Seawolf 322 with bureau # 948 Oct 17, 71

[Mike Dobson]

322 AKA 948 is in Wisconsin, She served with us in 71 with battle damage on 10 17 71.  she seems to have been on Det 8 with LCDR Henry as A/c commander when the damage was suffered -----  can anyone remember & verify any facts on this a/c.   It is possible that the damage suffered at this time saved her life by bringing her back to the states for repair ---- any info anyone ??

[Jim Joyce]

Mike, I arrived on Det 8 late Jun '71. Checking my log book, the aircraft I flew the 8 months I was there were 970 (327), 930, 020, 666 (no record on Wolf site), 943, 589 (326), 948 (322), 604, 081 (324??), 076, & 923. I flew quite a few flights with Russ Henry and in 948. I was gone on leave from 5 to 21 Sept, the first time I flew 948 was 25/26 Sept (Henry), then Oct 2/3 (Henry), 5/6, 12/13, 17/18, 20 (Henry), 21, 25, and 27 (last flight). My last flight with Henry was 26 Oct (604). Henry was relieved as OIC early November by Ron Jesberg (normal rotation). No aircraft received any major structural "battle damage" while I was there but two aircraft were hooked to Binh Thuy for a few bullet holes in the blades and tail boom. Cross checking my log book with my photos, they were 327 (970) in late July (Henry may have been the pilot) and 324 (guessing 081) in mid November, not sure who the pilot was. Obviously nothing I just provided explains why the Wolf web site shows 948 received damage on Oct 17, '71. Jim

[Ken Eward]

Mike,

I'm involved in the effort to restore 948 and am at present working to document her history. It's great to hear from someone intimately associated with her past. I can fill in some of the details post-Vietnam:  after the war, 948 went to Hollywood, appearing in the Schwarzenegger movie Terminator II. By this time, 948 was in derelict condition. My father found her in a Hollywood back lot and cosmetically restored the Huey for outdoor display in Ore City, TX in around 2002. He recently gave 948 to our organization, the Vietnam Helicopter Conservation League, to begin a full restoration for eventual indoor museum display in western Wisconsin.

Preserving the legacy of the men who crewed 948 is every bit as important to us as preserving the Huey itself, and we're documenting as many details of 948's past as we can, in order that future generations of museumgoers will be able to learn about the experiences and sacrifices of those that flew in her.

Thank you very much for sharing the details from your log. If you or other Seawolves have additional information to share, such as mission details or photographs, we would love to hear from you. I hope you all have a great reunion this week.

Best regards,

Ken Eward
President
VHCL
569 18th St.
Chetek, WI  54728
[phone]
[e-mail]

[Mike Dobson]

Jim, can you check in with the rest of the Det 8 crew during that time period?    Does anybody else see 322 during her time period with us on their logs ?

[Richard King]

In about October of 71, we got two aircraft at Binh Thuy that had been battle damaged. One was full of 51 Cal holes. Everyone on the airframes night shift jumped on an area to repair. I had a one hole through the skin and stringer of the tail boom. Although I didn’t have a lot of experience with actual sheet metal repairs, I made a patch and stringer repair with several 3/32 rivets. It looked good I thought. Bob Colclasure, an AMH3, who knew nothing about sheet metal repairs was to help me. He was inside the tail boom on the bucking bar. I was outside driving rivets. The very first rivet became a dent. We replaced with a #6. One large and several small rivets later, a coat of primer and some OD. Chief Fronko was pissed! I have had night mares about walking a flight line somewhere and seeing that tail boom on a helicopter.
Jim Young was there that night. He may remember this.

[Dan Arnes]

BuNo 64-13948 was brought back to life in 1973...

The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1B tail number 64-13948
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 02/65.

DATE  FLT HRS    UIC      UNIT          AREA          POST          COUNTRY
196610  87  920 WCDXAA 2D SIGNAL GRP    VIETNAM                     RVN
196611  78  998 WCDXAA 2D SIGNAL GRP    VIETNAM                     RVN
196612  10 1008 WCDXAA 2D SIGNAL GRP    VIETNAM                     RVN
196701  20 1028 3386   ARMY AVN DIV     6TH ARMY   DUGWAY PG        TEVALCOM
196702  29 1057 3386   ARMY AVN DIV     6TH ARMY   DUGWAY PG        TEVALCOM
196703  52 1109 3386   POST SUPPLY      6TH ARMY   FORT ORD         6TH ARMY
196704   7 1116 3386   ARMY AVN DIV     6TH ARMY   DUGWAY PG        TEVALCOM
196705  60 1176 3386   ARMY AVN DIV     6TH ARMY   DUGWAY PG        TEVALCOM
196706  33 1209 3386   USARV FLT DET    VIETNAM                     RVN
196707  86 1295 3386   USARV FLT DET    VIETNAM                     RVN
196708  19 1314 3386   BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM
196709  68 1382 3386   BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM
196710  26 1408 3386   BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM
196711  45 1453 3386   355 AVN CO       4TH ARMY   FORT SILL        4TH ARMY
196712  32 1485 3386   355 AVN CO       4TH ARMY   FORT SILL        4TH ARMY
196801   0 1485 3386   355 AVN CO       4TH ARMY   FORT SILL        4TH ARMY
196802  24 1509 3386   355 AVN CO       4TH ARMY   FORT SILL        4TH ARMY
196803  45 1554 3304   355 AVN CO       4TH ARMY   FORT SILL        4TH ARMY
196804  60 1614 3304   BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM
196805 107 1721 3304   355 AVN CO       4TH ARMY   FORT SILL        4TH ARMY
196806   0 1721 WCLQAA 335 TRANS CO     VIETNAM                     RVN
196807   0 1721 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS      ITR CONUS                   AVCOMITR
196808   0 1721 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN STORAGE NAVAL AIR STN    AVCOM
196809   0 1721 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVCOM
196810   0 1721 W0MUAA ARADMAC          4TH ARMY   NAVAL AIR STA    AVCOM
196811   1 1722 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVCOM
196812   0 1722 3300   HHD 44 ENG GP    THAILAND                    PACIFIC
196901   0 1722 WAYBAA 120 AVN CO AML   VIETNAM                     RVN
196902  37 1759 WAYBAA 120 AVN CO AML   VIETNAM                     RVN
196903 107 1866 WAYBAA 120 AVN CO AML   VIETNAM                     RVN
196904  68 1934 WAYBAA 120 AVN CO AML   VIETNAM                     RVN
196905  73 2007 WAYBAA 120 AVN CO AML   VIETNAM                     RVN
196906  65 2072 WAYBAA 120 AVN CO AML   VIETNAM                     RVN
196907  42 2114 WAYBAA 120 AVN CO AML   VIETNAM                     RVN
196908  21 2135 WAYBAA 120 AVN CO AML   VIETNAM                     RVN
196909  60 2195 WAYBAA 120 AVN CO AML   VIETNAM                     RVN
196910  13 2208 WAYBAA 120 AVN CO AML   VIETNAM                     RVN
196911  27 2235 WAYBAA 120 AVN CO AML   VIETNAM                     RVN
196912  29 2264 WAYBAA 120 AVN CO AML   VIETNAM                     RVN
197001  21 2285 WAYBAA 120 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN
197002  73 2358 WAYBAA 120 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN
197003  85 2443 WAYBAA 120 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN
197004  64 2507 WAYBAA 120 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN
197005  34 2541 WAYBAA 120 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN
197006  55 2596 WAYBAA 120 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN
197007  39 2635 WAYBAA 120 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN
197008  48 2683 WAYBAA 120 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN
197009  28 2711 WAYBAA 120 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN
197010  28 2739 WAYBAA 120 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN
197011  29 2768 WAYBAA 120 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN
197012  61 2829 WAYBAA 120 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN
197101  33 2862 WAYBAA 120 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN
197102   7 2869 WAYBAA 120 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN
197103  52 2921 WAYBAA 120 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN
197104  43 2964 WAYBAA 5TH AVN DET      VIETNAM                     RVN
197105  40 3004 WAYBAA 120 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN
197106  37 3041 WAYBAA 120 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN
197107  33 3074 WAYBAA 120 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN
197108   8 3082 WAYBAA 120 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN
197109  53 3135 WAYBAA 120 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN
197110  78 3213 WAYBAA AVN TNG TEAM     VIETNAM                     RVN
197111   0 3213 WAYBAA AVN TNG TEAM     VIETNAM                     RVN
197112   0 3213 WAYBAA AVN TNG TEAM     VIETNAM                     RVN
(This may have been assigned to HA(L)-3 during this timeframe. It is not unusual for our custody to be shown by the Army as some other name.)

197201   0 3213 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVSCOM
197202   0 3213 W0MUAA AVSCOM FLT DET   5TH ARMY   ST LOUIS         AVSCOM
197203   0 3213 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVSCOM
197204   0 3213 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVSCOM
197205   0 3213 W0MUAA AVSCOM FLT DET   5TH ARMY   ST LOUIS         AVSCOM
197206   0 3213 W0MUAA AVSCOM FLT DET   5TH ARMY   ST LOUIS         AVSCOM
197207   0 3213 W0MUAA AVSCOM FLT DET   5TH ARMY   ST LOUIS         AVSCOM
197208   0 3213 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVSCOM
197209   0 3213 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVSCOM
197210   0 3213 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVSCOM
197211   0 3213 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVSCOM
197212   0 3213 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN TRANSIT NAVAL AIR STN    AVSCOM
197301   1 3214 W0MUAA AVSCOM PROJECT   LOAN       ST LOUIS         AVSCOM
(First Flight Hour recorded after the incident)
197302  35 3249 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVSCOM
197303  65 3314 W1DZAA USAAVNS          AVN SCHOOL FORT RUCKER      CONARCAS
197304  70 3384 W1DZAA USAAVNS          AVN SCHOOL FORT RUCKER      CONARCAS
197305  62 3446 W1DZAA USAAVNS          AVN SCHOOL FORT RUCKER      CONARCAS
197306  72 3518 W1DZAA USAAVNS          AVN SCHOOL FORT RUCKER      CONARCAS
197307  91 3609 W1DZAA USAAVNS          1ST ARMY   FORT RUCKER      TRADOCAS
197308  48 3657 W1DZAA USAAVNS          1ST ARMY   FORT RUCKER      TRADOCAS
197309  66 3723 W1DZAA USAAVNS          1ST ARMY   FORT RUCKER      TRADOCAS
197310  68 3791 W1DZAA USAAVNS          1ST ARMY   FORT RUCKER      TRADOCAS
197311  78 3869 W1DZAA USAAVNS          1ST ARMY   FORT RUCKER      TRADOCAS
197312  68 3937 W1DZAA USAAVNS          1ST ARMY   FORT RUCKER      TRADOCAS
197401  36 3973 W1DZAA USAAVNS          1ST ARMY   FORT RUCKER      TRADOCAS
197402  71 4044 W1DZAA USAAVNS          1ST ARMY   FORT RUCKER      TRADOCAS
197403  59 4103 W1DZAA USAAVNS          1ST ARMY   FORT RUCKER      TRADOCAS
197404  30 4133 W1DZAA USAAVNS          1ST ARMY   FORT RUCKER      TRADOCAS
197405  28 4161 W1DZAA USAAVNS          1ST ARMY   FORT RUCKER      TRADOCAS
197405  28 4161 W1DZAA USAAVNS          1ST ARMY   FORT RUCKER      TRADOCAS
197406  51 4212 W1DZAA USAAVNS          1ST ARMY   FORT RUCKER      TRADOCAS
197409  64 4400 W1DZAA USAAVNS          1ST ARMY   FORT RUCKER      TRADOCAS
197410  17 4417 W1DZAA USAAVNS          1ST ARMY   FORT RUCKER      TRADOCAS
197411  76 4493 W1DZAA USAAVNS          1ST ARMY   FORT RUCKER      TRADOCAS
197412  44 4537 W1DZAA USAAVNS          1ST ARMY   FORT RUCKER      TRADOCAS
197501  45 4582 W1DZAA USAAVNS          1ST ARMY   FORT RUCKER      TRADOCAS
197502  14 4596 W1DZAA USAAVNS          1ST ARMY   FORT RUCKER      TRADOCAS
197503   1 4597 W1DZAA USAAVNS          1ST ARMY   FORT RUCKER      TRADOCAS
197504   0 4597 WPZUAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197505  12 4609 WTVWAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197506   0 4609 WTVWAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197507  17 4626 WTVWAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197508  17 4643 WTVWAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197509  13 4656 WTVWAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197510  14 4670 WYVWAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197511   8 4678 WTVWAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197512  16 4694 WTVWAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI

Other links:
64-13948 and 69-13948 (2) shows recent photos,
and Terminator 2 Movie Desert Scene photo show 948 was used in Terminator 2, in the desert  scene.

Dan

[Kenneth Eward]

Dan,

Thanks for that. Yes - I've had confirmation from a 120th AHC vet that 948 was transferred to HA(L)-3 from Nha Be for the period you indicated in the Goldbook.

Ken

[Dan Arnes]

Thanks for that confirmation on the transfer Ken, although the Nha Be location seems off unless it went to our Det 2 for a short time before ending up on Det 8.

According to Sid Nanson's records, we received 64-13948 on 8/18/1971, indicating we might have flown it for some of those 8 hours in August 1971, but we for sure would have flown it for the 53 hours in Sept, 1971, and the 78 hours before the incident on 10/17/1971 (for a total of 131 flight hours).

The incident date and BuNo is also corroborated by the 1964-1973 Vietnam Aircraft Model H-1 Losses By Reporting Custodian 297 (HA(L)-3) Report showing we had an accident on that date, with that BuNo, with damage was classified EG.
Aircraft Damage category E (Minor Damage), Injury category G02 (2 minor injuries).
Accident Type C6, indicating Collision - Aircraft struck by missile or projectile fired from the ground,
Phase of Ops 442, In-flight, offensive maneuvers, strafing run,
Environmental Factors, Combat Area.

It was stricken from our records over a month after the incident, on 11/19/1971 with no further accumulation of flight hours.

Dan

[Jim Joyce]

Mike: I've only had contact with two Det 8 pilots the past few years: Max Tea who I'll send an email to and see in three weeks, and Russ Henry who exchanged a couple emails with me last year (I lost his address when my computer took a nose dive but I'll try to contact him when I return from my trip in November).

Dan: Rechecking my log book the aircraft rotation pattern seems to be around every 45+/- days to accumulate 100 hours and return to BT for a change. In my book, #948 appeared 25 Sept and disappeared 27 October (I flew it 31 hours in 13 days during that time frame) so I'd guess it went back to BT on normal rotation. I'm also guessing the BT turn around time was about 4 to 6 days when I worked in maintenance Feb-June '71 before det so it was probably issued to another det early November. There were no crew injured on the det while I was there. (Early spring?? '71 time frame Jim Wall was killed and Norm Stayton was out for his action on the canal.)  So, if one of the other dets "crunched" an aircraft, with injuries, during the mid November time frame, that was probably "948" and the "Oct 17, 71" date is off by one month. (Note: At my age just about all my "facts" are guesses unless they are written down.)
Jim

[kid purington]

Bird in picture,,tail number 322,,work'n on Det-6,,photo dated Dec 1970,,and that is not Arnold in foregrd...

[Kenneth Eward]

That may be BuNo 62-4602, which was lost on 9/20/71, according to the HA(L)-3 Command History. Her number was apparently transferred to 948 after the incident. Still, would you send me a hi-res copy of your photo, Arnold or not? I'm at:  [e-mail]

Dan: thanks for the additional incident details, and Jim: appreciate your efforts to talk to more Det 8 personnel - I really look forward to anything else you find.

Ken

[Kenneth Eward]

Richard,

Do you remember where in the tail boom the entrance & exit were located, and the size of the dent? I've found a patch that may fit the bill.

Ken

[Richard King]

This repair was on the left side of the tail boom. It was an exit hole. Not sure where the entrance hole was located. I think it was forward of the sync elevator. There was an access panel conveniently located on the bottom of the tail boom. The patch was small, 2-3 inches square. One large rivet in an upper corner, I think. Damn, that was 40+ years ago. Got a picture?

[Kenneth Eward]

The patch is on the upper right-hand side of the boom, about 18" aft of the elevator pivot. There's no visible entry point, but the access panel below and just forward of the elevators is a hand-cut replacement--no idea when it was installed. The longeron adjacent to the patch is intact, but it must've been a very close miss.



948/322 was lifted to Binh Thuy shortly after Oct 17, '71, so would've been in the right place at the right time.

Ken

[Richard King]

Nope. Not the same repair. Probably a different aircraft. I maybe confused about the date. It was in September or October.

I remember someone saying that a VC exposed himself to fire at the helo and the pilot turned and nailed the guy with a rocket.

[pETER pILOT]

Hi guys,
    just updated the website for 322/948.
 http://vhcl.weebly.com/

[Kenneth Eward]

Jim: have you heard anything back from others in Det 8? Would you be willing to share pages from your log that relate to 948/322?

Ken

[David( Red) Fairbanks ROH]

I flew in 948 on 9-6-71 2 flights also on 9-12-71.

[Kenneth Eward]

Thanks - do you have details about the missions on those flights? -Ken

[David( Red) Fairbanks ROH]

flight 1 1.8  3t1 f f. flight 2  1.5 3t1 f f   9/12/71 0.8 3x7 3 f