CH-53 Crash Khe Sanh 1968

CH-53 crashed at Khe Sanh 68
Comment by: Ed Evans on Jan 21, 2008 03:18 PM
This was not a crash. It had originally been hit on the runway by an RPG that tore up the cables in the tail. A Marine pilot and a tech-rep were sent up to repair it and fly it out. As it was taxiing for take-off, the stabilizer, or something came loose in the main rotor and the rotors on top, came forward and sliced both pilots out of their front seats. It happened right in front of where our and the MP bunker was. One blade came loose and went singing through the air like a giant sword over the MP bunker. I popped out of the bunker alongside the runway and began taking pictures, Chuck McCormick came out after me and ran toward the wreckage. The whole thing was jumping up and down like some pulsating animal, and the crew was frozen under the main rotor. Chuck pulled them out and got them to safety as it continued to pulsate and smoke. Chuck got a bronze star for his actions. When I got my film back, someone had poked a hole in each negative. Years later i destroyed many of the more grotesque photos I had taken during my two tours there, and if those photos had come out, I would have destroyed them, as well. The memories are bad enough.
Comment by: Patrick Murgallis on Jul 13, 2008 08:49 PM
For the correct information on this photo go to photo #1907 ..The information here is wrong..I was on the 53 in this picture and we did get shot down as a matter of fact YH21 was the 1st 53 shot down in VN and the only one at Khe Sanh. So the events you describe as happening did not happen with this helicopter. S/F Sgt P. Murgallis

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Admin

[Dec 24, 2013 at 12:00 AM]

This was not a crash. It had originally been hit on the runway by an RPG that tore up the cables in the tail. A Marine pilot and a techrep were sent up to repair it and fly it out. As it was taxiing for take-off, the stabilizer, or something came loose in the main rotor and the rotors on top ,came forward and sliced both pilots out of their front seats. It happened right in front of where our and the MP bunker was. One blade came loose and went singing through the air like a giant sword over the MP bunker. I popped out of the bunker alongside the runway and began taking pictures, Chuck McCormick came out after me and ran toward the wreckage. The whole thing was jumping up and down like some pulsating animale, and the crew was frozen under the main rotor. Chuck pulled them out and got them to safety as it continued to pulsate and smoke. Chuck got a bronze star for his actions. When I got my film back, someone had poked a hole in each negative. Years later i destroyed many of the more grotesque photos I had taken during my two tours there, and if those photos had come out, I would have destroyed them, as well. The memories are bad enough. -Submitted by: Ed Evans [Gyrene242@aol.com] 2008-01-21

Admin

[Dec 24, 2013 at 12:00 AM]

For the correct information on this photo go to photo#1907..The information here is wrong..I was on the 53 in this picture and we did get shot down as a matter of fact YH21 was the 1st 53 shot down in VN and the only one at Khe Sanh. So the events you describe as happening did not happen with this helicopter. Call me at 408 836 3992 for more info. SEMPER FI SGT P. MURGALLISFKJL -Submitted by: PATRICK mURGALLIS [MURGALLIS@HOTMAIL.COM] 2008-07-13

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