Ch-46 Medevacs Vietnam North "I " Corps

[Jim Maddox]

Hello - I'm new to this site. I was a corpsman with 2nd batt, 9th Marines, 3rd Mar Div '68-'69. I'm looking for CH-46 medevac pilots/crews that may have helped out my USMC company in operations in Vietnam's North "I" Corps regions from July 1968 thru Sept 1968.

Specifically July 20 1968, west of Con Thein, near the Ben Hai River, Hill 174 YD05367

Also Late Aug - early Sept '68 West of the Rockpile in vicinities of Hill 792 & 810 possibly area of Mountains known as Dong Ke Soc XD912564, Nui Tri Pong XD901538, & Nui BA Lao XD927547

Call signs may have been Fancy Dan or Grasshopper

Here is a description of one of the medevacs sometime between Aug 28 - Sept 2nd (if memory serves me on the dates), taken from an email from my former CO written a couple years ago when we re-made contact.

Hope to hear from anyone that reads this & was there then - and by the way - Thank You if you were.

Semper Fi

Doc Jim Maddox

[Slick]

Doc,
glad to see you onboard

[Jim Maddox]

[QUOTE=Slick;33861]Doc,
glad to see you onboard


Thanks for helping me get here Slick. Still learning the 'ropes' of the site, but if I make enough mistakes...I'll learn!

Doc

[Jerome HALL]

Hello - I'm new to this site. I was a corpsman with 2nd batt, 9th Marines, 3rd Mar Div '68-'69. I'm looking for CH-46 medevac pilots/crews that may have helped out my USMC company in operations in Vietnam's North "I" Corps regions from July 1968 thru Sept 1968.

Specifically July 20 1968, west of Con Thein, near the Ben Hai River, Hill 174 YD05367

Also Late Aug - early Sept '68 West of the Rockpile in vicinities of Hill 792 & 810 possibly area of Mountains known as Dong Ke Soc XD912564, Nui Tri Pong XD901538, & Nui BA Lao XD927547

Call signs may have been Fancy Dan or Grasshopper

Here is a description of one of the medevacs sometime between Aug 28 - Sept 2nd (if memory serves me on the dates), taken from an email from my former CO written a couple years ago when we re-made contact.

Hope to hear from anyone that reads this & was there then - and by the way - Thank You if you were.

Semper Fi

Doc Jim Maddox

wAS WONDERING just what part of 1969 you was there?

[Jim Maddox]

wAS WONDERING just what part of 1969 you was there?

Hello Jerry -

I left end of May '69.

[mecollins]

Hello - I'm new to this site. I was a corpsman with 2nd batt, 9th Marines, 3rd Mar Div '68-'69. I'm looking for CH-46 medevac pilots/crews that may have helped out my USMC company in operations in Vietnam's North "I" Corps regions from July 1968 thru Sept 1968.

Specifically July 20 1968, west of Con Thein, near the Ben Hai River, Hill 174 YD05367

Also Late Aug - early Sept '68 West of the Rockpile in vicinities of Hill 792 & 810 possibly area of Mountains known as Dong Ke Soc XD912564, Nui Tri Pong XD901538, & Nui BA Lao XD927547

Call signs may have been Fancy Dan or Grasshopper

Here is a description of one of the medevacs sometime between Aug 28 - Sept 2nd (if memory serves me on the dates), taken from an email from my former CO written a couple years ago when we re-made contact.

Hope to hear from anyone that reads this & was there then - and by the way - Thank You if you were.

Semper Fi

Doc Jim Maddox

Dale Riley & I have been working closely together on this 'project'.,since your first post.
I just received a copy of a reference book.,that should be of tremandous value in answering your questions.
This is a 'mission' for us.,so,wish us well. LOL
Craze

[mecollins]

Doc,
glad to see you onboard

Hey,Slick..,it's always great to see people besides us "Fly-fly Boys".,on board. Because of association..,we're ALL a Brotherhood
Craze

[mecollins]

[QUOTE=Jim Maddox;33869]

Doc,
glad to see you onboard


Thanks for helping me get here Slick. Still learning the 'ropes' of the site, but if I make enough mistakes...I'll learn!

Doc

Welcome aboard.,& we'll all help you out with the site.,especially the "Daily Log-in". Great place to check in on each other & a bit of good natured badgering.
Craze

[Jim Maddox]

Hey,Slick..,it's always great to see people besides us "Fly-fly Boys".,on board. Because of association..,we're ALL a Brotherhood
Craze

Hey Craze - I really appreciate you putting your energy & resources into this. I met Dale today in Gibsonia- a real straight up guy. He mentioned you, & that you were looking into some data. Needless to say it would be "phe-Nam-enal" to hook up with anyone on those medevacs.

Wishin' you the wellist

and much Thanks Brother

[mecollins]

Hey Craze - I really appreciate you putting your energy & resources into this. I met Dale today in Gibsonia- a real straight up guy. He mentioned you, & that you were looking into some data. Needless to say it would be "phe-Nam-enal" to hook up with anyone on those medevacs.

Wishin' you the wellist

and much Thanks Brother

Appreciation noted & now that I have that honkin' big ol' reference book.,Dale & I should be able to hook you up with the crew involved.
Take care,
Craze

[Jim Maddox]

Appreciation noted & now that I have that honkin' big ol' reference book.,Dale & I should be able to hook you up with the crew involved.
Take care,
Craze

Checking to see if you came up with anything from the big mother-of-all reference books?

Thanks in advance for even looking!

Doc

[Dale A Riley]

Doc, I did not think you were on a tiger bird but Craze seems to think so. (And you'll not see me disagree with Craze)
The HMM-262 AAR's have lots going on that day, Operation Lancaster II, with several "fancy dan" notations between pages 396 and 417 of 650 for the month. Pages 416/417 refer to FancyDan "G" at 055684 with 6 medevacs on a flight led by LtCo. Mel Steinberg (who is alive and well today and came up from Fl for our last reunion in July) The flights on pages 410/411 and 414/415 were also fancydan among others and had more medevacs listed. The exact grid seems to be the key if we can find it but the flights were into so many zones ??

[Jim Maddox]

Doc, I did not think you were on a tiger bird but Craze seems to think so. (And you'll not see me disagree with Craze)
The HMM-262 AAR's have lots going on that day, Operation Lancaster II, with several "fancy dan" notations between pages 396 and 417 of 650 for the month. Pages 416/417 refer to FancyDan "G" at 055684 with 6 medevacs on a flight led by LtCo. Mel Steinberg (who is alive and well today and came up from Fl for our last reunion in July) The flights on pages 410/411 and 414/415 were also fancydan among others and had more medevacs listed. The exact grid seems to be the key if we can find it but the flights were into so many zones ??

Dale - Much thanks for the pursuit. Not exactly a "needle in haystack" situation, but I can see it's taking a lot of digging until the right ones comes up. Re-reading my unit chronicles it says YD053687/062688 for coordinates of the area at Hill 174, if that helps.

Also made contact with one of my Nam corpsman buddies after no contact for 43 years (we had worked on wounded together) over the weekend and he recalled meeting a medevac Pilot from our Hill 792 Op while he was on R&R in Nam. He said he thinks he was a Major at the time by the name of Iller or Illey. Does this name come up in any reference material?

Is there anyway I can contact LtCol Steinberg?

Greatly appreciate the effort you & Craze are making.

Doc

[Dale A Riley]

Major Leo Ihli (pronounced I-lee) XO of HMM-262 - a mustang from Korea, see photo of me with him under squadron listing. Unfortunately he has RTB

[Jim Maddox]

Major Leo Ihli (pronounced I-lee) XO of HMM-262 - a mustang from Korea, see photo of me with him under squadron listing. Unfortunately he has RTB

------------------------
I'm still trying to figure out how to get around this site Dale. I went to what I thought was Vietnam Squadrons under HMM -262, but didn't see you & the Major.

By the way - I guess I'm "too civilian-ized" or something, but I don't know what RTB stands for - but when you put 'unfortunately' I think I get the picture - like R.I.P.

My buddy, Doc Ron, would like to see the photo no doubt!

Also is LtCol Steinberg possible to get in touch with? Is he on this site or have an email address I can get in touch thru?

Thanks

[sutterwl]

According to the 2/9 Jul68 Command Chronology, G/2/9 "Fancy Dan Golf" engaged an NVA force(s) near Hill 174 vic YD053684 on 20Jul68 between 1130 and 1530 local time.

There are no HMM-161 records at the Texas Tech Archive for July 1968.

The HMM-262 July 68 AAR's show two missions that may be what you are looking for:

page 410 is a morning mission that took fire at G/2/9 at 1230 local

page 416 is a afternoon mission that serviced G/2/9

both missions picked up medevacs from someone

Hope this helps. Good luck. Semper Fi

Fighting Mad 1 - 4 Actual. Out.
Wayne Sutter

[Jim Maddox]

According to the 2/9 Jul68 Command Chronology, G/2/9 "Fancy Dan Golf" engaged an NVA force(s) near Hill 174 vic YD053684 on 20Jul68 between 1130 and 1530 local time.

There are no HMM-161 records at the Texas Tech Archive for July 1968.

The HMM-262 July 68 AAR's show two missions that may be what you are looking for:

page 410 is a morning mission that took fire at G/2/9 at 1230 local

page 416 is a afternoon mission that serviced G/2/9

both missions picked up medevacs from someone

Hope this helps. Good luck. Semper Fi

Fighting Mad 1 - 4 Actual. Out.
Wayne Sutter

--------------

Thank you for jumping in here Wayne - I'm not sure how to read these reports, but it looks like you have found the possible info.
It's been deduced, that because of the number of KIA's (3) & wounded (11) there was more than one medevac. Maybe someone on this site will respond to having been on those choppers or knows someone that was. There was also a KIA, the next day, on July 21st near that hill by a rocket attack.

Appreciate you posting,
Semper Fi
Doc

[Jim Maddox]

Major Leo Ihli (pronounced I-lee) XO of HMM-262 - a mustang from Korea, see photo of me with him under squadron listing. Unfortunately he has RTB

Dale - Wayne Sutter aka Sutterwl has posted these medevac reports & there is a Fancy Dan "G" on the one page with just about Hill 174's coordinates & it's signed off by Lt Col Steinberg!

And on closer inspection it looks like there is also a pilot named Cole that has Hill 174 coordinates on the report sheet for that day.

Doc

[Dale A Riley]

Doc, It's photo #13776 (on page 2) of HMM-262 list. I got a reply from LtCol Steinberg and will send you his email address. I have been looking for his co-pilot that day myself for the last couple years, so who knows.
RTB - Returned to Base Major Ihli is on the left, one squared away old corps Marine - I'm the super short two beered kid on the right.

[Jim Maddox]

Doc, It's photo #13776 (on page 2) of HMM-262 list. I got a reply from LtCol Steinberg and will send you his email address. I have been looking for his co-pilot that day myself for the last couple years, so who knows.
RTB - Returned to Base Major Ihli is on the left, one squared away old corps Marine - I'm the super short two beered kid on the right.

Great - I'm anxious to touch base with LtCol Steinberg. If you didn't read the note below this latest post of yours, about info from Wayne Sutter - There was a Lt Cole (Do you know of him?) that flew one of the medevacs Hill 174 also.

You were a two fisted drinker huh?

[Jerome HALL]

Dale its surprizing that you remember after 2 BIG BEERs ! so short!!!

[timothy]

You should share your beer!

[mecollins]

You should share your beer!

Why.,this must be Dale's day in the 'barrel'. LOL
Craze

[mecollins]

Still 'no joy' at getting any response from "The Old Tigers" assoc.,but it appears this mission is coming together nicely.,thanks to help from all you guys.
I'm going to see if I can get any response from the VHPA admin. Perhaps they may have some suggestions for clearing away some of the cobwebs.
Thanks for your help guys,
Craze

[Jim Maddox]

I made contact with LtCol Mel Steinberg over the past couple days. It seems he was one of the pilots that came into Hill 174. I could of written a page or 2 of a long list of reasons of gratitude etc I felt about the medevacs & the crews that flew them. But I really didn't know how to say it or what to say except a big heartfelt THANK YOU for the skill & risk it took to get the guys out.

I'm hoping I'll be able to make contact with others, but if not, I do feel satisfied about what has transpired & appreciate all the help from you all that were involved here on this great site.

OORAH & Semper Fi

& thanks for helping this old 'Doc' out

[mecollins]

I made contact with LtCol Mel Steinberg over the past couple days. It seems he was one of the pilots that came into Hill 174. I could of written a page or 2 of a long list of reasons of gratitude etc I felt about the medevacs & the crews that flew them. But I really didn't know how to say it or what to say except a big heartfelt THANK YOU for the skill & risk it took to get the guys out.

I'm hoping I'll be able to make contact with others, but if not, I do feel satisfied about what has transpired & appreciate all the help from you all that were involved here on this great site.

OORAH & Semper Fi

& thanks for helping this old 'Doc' out

Speaking on behalf of myself & the rest of the helicopter community.,you are very welcome. I can't imagine anything more gratifying than a word of appreciation from those that we flew in support of.
Glad to hear that you hooked up with Mel & I'm sure that he has the means to send out additional 'feelers' to finalize this quest for you. (Does this mean that I'm fired LOL)
Once again welcome to the Group. Paraphrasing Col. Hal Moore "When the s**t starts.,all we're gonna have is each other." Thoughts are,that this is what binds us all together as a brotherhood.
Personally.,I like to express my deepest gratitude to you & your fellow corpsmen. Were it not for you fellas,your aid & selfless commitment to duty..,so many of my fellow Marines would not have made the return to CONUS outside the box.
Thank you,
Craze

[Otto]

Sounds like you would like to contact pilot "Lt Cole". That would probably be B.B. Cole. I had left the squadron by then, but I have an email address for BB.........contact me and I will provide email address for him.

[Dan Jones]

Doc,

I worked that area too, but was med-evac'ed in June of 1968. I've replied to your thread in the hopes you might have known, or know how I might contact, Navy/Marine Corpsman Woodard Colvin. Doc Woodie saved my life on 11 June 1968 in the vicinity of Red Beach, north of Da Nang, an action for which he was awarded the Bronze Star.

I still owe him the legendary bottle of booze. Any tips on how I might find him would be greatly appreciated!!

Semper Fidelis,

Dan Jones, (Then 1st Lt., HMM-164).
djon0741@aol.com

602-684-8816 (Mobile)
Chandler, AZ

[Jim Maddox]

Sounds like you would like to contact pilot "Lt Cole". That would probably be B.B. Cole. I had left the squadron by then, but I have an email address for BB.........contact me and I will provide email address for him.

George - My apologies for taking so long to respond. I have not been on this site for a long while. If you see this reply, I would appreciate B.B. Coles email. You can reach me at my home email address: jmadd@comcast.net

Thank you