From the VMO-2 Squadron Command Chronology, 28 March 1967: "UH-1E (BuNo 152419) on recon flight of Dong Ha TAOR was stuck by an undetermined number of .50 cal and small arms fire in cockpit and cabin area, incapacitating pilot and flight surgeon [observer], causing aircraft to enter uncontrolled flight and inverted nose-down attitude. Aircraft exploded on impact at YD 195625, and fire resulted. Fire caused 2.75" rockets and 7.62 mm machine gun ammunition to explode, preventing crew of chase aircraft from assisting crew. As a result, the pilot, flight surgeon, crew chief and gunner were killed." Comments on Incident: Shot down by 50-cal during perimeter sweep of Dong Ha - flying at 50 feet altitude in evening. Aircraft exploded on impact, inverted. N. Shinnick was flying chase as copilot with MAG-16 CO. Four men died in this incident: MAJ Jack Coleman Owens, Pilot LT Curtis Richard Baker, USN, Flight Surgeon (observer) CPL Paul Edward Albano, Crew Chief PFC George Mark Stevenson, Gunner Jack Owens was an excellent pilot and a good friend. Unfortunately, the mission assigned this day, which was usually very routine, had a traumatic ending for Jack and his crew. His copilot that day was LT Curt Baker, USN, squadron flight surgeon. They were on a routine perimeter sweep when the UH- 1E was hit with 50 cal. Due to their low altitude above ground, necessitated by the observation mission assigned, there was no recovery time after the hit. We will miss all four of them, including crew chief CPL Paul Albano and gunner PFC Mark Stevenson. Visit the USMC/Vietnam Helicopter Association

 

A memorial initiated by the Historian, USMC/Vietnam Helicopter Association, Alan H Barbour ahbarbour@popasmoke.com  25 May 2002

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