Helicopter UH-1H 68-15663

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 68-15663
The Army purchased this helicopter 0569
Total flight hours at this point: 00000917
Date: 05/06/1970 MIA-POW file reference number: 1612
Incident number: 70050610.KIA
Unit: B/158 AVN
South Vietnam
UTM grid coordinates: XD968382
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Defense Intelligence Agency Reference Notes. Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database. Also: 1612 ()
Loss to Inventory
Crew: HERNANDEZ, FRANK SANCHEZ;

Crew Members:
G SGT HERNANDEZ FRANK SANCHEZ BNR
CE SP4 WEISS WILLIAM CONRAD JR KIA
AC CW2 WORTHINGTON RICHARD C JR BNR
P WO1 KIRK ROBERT LEE KIA

REFNO Synopsis:
SYNOPSIS: On May 6, 1970, CW2 Richard C. Worthington, pilot; WO1 Robert L. Kirk, co-pilot; SP4 William C. Weiss Jr., crew chief; and SP4 Frank S. Hernandez, gunner; were the crew of a UH1H helicopter (serial #68-15663) which was in a flight of several other helicopters laying a smoke screen on a landing zone near enemy positions in Quang Tri Province, South Vietnam. During the mission this helicopter had a mid-air collision with another helicopter and crashed. A survivor from the other helicopter stated that Worthington's helicopter skid had struck the main rotor of his helicopter. He indicated that he had not seen any hostile fire. A search team was sent to the site on the same day (May 6) and found 2 bodies which were identified as the remains of WO Kirk and SP4 Weiss. There were no signs of anyone having left the crash site area. It was believed that there was no survivors of the crash. (NOTE: the crew and occupants of the second helicopter apparently survived the crash. While damage to a rotor blade generally means a subsequent crash, the aircraft may have been flying at a low enough altitude to lessen the impact.) Hernandez and Worthington were classified Killed/Body Not Recovered.

War Story:
Mid-air with 66-16707

This record was last updated on 01/25/1900

The following is crew member information for this incident:

Name: SGT Frank Sanchez Hernandez (posthumously promoted)
Status: Body Not Recovered from an incident on 05/06/1970 while performing the duty of Gunner.
Age at death: 22.4
Date of Birth: 12/02/1947
Home City: Fresno, CA
Service: regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: B/158 AVN 101 ABN
Major organization: 101st Airborne Division
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 11W-112
Short Summary: Mid-air with CW2 Poe's aircraft while laying smoke & crashed.
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 68-15663
Call sign: Smoky 2 - Lancers
SSN: 553689531
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 67A20 = Aircraft Maintenance Apprentice
Primary cause: SVN-BNR Mid-Air
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: vehicular accident
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: door gunner
Vehicle ownership: government
Started Tour: 07/01/1969
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
The initial status of this person was: no previous report
Length of service: *
Location: Quang Tri Province I Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - died while missing
single 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: enlisted personnel
This record was last updated on 07/30/1995

Name: WO1 Robert Lee Kirk
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 05/06/1970 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 22.1
Date of Birth: 04/01/1948
Home City: Las Vegas, NV
Service: AV branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: B/158 AVN 101 ABN
Major organization: 101st Airborne Division
Flight class: 69-43
Service: AV branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 11W-114
Short Summary: Mid-air w/CW2 Poe while laying smoke. Dunno was body escort. Dody id'ed by Father from disfigured toe while child.
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 68-15663
Call sign: Smoky 2 - Lancers
SSN: 530345056
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 100B = Utility/Observation Helicopter Pilot
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: 02/17/1970
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
Length of service: *
Location: Quang Tri Province I Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - killed
single 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: warrant officer
This record was last updated on 08/02/1997

Name: SP4 William Conrad Weiss, Jr.
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 05/06/1970 while performing the duty of Crew Chief.
Age at death: 23.2
Date of Birth: 02/23/1947
Home City: Hershey, PA
Service: regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: B/158 AVN 101 ABN
Major organization: 101st Airborne Division
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 11W-118
Short Summary: Mid-air with CW2 Poe's aircraft while laying smoke & crashed.
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 68-15663
Call sign: Smoky 2 - Lancers
SSN: 167400589
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 67A1F = Aircraft Maintenance Apprentice
Primary cause: Mid-Air
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: fire or burns
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: crew chief
Started Tour: 12/30/1968
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
Length of service: *
Location: Quang Tri Province I Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - killed
single 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: enlisted personnel
This record was last updated on 07/30/1995

Name: CW2 Richard C. Worthington, Jr.
Status: Body Not Recovered from an incident on 05/06/1970 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 24.1
Date of Birth: 03/19/1946
Home City: Bothell, WA
Service: AV branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: B/158 AVN 101 ABN
Major organization: 101st Airborne Division
Flight class: 68-503/68-3
Service: AV branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 09W-125
Short Summary: Mid-air with CW2 Poe's aircraft while laying smoke & crashed w/WO1 Kirk. DOD record shows KIA 05/06/70, wall shows 07/06/70.
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 68-15663
Call sign: Smoky 2 - Lancers
SSN: 537423148
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 100B = Utility/Observation Helicopter Pilot
Primary cause: SVN-BNR Mid-Air
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: vehicular accident
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: aircraft commander
Vehicle ownership: government
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
The initial status of this person was: no previous report
Length of service: *
Location: Quang Tri Province I Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - died while missing
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Christian Science
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 08/20/1995

The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 68-15663
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 0569.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.

DATE  FLT HRS    UIC      UNIT          AREA          POST          COUNTRY
6905   0    0 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS      ITR CONUS                   AVCOMITR
6906  44   44 WFJ4B0 COB 158BN 101AC  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6907  89  133 WFJ4B0 COB 158BN 101AC  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6908 126  259 WFJ4B0 COB 158BN 101AC  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6909  99  358 WFJ4B0 COB 158BN 101AC  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6910 105  463 WFJ4B0 COB 158BN 101AC  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6911 106  569 WFJ4B0 COB 158BN 101AC  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6912 112  681 WFJ4B0 COB 158BN 101AC  VIETNAM                     RVN     
7001  99  780 WFJ4B0 COB 158BN 101AC  VIETNAM                     RVN     
7002  73  853 WFJ4B0 COB 158BN 101AC  VIETNAM                     RVN     
7003  10  863 WFJ4B0 COB 158BN 101AC  VIETNAM                     RVN     
7004  54  917 WFJ4B0 COB 158BN 101AC  VIETNAM                     RVN

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Printed from databases on: 05/21/2000

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