This Military Service Page was created/owned by
CW2 Phillip M. Kemp (Mike)
to remember
Cannon, Willard Sparks, III, CW2.
If you knew or served with this Soldier and have additional information or photos to support this Page, please leave a message for the Page Administrator(s) HERE.
Casualty Info
Home Town Winchester, MA
Last Address Winchester, MA
Casualty Date Apr 29, 1970
Cause Non Hostile- Died Other Causes
Reason Air Loss, Crash - Land
Location Binh Thuy (Vietnam)
Conflict Vietnam War
Location of Interment Wildwood Cemetery - Winchester, Massachusetts
Wall/Plot Coordinates 11W 067 / Lot 6021, Grave 32
Religion: Protestant - no denominational preference
This record was last updated on 07/29/1994
_________________________________________________________________________
Information on U.S. Army helicopter OH-58A tail number 68-16844
Incident number: 700429271ACD Accident case number: 700429271 Total loss or fatality Accident - The station for this helicopter was Di An in South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 1 . . Injured = 1 . . Passengers = 0
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated:
Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database. Army Aviation Safety Center database. Also: OPERA (Operations Report. )
THE AIRCRAFT WAS AN ELEMENT OF A HUNTER/KILLER TEAM CONSISTING OF AN OH-58A AND AN AH-1G. THIS TEAM DEPARTED DI AN, RVN AT 0730 HOURS ENROUTE TO XUAN LEC, RVN WITH A MISSION TO PROVIDE RECONNAISSANCE FOR THE 199TH LIGHT INFANTRY BRIGADE. THE TEAM ARRIVED IN XUAN LOC AND REFUELED THEN WENT ON STANDBY UNTIL ABOUT 1030 HOURS. AT ABOUT 1030 HOURS, THE TEAM DEPARTED FOR A FIRE SUPPORT BASE TO THE NE OF XUAN LEC. UPON ARRIVAL, THE TEAM LANDED BUT THEN TOOK OFF AGAIN AS A CH-47 WAS READY TO DEPART AND THEY WISHED TO AVOID THE TURBULANCE. WHILE ON CLIMB OUT, THE AH-1G WAS DIVERTED TO COVER AN INSERTION. THE OH-58A PILOT CLIMBED TO 3000 FEET TO INFORM HIS OPERATIONS OF THE CHANGE IN MISSION AND THAT HE WOULD REMAIN ON STATION. THE PILOT THEN ELECTED TO FLY OVER AN AREA OF SMALL LAKES AND PRACTICE DROPPING GRENADES. HE DESCENDED TO AN ALTITUDE BETWEEN 1500 AND 1000 FEET, INDICATED. FROM THIS POINT, WITNESS STATEMENTS CONFLICT AND ACTIONS PRIOR TO STRIKING THE WATER CANNOT BE POSITIVELY STATED. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK WITH THE RIGHT SKID NOSE LOW HEADING 130 AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED AT AN ANGLE OF ABOUT 25 DEG. THE RIGHT SKID TORE OFF TAKING WITH IT, THE CROSS TUBE AND A SECTION OF THE CO-PILOT'S FLOOR AND CO-PILOT'S CYCLIC CONTROLS. THE BELLY TORE OUT AS THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED FORWARD TAKING THE FUEL CELL AND PERSONAL EQUIPMENT WITH IT. AS THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED FOR ABOUT 30 MORE METERS, THE MAIN ROTOR STRUCK THE TAIL BOOM TWICE AND SEVERED IT 4 FEET FORWARD OF THE TAIL ROTOR. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST INVERTED IN ABOUT 24 INCHES OF WATER. THE TAIL BOOM FELL 20 METERS FROM THIS PORTION ON A HEADING OF 200 DEG. THERE WAS NO FIRE.\\
This record was last updated on 05/25/1998
_________________________________________________________________________
Description This campaign was from 23 February to 8 June 1969. From Tet 1969 through the month of June, the enemy again tried to sustain an offensive. His inability to do so can be largely attributed to aggressive allied ground operations. Between 23 February and 8 June 1969, a total of 70 significant named ground operations were terminated resulting in heavy enemy loss of life and materiel. The main operations concluded during this period were:
(1). The 3d Marine Division's Operation KENTUCKY aimed at preventing enemy infiltration through the Demilitarized Zone in central Quang Tri Province. Throughout the early part of January 1969, Viet Cong/North Vietnamese Army forces continued to avoid major contacts with Free World Forces. Their continual movement to avoid friendly forces or to search for food and supplies contributed to a decrease in the enemy-initiated ground attacks and attacks-by-fire in Quang Tri Province.
(2). Operation NEVADA EAGLE, initiated on 17 May 1968 in Thua Thien Province, continued in 1969 as the U.S. 101st Airborne Division continued to defeat enemy personnel, and capture rice caches, material, and installations within its large area of operations, where it undertook offensive sweeps along Route 547 and around Song Bo.
(3). Two battalions of the 4th Marine Regiment were engaged in Operation SCOTLAND II. Initiated on 15 April 1968, this multi-battalion search and clear operation was centered in and around Khe Sanh.
(4). The IV Corps Tactical Zone Dry Weather Campaign began on 1 December 1968 in support of the overall mission to prevent Viet Cong units from interfering with pacification efforts. This operation, "Speedy Express," interdicted lines of enemy communication and denied him the use of base areas. In 1969 the 1st Brigade, 9th U.S. Infantry Division continued the operation in Dinh Tuong Province, using its highly successful night ambush tactics while the 2d Brigade continued its mission with the Mobile Riverine Force. Although engagements in Operation SPEEDY EXPRESS were typically small, the 9th Infantry Division fought several sizeable engagements with impressive results.
On 23 February U.S. Navy units and installations at Da Nang, Tan An, Ben Luc, Go Dan Ha, and Tra Cu came under numerous and widespread attacks associated with a new enemy offensive, but since many units in these areas were poised to meet these attacks they caused only minimal damage. April saw the heaviest cumulative enemy activity in the barrier interdiction camapign to date.
