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In Memory
of our KIA & MIA/POW Comrades
who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country!
(listed by date of incident)
Major John Terence McDonnell: Missing In Action on 5 (or 6) March 1969 when the AH-1G in which he was flying was shot down in Thua Thien Province by NVA groundfire. John was a Captain at that time but was later promoted to his present rank. Several reliable Vietnamese sightings reported him as being a Prisoner of War for several years following the crash! Fortunately, his injured Fellow-Pilot was safely rescued but does not recall the incident. John was officially declared as a casualty on 16 February 1977. He is listed as having "died while missing" due to hostile action. His name appears on the Vietnam Wall as Panel 30W-Row 058. Captain/Major McDonnell was a professional soldier and a true gentleman to all who knew him.
Captain Adrian Joseph Johnson, Jr.: Capt. Johnson was Killed in Action on 13 June 1969 in Quang Tin Province (while our Battery was deployed to assist the Americal Division near Chu Lai). The AH-1G in which he was flying that day (as the Co-Pilot/Gunner) was #67-15826. It received enemy fire in it's tail rotor gearbox and lost control. The Aircraft Commander did an excellent job under the circumstances, but the helicopter hit the ground too hard causing the main rotor blade to come through the canopy, instantly killing Capt. Johnson. He was selected to be promoted to the rank of Major at the time of the crash. Adrian was one of the most friendly & down-to-earth "family men" that I've ever had the pleasure to know. He is represented at the Vietnam Memorial on Panel 22W-Row 040.
Warrant Officer 1 Andrew John Abramson: "Andy" was killed on 23 October 1969 in Thua Thien Province (just a short distance from Camp Eagle). His death (and that of his fellow pilot, Gerry Young) is listed as a result of non-hostile action aboard Aircraft #68-15109. Andy and Gerry were flying that day as "1st Pilots", neither of them having enough flight hours to qualify as an Aircraft Commander. However, Andy was flying in the front (gunner's) seat acting as the Co-Pilot for this particular mission. Their engine was witnessed to have failed whereupon an autorotational landing was not successful. They hit the ground extreemly hard, Andy was instantly decapitated, and the aircraft burned. This writer has additional "official" data regarding this tragic accident should the reader require it. Andy's memory is preserved in all the hearts of those who knew him, and on the Vietnam Memorial wall as Panel 17W-Row 107. A true gentle-man of the highest moral character!
Warrant Officer 1 Gerald Lee Young: As mentioned above, Gerry (and Andy Abramson) were killed aboard their AH-1G Cobra on 23 October 1969 in Thua Thien Province. Both were 1st Pilots (neither were Aircraft Commanders) but Gerry was flying as the senior pilot in the back seat. They died not as a result of hostile action. The crash was witnessed and reported to have been an obvious engine failure with decayed rotor rpm so as not to have successfully completed an autorotational landing. This writer has some very specific "official" data regarding this accident should the reader desire it. They were flying aboard Aircraft #68-15109. It is my recollection that Gerry had applied for a "Direct Commission" as a 2nd Lieutenant but the promotion had not yet been received. He was an "older" pilot (for a W1) and all of us respected him for his maturity and friendship. Gerry can be remembered by seeing Panel 17W-Row 108 on the Vietnam Memorial wall.
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Thomas William Damm: CW2 Damm was killed in action on 7 July 1970. His Co-Pilot was 1LT Gillaspy (see below). The official cause of the crash was due to either (night-time) vertigo or target fixation. He was flying aboard aircraft #68-15136 and the crash occured at Military Grid Coordinates YC814983 (in either Thau Thien or Quang Nam Province). Chief Warrant Officer Damm had recently been reassigned from B/4/77 and had also recently returned to flight status after a short absence. His name may be viewed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall at Panel 09W-Row 126.
First Lieutenant Thomas David Gillaspy: Lieutenant Gillaspy was killed in action on 7 July 1970 in the same aircraft (#68-15136) as CW2 Damm (see above). The cause of the crash was vertigo or target fixation. He was acting as the gunner/co-pilot at the time. As mentioned above, the aircraft was located at Military Grid Coordinates YC814983. Lieutenant Gillaspy's name may be seen etched into the Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall at Panel 09W-Row 127.
Captain Henry Mershon Spengler III: "Hank" was Killed in action on 5 April 1972 near Loc Ninh in Binh Long Province. Originally assigned to A/4/77 at Phu Bai, Hank was reassigned to 4/79 ARA/1st Cavalry Division when his former unit was rotated to Ft. Campbell in January 1972. The official records lists him as an "air loss", "A3-type casualty" (died while missing as a result of hostile action). The following brief tribute of Hank was written by an anonymous friend & A/4/77 comrade: "...Hank Spengler was a roommate of mine and it was his professionalism and guidance that helped me to be a good Artillery Officer and Battery Commander. He wrote me several pages of guidance on what to do as a commander; since I was a new artillery officer at the time. Hank had been in country for less than six months when he requested to be moved south so he could get a "full tour" on his record (he could have taken a drop and gone home early). I heard (?) that his aircraft was the first to be shot down by a shoulder fired SAM 7. When I first met Hank I liked him from the start. He told me how his family did not want him to go into aviation because his father (Army BG) was killed in a helicopter crash in Germany in 1960. (please don't quote me on the dates). He was determined to fly and was commissioned as an Engineer. Not too many of those in the pilot arena! He was a good pilot with a lot of common sense. I left A Battery before he did and was devastated when I read about him in the Army Times". Captain Spengler's memorial is forever etched at Panel 02W-Row 129 on the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Wall. His remains were repatriated in November 1989 and interred at Arlington National Cemetary next to his father's.
Captain Arnold John Rahm: "Arnie" or "John" was assigned to A/4/77 in early December 1971 having come from our sister battery of C/4/77. However, in January/February 1972, A/4/77 was rotated Stateside and Captain Rahm was transfered to D/229/1st Cavalry Division. It was with this latter unit on 19 April 1972 in Bin Duong Province (just north of Dau Tieng at the old Michelin Rubber Plantation) that Captain Rahm was killed in Action as a result of a helicopter crash. His co-pilot was 1LT Geroge K. Barson, who was also killed. Captain Rahm's official status is that of an "A3 Casualty" (died while missing as a result of hostile action). Jimmie Ferguson has furnished some relative information about this tragic situation as such: CPT RAHM and 1LT Barson were covering an OH-6A during a recon North of Dau Tieng when they were shot down. A number of efforts were made during the next three months to recover the bodies which were presumably still with the AH-1G lying in the Southwest section of the Michelin Rubber Plantation. Each attempt was met with heavy enemy groundfire. The area was finally evacuated by the enemy and the bodies were recovered. Evidently, neither the U.S. nor Vietnamese governments would allow any destruction of the rubber trees. This hindered the recovery process. Jimmie Ferguson humbly notes that Captain Rahm was his "...comrade, mentor and best friend. When John was killed, I lost a brother!". Captain Rahm's name has been carved within the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial at Panel 01W-Row 003.
Captain Phillip Rex Bergfield: Captain Bergfield was killed in Action on 3 July 1971 in Thua Thien Province while flying in Aircraft #67-15760. The cause of the accident was reported (and witnessed) to be a night-time mid-air collision with his wingman. The aircraft came to rest at Military Grid Coordinates XD875014. His loss was listed as a result of hostile action and he is reported to have died while missing. Prior to this (and as a testiment to his courage), he was awarded the Silver Star for his heroism on the ground while defending the Battery CP/OPNS at Khe Sahn during Operation Lam Son 719. Phil was married to an Army Nurse (stationed at Phu Bai) at the dime of his death. His name may be viewed on the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial wall at Panel 03W-Row097.
First Lieutenant Gary Preston Tomlinson: Lieutenant Tomlinson was Killed in Action on 3 July 1971 in Thua Thien Province as a result of a night-time mid-air collision with his wingman. This colission was witnessed by ground personnel. He was flying aboard Aircraft #68-15185 which was discovered at Military Grid Coordinates XD875014. His loss was as a result of hostile action and he is reported to have died while missing. His name may be viewed on the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial wall at Panel 03W-Row 099.
Captain Terry Jack Martell: Captain Martell was killed on 3 July 1971 at Thua Thien Province as a result of a night-time mid-air collision with his wingman. He was flying aboard Aircraft #67-15760 and the crash site was at Military Grid Coordinates YD874005. His loss was as a result of hostile action and he is reported to have died while missing. His name may be viewed on the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial wall at Panel 03W-Row 099.
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Robert Scott Schettig: Chief Warrant Officer Schettig was killed on 3 Julu 1971 at Thua Thien Province as a result of a night-time mid-air colission which was witnessed by ground personnel. The aircraft he was flying in was #68-15185. It was discovered at Military Grid Coordinates XD875014. His loss was as a result of hostile action and he is reported to have died while missing. His name may be seen on the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial wall at Panel 03W-Row 099.
Please note that many of our fellow A/4/77 comrades have died during the past 30+ years since Vietnam. Many others still bear the effects of wounds and injuries that they received while in Vietnam. Fittingly, those who have passed in battle are listed above. However, it is appropriate that we remember all of our injured, wounded & deceased friends even though they may not be memorialized herein.
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Photo of the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial "Wall" provided by Dave Shoop. |
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