Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1D tail number 66-00811
The Army purchased this helicopter 1066
Total flight hours at this point: 00000088
Date: 12/25/66
Unit: 48 AHC
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was REPAIRED IN THEATER
for Air/land Assault , Hot Area.
While on Landing Zone this helicopter was on the Ground at 0000 feet and 000 knots.
South Vietnam
Helicopter took 10 hits from:
Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive ballistic projectiles less than
20 mm in size. (7.62MM)
causing Spalling.
Systems damaged were: FUEL SYS, STRUCTURE, PERSONNEL
Protection of FUEL TANKby SelfSeal was Large Leak
Casualties = 01 WIA . .
The helicopter made a Forced Landing. Aircraft took off, fully flight capable.
The aircraft was diverted or delayed after completing some mission objectives.
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1D tail number 66-00811
The Army purchased this helicopter 1066
Total flight hours at this point: 00000720
Date: 06/29/67
Unit: 48 AHC
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was REPAIRED IN THEATER
This was a Logistics Support mission for Resupply , to Forward Area.
While Enroute this helicopter was Unknown at 0700 feet and 080 knots.
South Vietnam
Helicopter took 1 hits from:
Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive ballistic projectiles less than
20 mm in size. (7.62MM)
The helicopter was hit in the Equipment Section
Systems damaged were: FUEL SYS
The helicopter Continued Flight.
The aircraft continued and accomplished all mission objectives.
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1D tail number 66-00811
The Army purchased this helicopter 1066
Total flight hours at this point: 00001298
Date: 11/06/67
Unit: 48 AHC
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was REPAIRED IN THEATER
This was a Logistics Support mission for Resupply , to Forward Area.
Unknown this helicopter was Landing at 0030 feet and 030 knots.
South Vietnam
Helicopter took 1 hits from:
Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive ballistic projectiles less than
20 mm in size. (7.62MM)
The helicopter was hit in the Tail Section
Systems damaged were: COMM SYS
The helicopter Continued Flight.
The aircraft continued and accomplished all mission objectives.
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1D tail number 66-00811
The Army purchased this helicopter 1066
Total flight hours at this point: 00001298
Date: 12/02/67 MIA-POW file reference number: 0933
Incident number: 67120210.KIA
Unit: 48 AHC
South Vietnam
UTM grid coordinates: CQ248362
Loss to Inventory
Crew: CROSBY, RICHARD ALEXANDER; LEEPER WW MOREIDA MJ STRANGE FW
Crew Members:
AC CW3 LEEPER WALLACE WILSON BNR
P CW3 STRANGE FLOYD WAYNE BNR
CE SSG MOREIDA MANUEL JESUS BNR
G SSG CROSBY RICHARD ALEXANDER BNR
REFNO Synopsis:
On December 2, 1967, WO Wallace Leeper, aircraft commander; WO Floyd W. Strange, co-pilot;
SP4 Manuel J. Moreida, crew chief; and SP4 Richard A. Crosby, door gunner, were crew
members aboard a UH1D helicopter (serial #6600811). The helicopter departed Phu Hiep
airfield, Phu Kanh (formerly Phu Yen) Province, Vietnam, in marginal weather, to return
Captain Woo Shik Pak, a Korean, to his unit which was located about 25 miles south along
the coast. When the aircraft did not return to Phu Hiep at the scheduled time, a
communications and ramp check was initiated without success. Further unsuccessful search
and rescue efforts were conducted along the coastal and mountain area from December 3-9.
The aircraft was last seen as it departed Phu Hiep airfield and headed in a southeasterly
direction along the coast. Subsequent information indicates that the aircraft crashed and
burned in the mountains north of Vung Ro Bay. On September 3, 1973, a source reported that
3 local villagers of Hoa Xuan village reported that they discovered a U.S. helicopter with
2 or 3 remains in uniform at the crash site. Other reports were received that possibly
correlated with this incident, but were resolved to other cases. Information from the POW
Network
The following is crew member information for this incident:
Name: CW3 Wallace Wilson Leeper
Status: Body Not Recovered from an incident on 12/02/67 while performing the duty of
Aircraft Commander.
Declared dead on 07/17/74.
Age at death: 20.6
Date of Birth: 04/24/47
Home City: Wellington, CO
Service: AV branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 48 AHC
Major organization: USARV
Flight class: 67-9
Service: AV branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 31E-024
Short Summary: Left Ninh Hoa one night going to Tuy Hoa in bad weather, never found. See
Strange.
Aircraft: UH-1D tail number 66-00811
Call sign: Blue Star
SSN: 522606667
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 062B = Helicopter Pilot, Utility and Light Cargo Single Rotor
Primary cause: SVN-BNR
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: unknon or not reported
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: pilot
Vehicle ownership: government
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - pilot
The initial status of this person was: non-hostile missing - bonified
Length of service: *
Location: Unknown Province
Military grid coordinates of event: CQ270341
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died while missing
married male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Protestant - no denominational preference
The following information is secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: non-battle dead Category of personnel: active
duty Army Military class: warrant officer
This record was last updated on 07/28/90
Name: CW3 Floyd Wayne Strange (posthumously promoted)
Status: Body Not Recovered from an incident on 12/02/67 while performing the duty of
Pilot.
Declared dead on 05/22/78.
Age at death: 21.6
Date of Birth: 05/01/46
Home City: Chico, CA
Service: AV branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 48 AHC
Major organization: USARV
Flight class: 67-1/66-23
Service: AV branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 31E-025
Short Summary: Out of fuel over ocean trying to beat wx - presumed dead. Declared dead
05/22/78. See Leeper, Manuel Moreida, and Richard Crosby.
Aircraft: UH-1D tail number 66-00811
SSN: 562640967
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: *
Primary cause: SVN-BNR
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: unknon or not reported
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: co-pilot
Vehicle ownership: government
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
The initial status of this person was: non-hostile missing - bonified
Length of service: *
Location: Unknown Province
Military grid coordinates of event: CQ270341
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died while missing
married male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Latter Day Saints (Mormon)
The following information is secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: non-battle dead Category of personnel: active
duty Army Military class: warrant officer
This record was last updated on 07/28/90
Name: SSG Manuel Jesus Moreida
Status: Body Not Recovered from an incident on 12/02/67 while performing the duty of Crew
Chief.
Declared dead on 03/13/78.
Age at death: 21.1
Date of Birth: 10/15/46
Home City: Harlingen, TX
Service: regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 48 AHC
Major organization: USARV
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 31E-026
Aircraft: UH-1D tail number 66-00811
SSN: 457807055
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: *
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: unknon or not reported
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: crew chief
Vehicle ownership: government
Started Tour: 12/31/66
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
The initial status of this person was: non-hostile missing - bonified
Length of service: *
Location: Unknown Province
Military grid coordinates of event: CQ270341
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died while missing
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Roman Catholic
The following information is secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: non-battle dead Category of personnel: active
duty Army Military class: enlisted personnel
This record was last updated on 06/25/94
Name: SSG Richard Alexander Crosby
Status: Body Not Recovered from an incident on 12/02/67 while performing the duty of
Gunner.
Declared dead on 03/27/78.
Age at death: 26.2
Date of Birth: 09/05/41
Home City: Spokane, WA
Service: regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 48 AHC
Major organization: USARV
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 31E-023
Aircraft: UH-1D tail number 66-00811
SSN: 533407599
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: *
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: unknon or not reported
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: door gunner
Vehicle ownership: government
Started Tour: 12/31/66
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
The initial status of this person was: non-hostile missing - bonified
Length of service: *
Location: Unknown Province
Military grid coordinates of event: CQ270341
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died while missing
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Episcopal (Anglican)
The following information is secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: non-battle dead Category of personnel: active
duty Army Military class: enlisted personnel
This record was last updated on 03/19/95
The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1D tail number 66-00811
It is provided here as an ESTIMATE of the history of this helicopter and is not intended
to be the final authority.
This helicopter was purchased by the US Army in 1066.
DATE FLT HRS UIC UNIT AREA POST COUNTRY 6610 0 0 W0MHAA DIROF SUP TRAN 6TH ARMY SHARPE GD SUPMACOM 6611 0 0 W0MHAA DIROF SUP TRAN 6TH ARMY SHARPE GD SUPMACOM 6612 88 88 WC3EAA 48 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6701 140 228 WC3EAA 48 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6702 71 299 WC3EAA 48 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6703 97 396 WC3EAA 48 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6704 106 502 WC3EAA 48 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6705 50 552 WC3EAA 48 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6706 168 720 WC3EAA 48 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6707 175 895 WC3EAA 48 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6708 88 983 WC3EAA 48 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6709 111 1094 WC3EAA 48 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6710 104 1198 WC3EAA 48 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6711 100 1298 WC3EAA 48 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
Please send additions or corrections to:
Gary Roush
43 Overbrook Road
Painted Post, NY 14870