a result of enemy fire.

67-18455   06-19-68   310 Hrs.   CH47B   Lost to accident to RVN (pictures)

Aircraft 455 was lost to a taxi accident when its blades struck another CH47 on the 178th ASHC flight line. The flight engineer, SP/6 Phillips, died in the accident.

67-18457   07-01-68   270 Hrs.   CH47B   Lost to accident to RVN

The aircraft was involved in a low-level mid-air collision when a UH-1C huey pulled pitch straight up into the CH47B. The crew of five were KIA on the chinook, pilots 1LT. Eoff and CWO Boyter, gunner - SP/4 Burnham, crew chief - SP/4 Puls, flight engineer - SP/4 Ostrander.

67-18470   02-23-69   769 Hrs.   CH47B   Lost to combat action in RVN (pictures)

The aft section caught fire when it was forced down by enemy fire. The front section was salvaged. During the attempted recovery by another CH47B, A/C 470 was released due to drop in transmission oil pressure in the recovery aircraft. The recovery aircraft returned to find A/C 470 had been destroyed by the VC.

67-18461   03-22-69   400 Hrs.   CH47B   Lost to accident in RVN

Several passengers and one crew member, SP/5 Tedford were KIA as the aircraft lost power on its final approach to the LZ.

67-18458   05-15-69   1070 Hrs.   CH47B   Lost to combat action in RVN

A/C 458 was signed into the 178th ASHC on 03-08-68. The aircraft was lost while in a 50 ft. hover over LZ Professional. It took six hits. Three in the aft transmission and three in the control closet. The chinook was destroyed by fire, but there were no casualties.

67-18445   08-26-70   1126 Hrs.   CH47B   Lost to combat action in RVN

The aircraft was hit by enemy fire while on final approach. The pilot heard an explosion that caused the aircraft to crash tail first into the trees and burn. The internal load of 105mm ammo began exploding. Four of the five man crew and twenty troops aboard the Chinook were KIA. The pilot, Capt. Eric Reid, was the only survivor. The four crew killed were CW2 York, SP/4 Tefft, SP/4 York and PFC McDougal.

67-18493   02-06-71   1763 Hrs.   CH47B   Lost to accident in RVN

The aircraft was on short final to LZ Siberia when the bolt through the pilot valve broke in the aft rotor head, causing the aircraft to pitch up and crash on top of the water buffalo it was delivering to LZ Siberia. The crew was lost in this accident. Pilots Capt. David Alexander and Capt. Michael Kerl and the enlisted crew of SP/5 Robert Rogers, SP/5 Ambers Hamilton and SP/4 Curtis Williams. Capt. Richard Aaron (16th Group, 123rd Bn. Flight Surgeon) was on the A/C getting flight time and was also killed.

69-17120   07-21-71   88 Hrs.   CH47C   Lost to accident in RVN

Near LZ Professional the aircraft experienced a power loss in both engines causing a sever yawing action. Of the 40 heavily armed ARVNs sitting in the rear, some were unable to hold on, or decided to try their luck jumping when they were close to the ground. About 12 ARVNs were killed in the accident. No American's were killed but the flight engineer was hurt bad enough to be medically discharged.

Photos and narative

68-15854   05-24-72   1627 Hrs.   CH47C   Lost to combat action in RVN

A 178TH ASHC aircraft that was lost after the Boxcars left Vietnam. The former Boxcar crew were killed on A/C 854 when it was hit by 60mm mortars. They were on short final to an ARVN radar site near Quang Tri. The pilots were CWO James Barefield and Capt. Harry Thain. The crew was SP/6 Frank A. Newman, SP/5 Charles W. Gaches, and PFC David L. Brooks.

A total of 15 CH47s were lost from the 178th ASHC, 7 to combat action and 8 to accidents. As of 09-01-72 a total of 140 U.S. Army CH47s were lost in the RVN. 59 to combat action, 79 to accidents and 2 were listed as other. 79 were "A" models, 26 were "B" models and 35 were "C" models.

64-13148   04-26-67   Aircraft repaired but pilot was killed

CW2 Walter F. Morris KIA by small arms fire while on final approach to Da Nang. The other pilot, CW2 John Green, was also hit twice but was able to land the Chinook. Mr. Green and the flight engineer, Robert (Duke) Enlow, both received the distinguished flying cross. Enlow lifted Mr. Morris's body off the collective, where he had slumped, and held him up until Mr. Green, could get A/C 148 on the ground.

UNKNOWN   03-27-70   Crew member killed on flight line

SP/4 Hartsfield was in the process of moving from gunner to crew chief. A combining transmission leak showed up when the aircraft was preparing to leave its parking place on the 178th ASHC flight line. The aircraft was shut down and Hartsfield grabbed a couple of wrenches and in his rush to fix the aircraft, he climb up the right side with the blades still rotating. He died when the front blade hit him in the temple and was knocked off the aircraft.

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