3 Nov 2002 Kenneth Thomas Cummings is remembered by his comrades-in-arms of the Indiana Rangers D CO, 151st Infantry From a family friend. tramey@hotmail.com

 

13 Aug 2004 Ken, a leader, a doer and a believer. We miss you and mourn the potential that was lost. With Love until we meet again, your cousin Jim Jim Cummings 1311 Hillside Boulevard, Wilmington De 19803 RedJames@verizon.net

 

A note from The Virtual Wall Seven men were killed when a UH-1H (tail number 68-15475) of the 117th AHC crashed. The UH-1H was the Command and Control aircraft operating with three slicks and two gunships with the 151st LRP teams. The aircraft had just completed its second mission for the day and refueled at Red Catcher pad after flying for approximately one hour. After refueling, the aircraft departed Red Catcher pad and entered downwind for landing at the 151st LRRP pad located 1 mile to the east of Red Catcher at approximately 200 to 300 feet altitude. As the aircraft turned on a right base one tail rotor blade separated from the tail rotor hub. The pilot notified Plantation Tower that he had just lost his tail rotor. The aircraft continued to turn right going into a yaw and then began to spin around its vertical axis. After about three spins the rotor mast snapped and the main rotor blades fell backwards, severing the tail boom. The aircraft stopped spinning and fell straight to the ground in an upright position. Upon contact with the ground the aircraft burst into flames and was completely destroyed. The casualties were 117th AHC: CPT Michael R. Reitz, Cuba, NY 1LT John E. Klingen, Northport, NY SP4 Richard A. Stanley, Phoenix, AZ SP4 Reginald P. Begnoche, St Albans, VT HHC, 2 Field Force: 1LT Layne H. Connevey, Pasadena, TX D Co, 151st Inf Rgt: 1LT Kenneth T. Cummings, New York, NY 1LT George L. Kleiber, Danville, IN 1LT Cummings was a 1968 graduate of the Military Academy. He had received the Silver Star for his actions in combat. As an aside, D Company, 151st Infantry, was an Indiana National Guard unit activated in the summer of 1968 for duty in Vietnam. After extensive predeployment training, D/151st arrived in-country on 30 Dec 1968. Once there, it began an additional 5 weeks' tutelage under F Co, 51st Infantry. By the first of February 1968, D/151st was ready to go operational and conducted its first stand-alone patrol on 08 Feb 1968. D/151st departed Vietnam in the fall of 1969 and was replaced by N Company, 75th Infantry (Rangers).

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