Andy,
I asked for guns, man! (just kidding) Great shot! I know of no other units other than the 190th that were Spartans. Initially, I thought the numbers on the nose were just 684, since many units painted the last three serial numbers on the nose of their ships. Closer inspection reveals that it is 6845. I checked the Gold Book files and come up with UH-1D 66-16845. This helo was destroyed while in service with the 190th. See the summary below. It is unusually well detailed for a Gold Book entry. Good work!
Thanks,
Ray
Helicopter UH-1D 66-16845
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1D tail number 66-16845
The Army purchased this helicopter 0967
Total flight hours at this point: 00001705
Date: 06/20/69
Accident case number: 690620251 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 190 AHC
The station for this helicopter was Bien Hoa in South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 4 . . Passengers = 0
costing 244345
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database. Army Aviation Safety Center database. Also: OPERA (Operations Report. )
Loss to Inventory
Crew Members:
AC W1 MCKEOWN WJ
P W1 DANSECS FC
CE E5 WARD LJ
G E4 HUFF FS
Accident Summary:
THE AIRCRAFT AND CREW WERE ASSIGNED A DCS MISSION 03F OUT OF XXUAN LOC WORKING FOR THE ARVN 18TH INFANTRY DIVISION. THE CREW PREFLIGHTED THE AIRCRAFT AT 1615 HOURS ON 20 JUNE 1969 AND FOUND NO DISCREPANCIES. THEY DEPARTED ON THEIR MISSION AT 0715 HOURS, AND PROCEEDED TO XUAN LOC. THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN FLOWN 5 HOURS PRIOR TO THE MISHAP AND THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS OF ANY MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS. 204 INTO THE WIND ALONG THE LONG AXIS WITH ELEVEN DEAD VIETNAMESE ABOARD. EACH ARVN WEIGHED APPROXIMATELY 90 POUNDS. THE AIRCRAFT CLEARED THE TREES BY 50-100 FEET WHEN THE CREW HEARD A LOUD BANG THAT SOUNDED AS IF IT CAME FROM THE ROTOR HEAD OR ENGINE AND THE AIRCRAFT LOST POWER. THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER IMMEDIATELY ENTERED AUTOROTATION, FLARED TO SLOW THE AIRSPEED AND SET THE HELICOPTER DOWN IN THE TREES. THERE WAS NO CLEAR AREA TO LAND IN, AND THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH TIME OR ALTITUDE TO RETURN TO THE LZ WHICH WAS ABOUT 200 METERS TO THEIR REAR. THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING THE DESCENT HE DID NOT NOTICE ANY OF THE CAUTION LIGHTS COME ON NOR DID HE SEE WHAT THE GAS PRODUCER READ. HE TURNED THE FUEL OFF PRIOR TO HITTING THE TREES AND THE CREWCHIEF STATED THAT HE DID HEAR THE ENGINE STOP WHEN THEY LANDED. THE AIRCRAFT CAME DOWN VERTICALLY (SEE PHOTOS 3-1 AND 3-2) CUTTING TREES AS IT FELL (SEE PHOTO 3-3) BRINGING BRANCHES AND LIMBS DOWN ON TOP OF THE AIRCRAFT (SEE PHOTOS 3-4, 3-5, 3-6, AND 3-7) WHICH CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE (SEE PHOTOS 3-8, 3-9, 3-10 AND 3-11) AND CUT THE SYNCHONIZED ELEVATORS OFF THE TAIL BOOM (SEE PHOTO 3-12). THEY HIT THE GROUND LEVEL (SEE PHOTOS 3-6 AND 3-7) WITH CONSIDERABLE FORCE CAUSING THE SKIDS TO COLLAPSE AND THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE TO SNAP (SEE PHOTOS 3-2 AND 3-6).\\
The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-16845
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 0967.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.
DATE FLT HRS UIC UNIT AREA POST COUNTRY
6709 8 8 9221 BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM
6710 0 8 9221 BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM
6711 0 8 9221 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY
6712 0 8 9221 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY
6801 0 8 W0MCAA RED RIVER AD 4TH ARMY RED RIVER AD AMC
6802 73 81 3311 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY
6803 121 202 3311 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY
6804 124 326 3311 BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM
6805 82 408 3311 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY
6806 104 512 3311 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY
6807 111 623 3311 OPM SEA NITEOPS 1ST ARMY FORT BELVOIR AMC
6808 99 722 3311 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC
6809 147 869 3311 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC
6810 116 985 3311 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC
6811 105 1090 WDUWAA 190 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6812 102 1192 WDUWAA 190 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6901 103 1295 WDUWAA 190 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6902 101 1396 WDUWAA 190 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6903 92 1488 WDUWAA 190 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6904 106 1594 WDUWAA 190 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6905 111 1705 WDUWAA 190 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN