1st Bn 6th Inf combat action and OH-6A crash, 15 Sep 70, Vietnam
Scene
of combat for B Co. 1st Bn 6th Inf, and crash of OH-6 helicopter in Vietnam
on 15 Sep 70
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Looking east at the bend of the stream at BS 718 918 ten miles south
of Chu Lai, Vietnam. The Viet Cong were located on the near side
of the stream at the top center of the photo. Soldiers in 3rd Platoon,
B. Co. 1st Bn 6th Inf, fired across the stream and then moved to the shallow
water at the upper left of the photo to cross the stream. After the
fusillade of rifle and machine gun fire, the Viet Cong evaded while in
the vegetation along the stream, and moved toward the crash site, the green
"X" in the photo. US Army photo. See the complete
story of this combat action elsewhere on this web site. |
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| 15 Sep 70, Official US Army photo shows damage to OH-6A, number
67-16284, due to severe impact "at the upper limits of human survivability."
Note the collapsed and slightly tilted forward seat, the bent landing gear,
and the damage to the underside of the aircraft and Plexiglas. At
the extreme right of the photo, note the twisted airframe, and damage to
the engine armor plate showing "engine mount failure due to impact." |
OH-6, similar to the aircraft damaged in the crash on 15 Sep 70 in
the 1st Bn 6th Inf area of operations. This OH-6 also is equipped
with a radio antenna mount on the left side even with the deck. The
aircraft apparently was used full time for command and control purposes.
Photo provided by Doug Huffman for comparison purposes.
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Scan of an official US Army photo shows damage to passenger and pilot's
seat and also damage to right fuselage and landing gear assembly.
The pilot, WO1 Harold C. Woods, Trp. D, 1st Sqdrn 1st Cav, 123rd Avn Bn,
was paralyzed from the waist down by the force of the impact, while the
B Co. commander (1LT Wayne R. Johnston) and the artillery FO in the back
seat (2LT Loren J. Odne) both suffered compression fractures. |
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The wreckage was moved back to Chu Lai. On impact, the tail boom
was severed by the down-
ward flexing blades. The blades were bent like the spokes on
an umbrella by the force of impact.
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