8 Mar 2002 This is for my uncle whom I never met. Just want to let him know, we miss him and still think about him to this day. Grandma (your mom) still misses you so much that it still hurts her to this day, 30 years later. May God bless you and we hope that your body will be recovered some day. We Love You and are extremely proud. Jerry Green nonameheroes@yahoo.com

 

27 Aug 2006 Vaya con Dios, Tom. We will not let you slip away, brother ... you gave all, and we will keep your memory alive. From a friend, Flash VNVMC I Chapter Dago flash_vnvmc@yahoo.com

 

A Note from The Virtual Wall On 26 October 1970, a CH-47B helicopter (tail number 66-19143) of the 68th Assault Support Helicopter Company was tasked with a resupply mission originating from Camp Holloway in Pleiku. After several stops, the helicopter arrived at Tuy Hoa at 1115, departing at 1350 hours with an expected arrival at Cam Ranh Bay at 1420. There were ten men aboard the aircraft at that point, 5 crewmen and 5 passengers. The helicopter (call sign WARRIOR 143) was sighted by another CH-47 near Nha Trang, headed south into bad weather; it did not arrive at Cam Ranh Bay. Search and Rescue was initiated at 1555 hours. Between 27 Oct 27 and 01 Nov, debris identified as being from WARRIOR 143 washed ashore on Hon Tre island, just offshore from Nha Trang. The condition of the debris recovered indicated that the aircraft had struck the water at high speed. SAR efforts did recover the remains of four men. Underwater search efforts in October 1974, based on a reported sighting of the aircraft wreckage, were not successful. The dead were Aircrew, 68th ASHC CWO Leonard G. Maquiling, pilot, Honolulu, HI (recovered) WO Albert R. Trudeau, copilot, Milwaukee, WI (BNR) SP5 Michael Lautzenheiser, flight engineer, Muncie, IN (BNR) SP4 Mickey E. Eveland, crew chief, Los Angeles, CA (BNR) PFC Thomas F. Green, gunner, Ramona, CA (BNR) Passengers: 1SG James C. Skinner, Ashland, ME, 238th Avn Co (recovered) SSG Rufus P. Falkner, Duluth, GA, HHT, 7/17th Cavalry (recovered) SGT Edward L. Himes, Columbia, TN, HHT, 7/17th Cavalry (recovered) SP5 Robert A. Nickol, Bethlehem, PA, HHT, 7/17th Cavalry (BNR) SSG Sanford I. Finger, New York, NY, Army HQ Area Cmd, Saigon (BNR) The patch at the top of this page reflects the 68th ASHC's heritage. Until April 1971, the unit was Company C, 228th Aviation Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division. When the 1st Cav left Vietnam, C/228 was redesignated as the 68th ASHC and remained in Vietnam for another year.

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