Helicopter UH-1B 64-13932

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1B tail number 64-13932
The Army purchased this helicopter 1264
Total flight hours at this point: 00001116
Date: 10/07/1966
Incident number: G666ACD Accident case number: G666
Unit: 129 AHC
South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 4 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0
costing 241950
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. )
Loss to Inventory

Crew Members:
P CPT WHETZEL HARRY THOMAS KIA
P WO1 CHAMBERLAIN ROBERT F KIA
CE SP5 GILLIAM ROBERT WENDELL KIA
G SP4 NEAL JOHNNY LEONARD KIA

Accident Summary:

ACFT ON FIRING MSN AGAINST ENEMY EYEWITNESS ON GROUND TALKING TO PLT POINTING OUT ENEMY POSITION ACFT PITCHED NOSE UP AND OUT OF CONT NOSED TOWARD GROUND CRASHED AND BURNED ENEMY FIRE OR OTHER CAUSES UNDETERMINED

War Story:
This gun ship was shot down on an independent mission between Dong Ba Thin and Phan Rang while engaging an enemy .50 caliber machine gun which had a friendly unit pinned down with its deadly fire. from 129 AHC unit history for 1967

This record was last updated on 05/25/1998

The following is crew member information for this incident:

Name: SP5 Robert Wendell Gilliam
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 10/07/1966 while performing the duty of Crew Chief.
Age at death: 21.8
Date of Birth: 01/04/1945
Home City: Lompoc, CA
Service: regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 129 AHC
Major organization: other
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 11E-057
Aircraft: UH-1B tail number 64-13932
Service number: 19798594
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 67N20 = UH-1 Helicopter Repairer
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: fire or burns
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: crew chief
Started Tour: 09/30/1965
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
Length of service: 02
Location: Unknown Province
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 07/29/1995

Name: SP4 Johnny Leonard Neal
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 10/07/1966 while performing the duty of Gunner.
Age at death: 22.4
Date of Birth: 05/23/1944
Home City: East St Louis, IL
Service: component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 129 AHC
Major organization: other
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 11E-058
Aircraft: UH-1B tail number 64-13932
Service number: 55812782
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 11B20 = Infantryman
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: fire or burns
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: door gunner
Started Tour: 12/26/1965
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
Length of service: 01
Location: Unknown Province
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - died while missing
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Negro
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 07/29/1995

Name: WO1 Robert F. Chamerlain
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 10/07/1966 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 26.0
Date of Birth: 09/21/1940
Home City: Las Cruces, NM
Service: AV branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 129 AHC
Major organization: other
Flight class: 65-3W
Service: AV branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 11E-054
Short Summary: Gunship hit by ground fire and crashed. W/ CPT Harry T. Whetzel.
Aircraft: UH-1B tail number 64-13932
Service number: W3152395
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 062B = Helicopter Pilot, Utility and Light Cargo Single Rotor
Primary cause: Hostile Fire
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: fire or burns
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: pilot
Started Tour: 03/08/1966
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - pilot
Length of service: 08
Location: Unknown Province
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - died while missing
married male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Baptist - other groups
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 02/21/1994

Name: CPT Harry Thomas Whetzel
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 10/07/1966 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 32.9
Date of Birth: 10/29/1933
Home City: Columbus, OH
Service: IN branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 129 AHC
Major organization: other
Flight class: 63-6
Service: IN branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 11E-059
Short Summary: Gunship hit by ground fire near Dong Ba Thin with CWO Robert F. Chamberlain.
Aircraft: UH-1B tail number 64-13932
Service number: O2293801
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 1981 = 19 Rotary Wing Aviator (Unit Commander)
Primary cause: Hostile Fire
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: fire or burns
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: aircraft commander
Started Tour: 09/30/1965
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - pilot
Length of service: 14
Location: Unknown Province
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - died while missing
married male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
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: officer
This record was last updated on 02/21/1994

The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1D tail number 64-13932
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 1264.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.

DATE  FLT HRS    UIC      UNIT          AREA          POST          COUNTRY
6610   5 1116 WC3JAA 129 AVN CO       VIETNAM                     RVN     
6611   0 1116 WC3JAA 129 AVN CO       VIETNAM                     RVN