The Virtual Wall Research

1. Info on UH-1E BuNo 151294

a. From PopASmoke:
http://www.popasmoke.com/kia/incidents.php?incident_id=170&conflict_id=24
Incident Date 680607 VMO-6 UH-1E 151294+ Hostile Fire, Crash
[CREW]
Corcoran, Richard Francis Capt AO A/1/4 3rdMarDiv 680607 (vvm 59W:020)
Hunt Jr., Ralph Edward 1stLt Pilot VMO-6 MAG-36 680607 (vvm 59W:023)

b. From VHPA:
Information on U.S. Marine Corps helicopter UH-1E tail number 151294
Date: 06/07/1968
Incident number: 68060777.KIA
Unit: VMO-6
South Vietnam
Casualties = 02 KIA . .
Summary: Believe this is the UH-1E that crashed into a hill and burned during
a air recon mission for 3d Marine Div.
Loss to Inventory
Crew Members:
P 1LT HUNT RALPH EDWARD JR KIA
P CPT CORCORAN RICHARD FRANCIS KIA

2. HUNT 094800 is supposed to be from VMO-6, but VMO-6 CmdChron June 1968 TT
1201073044.pdf makes no mention of loss. MAG-39 CmdChron TT 1201078417.pdf
claims ownership of VMO-6 but does not mention a VMO-6 loss on 07 Jun. 1ST MAW
Daily Summaries for periods 060900H-070900H June and 070900H-080900H June do
not address a loss which can be identified as BuNo 151294 (see TT
1201068026.pdf pp63 & 64).

3. See 2/1 Marines CmdChron Texas Tech 1201020128.pdf pp 62-63 for details of
crash and recovery of 3 KIA from wreckage. Apparently 2 WIA also were
recovered. Crash location XD909365:
"From 2/1 S-3 to 1stMar at 1955H: Spot Report DTG 070900H to 071200H.
Foxtrot [Fox 2/1] at 070900H to 071200H at 909365. Huey helicopter crashed
at above location. Fox 2 dispatched as Sparrow Hawk to recover bodies. Two
WIA reported in area prior to departure. Sparrow Hawk lifted in crash area
and proceeded to site of wreckage. Helo had apparently struck the top of the
ridge, sheering off one skid and skidded or rolled down the slope for
approximately 300 meters. Wreckage was completely consumed by fire. Three
bodied were found in the wreckage, burned beyond recognition. Two bodies
still had dog tags around their necks. Extensive search of area failed to
reveal location of guns or radios. Assumed to have been destroyed in crash
and fire. Frequency chart (Confidential) was discovered and turned in to
S-2 on return. Returned to Khe Sanh Combat Base with remains."

See also 1/1 Marines CC TT 1201020035.pdf p9:
"On 07 June 1968, 1st Battalion made preparation to continue its attack in
accordance with 1st Marines Frag Order 95-68. At 070842H a helicopter
carrying Battalion Commander LtCol M. J. GRAVEL and S-3 Major R. V. KURILICH
was shot down in the vicinity of XD909365. The Battalion Commander was
injured but retrieved and medevaced at 070930H."

See also 3rd MarDiv CC TT 1201031026.pdf p53 entry #23:
"From Division AO: Worked for 1/1 in extraction of survivors of a downed
Huey. Extracted 2 survivors w/o incident."

See also HQ Bn, 3rd MarDiv CC TT 1201036069.pdf p7:
"KIA Officer - Capt Richard Francis CORCORAN 084623/0302 USMC Headquarters
Company died 0830, 7 June 1968, 2 miles south of Khe Sahn Combat Base.
Received burns entire body as a result of enemy small arms fire when
helicopter crashed while participating in operation against hostile forces.
Body taken to D-Med to be further transferred to Tan Son Nhut Mortuary,
Saigon, RVN."

4. The three bodies recovered were
CORCORAN, Richard Francis Capt, USMC 084623 0302
A1-B-4 Quang Tri 06/07/1968 UH-1E 151294
CDB: HQ CO, HQ BN, 3RD MAR DIV
CIL: None
RoR: None
LOC: R Sage Oct05 HQ Co, HQ Bn, 3rdMarDiv
Notes: LOC R Sage Oct05 & HQ Bn, 3MD CC by name, svc no, unit -
VHPA & PopASmoke UH-1E 151294. A/1/4 wrong.

HUNT, Ralph Edward 1stLt, USMC 094800 7563
A1-B-4 Quang Tri 06/07/1968 UH-1E 151294
CDB: VMO-6, MAG-39, 1ST MAW, III MAF
CIL: None
RoR: None
LOC: None
Notes: PopASmoke & VHPA UH-1E 151294, VMO-6

KURILICH, Robert Vaso Major, USMC 078116 0302
A1-B-6 Quang Tri 06/07/1968 UH-1E 151294
CDB: H&S CO, 1ST BN, 1ST MARINES, 1ST MAR DIV
CIL: None
RoR: None
LOC: None
Notes: 1/1 CmdChron by name - Bn Ops Officer. UH-1E 151294

5. KURILICH 078116 and CORCORAN 084623 were Infantry officers, not aviators.
CORCORAN's CACCF coding A1-B-4 is incorrect; at best it should be A1-B-5 if he
was flying as an observer, more probably A1-B-6 passenger.