This is dedicated to the men who were KIA in defense of freedom.
August 4, 1968 Harry Kim
Harry Kim was KIA on August 4, 1968 when his UH-1C Gunship was shot down while providing covering fire during an air assault mission in the Ashau Valley, his remains were not recovered till August 5, 1968.
The information was provided by the men who knew and flew with Harry Kim in Vietnam.
August 8, 1968 Dickie Lynn Leach
Door Gunner Dickie Lynn Leach was KIA on August 8, 1968 when his UH-1C Gunship #66-15227 was hit by enemy ground fire and shot down during a mission in the Ashau Valley. His 3 fellow crewmen were also KIA during this mission.
This is the information sent in by Scott Howell. UH-1C 66-15227 Date of loss: 680808
Pilot: CPT Gary Lee Higbee
Copilot: WO1 Richard Arthur Ovaitt
CE: SP5 Charles Dennis Bartlett
Door Gunner: Dickie Lynn Leach
August 8, 1968 Charles Dennis Bartlett
Crew Chief/Door Gunner Charles Dennis Bartlett was KIA on August 8, 1968 when his UH-1C Gunship #66-15227 was hit by enemy ground fire and shot down during a mission in the Ashau Valley. His 3 fellow crewmen were also KIA during this mission.
This is the information sent in by Scott Howell. UH-1C 66-15227 Date of loss: 680808
Pilot: CPT Gary Lee Higbee
Copilot: WO1 Richard Arthur Ovaitt
CE: SP5 Charles Dennis Bartlett
G: Dickie Lynn Leach
August 8, 1968 Gary Lee Higbee
Pilot Gary Lee Higbee was KIA on August 8, 1968 when his UH-1C Gunship #66-15227 was hit by enemy ground fire and shot down during a mission in Ashau Valley. His 3 fellow crewmen were also KIA during this mission.
This is the information sent in by Scott Howell. UH-1C 66-15227 Date of loss: 680808
Pilot: CPT Gary Lee Higbee
Copilot: WO1 Richard Arthur Ovaitt
CE: SP5 Charles Dennis Bartlett
G: Dickie Lynn Leach
August 8, 1968 Richard Arthur Ovaitt
Copilot Richard Arthur Ovaitt was KIA on August 8, 1968 when UH-1C Gunship #66-15227 was hit by enemy ground fire and shot down during a mission in the Ashau Valley. His 3 fellow crewmen were also KIA during this mission.
This is the information sent in by Scott Howell. UH-1C 66-15227 Date of loss: 680808
Pilot: CPT Gary Lee Higbee
Copilot: WO1 Richard Arthur Ovaitt
CE: SP5 Charles Dennis Bartlett
G: Dickie Lynn Leach
May 11, 1969 John Marshall Rucker
John Marshall Rucker was a D101Hawk pilot, who lost his life in defense of freedom on May, 1969. He was in aircraft AH-1G 67-15802.
During a mission to provide AH-1G Cobra gunship escort to other helicopters he was force to make an emergency landing and lost his life.
The following is part of an email by Dick Hollenbaugh, Hawk 38 about his friend John Marshall Rucker.
The tragic loss of John is still felt to this day by family and his friends and fellow pilots from 39 years ago.
John Rucker was my best friend at Phu Bai. I was flying a separate mission as wingman for Gary Sorrells (Hawk 31) the day that John was killed. We diverted to the crash site within minutes when we heard his radio call that his engine had quit. We had also just departed Phu Bai just ahead of John to begin our own separate mission. When we got to the site there was no place for us to land as heavy as we were. We orbited the crash site several hundred feet below us & watched helplessly as the tragedy unfolded beneath us. Dave Price was the other Warrant Officer pilot flying John's front seat that day.
Apparently John was pretty low to the ground & heavy having just departed Phu Bai on his mission when his engine quit. He went down in small rolling & steep hilly- grass covered terrain with a small shallow pond at the bottom. He really had no place to go & no time to react. It looked as if he had attempted to set down on the steep slope next to the water to save the aircraft. I can't recall what Dave told me but that memory stays with me. At any rate, the cobra rolled upside down in the shallow water with its skids and bottom of the aircraft sticking up. John somehow became trapped in the back seat. We watched as Dave desperately tried to kick the canopy open & make repeated attemps diving under the water in a frantic effort to get John out.
Shortly after that Gary & I were ordered to resume our mission so we departed. A few minutes later we received a radio call that Dave & John had been recovered & to my tremendous reflief..that John was ok. Moments later we received another radio call that John did not make it.
Being only 20 years old myself at that time & knowing the tight bond that John & I had it is easy to understand that I was devastated by what happened that day. John & I were unusually close friends during the short time that I knew him. We were both married & if I remember correctly John had a young son or daughter. John & I were both believers in Christ which was another bond that we had. There is no doubt in my mind where his is now. But even with that comforting knowledge, it still bothers me to this day what happened. John & I were planning an R&R to Australia together in just a few weeks to get away.
I remember John as a big ole good natured "country boy" with a very noticeable southern drawl. He
was well liked by everyone..a great guy with a big heart who liked to laugh. He was the kind of guy that would give his life for a brother..a great pilot who was given an emergency landing with no where to go. He did his best...but it was his time. I will forever remember him & miss him. But I know I will see him again.
May God bless & comfort you, Dick Hollenbaugh (Hawk 38) Aug 68-69
October 8, 1969 Robert J Watkins
Robert J Watkins Jr was Killed in Action on October 8,1969 in Laos, his body has never been recovered. Robert Watkins was flying for the Redskins of Company D 158th Aviation Battalion at the time of his death. Prior to his assignment to D158 he flew for the Hawks of Company D 101st Aviation Battalion. His fellow pilot survived a 5 day jungle ordeal before being rescued.
The Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) searched a total of 4 sites in Laos during 2009, at this time no further information is available from JPAC. JPAC has said that the Defense Prisioner of War/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) is the agency that will release any information concerning those searches. Links to JPAC and DPMO are listed on this site under the Links menu.
February 9, 1971 James F. Collins
James F. Collins was KIA when returning from a mission near Khe Sanh in AH-1G 68-17106.
This is information provided by Doug Lovelace Hawk 18.
On 9 February 1971, we lost CW2 James (Jim) F. Collins (AC) and CPT Stephen L. Whisenant (P), when they went down in 68-17106, in Quang Tri Province, not far from Khe Sanh. Both were in the First Platoon.
February 9, 1971 Stephen L. Whisenant
Stephen L. Whisenant was KIA when returning from a mission near Khe Sanh in AH-1G 68-17106.
This is information provided by Doug Lovelace Hawk 18.
On 9 February 1971, we lost CW2 James (Jim) F. Collins (AC) and CPT Stephen L. Whisenant (P), when they went down in 68-17106, in Quang Tri Province, not far from Khe Sanh. Both were in the First Platoon; Steve was the Platoon Commander.
March 18, 1971 Alan Brent Boffman
Alan Brent Boffman was KIA while providing covering fire in AH-1G 68-15077 and then leading other helicopters to the rescue site where pinned down ARVN troops were waiting for rescue. His remains along with those of his fellow D101Hawk pilot Keith A. Brandt were not recovered and returned home till 1990.
This is information sent in by Doug Lovelace Hawk 18 concerning the loss on March 18, 1971
Please use the following link to go to the Arlington National Cemetery Website which is run by Michael R. Patterson. http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/abboffman.htm
March 18, 1971 Keith A. Brandt
Keith A. Brandt was KIA while providing covering fire in AH-1G 68-15077 and then leading other helicopters to the rescue site where pinned down ARVN troops were waiting for rescue. His remains along with those of his fellow D101Hawk pilot Alan Brent Boffman were not recovered and returned home till 1990.
This is information sent in by Doug Lovelace Hawk 18 concerning the loss on March 18, 1971
