Charles Lehman Hackworth

The database page for Charles Lehman Hackworth

30 Aug 2003 Corpsman First Class Charles Lehman Hackworth was not assigned to the Purple Foxes, but he served, flew, and died with them. The Purple Foxes are remembered by the women who waited at home, whether mothers, sisters, wives, daughters, or friends, and so is Petty Officer Hackworth. Those women, the Purple Foxy Ladies continue to support today's Purple Foxes of HMM-364 as they serve our country. Visit the Purple Foxes on-line or go to our unit page on The Virtual Wall A memorial initiated by the Purple Foxy Ladies Foxyladiesgroup@aol.com

Notes from The Virtual Wall The HMM-364 Command Chronology states "On 27 July 1969 at 1530 hours, 17 miles SW of Da Nang, Quang Nam Province, RVN. Crew of YK-10 (bureau number 154018) of HMM-364 flying on an emergency medevac mission. Upon departure from the pick-up zone the aircraft received intense small arms fire and automatic fire. Aircraft impacted uncontrollably, exploded and burned. Aircraft consumed by fire. All crew and passengers were killed. Eleven lives were lost." Eye witnesses to the crash indicated it probably was due to both hydraulic boost systems being shot out which rendered the aircraft uncontrollable. The known American dead were 1stLt Robert William Armenio, pilot 1stLt Daunt Brunell Sanders, copilot GySgt Raymond Gibel, gunner HM1 Charles Lehman Hackworth, Corpsman, MAG-16 Cpl John Henry Harris Jr., gunner Cpl John Thomas McDaniel, crew chief LCpl Michael F Gramlick, gunner LCpl Leon Ross Barickman, passenger Lima 3/5 Marines PFC Ronald James Scharf, passenger, F Bty, 2/11 Marines While the Command Chronology states that "eleven lives were lost" the casualty database shows only nine Americans lost in the incident. The HMM-364 site indicates that one prisoner was aboard; on another site Robert Garcia states that he "was bumped off [the helicopter] because our wounded and the POW's took priority." It therefore seems certain that both the tenth and eleventh casualties were prisoners.

"You guys are the Marine's doctors - There's none better in the business than a Navy Corpsman ..." -- Lieutenant General "Chesty" Puller -- Visit John Dennison's Medics on the Wall memorial which honors the Army Medics and Navy Corpsmen who died in Vietnam.

The point-of-contact for this memorial is HMM-364 and the Purple Foxy Ladies, Frank Gulledge, Point Man gulledge@bbtel.com  31 Aug 2003

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With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Channing Prothro, former CAP Marine
Last updated 08/31/2003