| After Action Reports for 17 December 1968 reflect
this mission (Mission #55) consisted of four CH-46 transports that departed
Marble Mountain Air Facility at 0750. The pick up point for all infantry
troops was AT898464, a spot about 2,000 meters east of An Hoa Combat Support
Base. The insertion point for all was AT962553, the southern bank
of the Song Thu Bon (river) which was commonly known as the Hoi An River
since it flowed eastward to the coastal town of Hoi An. The flight
made three trips into this hot zone with 15 troops each time. The
flight refueled at An Hoa Combat Base and delivered another two sorties
of troops into the landing zone. After Action Reports indicate enemy
fire was received by all aircraft on each of the five trips to the zone.
A total of 300 infantry troops were inserted and the aerial gunners expended
6,100 rounds of .50 caliber ammunition. No information on the gun
ships that supported them. The flight returned to Marble Mountain
Air Facility at 1110.
Aircraft and Crews of the Mission |
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| Maj. Edward W. Graham | Pilot | Maj. Owen C. Baker | Pilot |
| 1stLt. Carmine A. Casciano | Copilot | 1stLt. Donald E. Macharg | Copilot |
| Cpl. George W. Wharton, III | Crew Chief | Cpl. LawrenceWallace | Crew Chief |
| Cpl. Leonrad L. LaSac | Gunner | Sgt. Ronald E. Clemons | Gunner |
| Sgt. Dolph Quijano, Jr. | Gunner | Cpl. Stephen E. Russo | Gunner |
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| Maj. Ernest C. Cunningham | Pilot | 1stLt. John L. Brennan | Pilot |
| 1stLt. Robert W. Armenio | Copilot | 1stLt. C. L. Story | Copilot |
| Cpl. Dean A. Reiner | Crew Chief | LCpl. R. Mike Clausen | Crew Chief |
| Sgt. Ralph H. Herbin | Gunner | Cpl. Robert H. Edwards | Gunner |
| LCpl. Ronald L. Dion | Gunner | LCpl. James R. Nelson | Gunner |
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The webmaster has located and reproduced awards given those crew members highlighted above (links to the award). Based on this author's knowledge of the awards system in effect during the Vietnam War, and based on the fact that all aircraft and crews experienced identical hostile environment on their five trips to the LZ identified as AT962553, all pilots have been recorded in this historical record to have received the Distinguished Flying Cross. All other members of the crew have been recognized for receiving a Single Mission Air Medal. Colonel Dave "Smiley" McSorely, USMC (Ret), a former Awards Officer with HMM-364 concurs with the research and assumptions of the webmaster given the awards system in place at the time. |
EPILOGUE
Dean A. Reiner,
Crew Chief of YK-7, states that a wingman thought YK-7 was on
fire for a moment due to the smoke emanating from
the .50 caliber rounds being
pumped out by Sgt.
Ralph H. Herbin and LCpl. Ronald L. Dion
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