Crusader Down

This page sponsored by:

Pat Dougan.

Pat was flying one of the Rat Pack gun ships
and dedicates this page to all  that served on November 27, 1968

Crusade1 copy.jpg (39556 bytes)
Original Art Work By Joe Kline - ************ - Image copyright Joe Kline
Picture concept by owner Pat Dougan

| Table of Contents |

The crew of the burning aircraft are:

Aircraft Commander: CW2 Bob Trezona (WIA)
Pilot: 1LT Thomas A. Pienta (WIA)
Crew Chief: Specialist James G. Brady (KIA)
Door Gunner: Steve Toppi (WIA)


Aircraft was a
UH-1H # 67-17784.  
Aircraft had a total of 110 hours on it when destroyed

 

Other crew members who gave their life on this day :
WO1 Allen Eugune Duneman (KIA)
1LT. August Karl Ritzau (KIA)
SGT. Jerome Dee Chandler (KIA)
SP5 Dave DeWitt Creel (KIA)
SP4 Fredrick Harry Frazer (KIA)

 

All of our thanks and blessings to our brothers, the Grunts who served with us and gave their lives or limbs on this day.  I am very sorry we do not have a list of their names.

 

 

Flight positions and crews for insertion.
  Formation was heavy left echelon.

Aircraft
No.
Chalk
Aircraft
Commander
Pilot
Crew Chief
Gunner
  67-17767
C&C
Jim Gaffney
 
Dave (Doc) Brown
 
 
Lead
Tom Tesmar
 
 
Alan Wise 
 67-
17555
2
Peter Davis
Mike Sharp 
 
 
 
3
 
 
 
 
 
4
 
 
 
 
 
5
Allen Duneman  (KIA)
August Ritzau  (KIA)
 
 
66-16574
6
Ron Timberlake
Bruce Eckerson
John R. Longoria
Greg Nelson
 
 7 ?
Frank Cozart
John Jewett
 
Anthony J. Kohler 
 
 8 ?
Jack Flukinger
Robert "Bob" Bess
 
 
 
9
Borrowed Pilot
?
 
 
67-17784
Trail
Bob Trezona (WIA)
Thomas A. Pienta (WIA)
James G. Brady (KIA)
Steve Toppi (WIA)
 66-00641
Rat
Pack
(1) Jim Souders
(2) Ronnie Hopkins
 
Pat Dougan 
John Broome 
Raymond T. Jimison 
 
Rat
Pack
Asa Vest
Jim Ray
 
 

Please let me know where the following names fit into the formation above.

Vince Tortolano Tem Moore Al Barret Larry Lagasse
Jim Rhode Dave Brown Dick Parthemueller Barry Zimmerman
Bill Vanderwege     Mark Padilla

ribstrip2.jpg (3064 bytes)

For a chilling story about this picture written by Pilot Thomas A. Pienta read:

THE STORY

The Aftermath

Click on thes pictures to go to the story.

 

Please let me know if you flew on this day and I don't have your name.  If you can remember, please let me know which crew you were with, ship number, chalk and crew position you were in.

 

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