Helicopter AH-1G 67-15723

Information on U.S. Army helicopter AH-1G tail number 67-15723
The Army purchased this helicopter 0868
Total flight hours at this point: 00000582
Date: 08/12/69
Incident number: 69081212.KIA
Unit: C/2/20 ARA
South Vietnam
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database. Also: OPERA (Operations Report. )
Loss to Inventory

Crew Members:
P W1 MCDOWALL F KIA
P WO1 MCDOWALL FRANCIS JR KIA
This record was last updated on 05/25/98

The following is crew member information for this incident:

Name: WO1 Francis Mc Dowall, Jr.
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 08/12/69 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 24.9
Date of Birth: 09/03/44
Home City: Lawrenceville, GA
Service: AV branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: C/2/20 ARA 1 CAV
Major organization: 1st Cavalry Division
Flight class: 68-511/68-17
Service: AV branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 19W-018
Short Summary: Hit by RPG during refuel and rearm while under ground attack at Quan Loi. Terminal at atlanta named in his honor see memo.
Aircraft: AH-1G tail number 67-15723
Call sign: Blue Max
SSN: 254748309
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 100E = Attack Helicopter Pilot
Primary cause: RPG in POL
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: rockets or missiles or torpedoes
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: pilot
Started Tour: 11/01/68
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - pilot
Length of service: 02
Location: Binh Long Province III Corps.

Additional information about this casualty:
MEMORIAL DEDICATION IN HONOR OF WARRANT OFFICER FRANCIS MCDOWALL, JR. KILLED IN ACTION 12 AUGUST 1969 REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM CONCOURSE A HARTSFIELD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT 2:00 PM 11 NOV 1991. CWO McDowall was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross posthumously for the following action: On August 12, 1969 CWO McDowall was serving as a helicopter pilot with Battery C, 2d Battalion (Airmobile), 20th Artillery during a landing zone defense near Landing Zone Andy. When the landing zone came under heavy rocket and mortar attack and the perimeter was being probed at several locations, CWO McDowall came from Landing Zone Buttons to aid in the defense of the embattled landing zone. When he began to fire his rockets down on the green line, he started taking heavy machine-gun fire and had to break off his attack. CWO McDowall's wing ship also started to roll in and was taken under fire by the same enemy machine-gun. CWO McDowall immediately placed his ship in a position to cover his wing ship, and by so doing, drew the enemy fire upon himself. After he had exhausted his armament and was low on fuel, he decided to land at the embattled landing zone to cut down on his turn-around time even though the area was still taking mortar and rocket fire. As his ship landed, it was hit by an enemy mortar round, killing him

Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - killed
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Presbyterian
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 08/20/95

The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter AH-1G tail number 67-15723
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 0868.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.

DATE  FLT HRS    UIC      UNIT          AREA          POST          COUNTRY
6808   0    0 W0MHAA DIR SUP / TRAN   IN MAINT   SHARPE AD        AVCOM       
6809   0    0 W0MHAA DIR SUP / TRAN   IN MAINT   SHARPE AD        AVCOM       
6810   1    1 WCLSAA 388 TRANS CO     VIETNAM                     RVN     
6811  55   56 WAG3C0 CBTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6812  87  143 WAG3C0 CBTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN      
6901  88  231 WAG3C0 CBTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN      
6902  81  312 WAG3C0 CBTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN      
6903  75  387 WAG3C0 CBTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN      
6904  29  416 WAG3C0 CBTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN      
6905  64  480 WAG3C0 CBTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN      
6906  62  542 WAG3C0 CBTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN      
6907  40  582 WAG3C0 CBTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN

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Gary Roush
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Painted Post, NY 14870

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Printed from databases on: 02/21/99

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