On January 21, 1968, Captain Tommy C. Stiner, pilot, WO Gerald L. McKensey Jr., co-pilot; SSgt. Billy D. Hill, doorgunner; andSP5 David H. Harrington, crewchief; were aboard the lead UH1D helicopter and PVT Jerry W. Elliott was the doorgunner on the following UH1D on a troop insertion mission. The two choppers were inserting ARVN troops at an old French Fort approximately 1200 meters east of Khe Sanh. Also in the lead aircraft was LtCol. Semyo, senior advisor to the ARVN unit being inserted.

As WO McKensey's aircraft touched down on the landing zone, NVA troops stood up all around the aircraft and began firing at almost point blank range. As soon as all the ARVN troops were off loaded, the aircraft lifted off. At approximately 8-10 feet off the ground, the aircraft was hit by either a 57mm recoilless rifle or a direct hit mortar fire, burst into flames, and crashed. PVT Elliott, doorgunner and crewchief were on another UH1D that landed approximatley 50-60 feet from the crashed aircraft.

LtCol. Semyo died while pinned under the aircraft. His body was subsequently recovered. The pilot, Stiner, exited the aircraft successfully, evaded capture and returned to friendly lines. Harrington was able to board one of the rescue aircraft that had landed in the LZ. Before leaving the vicinity, Capt. Stiner was in a defensive position with WO McKensey. Stiner later reported that he witnessed McKensey being shot in the back of the head and killed.

PVT Elliott and his crewchief exited their aircraft to assist survivors of the downed helicopter. In a matter of seconds, the crewchief returned to his aircraft and advised the pilot to take off immediately because of the highly intense hostile fire. The aircraft lifted off, leaving Elliott on the ground, circled and returned to the LZ, but could not locate PVT Elliott. Three days after the incident, a helicopter searched the area and observed a body in the tall elephant grass and small trees. By process of elimination, the pilot determined that the body was that of PVT Elliott.

Two sets of remains were recovered from the crash site by an unidentified unit and were later positively identified as those of Semyo and McKensey. Hill was last seen by Capt. Stiner just prior to the aircraft being hit in the compartment in which Hill was manning his machine gun. Stiner stated that Hill was probably struck by the same volley of rounds that downed the aircraft as his machine gun was observed blown to pieces. Stiner searched the area before taking evasive action, but could not locate Hill.

The information above is an interesting summary of what happened that January day in 1968, but it lacks feeling and depth. My father, who speaks with Jerry Elliott's sister, Donna, once in a while, obtained a copy of a 1986 letter she received from Tom Pullan who was also involved in the incident. Donna has been kind enough to let my father and I share this letter. Thank you, Donna ...