21 May 2007 Danny and I served together stateside and used to go up to Laguna Beach together on liberty. He was a good man and a good Marine. I only found out he was killed in action a few years ago. I've always regretted that Danny didn't get the chance to grow old and have a life after Vietnam. He would be 57 now. From a fellow Marine, Dave Leeka dleeka@admin.fsu.edu

 

A Note from The Virtual Wall On the night of 07 Aug 1970, two CH-46s launched from Marble Mountain on a night emergency medevac mission in the vicinity of the Que Son mountains. The lead aircraft was flown by Major Duane Jensen; the wingman was 1st Lt Robert Marshall and co-pilot 1st Lt James Gillies in YK-16 (CH-46A BuNo 152567). The two CH-46s were escorted by a pair of AH-1G Cobras. YK-16 had a volunteer Corpsman aboard (not usually the case for the wingman) in addition to its normal crew of five. Major Jensen's pickup was accomplished without difficulty and the flight turned back toward Danang. While enroute they passed over an area where an intense firefight was underway. Almost immediately the Danang Direct Air Support Center advised Jensen of another emergency medevac near their position. It was agreed that YK-16 and the two AH-1Gs would drop off and set up for the medevac but would not actually land until Jensen returned from dropping off his wounded. When Jensen returned, YK-16 went into the LZ - but inadvertently lifted off before the wounded were aboard. YK-16 made a second landing, loaded the wounded, and took off. It was hit about 5 seconds after lift-off, went into uncontrolled flight, crashed, and burned. Jensen immediately landed next to the burning CH-46, while the troops on the ground struggled to remove the men aboard YK-16. When everyone who could be removed had been loaded aboard, Jensen flew to the Army's 95th Evacuation Hospital. Three men died as a result of the incident: 1st Lt James Francis Gillies, copilot, HMM-364; Sgt Richard M. Seymore, gunner, H&MS-16; and Pfc Danny L. Evans, Atoka, OK, CACO 2-3 (DoW 08/10/1970).

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