Helicopter UH-1B 62-01916

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1B tail number 62-01916
Date: 630913
Accident case number: 06985 Forced Landing without damage Accident
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0
costing 0
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.

Crew Members:
P O2 INGHAM DF

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1B tail number 62-01916
Date: 04/10/1964
Incident number: 08055ACD Accident case number: 08055 Total Loss Accident
Unit: 114 AHC
South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 12 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 8
costing 193648
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database. Army Aviation Safety Center database. Also: OPERA (Operations Report. )
Loss to Inventory

Crew Members:
P 1LT GALAMBOS JOSEPH GARY KIA
AC WO1 MILLER DAVID EDWARD INJ
CE SP4 CAVANAUGH WILLIAM THOMAS KIA
G PFC SHIMEK ALBERT LAWRENCE KIA

Passengers:
X2 UNK, PAX, 5; X2 UNK, PAX, 5; X2 UNK, PAX, 5; X2 UNK, PAX, 5; X2 UNK, PAX, 5; X2 UNK, PAX, 5; X2 UNK, PAX, 5; X2 UNK, PAX, 5;

This record was last updated on 09/20/1998

The following is crew member information for this incident:

Name: SP4 William Thomas Cavanaugh
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 04/10/1964 while performing the duty of Crew Chief.
Age at death: 23.0
Date of Birth: 04/08/1941
Home City: Central Falls, RI
Service: regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 114 AHC
Major organization: other
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 01E-048
Short Summary: Tail boom separated in flight at 1500 ft. and crashed.
Aircraft: UH-1B tail number 62-01916
Service number: 11396885
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: *
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: weapons
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: crew chief
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
Length of service: 02
Location: Unknown Province
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes
married male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Roman Catholic
The following information is secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: non-battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: enlisted personnel
This record was last updated on 07/29/1995

Name: PFC Albert Lawrence Shimek
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 04/10/1964 while performing the duty of Gunner.
Age at death: 28.5
Date of Birth: 10/08/1935
Home City: Houston, TX
Service: regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 114 AHC
Major organization: other
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 01E-048
Short Summary: Tail boom separated in flight at 1500 ft. and crashed.
Aircraft: UH-1B tail number 62-01916
Service number: 15504078
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: *
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: weapons
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: door gunner
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
Length of service: 08
Location: Unknown Province
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Roman Catholic
The following information is secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: non-battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: enlisted personnel
This record was last updated on 07/29/1995

Name: WO1 David Edward Miller
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 04/10/1964 while performing the duty of Aircraft Commander.
Died 8 days later on 04/18/1964.
Age at death: 21.6
Date of Birth: 09/05/1942
Home City: Olney, IL
Service: TC branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 114 AHC
Major organization: other
Flight class: 63-7W
Service: TC branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 01E-049
Short Summary: Tail boom separated in flight at 1500 ft. Galambos, Cavanaugh, & Shimek + 8 PAXs killed. Miller died in Saigon Hospital 8 days later.
Aircraft: UH-1B tail number 62-01916
Service number: W3151612
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: *
Primary cause: Lost tail boom
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: fire or burns
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: co-pilot
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
Length of service: 03
Location: Unknown Province
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Protestant - no denominational preference
The following information is secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: non-battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: warrant officer
This record was last updated on 07/28/1994

Name: 1LT Joseph Gary Galambos
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 04/10/1964 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 23.5
Date of Birth: 10/25/1940
Home City: Sonora, CA
Service: IN branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 114 AHC
Major organization: other
Service: IN branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 01E-049
Short Summary: Tail boom separated in flight at 1500 ft and crashed with WO1 David Edward Miller who died 04/18/64 in Saigon Hospital. See memo.
Aircraft: UH-1B tail number 62-01916
Service number: O5310877
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: *
Primary cause: Lost tail boom
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: weapons
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: pilot
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - pilot
Length of service: 04
Location: Unknown Province

Additional information about this casualty:
David E. Miller and Joseph G. Galambos were flying together in the 114 AHC. We were 15 aircraft in trail on an eagle flight for a troop insertion. At 2500 ft the tailboom left the aircraft (this was the first know tailboom separation in flight). The fusalage started spinning opposite the rotor blade and the ARVN troops were slung out in flight. We watched them go in. The A/C caught fire and Miller got away from the A/C. He went back to the pilot station and tried to save Galambos who was engulfed in flames. He appearantly inhaled a lot of flames. Galambos died immediately and Miller died 8 days later from burnt lungs. Lewis J. Postles 3333 Austin Dr. Mobile, AL 3669

Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Lutheran (Missouri Synod)
The following information is secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: non-battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: officer
This record was last updated on 07/29/1994

Return to Main Index

Please send additions or corrections to:
Gary Roush, Webmaster VHPA
43 Overbrook Road
Painted Post, NY 14870