Last Flight of Chinook(CH-47C) tail number 69-17119

On October 31, 1972, while on a courier mission from Saigon to Can Tho, the CH-47C Chinook helicopter (tail #69-17119) was struck with a shoulder fired SA-7 "Strella" heat seeking missile near My Tho, about 35 miles from Saigon. It went down into a flooded rice field and was destroyed. There were 22 on board at the time. No one survived the crash. In addition to the 15 American servicemen, there were presumed to be 7 ARVN troops as well.

Let us not forget the men that were lost that day.

18th Avn Co (Corps), 164th Avn Grp: 

CPT Steven D. Howard, El Dorado, KS, pilot

CWO Ronald L. Vanlandingham, San Antonio, TX, copilot

SP5 David E. Wischemann, Kahului, HI, flight engineer

SP4 Timothy A. Thomas, Lafayette, CA, gunner

SP4 Richard B. Freeman, Redondo Beach, CA, crew chief

SP4 Louis O. Calderon, Los Angeles, CA

SP4 Raymond L. Goodchild, Fenton, MI

527th Pers Svc Co:

SSG Charles A. McSwiney, Panama City, FL

HQ, Delta Regional Assist Command: 

MAJ Dennis W. Finnegan, New York, NY

1LT Kenneth J. Spencer, Rochester, MI

C Troop, 16th Cavalry: 

SP4 James D. Brown, San Angelo, TX

SP4 Roger R. Chambliss, Birmingham, MI

SP4 Milton C. Hunter, Opelika, AL

SP4 Charles L. Stewart, Gladstone, MI

SP4 Delbert R. Wood, Phoenix, AZ

A lot of people were affected by this incident. Families, friends, fellow soldiers across a number of different units, and a lot of people back home who didn't know anyone on board. It's hard to lose one man. A single life loss is a terrible tragedy felt by many. After many years of being inundated with the news of mounting losses, Americans had become a number of things. Everyone is different, but it can certainly be said that a large portion of the American population had become either indifferent or desensitized to the news each night. Even so, it's hard to ignore the report of such a great number of men at one time. 

Much can be said regarding the attitude of America in general, but I stay away from politics and things of that nature here. It is my sole intent to honor these men, to remind us of who they were, of what they did, of how they lived and when they they died. These 15 men all died while doing something noble. They laced up the boots and put them on the ground and marched into war for their country. They fought for individual reasons, but something that is almost universally true of them, they formed a bond, a brotherhood that very few outside of that brotherhood can ever comprehend. They fough for each other. The lived and died for the man next to them. They put everything they had on the line, in large part, to make sure the other guy got home. There is a lot that can be said of a man who is able to do that. That is a truly noble cause and they deserve to be honored in the highest way possible for that.

Thank you to these 15 men who died in the line of duty. Thank you for being the kind of men who deserve such an honor. We will never forget you.