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Brothers Killed in Action in USMC Helicopters or while assigned to USMC Helicopter Squadrons in Vietnam



690602   HMM-161     Vietnam

Incident Date 690602 HMM-161 CH-46D 153970+ Hostile Fire, Crash

[CREW]
Akins, Donald Wayne Cpl Crew Chief HMM-161 PROVMAG-39 690602 (vvm 23W:116)
Cavanagh, Michael Howard HM2 Corpsman-Crew Corpsmen PROVMAG-39 690602 (vvm 23W:042)

AKINS DONALD WAYNE : 2233118 : USMC : CPL : E4 : 6320 : 21 : SPIRO : OK : 19690609 : Hostile Crash Land (died of wounds) : Crew : body recovered :Quang Tri :03 : 19471012 : Cauc : Protestant/single : 23W : 116

CAVANAGH MICHAEL HOWARD : B818521 : USNR : HM2 : E5 : HM2 : 24 : COOS BAY : OR : 19690602 : hostile, crash, land : Crew - Corpsman : body recovered : Quang Tri (Khe Sanh) : 03 : 19441024 : Cauc : Protestant/married : 23W : 042

Comment on Incident:
HMM-161 CH-46A shot down, crashed, burned – east of Khe Sanh; Quang Tri Province – George Kontrabecki was AircraftCommander. Scarface gunship escort (HML-367) was eyewitness - F. Cuddy, pilot; G. Hawes, copilot.

Personal:
would like to hear from someone my brother served with.
Submitted by John R Cavanagh, younger brother of mike

Personal Letter:
Don Akins - no better friend a person could have. Think of him all the time.

Don was the first person I met when I moved to Sallisaw, OK for my Jr. year. We became friends immediately and our friendship lasted forever. He was somewhat of a daredevil - not afraid to try anything.

He was very athletic, earning all conference as a fullback on the football team and as a guard on the basketball team. He was the oldest of three children with a younger sister, Judy, and little brother who I believe was Marty.

We had our 20 year reunion in 1985. He was remembered in the program and there were not many dry eyes in the old school.

As so many before and after, he left us too early, but will be in our hearts forever - he was the closest to a brother that I ever had.

Class of '65 - Sallisaw, Oklahoma

Submitted by Jim Wright, Don Akins Best friend in High School

Cpl Donald W. Akins:

http://www.popasmoke.com/visions/image.php?source=1405





Submitted by MGySgt George Curtis, Popasmoke Admin
USMC/COMBAT HELICOPTER ASSOCIATION

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