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On 30 May 1969 an OH-6A (tail number 67-16387) was shot down in what was then known as "LOACH Alley" in Binh Duong Province. Two men are known to have died as a result of the incident:
CWO John M. Hohman, Lakeland, FL, pilot, and
WO Thomas E. Hays, Oklahoma City, OK, copilot.
CWO Hohman survived the incident itself, but died the next day from injuries received. The VHPA database contains the following commentary:
"That day I remember Mr. Homan was taking out a new warrant Mr. Hayes who we had just met, for some reason they took a information person with them instead of CE or gunner. I was on the flight line when the scramble siren went off. Capt Sinclair was motioning me to get in his Cobra, I did but did not have my helmet. We circled the aircraft they said two were dead but Mr. Hohman was up and about, I thought he would be alright. He died later. there was a lot of grumbling about the incident from most of us. Holman was flying in what we called Loach Alley on the 30th of May, with crew chief (sic) Hayes, and a PIO (Public Information Officer) from squadron, when his ship came under fire. The ship caught fire and went down, and all were badly burned. Hayes died from his burns that day. Holman had 2nd/3rd degree burns over 80% of his body, and bullet wounds, and died the next day. The PIO had 55% burns, but I do not know what eventually happened to him."
- from Jim Kreil
A search of the casualty database for the remainder of 1969 failed to identify anyone who might have been the "PIO" person.
| Thomas Earl Hays | |
| ON THE WALL: | Panel W23 Line 21 |
| This page Copyright © 1997-2018 www.VirtualWall.org Ltd. | |
| PERSONAL DATA: | |
| Home of Record: | Oklahoma City, OK |
| Date of birth: | 10/12/1948 |
| MILITARY DATA: | |
| Service Branch: | Army of the United States |
| Grade at loss: | W1 |
| Rank: | Warrant Officer |
| Promotion Note: | None |
| ID No: | W3164283 |
| MOS: | 100B: Utility/Observation Helicopter Pilot |
| Length Service: | 00 |
| Unit: | D TRP, 3RD SQDN, 4TH CAVALRY, 25TH INF DIV, USARV |
| CASUALTY DATA: | |
| Start Tour: | 05/05/1969 |
| Incident Date: | 05/30/1969 |
| Casualty Date: | 05/30/1969 |
| Status Date: | Not Applicable |
| Status Change: | Not Applicable |
| Age at Loss: | 20 |
| Location: | Binh Duong Province, South Vietnam |
| Remains: | Body recovered |
| Repatriated: | Not Applicable |
| Identified: | Not Applicable |
| Casualty Type: | Hostile, died outright |
| Casualty Reason: | Helicopter - Pilot |
| Casualty Detail: | Air loss or crash over land |
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