Helicopter
UH-1D 66-16693

Information on U.S. Army helicopter
UH-1D tail number 66-16693
The Army purchased this helicopter 0867
Total flight hours at this point: 00002255
Date: 06/30/70 MIA-POW file reference number: 1645
Incident number: 70063030.KIA
Unit: B/227 AVN
South Vietnam
UTM grid coordinates: YU372568
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: 1645
Loss to Inventory

Crew Members:
CE SP5 BURGESS JOHN LAWRENCE BNR
AC 1LT DOUGLAS LESLIE FORREST JR KIA
AC 1LT DYER RICHARD KIA
G PFC GOOSMAN JOHN RES

Passengers:
SFC COLON-DIAZ JUAN, AR, PX, KIA;

Short Summary: Shot down coming out LZ east of FSB Snuffy III Corps

REFNO Synopsis:

On June 30, 1970, SP5 John L. Burgess was the crew chief of a UH-1H helicopter
on a command and control mission when it was hit by enemy fire, crashed,
and burned near the Cambodia/South Vietnam border in Phuoc Long Province,
South Vietnam. The other individuals aboard the aircraft included
1Lt. Leslie F. Douglas, Jr., 1Lt. Richard Dyer, SFC Juan Colon-Diaz, and PFC Goosman.
PFC Goosman, who was thrown clear of the aircraft (he was the door gunner),
was the only survivor of the crash. PFC Goosman later stated that he pulled the
aircraft commander clear of the aircraft, but because of the fire,
was unable to free any of the crew members or the one passenger from the aircraft.

Goosman was able to determine that no one else had survived the crash.
He remained at the scene of the crash site until friendly troops arrived to secure the
aircraft wreckage. The remains of the four crew members were placed in
four body bags and evacuated. Major Knudson, who arrived shortly after the crash,
landed in a secure LZ adjacent to the crash and picked up Goosman and the 4 body bags.
They were transported directly from the crash site to medical facilities located
at Camp Gorvad, Phuoc Vinh, South Vietnam.

Graves Registration at Camp Gorvad forwarded the four body bags to the mortuary
at Than San Nhut to undergo autopsies. At the mortuary, as identification was conducted
it was determined that they only had 3 sets of remains rather than four.
While processing the remains at the mortuary, it was discovered that one of the body
bags contained portions of the upper torso and another bag contained portions
of the lower torso of the same individual.

After this discovery, they were combined and positive identifications made
of the three individuals, Douglas, Dyer and Colon-Diaz. Than San Nhut Mortuary
never received any remains correlating to SP5 Burgess, and it was believed that the
remains of Burgess were either burned beneath the wreckage of the aircraft
or incinerated in the fire which engulfed the aircraft after it crashed.
The mortuary suggested another search of the crash site area,
but additional searches were not considered possible because of enemy presence
in the area. When a final review of aerial photographs was made in 1973,
there was no evidence of the crashed aircraft.
This record was last updated on 05/25/98

The following is crew member information for this incident:

Name: SP5 John Lawrence Burgess
Status: Body Not Recovered from an incident on 06/30/70
while performing the duty of Crew Chief.
Age at death: 21.2
Date of Birth: 04/05/49
Home City: Kingsley, MI
Service: regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: B/227 AHB 1 CAV
Major organization: 1st Cavalry Division
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 09W-104
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 66-16693
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 67N2F = UH-1 Helicopter Repairer
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: vehicular accident
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: crew chief
Vehicle ownership: government
Started Tour: 08/01/69
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
The initial status of this person was: no previous report
Length of service: *
Location: Phuoc Long Province III Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - died while missing
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Roman Catholic

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 06/25/94

Name: SFC Juan Colon-Diaz
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 06/30/70
while performing the duty of Passenger.
Age at death: 36.0
Date of Birth: 06/24/34
Home City: Comerio, PR
Service: regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 1 CAV
Major organization: 1st Cavalry Division
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 09W-103
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 66-16693
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 11B40 = Infantryman
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: vehicular accident
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: passenger
Vehicle ownership: government
Started Tour: 10/02/69
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - non-aircrew
The initial status of this person was: no previous report
Length of service: *
Location: Phuoc Long Province III Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - killed
married male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Roman Catholic

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 01/27/95

Name: 1LT Leslie Forrest Douglas, Jr.
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 06/30/70
while performing the duty of Aircraft Commander.
Age at death: 25.0
Date of Birth: 07/07/45
Home City: Verona, MS
Service: FA branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: B/227 AHB 1 CAV
Major organization: 1st Cavalry Division
Flight class: 69-18
Service: FA branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 09W-104
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 66-16693
Service number: O5355222
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 1981 = 19 Rotary Wing Aviator (Unit Commander)
Primary cause: Hostile Fire
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: vehicular accident
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: aircraft commander
Vehicle ownership: government
Started Tour: 08/08/69
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
The initial status of this person was: no previous report
Length of service: *
Location: Phuoc Long Province III Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - killed
married male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Episcopal (Anglican)

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: officer
This record was last updated on 08/20/95

Name: 1LT Richard Dyer
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 06/30/70
while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 26.9
Date of Birth: 08/12/43 Home City: Pawtucket, RI
Service: IN branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: B/227 AHB 1 CAV
Major organization: 1st Cavalry Division
Flight class: 69-42
Service: IN branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 09W-104
Short Summary: Shot down coming out LZ east of FSB Snuffy III Corps.
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 66-16693
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 64823
Primary cause: Hostile Fire
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: vehicular accident
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: pilot
Vehicle ownership: government
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
The initial status of this person was: no previous report
Length of service: *
Location: Phuoc Long Province III Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - killed
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Roman Catholic

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: officer
This record was last updated on 08/20/95

The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter
UH-1D tail number 66-16693
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 0867.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.

DATE  FLT HRS    UIC      UNIT          AREA          POST    COUNTRY
6708   1    1 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH       AVCOM
6709  10   11 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH       AVCOM
6710   0   11 3300   BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH       AVCOM
6711  98  109 WAAVA0 COA 227ASH 1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
6712  62  171 WAAVA0 COA 227ASH 1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
6801   0  171 WAAVA0 COA 227ASH 1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
6802  73  244 WAAVA0 COA 227ASH 1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
6803  52  296 3261   355 AVN CO       4TH ARMY   FORT SILL   4TH ARMY
6804  62  358 3261   BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH       AVCOM
6805   0  358 WC5GAA 610 TRANS CO     VIETNAM                     RVN
6806   0  358 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN STORAGE NAVAL AIR STN  AVCOM
6807   0  358 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN STORAGE NAVAL AIR STN  AVCOM
6808   0  358 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN STORAGE NAVAL AIR STN  AVCOM
6809   0  358 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN  AVCOM
6810   0  358 W0MUAA ARADMAC          4TH ARMY   NAVAL AIR STA  AVCOM
6811   3  361 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN  AVCOM
6812   0  361 3300   HHD 44 ENG GP    THAILAND                PACIFIC
6901 141  502 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
6902  42  544 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
6903  93  637 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
6904  86  723 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
6905 106  829 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
6906 120  949 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
6907 119 1068 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
6908  59 1127 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
6909  61 1188 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
6910 103 1291 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
6911  41 1332 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
6912 152 1484 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
7001 158 1642 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
7002 129 1771 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
7003  97 1868 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
7004 164 2032 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
7005  92 2124 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
7006 131 2255 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN