KIA INCIDENT: 19670224 HMM-163 Vietnam

Brothers (& Sisters) Killed in Action in USMC Helicopters or while assigned to USMC Helicopter or Tiltrotor Squadrons

19670224HMM-163 Vietnam

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Incident Date 19670224 HMM-163 UH-34D 150563+ - Hostile Fire, Crash

[CREW]
Cooper, Edwin Earl HN Corpsman-Crew HMM-163 MAG-16 1967-02-24 (vvm 15E:082)
Vernon, Paul Lawrence SSgt Crew HMM-163 MAG-16 1967-02-24 (vvm 15E:088)
Mason, Charles Gilbert 1stLT Co-Pilot HMM-163 MAG-16 1967-02-24 (vvm 15E:085)
Castle, Roger Allen Cpl Crew HMM-163 MAG-16 1967-02-24 (vvm 15E:082)
Ayres, Albert Boyd Maj Pilot HMM-163 MAG-16 1967-02-24 (vvm 15E:081)

COOPER EDWIN EARL : 6999721 : USNR :HN : E3 : HN : 21 : CHULA VISTA : CA : 19670224 : hostile, crash, land : Crew - Corpsman: body recovered : Thua Thien (Hue) :03 : 19450607 : Cauc : Protestant/single : 15E : 082
VERNON PAUL LAWRENCE : 1663365 : USMC : SSGT : E6 : 7113 : 31 : HOMESTEAD : PA : 19670224 : hostile, crash, land : Crew : body recovered : Thua Thien (Hue) :12 : 19350501 : Cauc : RomanCatholic/married : 15E : 088
MASON CHARLES GILBERT : 089828 : USMC : 1stLT : O2 : 7335 : 25 : CHEVERLY : MD : 19670224 : hostile, crash, land : Crew : body recovered : Thua Thien (Hue) :02 : 19420128 : Cauc : Protestant/married : 15E : 085
CASTLE ROGER ALLEN : 2034358 : USMC : CPL : E4 : 6422 : 22 : LONGACRE : WV : 19670224 : hostile, crash, land : Crew : body recovered : Thua Thien (Hue) :03 : 19440720 : Cauc : Protestant/single : 15E : 082
AYRES ALBERT BOYD : 070001 : USMC : MAJ : O4 : 7335 : 35 : GLEN FALLS : NY : 19670224 : hostile, crash, land : AircraftCommander : body recovered : Thua Thien (Hue) : 14 : 19320106 : Cauc : married : 15E : 081


HMM-163 Command Chronology - Feb 1967

24 February 1967 - Weather limited the flying in the Phu Bai area to medevacs, one emergency troop extraction and SAR missions. Normal operations conducted in the Dong Ha area were twelve (12) medevac missions. Major AYRES, while leading a flight on an emergency medevac, experienced inadvertant IFR conditions. Major AYRES waved the approach off and was attempting to return to Phu Bai when contact was lost between him and his wingman. Aircraft was later found crashed on a ridge line at YD 559299 with all crew members aboard receiving fatal injuries. A reaction team and the squadron flight surgeon were lifted to the crash site to examine wreckage and return the crew to Phu Bai. One member of the reaction team was killed and one member was wounded by enemy fire upon entering the crash site. Personnel inserted later reported they found what appeared to be four bullet holes in the remaining parts of the fuselage. Bodies of the crew were returned to Phu Bai. Major CARROLL, who was flying the SAR mission and the insertion of the reaction force at the crash site, received fire after dropping personnel into the zone. He was in an orbit above the zone when he received fire and experienced one hit to the main rotor blades.

Submitted by: Alan H Barbour, Historian, USMC/Vietnam Helicopter Association, 20040606

HMM-163 Command Chronology - Feb 1967

Casualties

The following personnel were casualties during the month of February as a direct result of enemy action:

AYRES, A B Major - Multiple Injuries
MASON, C G 1stLt - Multiple Injuries
CASTLE, R A Cpl - Multiple Injuries
VERNON, P L SSgt - Multiple Injuries
COOPER, E E HN - Multiple Injuries

Submitted by: Alan H Barbour, Historian, USMC/Vietnam Helicopter Association, 20040606

Personal Narrative

SSgt Vernon relieved me on this mission as I argued with SSgt Gouladi that I only needed 3 more missions for my air medal. He insisted that I work to repair some trucks for an inspection. Gouladi said that as soon as the work was done I could finnish the 3 missions. Someone was looking out for me! I've always felt sorry for Vernon as I heard he had a wife and kids. I flew with these guys for about a month and they were great Marines.

Submitted by: Cpl David Dessecker, Regular Door Gunner, 20060811

Dear Rick,
I was a hac that had been on duty for more than 36 hrs flying medevac and recon team insertions the night thru the morning of Feb 23rd , after already flying other missions my copilot and I were assigned to Al Ayers as his chase plane for the rest of the day and into the night, early morning before the sun came up.. By the time we were relieved on Feb 23, 67 we were at Dong Ha, not Phu Bai. I was told we were short of crews and after we had a good rest I would be needed to fill in as copilot with Ayers. He had been my boss in our non flying collateral duties and needed a chance to talk to me (wanted me to be a post maintenance test pilot I was later told).

I was so tired I laid on the cot in muddy boots after literally passing out from exhaustion.
The mission popped up just a few hours later, the duty officer awoke me to go with Ayers,....my body was vibrating and I had difficulty getting off the cot.
Your brother Buddy jumped up and eagerly volunteered to take the copilot seat with Ayers. I was asleep before I laid back on the cot.

When I awoke I learned they had hit the peak of a mountain, I think in the Ba Long valley the chase or gunship pilots said.

I have felt heavy guilt ever since, I had flown with your brother several times and thought the world of him. I feel if I would have been with Ayers he would not have hit the rocks, as I was very familiar with the Ba Long River valley . I think Ayers was so fatigued he wasnt fully functional and Buddy was hesitant to take over due he was just coming off being the new guy??

The crew chief, Paul Vernon, S Sgt was my para loft sergeant and I knew him well - he also was a great person.

Submitted by: John Zoller, squadron mate, intended co pilot for fatal mission, 20190807

Not a good day

Ed cooper sewed up my arm the night before, the doctor was not on base. We drank a bottle of cognac to deaden the pain of the stitches. We were asleep by 11pm. He had been called out late at night. When I awoke I went to the piss tube as they brought back his body. It was not a good day for him or me.
Dave

Submitted by: Dave Garred, Served together, 20190227

1stLt Charles Gilbert Mason

http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/cgmason.htm

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Submitted by: POPASMOKE Admin, 20050220

1stLt Charles Gilbert Mason

http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/cgmason.htm
BURIED AT: SECTION 10, SITE 10576B, L, ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

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Submitted by: POPASMOKE Admin, 20050220

Family Narrative

My brother was 1st Lt. Charles (Bud) Mason. I\'m very interested in contacting and hearing from anyone who knew and served with him in HMM-163 during his time in Vietnam from 09/66 - 02/67.
Thanks for your service.

Submitted by: Rick Mason, Brother of 1st Lt. Charles (Bud) Mason, 20080508

Opinion

Lt Bud Mason was a fairly new pilot and the fact that he was new actually saved my ass about a week before this incident. Major Ayres was somewhat a hot dog and great pilot to fly with in any type of conditions. We were flying convoy escort and Major Ayers got bored and decided to fly above the perfume river at 3 ft elevation and 60 mph just for fun. Ayres asked Mason if he wanted to take over the controls and he said yes! Mason took the bird up to 200 ft and leveled off at the exact time the engine died. Now we were over a rice paddy and in full auto rotation in a controlled crash into 2 ft of paddy water. Had we continued over the river at 3 ft, we would have gone end over end with no chance of survival. I don't believe that Maj Ayres just crashed his plane as I was told just after the incident; that they were hit by ground fire and went down.

Submitted by: Dave Dessecker, Door Gunner, 20090424

Family Information

Although 42 years have passed, he is still my "big" brother. Since the "sibling relationship" is supposed to be the longest one you will have in your life, the death of a sibling just extrapolates as we age. I have missed not only him, but all the "experiences" that should have happened to him as a person and to us as siblings. Can someone tell me something about that day? About my brother as a soldier? As a person?

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Submitted by: Carol Sullivan, Sister of Roger A. Castle., 20090709