Page 81 - Images: We were...We are

James Weston Cherrick - NOTES FROM THE VIRTUAL WALL

On 15 July 1966 an aerial assault was conducted into Landing Zone Crow, about 5
miles northeast of the Rockpile in Quang Tri Province. Since LZ Crow was
marginally large enough to hold four CH-46s at a time, the 24-ship assault force
was divided into six sections of four aircraft each. The first two sections landed
witout incident, but one CH-46 from the third section landed long into a tree line
but came to rest outside the LZ area. Disaster struck the fifth section when the
rotor disks of two CH-46s overlapped causing severe damage to both aircraft and
killing two Marines on the ground.

A CH-46A (tail number 152500) from HMM-265 was detailed to carry a reaction
force to guard the three downed CH-46s at LZ Crow. According to an official USMC
source

"At 1815, while inserting a reaction company to guard the three CH-46s in LZ Crow,
HMM-265's EP-171, ... was hit at 1,500 feet by 12.7mm fire. Photos taken from the
ground show smoke coming from the cockpit windows and flames from the rear of
the aircraft. When they tried landing on Crow, smoke filled the cockpit so no one
could see. They overshot the LZ and crashed ..." Fifteen men died in the crash:

x HMM-265, MAG-16
o Sgt Robert R. Telfer, Fonda, NY
x A Co, 1st Eng Bn
o 2ndLt Ronald K. Cullers, Shelbina, MO
x B Co, 3rd Eng Bn
o Cpl James M. Reid, Philadelphia, PA
x E Co, 2nd Bn, 1st Marines
o SSgt Herolin T. Simmons, Ahoskie, NC (Silver Star, 5/29/66)
o Cpl Orson H. Case, Johnstown, NY
o HM3 Andrew P. Chamaj, Scenery Hill, PA
o Cpl Paul R. Chambers, Scottsboro, AL
o Pfc James W. Cherrick, New York, NY
o Pfc Michael A. Cunnion, Mount Vernon, NY
o Pfc Michael A. Gooden, Bellflower, CA
o Pfc Carl W. Schloemer, Bellefontaine Neighbors, MO
o Pfc Gerald E. Stubstad, Chicago, IL
x H&S Co, 2nd Bn, 1st Marines
o HM3 Mark V. Dennis, Miamisburg, OH
x H&S Co, 3rd Bn, 4th Marines
o Cpl William J. Lilly, Rowayton, CT
o HN John N. Morris, Meldrim, GA

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