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57th Assault Helicopter Co.
57th AHC
Gladiators - Cougars

Goldbook Info - UH-1C 66-00587

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1C tail number 66-00587
The Army purchased this helicopter 0966
Total flight hours at this point: 00000575
Date: 02/26/68
Unit: 117 AHC
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was REPAIRED IN THEATER
for Close Air Support
While in Target Area this helicopter was Attacking at 0500 feet and 100 knots.
South Vietnam
Helicopter took 2 hits from:
Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive ballistic projectiles less than 20 mm in size. (7.62MM)
The helicopter was hit in the Main Rotor Blade System
Systems damaged were: MAIN ROTOR SYS
The helicopter Continued Flight.
The aircraft continued and accomplished all mission objectives.
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis Center Helicopter database. Also: UH1P3, 05703 ()

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1C tail number 66-00587
The Army purchased this helicopter 0966
Total flight hours at this point: 00000659
Date: 03/17/68
Unit: 117 AHC
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was REPAIRED IN THEATER
This was a Recon mission for Armed Escort , Other Aircraft.
Unknown this helicopter was Unknown at UNK feet and UNK knots.
South Vietnam
Helicopter took 1 hits from:
Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive ballistic projectiles less than 20 mm in size. (7.62MM)
Systems damaged were: UNK
The helicopter Continued Flight.
The aircraft continued and accomplished all mission objectives.
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis Center Helicopter database. Also: UH1P3, 07712 ()

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1C tail number 66-00587
The Army purchased this helicopter 0966
Total flight hours at this point: 00000659
Date: 03/28/68
Accident case number: 680328011
Unit: 117 AHC
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0
costing 480
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.

Crew Members:
AC W1 BRUSSE L

Accident Summary: In route to home base, the engine failed. The aircraft commander made an autorotation causing damage on touch down. The number one bearing failed, fell and broke the case This record was last updated on 01/31/97

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1C tail number 66-00587
The Army purchased this helicopter 0966
Total flight hours at this point: 00000776
Date: 06/03/68
Unit: 117 AHC
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was REPAIRED IN THEATER
for Close Air Support
While Enroute this helicopter was Climbing at 0300 feet and 090 knots.
South Vietnam
Helicopter took 2 hits from:
Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive ballistic projectiles less than 20 mm in size. (7.62MM)
The helicopter was hit in the Main Rotor Blade System
Systems damaged were: MAIN ROTOR SYS
The helicopter Continued Flight.
The aircraft continued and accomplished all mission objectives.
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis Center Helicopter database. Also: UH1P3, 15505 ()

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1C tail number 66-00587
The Army purchased this helicopter 0966
Total flight hours at this point: 00001246
Date: 08/04/69
Unit: 57 AHC
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was REPAIRED IN THEATER
This was a Recon mission for Armed Recon
While Enroute this helicopter was at Level Flight at 0075 feet and 070 knots.
South Vietnam
Helicopter took 1 hits from:
Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive ballistic projectiles less than 20 mm in size. (7.62MM)
The helicopter was hit in the Main Rotor Blade System
Systems damaged were: MAIN ROTOR SYS
The helicopter Continued Flight.
The aircraft continued and accomplished all mission objectives.
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis Center Helicopter database. Also: UH1P3, 21601 ()

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1C tail number 66-00587
The Army purchased this helicopter 0966
Total flight hours at this point: 00001527
Date: 12/22/69 MIA-POW file reference number: 1539
Incident number: 69122216.TXT
Unit: 57 AHC
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was LOSS TO INVENTORY
for Close Air Support
While Enroute this helicopter was Unknown at UNK feet and UNK knots.
Unknown
UTM grid coordinates: YA678975
Helicopter took 1 hits from:
Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive ballistic projectiles less than 20 mm in size. (7.62MM)
The helicopter was hit in the Tail Section
Systems damaged were: TAIL ROTOR, PERSONNEL
Casualties = 02 DOI, 01 INJ . .
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: 1539, UH1P3, 35602 ()
Loss to Inventory
Crew: BURRIS, DONALD DEANE JR;

Crew Members:
P CW2 BURRIS DONALD DEANE JR BNR
G SSG KENNEDY JAMES EDWARD BNR
AC WO1 HUNSICKER JOHN H RES
CE PURSER TIMOTHY A RES

REFNO Synopsis:
SYNOPSIS: On December 22, 1969 SP4 James E. Kennedy, door gunner; WO Donald D. Burris Jr., pilot; WO John H. Hunsicker, aircraft commander; and SP5 Timothy A. Purser, crew chief; were the crew of a UH1C helicopter (serial #66-00587) on a combat support mission when it developed mechanical problems and crashed landed. Official records differ as to the location of the crash. U.S. Army casualty and Joint Casualty Resolution Center records indicate that the crash was in Cambodia, yet Defense Department, State Department and other records indicate that the crash occurred near the border of Attopeu and Saravane Provinces in Laos, some 30-35 miles north of the closest point in Cambodia. Coordinates 152029N 1972941E are that location. The locality of YA678975 is undoubtedly Cambodia. It is possible that their combat support mission was in Cambodia, and the subsequent rescue flight took a circular northwesterly course around the mountains in northern Cambodia along the Laos border, circled back east towards Dak To (its destination), and that some records pinpoint the actual location of loss at the beginning of the flight, while others record it during flight. Regardless, when the aircraft landed, Burris, Purser and Hunsicker had survived the crash, but they could not locate the door gunner, James Kennedy. WO Hunsicker and WO Burris escaped therough the left cargo door uninjured. They found the crew chief (Purser), who had also scrambled free of the wreckage. He had a broken arm. A search of the general area around the crashed helicopter revealed no trace of SP4 Kennedy, and he was not trapped in the wreckage. (As door gunner, and at a position on the side of the main cargo area of the aircraft positioned at an open door, Kennedy may have decided to bail out of the descending aircraft, or may have fallen, - although the gunners were generally strapped in to the frame of the helicopter so this seems unlikely - thus becoming separated from the others.) Minutes after the helicopter crashed, a recovery helicopter arrived in the area and lowered ropes with McGuire rigs attached through the dense jungle to the downed men. The survivors were not trained in the proper use of this equipment, and SP5 Purser fell out of his rig a few feet off the ground. WO Burris and WO Hunsicker remained in their rigs and were lifted out, and the helicopter started toward Dak To, with the two rescued men still on the ropes. Five minutes into the flight, Burris lost his grip on the rope and fell from an altitude of from 2500 to 3000 feet. The rescue helicopter continued to the nearest landing area. A search and rescue team was inserted into the crash site area and recovered Purser, who was injured. The team searched widely for SP4 Kennedy, but found no trace of him, and concluded their search on December 25. No search was made for Burris because of the lack of positive information to pinpoint his loss site and the hostile threat in the area.
War Story:
The 57th AHC\'s unit history states the \"Cougar\" gunship, commanded by WO John Hunsicker and piloted by CWO Don Burris, with the CE SP5 Timothy Barger and gunner SP4 James Kennedy, was hit by hostile fire resulting in the loss of its tail rotor. WO Hunsicker controlled the aircraft as long as possible but after a short period of time, the aircraft no longer responded to the controls and had to be crash landed. SP4 Kennedy, the gunner was lost before the aircraft hit, but the remaining crew members sustained moderate to light injuries. They were rescued by WOs Malcolm Peterson and Carter Higginbotham, on ropes, but CWO Burris lost conscienceness and fell out of his extraction rig. WO Burris and SP Kennedy were great losses to the company This record was last updated on 08/22/00

The following is crew member information for this incident:
Name: CW2 Donald Deane Burris, Jr.
Status: Body Not Recovered from an incident on 12/22/69 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 23.0
Date of Birth: 12/26/46
Home City: Wayne, PA
Service: reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 57 AHC
Flight class: 67-19/67-17
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 15W-081
Short Summary: Crash - rescue ropes were used to lift out Burris. He lost his grip at about 2500 ft. 2nd tour.
Aircraft: UH-1C tail number 66-00587
SSN: 196367814
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 100E = Attack Helicopter Pilot
Primary cause: Laos-BNR
\"Official\" listing: helicopter air casualty - pilot
Length of service: 03
Military grid coordinates of event: YA678975
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - died while missing
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Presbyterian
This record was last updated on 06/28/91


Name: SSG James Edward Kennedy
Status: Body Not Recovered from an incident on 12/22/69 while performing the duty of Gunner.
Declared dead on 01/11/74.
Age at death: 20.0
Date of Birth: 01/02/50
Home City: Pine Hill, NJ
Service: regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 57 AHC
Major organization: 1st Aviation Brigade
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 15W-081
Aircraft: UH-1C tail number 66-00587
SSN: 155423333
Country: Cambodia
MOS: 64C40 = Motor Transport Operator
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: vehicular accident
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: door gunner
Vehicle ownership: government
Started Tour: 05/26/69
\"Official\" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
The initial status of this person was: missing in action - interim
Length of service: *
Military grid coordinates of event: YA678975
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - died while missing
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Baptist - other groups
The following information is secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: enlisted personnel
This record was last updated on 07/30/95

The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1B tail number 66-00587
It is provided here as an ESTIMATE of the history of this helicopter and is not intended to be the final authority.
This helicopter was purchased by the US Army in 0966.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.

Tabular Data unavailable on mobile device
DATE  FLT HRS    UIC      UNIT          AREA          POST          COUNTRY
6610   1    2 W0MHAA DIROF SUP TRAN   6TH ARMY   SHARPE GD        SUPMACOM
6611   0    2 W0MHAA DIROF SUP TRAN   6TH ARMY   SHARPE GD        SUPMACOM
6612   0    2 W0MHAA DIROF SUP TRAN   6TH ARMY   SHARPE GD        SUPMACOM
6701   9   11 WAX8AA 117 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN
6702  36   47 WAX8AA 117 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN
6703  51   98 WAX8AA 117 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN
6704  42  140 WAX8AA 117 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN
6705  24  164 WAX8AA 117 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN
6706  50  214 WAX8AA 117 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN
6707  18  232 WAX8AA 117 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN
6708  72  304 WAX8AA 117 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN
6709  48  352 WAX8AA 117 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN
6710  28  380 WAX8AA 117 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN
6711  45  425 WAX8AA 117 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN
6712  67  492 WAX8AA 117 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN
6801   7  499 WAX8AA 117 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN
6802  76  575 WAX8AA 117 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN
6803  84  659 WAX8AA 117 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN
6804   0  659 WAX8AA 117 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN
6805  69  728 WAX8AA 117 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN
6806  48  776 WAX8AA 117 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN
6807  65  841 WAX8AA 117 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN
6808 102  943 WAX8AA 117 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN
6809 101 1044 WAX8AA 117 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN
6810  13 1057 WAX8AA 117 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN
6811   0 1057 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVCOM
6812   0 1057 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVCOM
6901   0 1057 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN TRANSIT NAVAL AIR STN    AVCOM
6902   0 1057 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN STORAGE NAVAL AIR STN    AVCOM
6903   3 1060 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVCOM
6904   0 1060 3300   HHD 44 ENG GP    THAILAND                    PACIFIC
6905   5 1065 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW  VIETNAM                     RVN
6906  61 1126 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW  VIETNAM                     RVN
6907  42 1168 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW  VIETNAM                     RVN
6908  78 1246 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW  VIETNAM                     RVN
6909  84 1330 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW  VIETNAM                     RVN
6910  81 1411 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW  VIETNAM                     RVN
6911  54 1465 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW  VIETNAM                     RVN
6912  62 1527 WC5CAA 572ND MI DET     VIETNAM                     RVN

Printed from databases on: 08/27/00
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