| Date: 3 August 1967 |
| Aircraft type: C-7B Caribou |
| Serial Number: 62-4161 |
| Military Unit: 459 TAS, 483 TAW |
| Service: USAF |
| Home Base: Phu Cat |
| Name(s): |
| Capt Alan Eugene Hendrickson (KIA) |
| Capt John Dudley Wiley (KIA) |
| TSgt Zane Aubry Carter (KIA) |
| Three airmen died in a tragic friendly fire incident on 3 August. A C-7 Caribou was approaching the Duc Pho Special Forces camp, about 20 miles south of Quang Ngai, when it was hit by a shell from a US Army 155mm howitzer. The aircraft had flown into the line of fire and the shell blew off its entire rear fuselage and tail section. There is a well-publicised photograph of the aircraft taken during its fatal dive into the ground on the outskirts of the camp. Following this accident the Army and Air Force tightened up their coordination procedures for air operations near artillery fire zones. This aircraft had previously been operated by the 134th Aviation Company at Can Tho and Soc Trang before being handed over to the USAF. |
You may return to your search results, go to the Search Form, or go back to the Home Page.