15 Feb 2001 Another of our brothers listed. We of the 1st Recon Bn pause and Viet Nam flashes by in our minds with so many pictures of our losses. If only the numbers could have been smaller. We of D Company that came home STILL wonder ... IF ONLY!!!

 

A Note from The Virtual Wall Marine helicopter squadron HMM-165 (CH-46D aircraft) was tasked with a recon insert mission approximately 22 miles WNW of DaNang. The landing zone was prepped heavily prior to commencement of a spiral approach. The helicopter (CH-46D BuNo 154811) was brought into a brief hover. Heavy small arms fire was received prior to anyone exiting the aircraft and the insertion was aborted. During climb out a loud explosion occurred aft of the cockpit area. The aircraft pitched extreme nose up and rolled slowly right to a somewhat inverted position with no control input response. It crashed and burned. Eight men died in the crash: 1stLt W L Peters, Jr., pilot (HMM-165) LCpl P E Petroline, crew chief (HMM-165) Recon Team Members 2ndLt W G Schanck Jr. LCpl R A Weil, Jr. LCpl F J Bosco Pfc A C Councill, III Pfc R L Crites, Jr. Pfc J O Hall, Jr. Additional information is available on the Pop-A-Smoke site

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