Date: 23 June 1969 |
Aircraft type: C-130B Hercules |
Serial Number: 61-0965 |
Military Unit: 773 TAS, 463 TAW |
Service: USAF |
Home Base: Clark AB, Philippines |
Name(s): |
Capt Gary Edward Brunner (KIA) |
Maj William Howard Condit (KIA) |
1Lt Terry Michael Reed (KIA) |
Lt Col Jean Arthur Kearby (KIA) |
SSgt Billy Wallace McDonald (KIA) |
SSgt George Charles Peters (KIA) |
The only transport aircraft lost during June was a Hercules from Tan Son Nhut that was shot down at Katum during a resupply mission to the Special Forces camp. The aircraft (call sign Terry 80) was flying at 3,000 feet and was hit in the port wing by a quad .50 calibre radar-directed anti-aircraft gun causing a fire and engine failure. The Hercules stalled and spun into the ground killing the crew who were on their first shuttle together as a crew. The aircraft was carrying three pallets of 105mm howitzer ammunition at the time of the incident. The remains of four of the crew were recovered and identified soon after the incident but it was not until October 1994 that a joint US/Vietnamese investigation team excavated the wreck site and found remains that were identified four years later as those of Maj Condit and 1Lt Reed.
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The following additional information about the loss noted above was received from Joe Bowen. He was on scene as Apache 27 in an AH-1G Cobra as part of Apache Troop, 1-9 Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division (Air). This was his first tour in Vietnam (December '68 - December '69), starting in Saber Troop and then moving to Apache Troop. His second tour was 1972-73. For both tours he compiled a record of 1,475 combat flight hours, two Silver Stars, three DFC's, 59 Air Medals, one Army Commendation Medal with Combat "V", and one Purple Heart. Joe also provided additional input to the loss of an OV-10 at this link: OV-10 loss on 16 November 1969. This is what he saw on this C-130 loss: "It wasn't a radar quad .51 that got them. It was six DShK 1938 12.7mm and four or five PK machine guns, which use the 7.62x54Rmm round. I don't believe the C-130 was at 3,000 feet, but I did not see them getting hit. I saw just the last few seconds before they hit the ground and starting exploding from the fuel and 105mm artillery ammunition." "I engaged with very little energy at probably 400 feet AGL and maybe 350 - 400 meters from the AAA position. I had to fly directly at the guns, and I overflew them at about 30 feet then did a 180-degree pedal turn to re-engage. My front seater (W01 Mark Forget in picture below) and I received our first DFCs from that ambush and had a very short interview article in Pacific Stars and Stripes the next month. The LOH gunner on that mission (we called them Torques), Mike Prindiville, is the Torque in the picture behind Mark below:" ![]() WO1 Mark Forget (R) and SP4 Mike Prindiville (L), July 1969 ![]() 1Lt Joe Bowen (R) and Capt Frank Miller (L) Jan 1969, Quon Loi, RVN ![]() Recovered 12.7mm NVA ammo from AAA site that shot down Terry 80, 23 June 1969 ![]() 1Lt Joe Bowen, Apache 27, 29 August 1969, Tay Ninh, RVN |
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