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| Date: | Saturday 5 October 1968 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Sikorsky HH-3E Sea King (S-61R) |
| Owner/operator: | 37th ARRS, 3rd ARRG, USAF |
| Registration: | 65-12782 |
| MSN: | 61-557 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 4 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | on Laos-S. Vietnam border, W of Da Nang -
 Laos
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Da Nang AB (VVDN), South Vietnam |
| A Shau Valley |
The HH-3E with call sign JOLLY GREEN 10 was on an emergency extraction mission for the seven US Army soldiers of MACV-SOG reconnaissance team "Alabama" (call sign CARROT TOP) in contact with enemy forces in the mountainous terrain of western A Shau Valley between Laos and South Vietnam. Another HH-3E (call sign JOLLY GREEN 28) from the same unit had already attempted rescue, but was forced to return to base with a massive fuel leak after being hit by small arms fire. Despite the danger JOLLY GREEN 10 then approached and was on short final at 20 feet above the jungle canopy, when struck by intense ground fire from automatic weapons, rocket-propelled grenades and mortars. The helicopter crashed in flames and the pararescueman Sgt Earnest D. Casbeer managed to pull the pilot Maj. Vernon R. Granier out, but before he could return it exploded and killed the co-pilot Maj. Albert Dwayne Wester and flight mechanic Sgt Gregory Paul Lawrence.
Two hours later another HH-3E (call sign JOLLY GREEN 32) of 37th ARRS managed to rescue the two crewmen and the six surviving members of the Special Forces team. Its pilot, Maj. Donald P. Olsen, was awarded the Air Force Cross and the pararescueman SSgt Allen J. Avery was awarded the Silver Star for their actions during this extremely hazardous extraction.
Sources:
https://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1965.html
https://www.helis.com/database/cn/16750/
https://911gfx.nexus.net/aircraftlosses.html
https://usafrotorheads.com/helo-timeline/
https://jollygg.blogspot.com/2021/09/fallen-heros-jolly-green-10-37th-arrs.html
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 09-Jan-2010 07:58 | TB | Added |
| 21-Dec-2012 10:10 | TB | Updated [Operator, Narrative, ] |
| 21-Jun-2014 21:44 | Uli Elch | Updated [Location, Source, ] |
| 28-Jan-2025 06:27 | Tetrapack | Updated [Cn, Operator, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ] |
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