| Date: 30 June 1970 |
| Aircraft type: OV-10A Bronco |
| Serial Number: 68-3807 |
| Military Unit: 23 TASS, 504 TASG |
| Service: USAF |
| Home Base: Nakhon Phanom |
| Name(s): |
| Capt William Stephen Sanders (KIA) |
| TSgt Albert H Mostello (US Army) (Survived) |
| Aircraft type: HH-53C Super Jolly Green Giant |
| Serial Number: 68-8283 |
| Military Unit: 40 ARRS, 3 ARRG |
| Service: USAF |
| Home Base: Udorn |
| Name(s): |
| Capt Leroy Clyde Schaneberg (KIA) |
| Maj John Winfred Goeglein (KIA) |
| SSgt Marvin Earl Bell (KIA) |
| MSgt Paul Laverne Jenkins (KIA) |
| SSgt Michael Frank Dean (KIA) |
| A Bronco Nail FAC (call sign Fatcapper 07) was shot down near Ban Kapay in southern Laos during a FAC mission in support of a MACVSOG reconnaissance team. The aircraft was hit in the cockpit area by 37mm automatic weapons fire near Ban Kapay, just west of the DMZ. The Special Forces observer ejected but the pilot of the OV-10 was probably wounded by the ground fire and did not eject. When the Bronco went down a SAR task force was quickly despatched to the area but the first attempt failed when a HH-53 (Jolly Green 21) had to withdraw after being damaged by heavy ground fire. Jolly Green 54, a HH-53C (Jolly Green 54) flown by Capt Leroy Schaneberg and Maj John Goeglein from the 40th ARRS, then arrived and made a rescue attempt supported by several A-1s. However, the helicopter was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade which blew off the rotor assembly causing the aircraft to roll inverted and crash, killing all on board. TSgt Mostello was rescued by a HH-3E from the 37th ARRS after tear gas was dropped to keep enemy troops away from the survivor. Capt Schaneberg was awarded a posthumous Air Force Cross for his brave attempt to rescue the survivor. In December 1993 the helicopter’s crash site was excavated by a joint US/Laotian team and the crew’s remains were identified as a group in March 1995 and buried in Arlington National Cemetery. The helicopter had been shot down by Company 1, 35th Battalion, Group 559 of the NVA and a former officer of this unit provided information which led to the discovery of the crash site. |
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