Incident Date 19671130 HMM-362 UH-34D 148810+ – Hostile Fire, Crash
[CREW]
Kisucky, Anthony Edward 1stLT Co-Pilot HMM-362 MAG-16 1967-11-30 (vvm 31E:013)
Hays, William Brian Cpl Crew HMM-362 MAG-16 1967-11-30 (vvm 31E:012)
Darrow, Donnie Len Maj Pilot HMM-362 MAG-16 1967-11-30 (vvm 31E:010)
Bird III, George Allison Cpl Crew HMM-362 MAG-16 1967-11-30 (vvm 31E:009)
KISUCKY ANTHONY EDWARD : 0100627 : USMCR : 1stLT : O2 : 7561 H-34 : 23 : CHICAGO
: IL : 19671130 : hostile, crash, land : Crew : body recovered : Thua Thien (Hue) :06 : 19440618 : Cauc : Roman Catholic/single : 31E : 013
HAYS WILLIAM BRIAN : 2125349 : USMC : CPL : E4 : 6320 : 19 : BATON ROUGE : LA
: 19671130 : hostile, crash, land : Crew : body recovered : Thua Thien (Hue) :03
: 19480904 : Cauc : Protestant/single : 31E : 012
DARROW DONNIE LEN : 079529 : USMC : MAJ : O4 : 7561 H-34 : 30 : LEBANON : MO :
19671130 : hostile, crash, land : AircraftCommander : body recovered : Thua
Thien (Hue) :08 : 19370119 : Cauc : Protestant/married : 31E : 010
BIRD GEORGE ALLISON III : 2256845 : USMC : CPL : E4 : 6320 : 21 : SAVANNAH : GA : 19671130 : hostile, crash, land : Crew : body recovered : Thua Thien (Hue) :02 : 19460301 : Cauc : Roman Catholic/single : 31E : 009
MAG-36 records
“On 22 November 1968 the wreckage of of YL-42 7 kilometers east of Phu Loc…aircraft crashed into Dong Nhut Mountain while in clouds at night by the 1st ARVN Division, 154th Regiment. The wreckage was identified as an HMM-362 aircraft missing since 30 November 1967. The remains of 4 crewmen were found and removed to the mortuary at Da Nang.”
Submitted by: N/A, 20030815
This location is Dong Nhut mountain, a steep, prominent feature that juts up from sea level to over 1800m.
In a tragic coincidence, three weeks earlier, also in poor weather, on 8 October 1967, a U.S. Air Force C-130 crashed into the north face of Dong Nhut Mountain. Wreckage was found by E/2/26 Marines beginning 10 OCT, 1967 100m below the 1850m summit… all 23 servicemen on board perished in the crash.
Personal Narrative
I always wondered what happen to Bird and Hays. All we were told is that they went down. Bird was somewhat quiet, he sported a mustache at the time of his death. Hays was a pistol, small frame and always talking about coon hunting. Hays, Bird and I drank a few beers in Phu Bai at the old beer houch.
Hays could’nt wait to fly. If I remember right he hadn’t been flying long before his death. Have often looked in the “Ugly Angles” picture book to view their pictures. I went to a replica of the Vietnam Wall and found Birds name, did’nt see Hays name. I think of those guys from time to time.
I was with HMM 362 for two tours.
Submitted by: Charles (Robbie) Robinson, buddy from Boston, 20040126
Personal Recollection
I was down at the flight line shack talking to Hays & Bird, as I remember. Hays was eating a bag lunch from the chow hall. We talked about the low cloud conditions which were really low clouds hanging fog. He to me some must go.
Someone came to me and asked if I wanted to go on the mission. I said I am not on flight pay status right now – a “heavy” came to me and informed me that it would not be a problem, to be put on flight status. I declined because of bad weather. Next morning someone told me that they never returned that night. To this day I feel guilty about the situation – I just do not know why I was asked and it bothers me a lot. The whole crew were great men – they gave their all. In fact they are all good men.
Submitted by: Bill Linebaugh, Talked w/Hays & Bird III before they departed, 20110929