| Date: 5 October 1968 |
| Aircraft type: HH-3E |
| Serial Number: 65-12782 |
| Military Unit: 37 ARRS, 3 ARRG |
| Service: USAF |
| Home Base: Da Nang |
| Name(s): |
| Maj Vernon R Granier (Survived) |
| Maj Albert Dwayne Wester (KIA) |
| Sgt Gregory Paul Lawrence (KIA) |
| Sgt Ernest D Casbeer (Survived) |
| A MACV-SOG team ‘Alabama’ required urgent evacuation after encountering a strong enemy force during a mission in Laos. An emergency SAR mission was mounted, but two HH-3Es were hit and damaged and had to abort. Maj Granier, flying a third HH-3E (call sign Jolly Green 10), then made an attempt, but the helicopter was shot down by ground fire. The co-pilot and flight engineer were killed in the crash, but the pilot and parajumper survived and were rescued, along with the five surviving members of the MACV-SOG team, by another HH-3E from the 37th ARRS flown by Maj Don P Olsen, who was awarded the Air Force Cross for his determination to complete the rescue. |
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