Vietnam War Timeline

463
27 June 1969
1/35th
Submitted by: Dave Fogg

3rd Bde 4th Inf Div
Bn (1/35) Forward Fire Base
LZ Kathy ZA048488

Unit Locations:
1/35th CP is at LZ Kathy
A Co CP ZA109514
B Co CP ZA039478
C Co CP ZA982285
C Co 3rd plt at Rock Quarry
C Co 2nd plt at LZ Kathy
D Co CP ZA083498
Recon CP ZA17543
4.2 Mortar plt at LZ Kathy

Summary: Log opened at 0001 hours 27 June 1969. Unit locations: At LZ Oasis grid ZA117277; Battalion Headquarters Support (S-4 Forward), at LZ Kathy Battalion Headquarters (Jump CP); A Company at ZA109514; B Company at ZA039478; C Company at ZA982285; D Company at ZA083498; Recon platoon is located at ZA117543; 4.2" mortar platoon located at LZ Kathy ZA048488; Headquarters and Headquarters Company Support (S-4 Forward) at LZ Oasis; At Base Camp (Camp Enari); Battalion Headquarters (Rear).

0920 hours (C) A Co would like our head medic out to their location, they have quite a number of infections in the Company.

1055 hours (C) 1st PZ for A Co.

1104 hours (C) 1st LZ for A Co.

1115 hours (C) A Co to TOC: Element at village Plei Ya Gran #2 just CA'd in reports people are leaving village to the southwest. The rest of A Co element will be CA'd in on the southwest side of the village to try to cut off the people leaving the village.

1230 hours (C) Bde to Bn: Have 2 Companies ready to CA to grid box 1355 - 1756 - 1350 - 1750 at PZ time 1400 hours. Have you Bn CP ready to move to LZ Ruth tomorrow.

1248 hours (C) Recon to TOC: 9733 element at grid 095530 are in contact. Receiving small arms, request guns.

1308 hours (C) Bde to TOC: Gambler 15 ETA 03 minutes.

1320 hours (C) Recon to TOC: 9733 reports there were 2 to 4 VC/NVA within 20 to 30 meters west of 9733 who received small arms fire, automatic fire of 2 clips and think enemy fled to blueline. Guns are working out along blueline and Recon will sweep area. Guns on standby overhead.

1345 hours (C) TOC to B, D Co's: Informed both Co's to have a two slick LZ and be ready by 1400 hours.

1502 hours (C) Recon swept the contact area with negative findings. Recon present location ZA095545.

1532 hours (C) First PZ for B Co.

1648 hours (C) Final PZ for B Co.

1652 hours (C) Final LZ for B Co.

1723 hours (C) 1st PZ for D Co.

1725 hours (C) The first bird tried to lift up in the 43 CA but could not get enough speed up. It went back down. No one was hurt, need hook to get the bird out (See accident summary below).

1735 hours (C) 1st PZ for D Co due to fact 1st bird went down.

1738 hours (C) CO of D Co reports that they are only going to be able to put 4 men on each bird.

1901 hours (C) Final LZ for D Co.

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-16611
The Army purchased this helicopter 0767
Total flight hours at this point: 00002027
Date: 06/27/69
Accident case number: 690627271
Unit: A/4 AVN 4 INF
The station for this helicopter was An Khe in
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 1
costing 10752
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.

Crew Members:
AC O2 JOHNSON JA
P O2 WOZOLEK J
CE E4 KIMBERLIN SE
G E4 PAQUETTE JP

Passengers:
UNK SIX, PAX, G;

Accident Summary:

ON 27 JUNE 1969, AT APPROXIMATELY 1700 HRS, 1LT JAMES A JOHNSON WAS AIRCRAFT COMMANDER ON UH-1H, 66-16611. LT JONSON LANDED IN AN LZ AND PICKED UP SIX PASSENGERS ALTHOUGH THE LZ WAS SMALL HE THOUGHT HE COULD MAKE A SAFE DEPARTURE. HIS CARGO WEIGHT WAS APPROXIMATELY 1200 LBS., AND HIS FUEL LOAD WAS 1200 LBS., GIVING HIM A MAXIMUM LOAD UPON PULLING A HOVER CHECK HE FOUND IT WOULD HOVER AT 38 LBS OF TORQUE, WITHOUT BLEEDING RPM. WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO TAKE OFF THE AIRCRAFT WENT THROUGH TRANSLATION LIFT AT APPROXIMATELY 40 TO 41 LBS OF TORQUE AND 98% TO 99%. AS HE CLEARED THE BARRIERS THE ENGINE RPM BLED TO 5900 AND THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO DESCEND INTO THE TREES. REALIZING THAT THEY HAD NO LANDING AREA BUT NOT WANTING TO GO DOWN IN THE TREES HE PULLED AFT CYCLIC TO TRY TO GET BACK TO THE LZ. WHEN LT JOHNSON FELT THAT HE HAD BACKED FAR ENOUGH THAT HIS TAIL WAS CLEARED OF THE TREES HE KICKED PEDAL TO TURN THE AIRCRAFT AROUND BEFORE GROUND CONTACT WAS MADE.

AS THE AIRCRAFT TURNED 180 DEG HE ATTEMPTED A RUNNING LANDING BUT HAD LOST SO MUCH RPM THAT HE HAD NO TAIL ROTOR CONTROL AND THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO SPIN AND WAS 90 DEG FROM THE INTENDED LANDING AXIS. JUST PRIOR TO TOUCH DOWN LT JOHNSON PULLED MORE COLLECTIVE TRYING TO CUSHION THE LANDING. GROUND CONTACT WAS MADE MOVING SIDEWAYS ON THE LEFT REAR SKID CAUSING THE SKID TO COLLAPSE AND THE LEFT CHIN BUBBLE TO STRIKE THE GROUND, AT THIS TIME ALL THE PASSENGERS LEFT THE AIRCRAFT AND SINCE LT JOHNSON FAILED TO LOWER THE PITCH THE AIRCRAFT CAME OFF THE GROUND AS THE RPM BUILT BACK. THE AIRCRAFT CAME UP IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE CAUSING THE TAIL ROTOR AND SYNCRONIZED ELEVATOR TO STRIKE THE GROUND. LT JOHNSON REDUCED PITCH TO PUT THE AIRCRAFT BACK ON THE GROUND AND EXECUTED EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN PROCEDURE.