Not Quite There, 2...

HMM-161, Early 1969, near Khe Sanh. This 46 came up short of the platform on Hill ??. It is laying in a minefield, having slid down there from the edge of the platform. You can see the platform in the center, with a dog and his handler standing on it.

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The hill is 950 in both! Two great pics especially the close up of the chopper up-side down. Semper Fi, Dennis Mannion [dmmkhesanh@hotmail.com]

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I remember when we recovered the aircraft, there was twenty miles of wire wrapped up in the rotor heads. I cut wire for a couple hours. JD CROSS JDCROSSENT@aol.com

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From: Craig.Fitzgibbon@ngc.com, Dec 16, 2005 11:52 AM
Hi, My name is Craig Fitzgibbon I was a Cpl. With C/1/9, we were the next chopper going in, right after this bird flip off the pad. We landed and helped the guys out, I remember how impressed the pilots were . They tried to land and the back wheels hit the edge of the landing platform and starting them to flip. The only reason the bird did not go down the hill is that it fell on a stump that went through the fuselage and held the bird in place. Semper Fi, Craig

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From: Bob Webster , Date: Jan 9, 2006 8:31 AM
I was platoon commander of 2nd Platoon, C/1/9, when we were being choppered in to Hill 950 for what proved to be a fairly relaxing month of perimeter security duty. I actually got on this chopper at the departure LZ but was pulled off by the crew chief (fortunately for me!) to lighten the load. A section of 81 mm mortars was on board, as I recall, and it must have been hell inside when the bird flipped, with all that heavy metal flying around inside. I was on the next bird in along with Craig Fitzgibbon (previous post) and was astonished to see it lying there on its back. Luckily no one was killed. Semper fi, Bob Webster

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Comment by: David Rice on May 3, 2007 02:52 PM
I was on 950 with Fox 2/4 in May of 1969. We had a night medivac and the 46 came up toward the interior LZ right above where the chopper in the picture is lying. I was on perimeter duty for security right below the 46 coming in and I thought I could have reached up and touched its belly it was so low. I thought it was going to crash on me. When I saw this photo I realized I came closer to being crushed than I knew at the time.

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Comment by: Ken Bird MSG RET on Dec 29, 2008 11:25 AM
I served on hill 950 for CCN It was a radio relay site during 1968 thru 71 I was there just prior to the hill overran by NVA. Summer 68. Cavani recieved the Medal of Honor. I was replaced by him prior to his capture...