66-00066

(66-0066)

 

 

Property of the 196th Aviation Company - "Flippers" (Assault Support Helicopter Company) Republic of Vietnam

 

 

66-00066 (66-0066), Boeing build number B-198, was a CH-47A helicopter. The U.S. Army acceptance date was 8 June 1966. The administrative strike date was 27 October 1972. 66-00066 accumulated 3,624.0 aircraft hours.    At some point in 1966, 66-00066 was initially assigned to the 196th Assault Support Helicopter Company (ASHC) - "Flippers", when that unit formed at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.    66-00066 was known as a Hangar Queen at the time due to a cracked aft transmission.    The transmission was received shortly before the unit deployed to the Republic of Vietnam (RVN) in February through May 1967.    At some point, 66-00066 was transferred to the 237th Vietnamese Air Force and remained there until it was lost in combat.    On 27 October 1972, 66-00066 was shot down by .51 caliber fire while approaching a fire support base with a sling load.    No casualties were reported.    The last known location of 66-00066 was in the Republic of Vietnam.    Aircraft status: Shot down in combat.

 

 

In the 1966 photograph, 66-00066 is captured on film parked on the flight line at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. There it awaits the arrival of a new aft transmission prior to deployment to the Republic of Vietnam.

 

 

66-00066 shortly after arrival at Camp Lane, RVN, taken approximately in May 1967, around the time the 196th ASHC stood up for duty in country. The Crew Chief, Dave Mason, had the helicopter all cleaned and ready for action the day of this photo.

 

 

Another photograph of 66-00066, by Dave Mason - Flight Engineer, was taken at 179th ASHC ramp area at Pleiku in late 1967 or early 1968.

 

 

This aircraft was piloted by:

 

CW2 Joseph Riley, AC, January 1968 - January 1969.

 

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This aircraft was crewed by:

 

SP5 Dave Mason, FE / CE, 1967 - 1968.

 

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