Actual Burial here
In Memory of….. 1Lt. Robert Henry Aldrich.
*** According to the VA gravesite database, 1Lt. Aldrich has two "In Memory Of" markers in two different national cemeteries. One, in Calverton Sect. MA, Site 10 and Two, Long Island National Sec. MA, Site 81.
You may be gone, no longer living on this earth; but you will live on - in the memories of your family and friends. There will always be a part of you living in those who knew you. You will live on because we remember you!
ROBERT HENRY ALDRICH - Marine Corps - 1LT - O2
Age: 24
Race: Caucasian
Date of Birth Jun 11, 1947
From: PORT WASHINGTON, NY
Religion: PROTESTANT
Marital Status: Single
***** Jan Scruggs, president of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, issued a list of the 95 dead servicemen whose families are being sought.
New York: Navy 1st Lt. Robert H. Aldrich of Port Washington, Dec. 27, 1971, at sea.
***** I served with 1st., Lt., Aldrich, during Vietnam. I was, to have been, on the flight, but had worked, the night before and my best buddy, Rick Davis, took the flight. I will always miss both of them and I should have been with them when they went to test the helicopter. You were, a great pilot and we had many hours of flying together. We lost to many of our great friends and service members to this horrible war. Rest in peace, sir. Semper Fi,
GySgt., Jim Hamric
USMC., Ret..
***** Bob and I were friendly at PMC. We hung out with other cadets in his room.
Samuel Bogden
Classmate at PMC
***** I called him, Buzz. Did he talk, to you about NASA. and a space station someday? If not, we did, and I consider myself privileged. A very intelligent young man, eternally etched, in my mind and my heart. I was thinking of him today and any family he may have.decided to send a message. I hope it finds you well and at peace.
Jody Shafer
1LT - O2 - Marine Corps - Squadron HMM-165
Length of service 3 years
Casualty was on Dec 27, 1971
Status: Body Not Recovered from an incident on 12/27/1971 while performing the duty of Aircraft Commander.
Age at death: 24.5
Date of Birth: 06/11/1947
Home City: Port Washington, NY
Service: regular component of the U.S. Marine Corps.
Unit: HMM-165
Service: U.S. Marine Corps.
The Wall location: 02W-132
Short Summary: Lost at sea while conducting a sector search to watch the Russian ships near the fleet. Wreckage suggested mechanical failure.
Aircraft: CH-46A tail number 154013
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 7562 = Pilot CH-46 Qualified
Primary cause: NEED DETAILS
"Official" listing: fixed wing air casualty - pilot
Length of service: 03
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed at sea
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes
single male U.S. citizen
In SOUTH VIETNAM
NON-HOSTILE, HELICOPTER - PILOT
AIR LOSS, CRASH AT SEA
Body was recovered
Panel 02W - Line 132
Crew Members:
AC 1LT ALDRICH ROBERT HENRY KIA
CP 1LT SCURLOCK ALLEN GORDON KIA
CE LCP DAVIS GREGORY CHALMERS KIA
U.S. Marine Corps helicopter CH-46D tail number 154013 was lost at sea while conducting a sector search to watch Russian ships near the fleet.
Wreckage suggested mechanical failure. Crew consisted of aircraft commander 1LT Robert H. Aldrich, co-pilot 1LT Allen G. Scurlock, and crew chief LCPL Gregory C. Davis. All suffered fatal injuries in the crash.
There are two personal accounts of this incident:
#1 - We were running sector searches from the ship to watch the activity of the several Russian vessals that were with us. It was mid-day, perfectly clear and they had just checked in by radio approximately 25 miles out from the ship. That was the last we heard from them. We did recover enough of the plane for the Boeing-Vertol reps that were flown out to us to suspect a mechanical failure. They found a failure in the planetary gear system that they suspected was the cause. We returned to Cubi Point for a more in-depth inspection of all of the 46's. We flew them all off and found that we had several more that were about to fail from the same thing. The Commanding Officer, LTCOL Paul Moreau, flew one ashore that was just about to fail. This resulted in grounding all the 46's in the NavyMarine Corps for an inspection. A 'fix' was produced by Boeing and after incorporation, the ac were put back in service. BUT, not before we lost Bob Aldrich the HAC and Al Spurlock the H2P. The Crew Chief was Greg Davis. (Submitted by Gary Zimmermann, HMM-165)
#2 - Davis' body was recovered, but the two pilots were not. They were in CH-46D 154013 on 12271971; the HMM-165 CmdChron for Dec ‘71 addresses the incident but does not give the names of the crewmen. (From Ken Davis)
[Taken from vhpa.org]
***************************************
108 MORE VIETNAM DEAD TO BE LISTED AT MEMORIAL
By BEN A. FRANKLIN, Special to the New York Times
Published: March 11, 1986
WASHINGTON, March 10— The names of 108 Americans killed in the Vietnam War will be added next month to the 58,022 names of the dead and missing already etched into the Vietnam Veterans Memorial here, leaders of the memorial's search committee said today.
The roster on the glistening black granite monument wall will then total 58,130, which will probably be the final figure, according to Jan C. Scruggs, the founder and president of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund.
The 108 were initially omitted because they did not die in the Vietnam combat zone, but the Defense Department changed its rules to include two new categories of war casualties: those killed as a result of aircraft accidents while returning from combat missions over the war zone or on their way there, and those who died of wounds received in Vietnam.
Today the search committee called on the families and friends of the 108 to come forward and identify themselves so that as many next of kin as possible could be formally invited to a rededication of the monument on Memorial Day, May 26. The privately financed memorial, transferred to the United States Park Service on Veterans Day 1984, has proved to be a leading Washington tourist attraction, with nearly four million visitors last year. Donation of $80,000
John Wheeler P. Wheeler 3d, the memorial fund chairman, said the $80,000 cost of the belated engraving was being contributed by the Ford Motor Company.
Mr. Scruggs said the names of the 108 Vietnam dead would be read aloud at the Memorial Day ceremony, by family members, if possible, or by members of their branch of the armed services.
The Pentagon's re-examination of the circumstances of the 108 service deaths was begun last year after Leo Broadhead, a retired Air Force colonel from Oklahoma, visited the memorial and found that the name of his son, 1st Lieut. Larry Broadhead, was not engraved on the monument wall. Colonel Broadhead's son was the co-pilot of a B-52 bomber that crashed on takeoff from Guam on its way to a mission over Vietnam in May 1969, killing all six on board, and Colonel Broadhead said today he was ''furious'' at the omission of the six names.
After inquiries at the Pentagon by the two Oklahoma Senators, Don Nickles and David L. Boren, the deaths of Lieutenant Broadhead and 107 others were reclassified.
Next of kin should write or telephone the Vietnam Veterans Family Search, 2550 M Street N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037. The telephone number is 202-659-9419. Names From Tri-State Area
In addition to Lieutenant Broadhead, the names released today included these from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut:
Connecticut: Joseph Anthony Carinci of Derby, Marine Corps; Allan Lombard Dunning Jr. of Stonington, Navy.
New Jersey: Ronald W. Ringwall of Millburn, Air Force; Charles Albert Philhower of Morristown, Navy; Edward Richard Stephan of Mercer, Navy.
New York: Robert H. Aldrich of Port Washington, Navy; Joseph Stephen Henriquez of Long Island, Navy; Miguel A. Hernandez-Diaz of New York City, Air Force; Allan S. Major of Maspeth, Air Force; Michael Kelly McGuire of Buffalo, Navy; Abraham Schwartz of Brooklyn, Air Force.
********************************************
Find A Grave contributor wings214 has sponsored your memorial for Robert Aldrich.
Thank you wings214 for your sponsorship.
****************************
.
In Memory of….. 1Lt. Robert Henry Aldrich.
*** According to the VA gravesite database, 1Lt. Aldrich has two "In Memory Of" markers in two different national cemeteries. One, in Calverton Sect. MA, Site 10 and Two, Long Island National Sec. MA, Site 81.
You may be gone, no longer living on this earth; but you will live on - in the memories of your family and friends. There will always be a part of you living in those who knew you. You will live on because we remember you!
ROBERT HENRY ALDRICH - Marine Corps - 1LT - O2
Age: 24
Race: Caucasian
Date of Birth Jun 11, 1947
From: PORT WASHINGTON, NY
Religion: PROTESTANT
Marital Status: Single
***** Jan Scruggs, president of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, issued a list of the 95 dead servicemen whose families are being sought.
New York: Navy 1st Lt. Robert H. Aldrich of Port Washington, Dec. 27, 1971, at sea.
***** I served with 1st., Lt., Aldrich, during Vietnam. I was, to have been, on the flight, but had worked, the night before and my best buddy, Rick Davis, took the flight. I will always miss both of them and I should have been with them when they went to test the helicopter. You were, a great pilot and we had many hours of flying together. We lost to many of our great friends and service members to this horrible war. Rest in peace, sir. Semper Fi,
GySgt., Jim Hamric
USMC., Ret..
***** Bob and I were friendly at PMC. We hung out with other cadets in his room.
Samuel Bogden
Classmate at PMC
***** I called him, Buzz. Did he talk, to you about NASA. and a space station someday? If not, we did, and I consider myself privileged. A very intelligent young man, eternally etched, in my mind and my heart. I was thinking of him today and any family he may have.decided to send a message. I hope it finds you well and at peace.
Jody Shafer
1LT - O2 - Marine Corps - Squadron HMM-165
Length of service 3 years
Casualty was on Dec 27, 1971
Status: Body Not Recovered from an incident on 12/27/1971 while performing the duty of Aircraft Commander.
Age at death: 24.5
Date of Birth: 06/11/1947
Home City: Port Washington, NY
Service: regular component of the U.S. Marine Corps.
Unit: HMM-165
Service: U.S. Marine Corps.
The Wall location: 02W-132
Short Summary: Lost at sea while conducting a sector search to watch the Russian ships near the fleet. Wreckage suggested mechanical failure.
Aircraft: CH-46A tail number 154013
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 7562 = Pilot CH-46 Qualified
Primary cause: NEED DETAILS
"Official" listing: fixed wing air casualty - pilot
Length of service: 03
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed at sea
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes
single male U.S. citizen
In SOUTH VIETNAM
NON-HOSTILE, HELICOPTER - PILOT
AIR LOSS, CRASH AT SEA
Body was recovered
Panel 02W - Line 132
Crew Members:
AC 1LT ALDRICH ROBERT HENRY KIA
CP 1LT SCURLOCK ALLEN GORDON KIA
CE LCP DAVIS GREGORY CHALMERS KIA
U.S. Marine Corps helicopter CH-46D tail number 154013 was lost at sea while conducting a sector search to watch Russian ships near the fleet.
Wreckage suggested mechanical failure. Crew consisted of aircraft commander 1LT Robert H. Aldrich, co-pilot 1LT Allen G. Scurlock, and crew chief LCPL Gregory C. Davis. All suffered fatal injuries in the crash.
There are two personal accounts of this incident:
#1 - We were running sector searches from the ship to watch the activity of the several Russian vessals that were with us. It was mid-day, perfectly clear and they had just checked in by radio approximately 25 miles out from the ship. That was the last we heard from them. We did recover enough of the plane for the Boeing-Vertol reps that were flown out to us to suspect a mechanical failure. They found a failure in the planetary gear system that they suspected was the cause. We returned to Cubi Point for a more in-depth inspection of all of the 46's. We flew them all off and found that we had several more that were about to fail from the same thing. The Commanding Officer, LTCOL Paul Moreau, flew one ashore that was just about to fail. This resulted in grounding all the 46's in the NavyMarine Corps for an inspection. A 'fix' was produced by Boeing and after incorporation, the ac were put back in service. BUT, not before we lost Bob Aldrich the HAC and Al Spurlock the H2P. The Crew Chief was Greg Davis. (Submitted by Gary Zimmermann, HMM-165)
#2 - Davis' body was recovered, but the two pilots were not. They were in CH-46D 154013 on 12271971; the HMM-165 CmdChron for Dec ‘71 addresses the incident but does not give the names of the crewmen. (From Ken Davis)
[Taken from vhpa.org]
***************************************
108 MORE VIETNAM DEAD TO BE LISTED AT MEMORIAL
By BEN A. FRANKLIN, Special to the New York Times
Published: March 11, 1986
WASHINGTON, March 10— The names of 108 Americans killed in the Vietnam War will be added next month to the 58,022 names of the dead and missing already etched into the Vietnam Veterans Memorial here, leaders of the memorial's search committee said today.
The roster on the glistening black granite monument wall will then total 58,130, which will probably be the final figure, according to Jan C. Scruggs, the founder and president of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund.
The 108 were initially omitted because they did not die in the Vietnam combat zone, but the Defense Department changed its rules to include two new categories of war casualties: those killed as a result of aircraft accidents while returning from combat missions over the war zone or on their way there, and those who died of wounds received in Vietnam.
Today the search committee called on the families and friends of the 108 to come forward and identify themselves so that as many next of kin as possible could be formally invited to a rededication of the monument on Memorial Day, May 26. The privately financed memorial, transferred to the United States Park Service on Veterans Day 1984, has proved to be a leading Washington tourist attraction, with nearly four million visitors last year. Donation of $80,000
John Wheeler P. Wheeler 3d, the memorial fund chairman, said the $80,000 cost of the belated engraving was being contributed by the Ford Motor Company.
Mr. Scruggs said the names of the 108 Vietnam dead would be read aloud at the Memorial Day ceremony, by family members, if possible, or by members of their branch of the armed services.
The Pentagon's re-examination of the circumstances of the 108 service deaths was begun last year after Leo Broadhead, a retired Air Force colonel from Oklahoma, visited the memorial and found that the name of his son, 1st Lieut. Larry Broadhead, was not engraved on the monument wall. Colonel Broadhead's son was the co-pilot of a B-52 bomber that crashed on takeoff from Guam on its way to a mission over Vietnam in May 1969, killing all six on board, and Colonel Broadhead said today he was ''furious'' at the omission of the six names.
After inquiries at the Pentagon by the two Oklahoma Senators, Don Nickles and David L. Boren, the deaths of Lieutenant Broadhead and 107 others were reclassified.
Next of kin should write or telephone the Vietnam Veterans Family Search, 2550 M Street N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037. The telephone number is 202-659-9419. Names From Tri-State Area
In addition to Lieutenant Broadhead, the names released today included these from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut:
Connecticut: Joseph Anthony Carinci of Derby, Marine Corps; Allan Lombard Dunning Jr. of Stonington, Navy.
New Jersey: Ronald W. Ringwall of Millburn, Air Force; Charles Albert Philhower of Morristown, Navy; Edward Richard Stephan of Mercer, Navy.
New York: Robert H. Aldrich of Port Washington, Navy; Joseph Stephen Henriquez of Long Island, Navy; Miguel A. Hernandez-Diaz of New York City, Air Force; Allan S. Major of Maspeth, Air Force; Michael Kelly McGuire of Buffalo, Navy; Abraham Schwartz of Brooklyn, Air Force.
********************************************
Find A Grave contributor wings214 has sponsored your memorial for Robert Aldrich.
Thank you wings214 for your sponsorship.
****************************
.
Actual Burial here
In Memory of….. 1Lt. Robert Henry Aldrich.
*** According to the VA gravesite database, 1Lt. Aldrich has two "In Memory Of" markers in two different national cemeteries. One, in Calverton Sect. MA, Site 10 and Two, Long Island National Sec. MA, Site 81.
You may be gone, no longer living on this earth; but you will live on - in the memories of your family and friends. There will always be a part of you living in those who knew you. You will live on because we remember you!
ROBERT HENRY ALDRICH - Marine Corps - 1LT - O2
Age: 24
Race: Caucasian
Date of Birth Jun 11, 1947
From: PORT WASHINGTON, NY
Religion: PROTESTANT
Marital Status: Single
***** Jan Scruggs, president of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, issued a list of the 95 dead servicemen whose families are being sought.
New York: Navy 1st Lt. Robert H. Aldrich of Port Washington, Dec. 27, 1971, at sea.
***** I served with 1st., Lt., Aldrich, during Vietnam. I was, to have been, on the flight, but had worked, the night before and my best buddy, Rick Davis, took the flight. I will always miss both of them and I should have been with them when they went to test the helicopter. You were, a great pilot and we had many hours of flying together. We lost to many of our great friends and service members to this horrible war. Rest in peace, sir. Semper Fi,
GySgt., Jim Hamric
USMC., Ret..
***** Bob and I were friendly at PMC. We hung out with other cadets in his room.
Samuel Bogden
Classmate at PMC
***** I called him, Buzz. Did he talk, to you about NASA. and a space station someday? If not, we did, and I consider myself privileged. A very intelligent young man, eternally etched, in my mind and my heart. I was thinking of him today and any family he may have.decided to send a message. I hope it finds you well and at peace.
Jody Shafer
1LT - O2 - Marine Corps - Squadron HMM-165
Length of service 3 years
Casualty was on Dec 27, 1971
Status: Body Not Recovered from an incident on 12/27/1971 while performing the duty of Aircraft Commander.
Age at death: 24.5
Date of Birth: 06/11/1947
Home City: Port Washington, NY
Service: regular component of the U.S. Marine Corps.
Unit: HMM-165
Service: U.S. Marine Corps.
The Wall location: 02W-132
Short Summary: Lost at sea while conducting a sector search to watch the Russian ships near the fleet. Wreckage suggested mechanical failure.
Aircraft: CH-46A tail number 154013
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 7562 = Pilot CH-46 Qualified
Primary cause: NEED DETAILS
"Official" listing: fixed wing air casualty - pilot
Length of service: 03
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed at sea
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes
single male U.S. citizen
In SOUTH VIETNAM
NON-HOSTILE, HELICOPTER - PILOT
AIR LOSS, CRASH AT SEA
Body was recovered
Panel 02W - Line 132
Crew Members:
AC 1LT ALDRICH ROBERT HENRY KIA
CP 1LT SCURLOCK ALLEN GORDON KIA
CE LCP DAVIS GREGORY CHALMERS KIA
U.S. Marine Corps helicopter CH-46D tail number 154013 was lost at sea while conducting a sector search to watch Russian ships near the fleet.
Wreckage suggested mechanical failure. Crew consisted of aircraft commander 1LT Robert H. Aldrich, co-pilot 1LT Allen G. Scurlock, and crew chief LCPL Gregory C. Davis. All suffered fatal injuries in the crash.
There are two personal accounts of this incident:
#1 - We were running sector searches from the ship to watch the activity of the several Russian vessals that were with us. It was mid-day, perfectly clear and they had just checked in by radio approximately 25 miles out from the ship. That was the last we heard from them. We did recover enough of the plane for the Boeing-Vertol reps that were flown out to us to suspect a mechanical failure. They found a failure in the planetary gear system that they suspected was the cause. We returned to Cubi Point for a more in-depth inspection of all of the 46's. We flew them all off and found that we had several more that were about to fail from the same thing. The Commanding Officer, LTCOL Paul Moreau, flew one ashore that was just about to fail. This resulted in grounding all the 46's in the NavyMarine Corps for an inspection. A 'fix' was produced by Boeing and after incorporation, the ac were put back in service. BUT, not before we lost Bob Aldrich the HAC and Al Spurlock the H2P. The Crew Chief was Greg Davis. (Submitted by Gary Zimmermann, HMM-165)
#2 - Davis' body was recovered, but the two pilots were not. They were in CH-46D 154013 on 12271971; the HMM-165 CmdChron for Dec ‘71 addresses the incident but does not give the names of the crewmen. (From Ken Davis)
[Taken from vhpa.org]
***************************************
108 MORE VIETNAM DEAD TO BE LISTED AT MEMORIAL
By BEN A. FRANKLIN, Special to the New York Times
Published: March 11, 1986
WASHINGTON, March 10— The names of 108 Americans killed in the Vietnam War will be added next month to the 58,022 names of the dead and missing already etched into the Vietnam Veterans Memorial here, leaders of the memorial's search committee said today.
The roster on the glistening black granite monument wall will then total 58,130, which will probably be the final figure, according to Jan C. Scruggs, the founder and president of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund.
The 108 were initially omitted because they did not die in the Vietnam combat zone, but the Defense Department changed its rules to include two new categories of war casualties: those killed as a result of aircraft accidents while returning from combat missions over the war zone or on their way there, and those who died of wounds received in Vietnam.
Today the search committee called on the families and friends of the 108 to come forward and identify themselves so that as many next of kin as possible could be formally invited to a rededication of the monument on Memorial Day, May 26. The privately financed memorial, transferred to the United States Park Service on Veterans Day 1984, has proved to be a leading Washington tourist attraction, with nearly four million visitors last year. Donation of $80,000
John Wheeler P. Wheeler 3d, the memorial fund chairman, said the $80,000 cost of the belated engraving was being contributed by the Ford Motor Company.
Mr. Scruggs said the names of the 108 Vietnam dead would be read aloud at the Memorial Day ceremony, by family members, if possible, or by members of their branch of the armed services.
The Pentagon's re-examination of the circumstances of the 108 service deaths was begun last year after Leo Broadhead, a retired Air Force colonel from Oklahoma, visited the memorial and found that the name of his son, 1st Lieut. Larry Broadhead, was not engraved on the monument wall. Colonel Broadhead's son was the co-pilot of a B-52 bomber that crashed on takeoff from Guam on its way to a mission over Vietnam in May 1969, killing all six on board, and Colonel Broadhead said today he was ''furious'' at the omission of the six names.
After inquiries at the Pentagon by the two Oklahoma Senators, Don Nickles and David L. Boren, the deaths of Lieutenant Broadhead and 107 others were reclassified.
Next of kin should write or telephone the Vietnam Veterans Family Search, 2550 M Street N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037. The telephone number is 202-659-9419. Names From Tri-State Area
In addition to Lieutenant Broadhead, the names released today included these from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut:
Connecticut: Joseph Anthony Carinci of Derby, Marine Corps; Allan Lombard Dunning Jr. of Stonington, Navy.
New Jersey: Ronald W. Ringwall of Millburn, Air Force; Charles Albert Philhower of Morristown, Navy; Edward Richard Stephan of Mercer, Navy.
New York: Robert H. Aldrich of Port Washington, Navy; Joseph Stephen Henriquez of Long Island, Navy; Miguel A. Hernandez-Diaz of New York City, Air Force; Allan S. Major of Maspeth, Air Force; Michael Kelly McGuire of Buffalo, Navy; Abraham Schwartz of Brooklyn, Air Force.
********************************************
Find A Grave contributor wings214 has sponsored your memorial for Robert Aldrich.
Thank you wings214 for your sponsorship.
****************************
.
In Memory of….. 1Lt. Robert Henry Aldrich.
*** According to the VA gravesite database, 1Lt. Aldrich has two "In Memory Of" markers in two different national cemeteries. One, in Calverton Sect. MA, Site 10 and Two, Long Island National Sec. MA, Site 81.
You may be gone, no longer living on this earth; but you will live on - in the memories of your family and friends. There will always be a part of you living in those who knew you. You will live on because we remember you!
ROBERT HENRY ALDRICH - Marine Corps - 1LT - O2
Age: 24
Race: Caucasian
Date of Birth Jun 11, 1947
From: PORT WASHINGTON, NY
Religion: PROTESTANT
Marital Status: Single
***** Jan Scruggs, president of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, issued a list of the 95 dead servicemen whose families are being sought.
New York: Navy 1st Lt. Robert H. Aldrich of Port Washington, Dec. 27, 1971, at sea.
***** I served with 1st., Lt., Aldrich, during Vietnam. I was, to have been, on the flight, but had worked, the night before and my best buddy, Rick Davis, took the flight. I will always miss both of them and I should have been with them when they went to test the helicopter. You were, a great pilot and we had many hours of flying together. We lost to many of our great friends and service members to this horrible war. Rest in peace, sir. Semper Fi,
GySgt., Jim Hamric
USMC., Ret..
***** Bob and I were friendly at PMC. We hung out with other cadets in his room.
Samuel Bogden
Classmate at PMC
***** I called him, Buzz. Did he talk, to you about NASA. and a space station someday? If not, we did, and I consider myself privileged. A very intelligent young man, eternally etched, in my mind and my heart. I was thinking of him today and any family he may have.decided to send a message. I hope it finds you well and at peace.
Jody Shafer
1LT - O2 - Marine Corps - Squadron HMM-165
Length of service 3 years
Casualty was on Dec 27, 1971
Status: Body Not Recovered from an incident on 12/27/1971 while performing the duty of Aircraft Commander.
Age at death: 24.5
Date of Birth: 06/11/1947
Home City: Port Washington, NY
Service: regular component of the U.S. Marine Corps.
Unit: HMM-165
Service: U.S. Marine Corps.
The Wall location: 02W-132
Short Summary: Lost at sea while conducting a sector search to watch the Russian ships near the fleet. Wreckage suggested mechanical failure.
Aircraft: CH-46A tail number 154013
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 7562 = Pilot CH-46 Qualified
Primary cause: NEED DETAILS
"Official" listing: fixed wing air casualty - pilot
Length of service: 03
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed at sea
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes
single male U.S. citizen
In SOUTH VIETNAM
NON-HOSTILE, HELICOPTER - PILOT
AIR LOSS, CRASH AT SEA
Body was recovered
Panel 02W - Line 132
Crew Members:
AC 1LT ALDRICH ROBERT HENRY KIA
CP 1LT SCURLOCK ALLEN GORDON KIA
CE LCP DAVIS GREGORY CHALMERS KIA
U.S. Marine Corps helicopter CH-46D tail number 154013 was lost at sea while conducting a sector search to watch Russian ships near the fleet.
Wreckage suggested mechanical failure. Crew consisted of aircraft commander 1LT Robert H. Aldrich, co-pilot 1LT Allen G. Scurlock, and crew chief LCPL Gregory C. Davis. All suffered fatal injuries in the crash.
There are two personal accounts of this incident:
#1 - We were running sector searches from the ship to watch the activity of the several Russian vessals that were with us. It was mid-day, perfectly clear and they had just checked in by radio approximately 25 miles out from the ship. That was the last we heard from them. We did recover enough of the plane for the Boeing-Vertol reps that were flown out to us to suspect a mechanical failure. They found a failure in the planetary gear system that they suspected was the cause. We returned to Cubi Point for a more in-depth inspection of all of the 46's. We flew them all off and found that we had several more that were about to fail from the same thing. The Commanding Officer, LTCOL Paul Moreau, flew one ashore that was just about to fail. This resulted in grounding all the 46's in the NavyMarine Corps for an inspection. A 'fix' was produced by Boeing and after incorporation, the ac were put back in service. BUT, not before we lost Bob Aldrich the HAC and Al Spurlock the H2P. The Crew Chief was Greg Davis. (Submitted by Gary Zimmermann, HMM-165)
#2 - Davis' body was recovered, but the two pilots were not. They were in CH-46D 154013 on 12271971; the HMM-165 CmdChron for Dec ‘71 addresses the incident but does not give the names of the crewmen. (From Ken Davis)
[Taken from vhpa.org]
***************************************
108 MORE VIETNAM DEAD TO BE LISTED AT MEMORIAL
By BEN A. FRANKLIN, Special to the New York Times
Published: March 11, 1986
WASHINGTON, March 10— The names of 108 Americans killed in the Vietnam War will be added next month to the 58,022 names of the dead and missing already etched into the Vietnam Veterans Memorial here, leaders of the memorial's search committee said today.
The roster on the glistening black granite monument wall will then total 58,130, which will probably be the final figure, according to Jan C. Scruggs, the founder and president of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund.
The 108 were initially omitted because they did not die in the Vietnam combat zone, but the Defense Department changed its rules to include two new categories of war casualties: those killed as a result of aircraft accidents while returning from combat missions over the war zone or on their way there, and those who died of wounds received in Vietnam.
Today the search committee called on the families and friends of the 108 to come forward and identify themselves so that as many next of kin as possible could be formally invited to a rededication of the monument on Memorial Day, May 26. The privately financed memorial, transferred to the United States Park Service on Veterans Day 1984, has proved to be a leading Washington tourist attraction, with nearly four million visitors last year. Donation of $80,000
John Wheeler P. Wheeler 3d, the memorial fund chairman, said the $80,000 cost of the belated engraving was being contributed by the Ford Motor Company.
Mr. Scruggs said the names of the 108 Vietnam dead would be read aloud at the Memorial Day ceremony, by family members, if possible, or by members of their branch of the armed services.
The Pentagon's re-examination of the circumstances of the 108 service deaths was begun last year after Leo Broadhead, a retired Air Force colonel from Oklahoma, visited the memorial and found that the name of his son, 1st Lieut. Larry Broadhead, was not engraved on the monument wall. Colonel Broadhead's son was the co-pilot of a B-52 bomber that crashed on takeoff from Guam on its way to a mission over Vietnam in May 1969, killing all six on board, and Colonel Broadhead said today he was ''furious'' at the omission of the six names.
After inquiries at the Pentagon by the two Oklahoma Senators, Don Nickles and David L. Boren, the deaths of Lieutenant Broadhead and 107 others were reclassified.
Next of kin should write or telephone the Vietnam Veterans Family Search, 2550 M Street N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037. The telephone number is 202-659-9419. Names From Tri-State Area
In addition to Lieutenant Broadhead, the names released today included these from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut:
Connecticut: Joseph Anthony Carinci of Derby, Marine Corps; Allan Lombard Dunning Jr. of Stonington, Navy.
New Jersey: Ronald W. Ringwall of Millburn, Air Force; Charles Albert Philhower of Morristown, Navy; Edward Richard Stephan of Mercer, Navy.
New York: Robert H. Aldrich of Port Washington, Navy; Joseph Stephen Henriquez of Long Island, Navy; Miguel A. Hernandez-Diaz of New York City, Air Force; Allan S. Major of Maspeth, Air Force; Michael Kelly McGuire of Buffalo, Navy; Abraham Schwartz of Brooklyn, Air Force.
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Inscription
1ST LT
US MARINE CORPS
VIETNAM
