Helicopter UH-1H 69-15704
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail
number 69-15704
The Army purchased this helicopter 0970
Total flight hours
at this point: 00000841
Date: 05/25/71
Incident number: 71052543.KIA
Unit: A/227 AVN
South Vietnam
UTM grid coordinates:
YB998176
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was
created or updated: Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database. Also:
OPERA (Operations Report. )
Loss to Inventory
Crew Members:
P MAJ
ADAMS WILLIAM EDWARD KIA
P CPT CURRAN JOHN DEHAAS KIA
CX SP4 LITTLETON
JOHN WAYNE KIA
CE SP4 ROBINSON MELVIN KIA
G SP4 DURAND DENNIS CHARLES
KIA
War Story:
SP4 John Wayne Littleton was crew chief on 67-17760
for CPT Larry Dewey, member of the 92nd Avn Co. He survived this shoot down and
crash of 67-17760 that killed CPT Dewey and SP4 Lubbehusen then escaped and
evaded to Firebase 5 where he was rescued by MAJ Adams in 69-15704. 69-15704 was
then shot down killing all on board. From John Tucker, July 2000.
This record was last updated on 08/18/00
The following is crew member information for this incident:
Name: MAJ William Edward Adams
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on
05/25/71 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 31.9
Date of
Birth: 06/16/39
Home City: Ft Collins, CO
Service: FA branch of the
regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: A/227 AHB 1 CAV
Major
organization: 1st Aviation Brigade
Service: FA branch of the U.S.
Army.
The Wall location: 03W-054
Short Summary: Shot down while trying to
rescue SP5 Littleton from Firebase 5. Received the Medal of Honor.
Aircraft:
UH-1H tail number 69-15704
Call sign: CHICKENMAN 6
SSN: 521482167
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 1983
Major attributing cause: aircraft
connected not at sea
Compliment cause: small arms fire
Vehicle involved:
helicopter
Position in vehicle: pilot
Vehicle ownership:
government
Started Tour: 07/06/70
"Official" listing: helicopter air
casualty - pilot
The initial status of this person was: missing in action -
interim
Length of service: *
Location: Kontum Province II
Corps.
Military grid coordinates of event: YB980170
Additional
information about this casualty:
See Frank Tierney's feature article in the
August, 1995 VHPA Newslette
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - died while
missing
married male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Methodist
(Evangelical United Brethren)
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:
officer
This record was last updated on 12/10/95
Name: CPT John Dehaas Curran
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on
05/25/71 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 25.0
Date of
Birth: 05/12/46
Home City: Phoenix, AZ
Service: AR branch of the reserve
component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: A/227 AHB 1 CAV
Major organization: 1st
Aviation Brigade
Flight class: 69-30/69-22
Service: AR branch of the U.S.
Army.
The Wall location: 03W-054
Short Summary: Shot down while trying to
rescue SP5 Littleton from Firebase 5 with MAJ William Adams
Aircraft: UH-1H
tail number 69-15704
Call sign: CHICKENMAN 3
SSN: 527764640
Country:
South Vietnam
MOS: 1981 = 19 Rotary Wing Aviator (Unit Commander)
Major
attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: small arms
fire
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: co-pilot
Vehicle
ownership: government
Started Tour: 07/15/70
"Official" listing:
helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
The initial status of this person
was: missing in action - interim
Length of service: *
Location: Kontum
Province II Corps.
Military grid coordinates of event: YB980170
Reason:
aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - died while
missing
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Roman
Catholic
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: officer
This record
was last updated on 12/10/95
Name: SP4 Dennis Charles Durand
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on
05/25/71 while performing the duty of Gunner.
Age at death: 20.4
Date of
Birth: 01/12/51
Home City: Allen Park, MI
Service: regular component of
the U.S. Army.
Unit: A/227 AHB 1 CAV
Major organization: 1st Aviation
Brigade
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 03W-054
Short Summary:
Shot down while trying to rescue SP5 Littleton from Firebase 5 with MAJ William
Adams
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 69-15704
SSN: 372564889
Country:
South Vietnam
MOS: 67A1F = Aircraft Maintenance Apprentice
Major
attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: small arms
fire
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: door
gunner
Vehicle ownership: government
Started Tour: 02/11/70
"Official"
listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
The initial status of this
person was: missing in action - interim
Length of service: *
Location:
Kontum Province II Corps.
Military grid coordinates of event:
YB980170
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - died
while missing
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion:
Presbyterian
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 12/10/95
Name: SP4 John Wayne Littleton
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on
05/25/71 while performing the duty of Crew member passenger.
Age at death:
18.9
Date of Birth: 06/26/52
Home City: Flagstaff, AZ
Service: regular
component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 92 AVN
Major organization: 1st Aviation
Brigade
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 03W-054
Short Summary:
Was shot down earlier and E&Eed to Firebase 5. Died when rescue ship flown
by MAJ William Adams was shot down.
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number
69-15704
SSN: 527847760
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 67A1F = Aircraft
Maintenance Apprentice
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at
sea
Compliment cause: small arms fire
Vehicle involved:
helicopter
Position in vehicle: passenger
Vehicle ownership:
government
Started Tour: 01/13/71
"Official" listing: helicopter air
casualty - non-aircrew
The initial status of this person was: missing in
action - interim
Length of service: *
Location: Kontum Province II
Corps.
Military grid coordinates of event: YB980170
Additional
information about this casualty:
Was crew chief on 67-17760 for CPT Larry
Dewey, member of the 92nd Avn Co. He survived the shoot down and crash of
67-17760 that killed CPT Dewey then escaped and evaded to Firebase 5 where he
was rescued by MAJ Adams in 69-15704. 69-15704 was then shot down killing all on
board. From John Tucker, July 2000.
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 08/18/00
Name: SP4 Melvin Robinson
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on
05/25/71 while performing the duty of Crew Chief.
Age at death: 20.9
Date
of Birth: 06/26/50
Home City: Greenville, SC
Service: regular component of
the U.S. Army.
Unit: A/227 AHB 1 CAV
Major organization: 1st Aviation
Brigade
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 03W-055
Short Summary:
Shot down while trying to rescue SP5 Littleton from Firebase 5 with MAJ William
Adams
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 69-15704
SSN: 248906378
Country:
South Vietnam
MOS: 67N20 = UH-1 Helicopter Repairer
Major attributing
cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: small arms
fire
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: crew
chief
Vehicle ownership: government
Started Tour: 08/21/70
"Official"
listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
The initial status of this
person was: missing in action - interim
Length of service: *
Location:
Kontum Province II Corps.
Military grid coordinates of event:
YB980170
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - died
while missing
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Negro
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 12/10/95
The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number
69-15704
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 0970.
Please provide any additional information on this
helicopter to the VHPA.
DATE FLT HRS UIC UNIT AREA POST COUNTRY
7009 0 0 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS ITR CONUS AVCOMITR
7010 14 14 WAAVA0 COA 227ASH 1CAV VIETNAM RVN
7011 112 126 WAAVA0 COA 227ASH 1CAV VIETNAM RVN
7012 98 224 WAAVA0 COA 227ASH 1CAV VIETNAM RVN
7101 96 320 WAAVA0 A 227TH BN VIETNAM RVN
7102 92 412 WAAVA0 A 227TH BN VIETNAM RVN
7103 79 491 WAAVA0 A 227TH BN VIETNAM RVN
7104 101 592 WAAVA0 A 227TH BN VIETNAM RVN
7105 249 841 WC5CAA 604TH TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN
Please send additions or corrections to:
VHPA Head Quarters or Gary Roush or Mike Law
Printed from databases on: 08/27/00
Copyright © 1998, 1999 and 2000 Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association