134^th Assault Helicopter Company

On July 3, 1971, two Cobra AH-1G helicopters from A Battery, 4^th Battalion, 77th Field Artillery, 101^st Airborne Division were involved in a night-time mid-air collision southwest of Camp Eagle, Thua Thien Province, with the loss of both crews and aircraft. The lost crewmen included CPT Phillip R. Bergfield and CPT Terry J. Martell from aircraft 68-15185 and CW2 Robert S. Schettig and 1LT Gary P. Tomlinson in aircraft 67-15760. The following is a summary of the loss by Army investigators: The aircraft in question were on 2-minute alert status with an aerial rocket artillery battery. They received a contact mission at approximately 2320 hours and were immediately launched. Arriving on station at 2330 hours in trail formation, a circling orbit was set up by the lead aircraft and was observed by ground troops, who indicated the orbit got smaller and smaller. The last radio transmission monitored was that the lead aircraft, flown by CPT Bergfield, was, "Rolling in hot." At this time the troops on the ground observed a large flash of fire and some rockets being fired. The burning aircraft fell to the ground over a ridge line 800 meters from the ground troops who also reported shortly after the flash of fire in the sky, there was another flash on the ground over the ridge line. The flash of fire in the sky was also observed by CW2 Barry Martens, of A Battery, 4/77th Artillery, 101^st Airborne Division, who watched the aircraft launched and depart the Phu Bai combat base to the southwest in trail formation. CW2 Martens observed the aircraft set up their orbit over the contact area and was watching for the section to commence their firing runs. CW2 Martens then observed a large flash in the area of the aircraft and could no longer see the aircraft positions lights. He went to the battery operations center and informed the personnel on duty, who initiated a radio search with negative results. The ground commander also radioed that it was possible that the aircraft had crashed. At this time the 4^th Battalion, 77th Artillery Headquarters Tactical Operations center was notified, who in turn launched a search and rescue team in a UH-1H helicopter. Upon arriving on the scene, two fires were observed approximately 200 meters apart and with close observation of the fires, it was determined that both aircraft were totally destroyed with little chance of survivors. [Taken from vhpa.org]

Crashed in the Sea of Japan while serving in South Korea. He died in South Korea (Kangnung) on Nov 27, 1968 while flying as co-pilot for the 6th Aviation Platoon, I Corps. His body was not recovered and he was declared dead after a crash in the Sea of Japan. Griggs who was new in country and right out of flight school.

While with the 6 AVN PLT in Korea A/C crashed in the Sea of Japan while enroute to its base in Kangnung. Flying conditions at the time were described as marginal with a heavy cloud cover from 700' to 9,000'. SAR operations failed to locate the missing A/C and were called off on December 4.

On 6 February 1969, the 134th conducted a Combat Assault with ROK units near Phan Rang. At the landing zone, the VC were waiting in spider holes for the incoming aircraft. The lead ship was hit by ground fire and crashed in the LZ while another (66-16326) was destroyed by a B-40 rocket as it landed. CW2 William M. Harrison, the AC with 24 days left in country, was killed by shrapnel from the B-40. The crewchief, SP4 John Baxter, was hit numerous pieces of shrapnel and also took a hit in a leg that had to later be amputated. The last ship (66-16319) in the 3 ship formation went around the crashed lead ship. As it did, it was hit by a hail of fire and a round hit the gunner, PFC William Ogden, in the neck killing him instantly. The rest of the crew somehow escaped serious jury and managed to get the badly damaged ship back to Phan Rang Air Base.

Crashed in the Sea of Japan while serving in South Korea. Julius Harold "Harry" Ingram was my first husband. He was from Montgomery, Alabama. He died in South Korea (Kangnung) on Nov 27, 1968 while flying for the 6th Aviation Platoon, I Corps. He never went to Vietnam, but to South Korea from flight school, after a short stay at Ft Bragg. He was a CWO-2 at his death. His body was not recovered and he was declared dead after a crash in the Sea of Japan. At the time, he was on TDY duty during some infiltration on the east coast. This was the year the Pueblo was captured. He was survived by a wife, infant son, father and brotherThe other pilot killed in that crash was 1LT Richard J. Griggs who was new in country and right out of flight school.

From: Mary AnnWhile with the 6 AVN PLT in Korea A/C crashed in the Sea of Japan while enroute to its base in Kangnung. Flying conditions at the time were described as marginal with a heavy cloud cover from 700' to 9,000'. SAR operations failed to locate the missing A/C and were called off on December 4.

October 1971, was a sad month for the unit with the loss of three crewmembers in the first major accident in over 250 days. Captain Gerald F. McGlone, SP5 Addison W. Page Jr. and SP4 Rafael Perez-Verdeja were test flying a UH-1C model aircraft when it crashed and burned for unknown reasons onto the PSP runway at Phu Hiep. All three crewmembers died in the crash.

On 7 February 1968, the 134^th suffered it's first combat casualties. An entire crew and aircraft were lost while on a MACV support mission at Phu Bon near Cheo Reo. The aircraft flew MACV senior advisors and local commanders to a village that was to have been secured earlier in the morning by nearby PF (Popular Forces) ground troops. On arrival over the village there was no radio contact with the ground unit supposedly at the site but smoke was popped by someone on the ground and the crew landed. However, the PF troops had not yet arrived and the village was occupied by VC who had taken it over the previous night.

After landing and shutting down the aircraft, the crew and six others were ambushed and killed. The aircraft was set on fire and destroyed. Members of the crew were CW2 Roy E. Worth, CW2 Guido S. Reali, SGT Ronald R. Loveland and SGT Harold O. Hoskins. This was a very traumatic experience for everyone in the unit since the 134^th was a close knit group and everyone knew the lost crewmembers well. The war hit home to all in a very personal way. After this, aircraft from the 134^th were not allowed to land in remote locations without establishing radio contact with ground personnel or positive identification.

In a bizarre twist, less than an hour before the ambush of the crew, WO Trainee Hall and WO Mike Harding had been searching for a MACV advisor with the PF troops and had landed at the same village after smoke was popped on the ground. However, they did not shut down or get out of the aircraft. They saw what appeared to be local troops, waved to them (their waves were returned) and realizing their intended passenger was not there, they took off again.