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Casualty Info
Home Town Portland
Last Address Portland
Casualty Date Feb 08, 1968
Cause KIA-Killed in Action
Reason Air Loss, Crash - Land
Location Dinh Tuong (Vietnam)
Conflict Vietnam War
Location of Interment Oregon Vietnam Veterans Living Memorial - Portland, Oregon
Note from Page Admin: According to several sources, the 135th AHC was attached to the 10th Combat Aviation BN, 12 Aviation Group at the time of the below documented loss.
However, according to the 135th AHC Unit History, on file with the Vietnam Helicopter Pilot's Assoc. website, this unit was attached to the 222nd Aviation BN during 1968. That Unit History is uploaded on the opposite page of this profile.
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1D tail number 66-01128
Incident number: 68020818.KIA
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated:
Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database.
Also: OPERA (Operations Report. )
Crew Members:
AC CPT FLEER ROBERT DEAN KIA P WO1 MOORE GLENN DOUGLAS KIA CE PFC LABUDA ROBERT ALAN KIA (Note: CE = Crew Chief) G SP4 CAVANAUGH RICHARD FRED KIA (Note: G = Gunner)
War Story:
The crash was caused by heavy small arms fire. Bob, Glen and the gunner were heavily hit . The crew chief was killed in the crash. They were chalk 5 and I was chalk 6. I identified the remains the next day after we recovered the bodies.
Tom Rudolph, dingy@snowhill.com
I recently got an assignment in my US History class. Our teacher gave us a challenge and our goal is to post remembrances to all those who lost their lives in vietnam. There are many people who don't have any remembrances on here and our goal is for them to be remembered and to show our gratitude to all they went through. My goal is to post 100 remembrances because those who gave that sacrifice for our country should never be forgotten. Richard, thank you for all you did, you will always be remembered!
Thanks!
Jen Steffen
Posted by: Jen Steffen
Email:
Relationship:
Thursday, May 8, 2003
Vietnam War/Counteroffensive Phase III Campaign (1967-68)
From Month/Year
June / 1967
To Month/Year
January / 1968
Description This campaign was from 1 June 1967 to 29 January 1968.The conflict in South Vietnam remains basically unchanged. As Operation JUNCTION CITY ended, elements of the U.S. 1st and 25th Infantry Divisions, the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, and the forces of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam swung back toward Saigon to conduct another clearing operation, MANHATTAN. This took peace in the Long Nguyen base area just north of the previously cleared "Iron Triangle."
South Vietnamese Armed Forces became more active and capable under U.S. advisors. During the year the Vietnamese Special Forces assumed responsibility for several Special Forces camps and for the CIDG companies manning them. In each case all of the U.S. advisors withdrew, leaving the Vietnamese in full command.
With an increased delegation of responsibility to them, the South Vietnamese conducted major operations during 1967, and, in spite of VC attempts to avoid battle, achieved a number of contacts.
Despite the success of U.S. and South Vietnamese Army operations, there were indications in the fall of 1967 of another enemy build-up, particularly in areas close to Laos and Cambodia. In late October, the VC struck again at the Special Forces Camp at Loc Ninh. Fortunately Vietnamese reinforcements saved the camp. At the same time, approximately 12,000 VC troops converged on a Special Forces camp at Dak To. This camp was located in northern Kontum Province, where the borders of Laos, Cambodia, and South Vietnam meet. In response to this potential threat, the U.S. and South Vietnam committed a total of sixteen battalions to the region to counter a disturbing enemy resurgence at Kontum and Loc Ninh.
