Information on U.S. Army helicopter OH-23G tail number 64-15194
The Army purchased this helicopter 0565
Total flight hours at this point: 00000665
Date: 06/18/67 MIA-POW file reference number: 0737
Incident number: 67061814.KIA
Unit: HHC 196 LIB
South Vietnam
UTM grid coordinates: BT275115
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Defense Intelligence Agency Reference Notes. Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database. Also: 0737 ()
Loss to Inventory
Crew: GUILLORY, EDWARD JOSEPH; LEMMONS WE MCKITTRICK JC
Crew Members:
P MAJ LEMMONS WILLIAM E BNR
OB SGM GUILLORY EDWARD JOSEPH BNR
OB MAJ MCKITTRICK JAMES CLIFFORD BNR
REFNO Synopsis:
SYNOPSIS: SFC Edward Guillory, Lt. William Lemmons and Maj. James McKittrick were aboard an OH23 Raven helicopter on a visual recon mission operating in Quang Tin Province on June 18, 1967. They were to spot artillery targets for the Artillary Battery that McKitrick and Guillory were attached to.
At 1845 hours, the helicopter was declared missing. Extensive searches were conducted that night aided by artillery flares and aircraft mounted searchlights, but no trace of the aircraft or crew was found. In the next few days several crash sites were reported and searches made, but all efforts were fruitless.
William E. Lemmons and James C. McKittrick were promoted to the rank of Major and Edward J. Guillory was promoted to their rank of Sergeant Major during the period they were maintained missing.
Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 15 October 1990 from one or more of the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews
This record was last updated on 05/25/98
The following is crew member information for this incident:
Name: MAJ William E. Lemmons
Status: Body Not Recovered from an incident on 06/18/67 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Declared dead on 06/12/78.
Age at death: 25.4
Date of Birth: 01/12/42
Home City: Pocatello, ID
Service: FA branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: HHC 196 BDE 23 INF
Major organization: 196th Light Infantry Brigade
Flight class: 66-20
Service: FA branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 22E-007
Short Summary: Disappeared while flying recon for a marine unit out of Ka Ha, about 5 miles north of Chu Lai. Additional info from Fred Startz.
Aircraft: OH-23G tail number 64-15194
SSN: 519382855
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: *
Primary cause: SVN-BNR-OW
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: unknon or not reported
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: passenger
Vehicle ownership: government
"Official" listing: fixed wing air casualty - non-aircrew
The initial status of this person was: non-hostile missing - bonified
Length of service: *
Location: Unknown Province
Military grid coordinates of event: BS310100
Additional information about this casualty:
William (then 1LT) Lemmons was a very devout Mormon and senior deacon in the church at Chu Lai. We were both members of HHC, 196th Light Infantry Brigade. He came to me on June 17, 1967 and requested I switch misssions with him so he could attend all services on June 18,1967 (Father's Day). We both had three (3) OH-23 missions supporting 2/14 Infantry (Golden Dragons) that Sunday so I agreed to change with him. Our aircraft were assigned based on maintenance requirements so we switched aircraft with the missions. The following day as I was departing 2/14 Infantry helipad after completion of my last flight of the day, I noticed William taking off from the artillery helipad on his last mission of the day. His mission was to fly a new Battery Commander and 1SG on a local recon of our Area of Operations (this is a change for your database update from Fred Startz, also an aviator in our section, he stated that the pax were Marines). I noticed that William was flying directly out of the Area of Operations (a definite no-no for a single ship OH-23 in our area). I attempted contacting him on all available frequencies, including emergency channels, to no avail. We shared a mess and heliport with the Marines at Chu Lai so while I was chowing down, the call came in that we had a missing, presumed downed aircraft so we mounted a search and rescue mission until dark and then again at first light the next day. We did not locate the aircraft but I heard after I returned to CONUS that the aircraft was later found, submerged and booby trapped in a river. Apparently, William had escaped but his two pax bodies were recovered. The aircraft had an engine failure right in the middle of a group of VC as there were many bullet holes penetrating in an upward motion. Another report I received was that our troops captured an NVA truck that had Lemmons spelled out in the dust on the rear bumper. I received some confirmation as to the condition of the OH-23 from a very good friend of mine, Luis Gallegos. We had been friends since attending the Infantry Officer Advance Course in 1969 and had never talked about our Vietnam experiences (typical of a lot of us). One Saturday two years ago, he and I were B.S.ing while our ladies were shopping. His unit of which he was the CO was the one who found our aircraft months after it went down. He specifically remembered finding Lemmons sunglasses with his name on the frame in embossed tape. I was Operations Officer and Assistant Brigade Aviation Officer for the 196th Light Infantry Brigade Aug 66 - Aug 67. James L. Yoho, 12 December 1995
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: officer
This record was last updated on 06/06/96
Name: SGM Edward Joseph Guillory
Status: Body Not Recovered from an incident on 06/18/67 while performing the duty of Aerial Observer.
Declared dead on 04/17/78.
Age at death: 35.4
Date of Birth: 01/08/32
Home City: De Ridder, LA
Service: regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: USARV FLT DET
Major organization: USARV
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 22E-006
Aircraft: OH-23G tail number 64-15194
SSN: 438385856
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: *
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: unknon or not reported
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: passenger
Vehicle ownership: government
"Official" listing: fixed wing air casualty - non-aircrew
The initial status of this person was: non-hostile missing - bonified
Length of service: *
Location: Unknown Province
Military grid coordinates of event: BS310100
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died while missing
married male U.S. citizen
Race: Negro
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: enlisted personnel
This record was last updated on 06/06/96
Name: MAJ James Clifford McKittrick
Status: Body Not Recovered from an incident on 06/18/67 while performing the duty of Aerial Observer.
Declared dead on 01/22/75.
Age at death: 25.0
Date of Birth: 06/22/42
Home City: Laurens, SC
Service: FA branch of the regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: USARV FLT DET
Major organization: USARV
Service: FA branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 22E-008
Aircraft: OH-23G tail number 64-15194
SSN: 249704401
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 1193 = 11 Field Artillery Unit Commander
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: unknon or not reported
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: passenger
Vehicle ownership: government
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - non-aircrew
The initial status of this person was: non-hostile missing - bonified
Length of service: *
Location: Unknown Province
Military grid coordinates of event: BS310100
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died while missing
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: unknown or not reported
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: officer
This record was last updated on 06/06/96
The following is Goldbook
information on US Army helicopter OH-23G tail number 64-15194
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 0565.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.
DATE FLT HRS UIC UNIT AREA POST COUNTRY
6610 8 300 W0U24B 213AVNCO10AVNGP 3RDARMY FORT BENNING 3RD ARMY
6611 5 305 W0U24B 213AVNCO10AVNGP 3RDARMY FORT BENNING 3RD ARMY
6612 13 318 WADQAA 2 ARM DIV 4TH ARMY FORT HOOD 4TH ARMY
6701 1 319 WDQLAA 213 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6702 63 382 WDQLAA 213 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6703 63 445 WFBEAA 196 LT INF BDE VIETNAM RVN
6704 54 499 WFBEAA 196 LT INF BDE VIETNAM RVN
6705 87 586 WFBEAA 196 LT INF BDE VIETNAM RVN
6706 79 665 WFBEAA 196 LT INF BDE VIETNAM RVN
6707 0 665 WFBEAA 196 LT INF BDE VIETNAM RVN
Please send additions or corrections to:
Gary Roush
43 Overbrook Road
Painted Post, NY 14870
Send comments and questions to the VHPA at ( webmaster@vhpa.org )
Go to Top
Updated:
01/17/99
Return to Main Index
Copyright © 1998 and 1999 Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association