PHOTO PROVIDED BY WENDY JENSEN DENKHAUS
James E Cummings Jr
I met Jim when I was a student at Florida State University. We dated a couple of times. He was cute and sexy. None of us understood the ramifications of this war. Times were different, we were young and much more naive. He accepted his commission and was excited to be piloting a helicopter. He promised he would write and true to his word he did. The last letter I received from him he said that he was going on a secret mission and would not be able to write for awhile. I never heard from him again. I only knew for sure that he had died when I visited the Wall in Washington DC. I'm writing this memorial to let Jim's relatives know that he was a great guy who died too young, who never fathered and loved the children he should have had the chance to.
Wendy Jensen Denkhaus
Helicopter 66-16983
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-16983 The Army purchased this helicopter 1067 Total flight hours at this point: 00000578 Date: 11/12/68 Incident number: 681112231ACD Accident case number: 681112231 Total loss or fatality Accident Unit: C/227 AVN The station for this helicopter was Phouc Vinh in South Vietnam Number killed in accident = 4 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0 costing 514554 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 WO1 CUMMINGS JAMES E JR KIA P WO1 MONG WILBUR LEROY KIA CE SGT MCCURTAIN CHARLES RAY JR KIA G SGT LARSON DALE K KIA
Accident Summary:
AT ^0710^ HOURS A FLIGHT OF FOUR SLICKS LIFTED OFF FROM THE ^"NEW" WATER BUFFALO^ PAD AT ^PHUOC VINH^. THEIR MISSION WAS TO MOVE THE AIRCRAFT TO THE ^"OLD" WATER BUFFALO^ PAD, ONLY A FEW HUNDRED METERS AWAY, SO THAT REVETTMENT CONSTRUCTION COULD CONTINUE IN THE NEW AREA. RATHER THAN HIGH HOVER OR OTHERWISE PROCEED INDIVIDAULLY TO THE OTHER PARKING AREA, THEY SECURED TOWER CLEARANCE FOR A FORMATION FLY BY OF THEIR COMPANY AREA AND APPROACH TO THE OLD PAD. TRAFFIC IN THE AREA WAS LIGHT, AND THE TOWER GRANTED THE CLEARANCE. AFTER FORMING UP INTO A VERY TIGHT ECHELON, AND TURNING DOWIND LEG, THE NUMBER TWO AIRCRAFT OBSERVED TO DECELERATE SLIGHTLY. THE NUMBER THREE AIRCRAFT AT THAT TIME OVERTOOK THE NUMBER TWO AIRCRAFT. THEIR ALTITUDE WAS ABOUT 90 FEET. THE MAIN ROTOR OF THE NUMBER THREE AIRCRAFT ^(983)^, STRUCK THE MAIN ROTOR OF THE NUMBER TWO AIRCRAFT ^(407)^, AT ABOUT THE 4 O'-CLOCK POSITION OF THE NUMBER TWO AIRCRAFT. THE NUMBER ONE AND NUMBER FOUR AIRCRAFT CONTINUED ON WITHOUT BECOMING INVOLVED. THE NUMBER TWO AIRCRAFT ^(407)^ CONTINUED STRAIGHT AHEAD IN A RAPID, ERRATIC DESCENT. IT STRUCK THE GROUND WITH A HIGH RATE OF DESCENT AND SLIGHT FORWARD SPEED. ON IMPACT, THE TAIL BOOM SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE AND THE FUSELAGE FLIPPED FORWARD ONTO ITS TOP. THE CREW ESCAPED WITH MINOR INJURIES. THE NUMBER THREE AIRCRAFT ^(983)^ BEGAN TO VIBRATE VIOLENTLY. THE TAIL BOOM IMMEDIATELY SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE AND THE FUSELAGE BEGAN TO BURN. IT FELL, OUT OF CONTROL, STRUCK THE GROUND INVERTED, BOUNCED FORWARD ABOUT 20 FEET AND EXPLODED. ONE CREW MEMBER WAS THROWN CLEAR OF THE WRECKAGE, BUT WAS KILLED BY DECELERATIVE FORCES. THE OTHER THREE CREW MEMBERS REMAINED IN THE BURING WRECKAGE.\\
This record was last updated on 05/25/98
The following is crew member information for this incident:
Name: WO1 James E. Cummings, Jr. Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 11/12/68 while performing the duty of Pilot. Age at death: 20.9 Date of Birth: 12/31/47 Home City: Norfolk, VA Service: AV branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army. Unit: C/227 AHB 1 CAV Major organization: 1st Cavalry Division Flight class: 67-501 Service: AV branch of the U.S. Army. The Wall location: 39W-053 Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 66-16983 Service number: W3159098 Country: South Vietnam MOS: 062B = Helicopter Pilot, Utility and Light Cargo Single Rotor Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea Compliment cause: weapons Vehicle involved: helicopter Position in vehicle: pilot Started Tour: 03/08/68 "Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - pilot Location: Binh Duong Province III Corps. Reason: aircraft lost or crashed Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes single 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: non-battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: warrant officer This record was last updated on 07/29/95
Name: WO1 Wilbur Leroy Mong Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 11/12/68 while performing the duty of Pilot. Age at death: 26.3 Date of Birth: 07/08/42 Home City: East Amherst, NY Service: AV branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army. Unit: C/227 AHB 1 CAV Major organization: 1st Cavalry Division Flight class: 68-11 Service: AV branch of the U.S. Army. The Wall location: 39W-055 Short Summary: Mid-air during A/C ferry missiion at phuoc vinh Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 66-16983 Service number: W3161323 Country: South Vietnam MOS: 062B = Helicopter Pilot, Utility and Light Cargo Single Rotor Primary cause: Mid-Air Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea Compliment cause: fire or burns Vehicle involved: helicopter Position in vehicle: co-pilot Started Tour: 09/04/68 "Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew Location: Binh Duong Province III Corps. Reason: aircraft lost or crashed Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes married male U.S. citizen Race: Caucasian Relgion: Methodist (Evangelical United Brethren) The following information is secondary, but may help in explaining this incident. Category of casualty as defined by the Army: non-battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: warrant officer This record was last updated on 07/29/95
Name: SGT Charles Ray Mc Curtain, Jr. (posthumously promoted) Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 11/12/68 while performing the duty of Crew Chief. Age at death: 21.1 Date of Birth: 09/29/47 Home City: Brentwood, CA Service: regular component of the U.S. Army. Unit: C/227 AHB 1 CAV Major organization: 1st Cavalry Division Service: U.S. Army. The Wall location: 39W-055 Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 66-16983 Service number: 18921735 Country: South Vietnam MOS: 67N20 = UH-1 Helicopter Repairer Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea Compliment cause: weapons Vehicle involved: helicopter Position in vehicle: crew chief Started Tour: 07/17/68 "Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew Location: Binh Duong Province III Corps. Reason: aircraft lost or crashed Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes single 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: non-battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: enlisted personnel This record was last updated on 07/30/95
Name: SGT Dale K. Larson (posthumously promoted) Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 11/12/68 while performing the duty of Gunner. Age at death: 21.1 Date of Birth: 10/24/47 Home City: Burley, ID Service: component of the U.S. Army. Unit: C/227 AHB 1 CAV Major organization: 1st Cavalry Division Service: U.S. Army. The Wall location: 39W-054 Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 66-16983 Service number: 56628632 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: door gunner Started Tour: 07/18/68 "Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew Location: Binh Duong Province III Corps. Reason: aircraft lost or crashed Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes single male U.S. citizen Race: Caucasian Relgion: Latter Day Saints (Mormon) The following information is secondary, but may help in explaining this incident. Category of casualty as defined by the Army: non-battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: enlisted personnel This record was last updated on 07/30/95
The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-16983 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 1067. Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.
DATE FLT HRS UIC UNIT AREA POST COUNTRY 6710 0 0 W0Y6AA INTRANSIT IN TRANSIT AVCOMCTR 6711 30 30 WAGTT0 HHT 1SQ9CAV1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6712 73 103 WAGTT0 HHT 1SQ9CAV1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6801 83 186 3261 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6802 70 256 WAGTT0 HHT 1SQ9CAV1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6803 0 256 WAGTT0 HHT 1SQ9CAV1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6804 95 351 3261 BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 6805 46 397 3261 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6806 24 421 3261 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6807 33 454 3261 OPM SEA NITEOPS 1ST ARMY FORT BELVOIR AMC 6808 42 496 WAAVC0 COC 227ABAH1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6809 82 578 WAAVC0 COC 227ABAH1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6810 0 578 WAAVC0 COC 227ABAH1CAV VIETNAM RVN
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Gary Roush 43 Overbrook Road Painted Post, NY 14870
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