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CW2 Phillip M. Kemp (Mike)
to remember
Colatruglio, Robert F., WO1.
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Casualty Info
Home Town Warren
Last Address Warren
Casualty Date Jun 20, 1970
Cause KIA-Killed in Action
Reason Air Loss, Crash - Land
Location Kien Hoa (Vietnam)
Conflict Vietnam War
Location of Interment Mount Olivet Cemetery - Detroit, Michigan
This record was last updated on 07/28/1994
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Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1C tail number 65-09454
Incident number: 700620091ACD Accident case number: 700620091 Total loss or fatality The station for this helicopter was Can-Tho
Number killed in accident = 3 . . Injured = 1 . . Passengers = 0
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated:
Army Aviation Safety Center database.
THE PILOT IN COMMAND WAS IN THE PROCESS OF DESTROYING AN ENEMY "HOOTCH" WHICH HE HAD SEEN TWO ENEMY PERSONNEL ENTER. HE RECEIVED PERMISSION TO ENGAGE THE TARGET AND BEGAN HIS ROCKET RUN FROM SOUTH TO NORTH. THE WIND WAS FROM APPROXIMATELY 210 DEGREES AT A SPEED OF ABOUT 10 KNOTS. THE AVERAGE ELEVATION OF THE TARGET WAS ABOUT MEAN SEA LEVEL, HOWEVER, THE TREES AROUND THE TARGET REACHED HEIGHTS OF 50 TO 75 FEET.
WARRANT OFFICER SPENCE BEGAN HIS ROCKET RUN AT ABOUT 200 TO 300 FEET ABOVE MEAN SEA LEVEL. HIS SLANT ANGLE WAS STEEPER THAN NORMAL AND APPEARED TO WITNESSES TO BE ABOUT 45 TO 60 DEGREES.
HE ONLY HAD TIME TO FIRE ONE ROCKET WHEN HE REALIZED HIS LOW ALTITUDE AND HE BEGAN TO MAKE A PULL OUT STRAIGHT AHEAD. BECAUSE OF THE STEEP DIVE ANGLE THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE TREES BEFORE HE COULD STOP HIS RATE OF DECENT.
EITHER THE LEFT FRONT OF THE AIRCRAFT OR THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES HIT THE TREES FIRST, CAUSING THE HELICOPTER TO TUMBLE END OVER END. IT TURNED 360 DEGREES END OVER END IN THE AIR AND CONTINUED TO TUMBLE. ON THE NEXT ROTATION IT STRUCK THE GROUND IN AN INVERTED POSITION ON THE RIGHT FRONT CORNER OF THE AIRCRAFT.
THE AIRCRAFT BURST INTO FLAMES APPROXIMATELY 15 TO 30 SECONDS AFTER IT CONTACTED THE GROUND.\\
Description This campaign was from 1 November 1969 to 30 April 1970. An increase in enemy-initiated attacks, at the highest level since 4-5 September signaled the start of the first phase of the Communist winter campaign. This was highlighted by intensified harassment incidents, and attacks throughout the Republic of Vietnam. In November-December these were heaviest in Corps Tactical Zones III and IV (around Saigon), primarily directed against Vietnamese military installations in order to disrupt the pacification program. The most significant enemy activity occurred in November with heavy attacks upon By Prang and Duc Lap in CTZ II (Central Vietnam).
By February 1970 the focus of enemy activity began to shift to CTZ I and II. Attacks increased steadily, reaching a peak in April 1970. Hostile forces staged their heaviest attacks in the Central Highlands near Civilian Irregular Defense Group camps at Dak Seang, Dak Pek, and Ben Het in I CTZ. The enemy also conducted numerous attacks by fire and several sapper attacks against U.S. fire support bases. This high level of enemy activity began in I CTZ in April and continued through May.
During the period 1 November 1969 through 30 April 1970 U.S. and allied forces concentrated on aggressive operations to find and destroy enemy main and local forces, the penetration of base camps and installations and the seizure of enemy supplies and materiel. These operations sought to deny the enemy the initiative and to inflict heavy losses in men and materiel. Further progress was made in Vietnamization through improving the Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces. As a result of these advances three brigades of the 1st U.S. Infantry Division and several major U.S.M.C. units were withdrawn from Vietnam during this period.
The enemy made several efforts to take the offensive at Dak Seang, which was attacked on 1 April 1970 and remained under siege throughout the month, and at Quang Duc in the By Prong-Duc Lap area which ended on 28 December. Only Vietnamese forces were engaged in both of these operations, the Quang Duc campaign involving some 12,000 ARVN troops. South Vietnamese forces again took the offensive on 14 April in a bold 3-day operation in the Angel's Wing area along the Cambodian border. The Vietnamese Army completed this mission in an aggressive professional manner without U.S. support-further evidence of their growing proficiency.
