Information on U.S. Army helicopter AH-1G tail number 67-15677
The Army purchased this helicopter 0768
Total flight hours at this point: 00000333
Date: 04/13/1969 MIA-POW file reference number: 1425
Incident number: 69041310.KIA
Unit: D/1/1 CAV
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was LOSS TO INVENTORY
This was a Recon mission for Armed Recon
While in Target Area this helicopter was Attacking at 0500 feet and UNK knots.
South Vietnam
UTM grid coordinates: YC500930 (To see this location on a map, go to https://legallandconverter.com/p50.html and search on Grid Reference 48QYC500930)
Count of hits was not possible because the helicopter burned or exploded.
causing an Explosion.
Systems damaged were: PERSONNEL
Casualties = 02 KIA . .
The helicopter Crashed. Aircraft Destroyed.
Both mission and flight capability were terminated.
Burned
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.
Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis Center Helicopter database. Also: 1425, LNOF,
90192, CRAFX, CASRP (Lindenmuth Old Format Data Base. Crash Facts Message. Casualty Report.
)
Loss to Inventory
Crew Members:
P CW3 PIERSON WILLIAM C III BNR
P CPT LEDFORD ALVIE JUNIOR JR KIA
REFNO Synopsis:
South Vietnam William C. Pierson, III
(1425)
On April 13, 1969, Warrant Officer Pierson and Captain Alvie J.
Ledford were crewmen on an AH-1G aircraft making an attack run on
an enemy gun position in Quang Nam Province. While at an
approximate altitude of 500 feet and in a 45 degree dive, an
accompanying aircraft pilot saw their aircraft hit by hostile
ground fire. He also described seeing the pilot's compartment
separate from the aircraft and disintegrate as it fell. Both
crewmen were initially reported missing in action.
Captain Ledford's remains were recovered on April 20, 1969.
Warrant Officer Pierson was declared dead/body not recovered, in
October 1978. U.S. POWs returned alive during Operation Homecoming
were unable to provide any information on the fate of Warrant
Officer Pierson.
This record was last updated on 05/25/1998
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Date posted on this site: 10/25/2024
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