A Summary of Personnel Killed in Action in USMC Helicopters or assigned to USMC Helicopter Squadrons during the Vietnam War.
Incident Date 3/21/66, Marine Air Unit HMM-363, Aircraft Type UH-34D, Tail Number 145802
[Crew]
Chow, Calvin Kealohaokalan, GYSGT. Crew Chief HMM-363
Igarta Jr., Benito GYSGT. Gunner HMM-363
Bird Jr., Thomas Arnold, 1st LT. Co-pilot HMM-363
Kraft, Noah Morris, 1st LT. Aircraft Commander HMM-363
[Passengers]
Ambrose, Louis Allen, PFC Pass K Co. 3/1, 1st Marine Div.
Andrew, Dennis Richard, LCPL Pass K Co. 3/1, 1st Marine Div.
Cavicchi Jr., James Henry, LCPL Pass K Co. 3/1, 1st Marine Div.
Glassburn, Marvin Edward, SGT Pass K Co. 3/1, 1st Marine Div.
Mitchell, John Albert, SGT Pass K Co. 3/1, 1st Marine Div.
Shortt, Walter Ruben, CPL Pass K Co. 3/1, 1st Marine Div.
Shults, Walter Glenn, LCPL Pass K Co. 3/1, 1st Marine Div.
Watkins, Bruce Lamar, PFC Pass K Co. 3/1, 1st Marine Div.
Williams, Billie Joe, PFC Pass K Co. 3/1, 1st Marine Div.
AMBROSE, LOUIS ALLEN : 2031736 : USMC : PFC : E2 : 0311 : 19: SEWAREN: NJ: 19660321 : hostile, crash, land : Passenger : body recovered : Quang Ngai : 02 : 19460505 : Cauc : Protestant/single : 06E: 027
ANDREW, DENNIS RICHARD : 2050719 : USMC : LCPL : E3 : 0331 : 20 : EASTON : PA : 19660321 : hostile, crash, land : Passenger : body recovered : Quang Ngai :02 : 19451208 : Cauc : Protestant/single : 06E : 028
BIRD, THOMAS ARNOLD JR : 088674 : USMCR : 1st LT : O2 : 7335 : 23 : PITTSBURGH : PA : 19660321 : hostile, crash, land : Crew : body recovered : Quang Ngai :04 : 19421128 : Cauc : RomanCatholic/single : 06E : 028
CAVICCHI, JAMES HENRY JR : 2027404 : USMC : LCPL : E3 : 0331 : 21 : WEYMOUTH : MA : 19660321 : hostile, crash, land : Passenger : body recovered : Quang Ngai :03 : 19440807 : Cauc : RomanCatholic/married : 06E : 031
CHOW, CALVIN KEALOHAOKALAN : 1217431 : USMC : GYSGT : E7 : ____ : 34 : HONOLULU : HI : 19660321 : hostile, crash, land : Crew : body recovered :Quang Ngai :14 : 19310409 : M : Protestant/married : 06E : 029
GLASSBURN, MARVIN EDWARD : 1933496: USMC : SGT : E5 : 0311 : 23 : MARION: IN: 19660321: hostile, crash, land : Passenger : body recovered : Quang Ngai : 04: 19420813: Cauc : Protestant/married : 06E: 031
IGARTA, BENITO JR : 1245123 : USMC : GYSGT : E7 : 6422 : 34 : HONOLULU : HI : 19660321 : hostile, crash, land : Crew : body recovered : Quang Ngai :14 : 19311205 : L : Catholic/married : 06E : 032
KRAFT, NOAH MORRIS : 090485 : USMCR : 1st LT : O2 : 7335 : 24 : GAINESVILLE : FL : 19660321 : hostile, crash, land : AircraftCommander : body recovered : Quang Ngai :03 : 19411003 : Cauc : Protestant/single : 06E : 033
MITCHELL, JOHN ALBERT: 1670280 : USMC : SGT : E5 : 0331 : 25 : COLUMBUS ST: OH: 19660321: hostile, crash, land : Passenger : body recovered : Quang Ngai : 08: 19410108: Cauc : Protestant/single : 06E: 033
SHORTT, WALTER RUBEN: 2060369 : USMC : CPL : E4 : 0331 : 22 : AUGUSTA ST: MO: 19660321 : hostile, crash, land : Passenger : body recovered : Quang Ngai : 02: 19430401: Cauc : Protestant/single : 06E: 035
SHULTS, WALTER GLENN: 2059766 : USMC : LCPL: E3: 0311: 19: OAKLAND ST: CA: 19660321: hostile, crash, land : Passenger : body recovered : Quang Ngai : 02: 19460722: Cauc : single : 06E: 035
WATKINS, BRUCE LAMAR : 2140704 : USMC : PFC : E2 : 0311 : 19 : ATLANTA : GA : 19660321 : hostile, crash, land : Passenger : body recovered : Quang Ngai :00 : 19461126 : Cauc : Protestant/married : 06E : 036
WILLIAMS, BILLIE JOE : 2156188 : USMC : PFC : E2 : 0351 : 20 : KANSAS CITY : KS : 19660321 : hostile, crash, land : Passenger : body recovered : Quang Ngai :00 : 19451118 : Cauc : Protestant/single : 01W : 094
Comments on Incident:
I was the copilot in the huey that picked up Lt. Kraft after his plane went down due to enemy fire. It was a group-grope type of landing in a large action that may have been named after one of the states. I did not see the H-34 go in but I remember being told that they probably took a round in some part of the control system causing them to do a roll before crashing (maybe it was a "hard over"). He was alive - the only one - when we landed to pick him up. Some grunts [probably from 3/1] loaded him on. We flew him to the medical unit at Ky Ha. Enroute, I asked one of our crew to look at his dog tag to find out his name. He was terribly burned. I did not recognize or know that name but I have never forgotten it. He was still alive when we got to the medical unit. I was later told that he had died from his massive burn injuries. The co-pilot, T. Bird, went through flight school the same time as I did. Somewhere I have a slide or two of the wreckage, burning, from a distance, as we made our approach to make the pick up. Submitted by Orlando Ingvoldstad, VMO-2, co-pilot of UH-1E gunship that picked up Kraft.
Comments on Incident:
I do not have photos of your brothers [T-Birds] crash site. I can tell you I knew T-Bird (nickname) at LTA Santa Ana and in Vietnam. I bought his '64 Cad before he left Santa Ana and I really liked the car. I went overseas in Aug'65 as a Forward Air Controller with an infantry battalion (3/1). I ran into and talked with T-Bird on the day he was killed and by a stroke of luck or fate, I got in the helo immediately ahead of his as the infantry-lift was going slowly and the last part of the lift was a big scramble to catch up with rest of the company. As our helo was racing into the LZ and flaring to a landing, the crew chief pointed out to me as I got out that a helo had been shot down and it was the last helo; T-bird's. The impact sight was about 100 yards from where we were inserted and smoke was seen rising. To my knowledge, no one on the ground went to investigate. I did hear from two different pilots later that evening as they landed to evacuate our wounded and KIA, that all aboard his helo were killed, primarily by impact except the pilots; they had both been hit and presumed killed by large cal bullets (12.7mm)(50 cal). The infantry later did capture a 12.7mm weapon. The crash site was in a rice patty with about 12-18 " of water in it. I believe the operation was called Texas and was in mid-March 1966 [3/21/66]. The name and dates are approximate as the battalion was in constant patrolling or helo-lift attacking operations from late Jan 66 to the end of Mar 66. I was transferred to the Air Wing at Marble Mountain on May 1, 1966 and on the 15th I was shot down and med-evac'd home. I hope this helps you after all these years. I still think of the many friends I lost in Nam. The finality of the loss of close friends was really brought home to me when I saw the body of my roommate at Whiting Field, Pensacola in 1962 on the front cover of LIFE magazine in April 1965. Submitted by Bill Dwinell, USMC (Ret), HMM-363 (63-64), FAC 3/1 (65-66) ,HMM-161 (66) , HMM-165 (75)
Comments on Incident:
Information attained from Joe Daily of 3/1 indicates that several Marines were not identified as KIA on this helicopter mission but were in fact killed during the above incident. Submitted by Al Barbour.
From to HMM-363 Squadron Chronology follows:
"At 21:1610 Hours thirty UH-34D's from HMM-261, HMM-363, and HMM-364 escorted by four armed UH-1E's of VMO-6 lifted two companies plus a command group (405 troops) of 3rd Bn., 1st Marines from Ky Ha Air Facility to an unsecure LZ at BS 494 806. Automatic weapons and .50 caliber fire was received from numerous areas in close proximity to the LZ. One HMM-363 aircraft was hit by a severe burst of fire as it approached the LZ, and rolled inverted and crashed at BS 495 815. Three crew members and seven troops were killed upon impact. The aircraft exploded and burned upon impact with the ground. The pilot was thrown clear, and was lifted to Bravo Med. at Chu Lai, but subsequently died." The records I have for HMM-363 KIA's show the following on 03/21/1966:Lt. Noah M. Kraft (Pilot), Lt. Thomas A. Bird, GySgt. Calvin Chow, GySgt. Benito Igarta, Jr. That would account for all four air crew members therefore I would suspect that your Marine was a member of the 3rd Bn. 1st Marines and not an air crew member. Submitted by Mike Tripp
Comments on Incident:
Checked my 3/7 records. Bad day. 35 men were lost. HMM-363 lost 4: 1LT Kraft, pilot, who was thrown clear but died of wounds; A-Cmdr 1LT Bird, Crew Chief GSgt Chow and Gunner, GSgt Igarta. It was tail #145802, a UH-34D. 4 guys were still inside when it crashed: LCpl Dennis Andrew, LCpl James Cavicchi, Pfc Bruce Watkins, Pfc Billie Joe Williams. 3 had just jumped off, and died of burns from crash: Pfc Louis Ambrose, Sgt John Mitchell, and a third not yet identified. This was part of Operation TEXAS where two full Companies of 3/7 went in. Another 24 died that day from ground battles. Submitted by Bruce Swander. KIA Index |Mission Comments | USMC/Vietnam Helicopter Association
