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| Date: | Friday 24 October 1969 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Sikorsky HH-3E Sea King (S-61R) |
| Owner/operator: | 37th ARRS, 3rd ARRG, USAF |
| Registration: | 66-13281 |
| MSN: | 61-579 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | near Ban Bouang Nam, Laos -
 Laos
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Da Nang AB (VVDN), South Vietnam |
| Laos |
The HH-3E with call sign JOLLY GREEN 28 was on a SAR mission for the crew (pilot 1Lt Alvin D. Muller and WSO Capt. Jack K. Clapper) of a F-100F Super Sabre (56-3887, call sign MISTY 11) which had been shot down by anti-aircraft fire near Ban Bouag Nam, Laos. As the pilot had suffered a broken leg the pararescueman TSgt Donald G. Smith was lowered to the ground to prepare him for a stretcher hoist. As they were being lifted the helicopter was hit by intense automatic weapons fire, forcing its crew to drop them and carry out an emergency landing in a clearing about one mile away. Another HH-3E from the same unit acting as backup on this mission quickly rescued the three crewmen (pilot Capt. Charles D Langham, co-pilot Maj. Charles W. Bond and flight engineer SSgt James E. Smith) and the disabled helicopter was then destroyed by strike aircraft to prevent capture.
For the next few hours TSgt Smith protected 1Lt Muller, directed air strikes on enemy positions and defended against enemy attack. A HH-53 with call sign JOLLY GREEN 76 of 40th ARRS was damaged by ground fire in a recovery attempt and had to make an emergency landing at Lima Site 44 (LS-44) in Salavan, Laos. The two men were then rescued by a HH-3E with call sign JOLLY GREEN 15 of 37th ARRS, which also made two attempts to pick up the WSO from MISTY 11 but was damaged by ground fire that disabled the hoist and forced the helicopter to land at Lima Site 61 (LS-61) near Muang Phalan, Laos. He was eventually rescued by another HH-3E with call sign JOLLY GREEN 19 of 40th ARRS under intense ground fire. The pararescueman from JOLLY GREEN 28 received the Air Force Cross and the pilot LTJG Robert T. Ritchie, USCG from JOLLY GREEN 76 was awarded the Silver Star for their actions during this mission.
Sources:
https://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1966.html
https://www.helis.com/database/cn/23662/
https://911gfx.nexus.net/aircraftlosses.html
https://cgaviationhistory.org/sar/a-selfless-calling/
https://www.vietnamairlosses.com/loss.php?id=2367
http://www.veterantributes.org/TributeDetail.php?recordID=1172
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 09-Jan-2010 08:13 | TB | Added |
| 21-Dec-2012 10:20 | TB | Updated [Operator, Narrative, ] |
| 03-Feb-2025 06:56 | Tetrapack | Updated [Cn, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, ] |
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