Helicopter UH-1D 66-16693

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1D tail number 66-16693
The Army purchased this helicopter 0867
Total flight hours at this point: 00002255
Date: 06/30/1970 MIA-POW file reference number: 1645
Incident number: 70063030.KIA
Unit: B/227 AVN
South Vietnam
UTM grid coordinates: YU372568
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. Also: 1645 ()
Loss to Inventory
Crew: BURGESS, JOHN LAWRENCE;

Crew Members:
CE SP5 BURGESS JOHN LAWRENCE BNR
AC 1LT DOUGLAS LESLIE FORREST JR KIA
AC 1LT DYER RICHARD KIA
G PFC GOOSMAN JOHN RES

Passengers:
SFC COLON-DIAZ JUAN, AR, PX, KIA;

REFNO Synopsis:
SYNOPSIS: On June 30, 1970, SP5 John L. Burgess was the crew chief of a UH1H helicopter on a command and control mission when it was hit by enemy fire, crashed, and burned near the Cambodia/South Vietnam border in Phuoc Long Province, South Vietnam. The other individuals aboard the aircraft included 1Lt. Leslie F. Douglas, Jr., 1Lt. Richard Dyer, SFC Juan Colon-Diaz, and PFC Goosman. PFC Goosman, who was thrown clear of the aircraft (he was probably the door gunner), was the only survivor of the crash. PFC Goosman later stated that he pulled the aircraft commander clear of the aircraft, but because of the fire, was unable to free any of the crew members or the one passenger from the aircraft. Goosman was able to determine that no one else had survived the crash. He remained at the scene of the crash site until friendly troops arrived to secure the aircraft wreckage. The remains of the four crew members were placed in four body bags and evacuated. Major Knudson, who arrived shortly after the crash, landed in a secure LZ adjacent to the crash and picked up Goosman and the 4 body bags. They were transported directly from the crash site to medical facilities located at Camp Gorvad, Phuoc Vinh, South Vietnam. Graves Registration at Camp Gorvad forwarded the four body bags to the mortuary at Than San Nhut to undergo autopsies. At the mortuary, as identification was conducted, it was determined that they only had 3 sets of remains rather than four. While processing the remains at the mortuary, it was discovered that one of the body bags contained portions of the upper torso and another bag contained portions of the lower torso of the same individual. After this discovery, they were combined and positive identifications made of the three individuals, Douglas, Dyer and Colon-Diaz. Than San Nhut Mortuary never received any remains correlating to SP5 Burgess, and it was believed that the remains of Burgess were either burned beneath the wreckage of the aircraft or incinerated in the fire which engulfed the aircraft after it crashed. The mortuary suggested another search of the crash site area, but additional searches were not considered possible because of enemy presence in the area. When a final review of aerial photographs was made in 1973, there was no evidence of the crashed aircraft.

War Story:
I was not thrown from the aircraft. I was still in the gunners well when the aircraft was smashed in the trees. I freed myself from the wreckage and I got LT Douglas out of the pilot's seat. I carried him about 50 feet from the crash site as I returned to the aircraft, it caught fire and I was not able to get anyone else out. I returned to LT Douglas and I held him in my arms until he died. From John Goosman.

This record was last updated on 07/03/2006

The following is crew member information for this incident:

Name: SP5 John Lawrence Burgess
Status: Body Not Recovered from an incident on 06/30/1970 while performing the duty of Crew Chief.
Age at death: 21.2
Date of Birth: 04/05/1949
Home City: Kingsley, MI
Service: regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: B/227 AHB 1 CAV
Major organization: 1st Cavalry Division
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 09W-104
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 66-16693
SSN: 367523871
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 67N2F = UH-1 Helicopter Repairer
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: vehicular accident
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: crew chief
Vehicle ownership: government
Started Tour: 08/01/1969
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
The initial status of this person was: no previous report
Length of service: *
Location: Phuoc Long Province III Corps.
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: enlisted personnel
This record was last updated on 06/25/1994

Name: SFC Juan Colon-Diaz
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 06/30/1970 while performing the duty of Passenger.
Age at death: 36.0
Date of Birth: 06/24/1934
Home City: Comerio, PR
Service: regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 1 CAV
Major organization: 1st Cavalry Division
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 09W-103
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 66-16693
SSN: 561547648
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 11B40 = Infantryman
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: vehicular accident
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: passenger
Vehicle ownership: government
Started Tour: 10/02/1969
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - non-aircrew
The initial status of this person was: no previous report
Length of service: *
Location: Phuoc Long Province III Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - killed
married 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: enlisted personnel
This record was last updated on 01/27/1995

Name: 1LT Leslie Forrest Douglas, Jr.
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 06/30/1970 while performing the duty of Aircraft Commander.
Age at death: 25.0
Date of Birth: 07/07/1945
Home City: Verona, MS
Service: FA branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: B/227 AHB 1 CAV
Major organization: 1st Cavalry Division
Flight class: 69-18
Service: FA branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 09W-104
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 66-16693
SSN: 425907787 Service number: O5355222
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 1981 = 19 Rotary Wing Aviator (Unit Commander)
Primary cause: Hostile Fire
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: vehicular accident
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: aircraft commander
Vehicle ownership: government
Started Tour: 08/08/1969
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
The initial status of this person was: no previous report
Length of service: *
Location: Phuoc Long Province III Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - killed
married male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Episcopal (Anglican)
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 08/20/1995

Name: 1LT Richard Dyer
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 06/30/1970 while performing the duty of Aircraft Commander.
Age at death: 26.9
Date of Birth: 08/12/1943
Home City: Pawtucket, RI
Service: IN branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: B/227 AHB 1 CAV
Major organization: 1st Cavalry Division
Flight class: 69-42
Service: IN branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 09W-104
Short Summary: Shot down coming out LZ east of FSB Snuffy III Corps.
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 66-16693
SSN: 035282342
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 64823
Primary cause: Hostile Fire
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: vehicular accident
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: co-pilot
Vehicle ownership: government
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
The initial status of this person was: no previous report
Length of service: *
Location: Phuoc Long Province III Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - killed
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 08/20/1995

The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-16693
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 0867.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.

DATE  FLT HRS    UIC      UNIT          AREA          POST          COUNTRY
196708   1    1 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM   
196709  10   11 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM   
196710   0   11 3300   BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM   
196711  98  109 WAAVA0 COA 227ASH 1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
196712  62  171 WAAVA0 COA 227ASH 1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
196801   0  171 WAAVA0 COA 227ASH 1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
196802  73  244 WAAVA0 COA 227ASH 1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
196803  52  296 3261   355 AVN CO       4TH ARMY   FORT SILL        4TH ARMY
196804  62  358 3261   BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM   
196805   0  358 WC5GAA 610 TRANS CO     VIETNAM                     RVN     
196806   0  358 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN STORAGE NAVAL AIR STN    AVCOM   
196807   0  358 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN STORAGE NAVAL AIR STN    AVCOM   
196808   0  358 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN STORAGE NAVAL AIR STN    AVCOM   
196809   0  358 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVCOM   
196810   0  358 W0MUAA ARADMAC          4TH ARMY   NAVAL AIR STA    AVCOM   
196811   3  361 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVCOM   
196812   0  361 3300   HHD 44 ENG GP    THAILAND                    PACIFIC 
196901 141  502 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
196902  42  544 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
196903  93  637 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
196904  86  723 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
196905 106  829 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
196906 120  949 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
196907 119 1068 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
196908  59 1127 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
196909  61 1188 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
196910 103 1291 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
196911  41 1332 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
196912 152 1484 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
197001 158 1642 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
197002 129 1771 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
197003  97 1868 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
197004 164 2032 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
197005  92 2124 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
197006 131 2255 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN

Please send additions or corrections to:

Gary Roush

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Printed from databases on: 03/13/2007

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