Helicopter UH-1D 65-10088

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1D tail number 65-10088
Date: 12/02/1966 MIA-POW file reference number: 0537
Incident number: 66120210.TXT
Unit: 281 AHC
This helicopter was LOSS TO INVENTORY
This was a Rescue and Recovery mission for Rescue of Persons
Unknown this helicopter was Unknown at UNK feet and UNK knots.
The station for this helicopter was SAVANNAKHET in Laos
UTM grid coordinates: XD633631
Count of hits was not possible because the helicopter burned or exploded.
(7.62MM)
Systems damaged were: PERSONNEL
Casualties = 05 DOI . .
The helicopter Crashed. Aircraft Destroyed.
Both mission and flight capability were terminated.
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: 0537, UH1P1, 01267, CASRP (Casualty Report. )
Loss to Inventory
Crew: DYER, IRBY III (NMN);

Crew Members:
P WO1 HARRISON DONALD KIA
P WO1 SULANDER DANIEL ARTHUR BNR
CE SP4 BODZICK WILLIAM JOSEPH KIA
G SP4 BOUDREAUX LEE JOSEPH JR KIA

Passengers:
SGM STARK WILLIE ERNEST, AR, PX, BNR; SGT DYER IRBY III, AR, PX, BNR; MSG BOTT RUSSELL PETER, AR, PX, BNR;

REFNO Synopsis:
In late November 1966, Russell Bott and Willie Stark were inserted bout 1 1/2 miles into Laos west of the DMZ along with a number of Vietnamese Special Forces (LLDB) "strikers". The team, a long-range reconnaissance patrol (LRRP), was soon discovered by a superior North Vietnamese force, members of the 325B NVA Division. A two day running battle ensued. Near the end, Bott radioed that he was down to one grenade ond one magazine of ammunition. He also stated that several of the Vietnamese members of his team were dead or wounded. Willie Stark was wounded in the chest and leg, but was alive. Bott requested exfiltration at that time. He refused to leave his wounded teammate to seek safety, and in his last radio message, Bott indicated that he was going to destroy his radio, that he felt capture was imminent. Two gunships working the area were hit by enemy fire. Also, the exfiltration helicopter from 281st Assault Helicopter Company was hit, and crashed and burned, killing the crew of four and Irby Dyer, a medic from Det. B-52 Delta who had gone in to help treat the wounded. The wreckage of the plane and all five remains were found in searches conducted December 10-13. The remains, which had been horribly mutilated by the enemy, were left at the site. When a team returned to recover the remains, U.S. bombing and strafing activities had destroyed them further. The identifiable remains of three of the crew were recovered, but those of Daniel Sulander and Irby Dyer were not. Searches for Bott and Stark were unsuccessful. Vietnamese team members who evaded capture reported that they had heard North Vietnamese soldiers say, "Here you are! We've been looking for you! Tie his hands, we'll take him this way." Sgt. First Class Norman Doney, who was Operations Sergeant at that time at B-52 headquarters at Khe Sanh, overheard the Intelligence Sergeant on the "52 Desk" reviewing intelligence about Bott. Doney states that it was reported that Bott was seen with his arms tied behind his back going through a village, and that he was alive 3 days after he became missing. Information from the POW Network.

This record was last updated on 09/20/1998

The following is crew member information for this incident:

Name: SP4 William Joseph Bodzick
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 12/02/1966 while performing the duty of Crew Chief.
Age at death: 21.8
Date of Birth: 02/15/1945
Home City: Petoskey, MI
Service: component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 281 AHC
Major organization: 1st Aviation Brigade
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 13E-002
Aircraft: UH-1D tail number 65-10088
SSN: 377464975
Country: Laos
MOS: 67N20 = UH-1 Helicopter Repairer
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: vehicular accident
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: crew chief
Vehicle ownership: government
Started Tour: 02/04/1966
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
The initial status of this person was: missing in action - interim
Length of service: *
Military grid coordinates of event: XD633631
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: 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: battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: enlisted personnel
This record was last updated on 06/25/1994

Name: MSG Russell Peter Bott
Status: Body Not Recovered from an incident on 12/02/1966 while performing the duty of Passenger.
Declared dead on 11/17/1978.
Age at death: 30.2
Date of Birth: 09/05/1936
Home City: Worchester, MA
Service: regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: SPECIAL FORCES
Major organization: Special Forces
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 13E-003
Aircraft: UH-1D tail number 65-10088
SSN: 114288417
Country: Laos
MOS: *
Compliment cause: unknown
Started Tour: 05/11/1966
"Official" listing: ground casualty
The initial status of this person was: missing in action - bonified
Length of service: *
Military grid coordinates of event: XD633631
Casualty type: Hostile - died while missing
married 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: battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: enlisted personnel
This record was last updated on 01/04/1995

Name: SP4 Lee Joseph Boudreaux, Jr.
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 12/02/1966 while performing the duty of Gunner.
Age at death: 31.1
Date of Birth: 11/06/1935
Home City: New Orleans, LA
Service: regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 281 AHC
Major organization: 1st Aviation Brigade
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 13E-003
Aircraft: UH-1D tail number 65-10088
SSN: 436484514
Country: Laos
MOS: 11B20 = Infantryman
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: small arms fire
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: door gunner
Vehicle ownership: government
Started Tour: 01/22/1966
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
The initial status of this person was: missing in action - bonified
Length of service: *
Military grid coordinates of event: XD633631
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: 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: battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: enlisted personnel
This record was last updated on 06/25/1994

Name: SGT Irby Dyer III
Status: Body Not Recovered from an incident on 12/02/1966 while performing the duty of Passenger.
Age at death: 23.5
Date of Birth: 06/12/1943
Home City: Midland, TX
Service: regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: SPECIAL FORCES
Major organization: Special Forces
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 13E-004
Aircraft: UH-1D tail number 65-10088
SSN: 458709452
Country: Laos
MOS: 91B40 = Medical NCO
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: small arms fire
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: passenger
Vehicle ownership: government
Started Tour: 03/18/1966
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - non-aircrew
The initial status of this person was: missing in action - interim
Length of service: *
Military grid coordinates of event: XD633631
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - died while missing
married 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: battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: enlisted personnel
This record was last updated on 01/01/1994

Name: SGM Willie Ernest Stark
Status: Body Not Recovered from an incident on 12/02/1966 while performing the duty of Passenger.
Declared dead on 01/25/1978.
Age at death: 34.2
Date of Birth: 10/07/1932
Home City: Omaha, NE
Service: regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: SPECIAL FORCES
Major organization: Special Forces
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 13E-007
Aircraft: UH-1D tail number 65-10088
SSN: 505445889
Country: Laos
MOS: *
Compliment cause: unknown
Started Tour: 07/22/1966
"Official" listing: ground casualty
The initial status of this person was: missing in action - bonified
Length of service: *
Military grid coordinates of event: XD634633
Casualty type: Hostile - died while missing
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Lutheran (Missouri Synod)
The following information is secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: enlisted personnel
This record was last updated on 01/01/1994

Name: WO1 Donald Harrison
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 12/02/1966 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 21.5
Date of Birth: 06/09/1945
Home City: New York, NY
Service: AV branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 281 AHC
Major organization: 1st Aviation Brigade
Flight class: 66-13
Service: AV branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 13E-005
Short Summary: Hit by ground fire & crashed while attempting to extract a Special Forces recon team in Laos.
Aircraft: UH-1D tail number 65-10088
SSN: 069361990
Country: Laos
MOS: 062B = Helicopter Pilot, Utility and Light Cargo Single Rotor
Primary cause: Hostile Fire
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: small arms fire
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: pilot
Vehicle ownership: government
Started Tour: 10/07/1966
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - pilot
The initial status of this person was: missing in action - interim
Length of service: *
Military grid coordinates of event: XD633631
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - died while missing
single 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: battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: warrant officer
This record was last updated on 08/23/1993

Name: WO1 Daniel Arthur Sulander
Status: Body Not Recovered from an incident on 12/02/1966 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 23.2
Date of Birth: 09/18/1943
Home City: Minneapolis, MN
Service: AV branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 281 AHC
Major organization: other
Flight class: 65-17W
Service: AV branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 13E-007
Short Summary: Hit by ground fire and crashed attempting to extract a Special Forces recon team in Laos. (12/02/66)
Aircraft: UH-1D tail number 65-10088
Call sign: Bandit
SSN: 474483312
Country: Laos
MOS: *
Primary cause: LAOS-BNR
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: small arms fire
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: aircraft commander
Vehicle ownership: government
Started Tour: 06/17/1966
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
The initial status of this person was: missing in action - interim
Length of service: *
Military grid coordinates of event: XD633631
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - died while missing
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Lutheran (Missouri Synod)
The following information is secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: warrant officer
This record was last updated on 07/16/2002

The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1D tail number 65-10088
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 .
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.

 
DATE  FLT HRS    UIC      UNIT          AREA          POST          COUNTRY
196612   0    0 WFJFAA 281 AHC          VIETNAM                     LA

Please send additions or corrections to:

Gary Roush

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Printed from databases on: 12/16/2016

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