Helicopter or incident 63-08598


Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1B tail number 63-08598
Date: 10/07/64
Incident number: 0A666ACD Accident case number: 0A666 Total Loss Accident
South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 5 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 1
costing 193648
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database. Army Aviation Safety Center database. Also: OPERA (Operations Report. )
Loss to Inventory

Crew Members:
P CPT RIGGINS GARY RONALD KIA
AC WO1 HAVEMANN JAMES EDWARD KIA
CE SP4 LAFLEMME DELBERT CHARLES KIA
G PFC BAIN THOMAS ARTHUR KIA
PP MAJ GOSNEY DURWARD DEAN KIA

This record was last updated on 05/25/98

Note: MAJ Durward Dean Gosney was not actually assigned to the 118th but was a MACV Sr. Advisor flying with the Bandits on the day of the crash from hostile fire. Tom Payne 8/18/01


The following is crew member information for this incident:


Name: PFC Thomas Arthur Bain
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 10/07/64 while performing the duty of Gunner.
Age at death: 18.5
Date of Birth: 04/24/46
Home City: Putnam Station, NY
Service: regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 118 AHC
Prior Unit: 25 INF DIV
Major organization: 25th Infantry Division
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 01E-065
Short Summary: SHOTGUN TDY from 25 INF DIV
Aircraft: UH-1B tail number 63-08598
Service number: 12674954
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 11B20 = Infantryman
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: weapons
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: door gunner
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
Length of service: 01
Location: Unknown Province
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - killed
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Baptist - other groups
The following information secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: enlisted personnel
This record was last updated on 08/12/95


Name: MAJ Durward Dean Gosney (posthumously promoted)
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 10/07/64 while performing the duty of Pilot Passenger.
Age at death: 32.0
Date of Birth: 10/17/32
Home City: Phoenix, AZ
Service: IN branch of the regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 118 AHC
Major organization: MACV advisors
Service: IN branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 01E-065
Short Summary: On MACV list as killed by ground fire while a crew member in a UH-1.
Aircraft: UH-1B tail number 63-08598
Service number: O71192
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 81542
Primary cause: Hostile Fire
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: weapons
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: advisor
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
Length of service: 10
Location: Unknown Province
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - killed
married male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Protestant - no denominational preference
The following information secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: officer
This record was last updated on 02/21/94


Name: WO1 James Edward Havemann
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 10/07/64 while performing the duty of Aircraft Commander.
Age at death: 21.3
Date of Birth: 06/18/43
Home City: Houston, TX
Service: AV branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 118 AHC
Major organization: other
Flight class: 63-7W
Service: AV branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 01E-065
Short Summary: P W1 HAVEMANN AC O3 RIGGINS CE E4 LA FLEMME G E3 BAIN killed.
Aircraft: UH-1B tail number 63-08598
Service number: W3151603
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 062B = Helicopter Pilot, Utility and Light Cargo Single Rotor
Primary cause: Hostile Fire
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: weapons
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: co-pilot
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
Length of service: 02
Location: Unknown Province
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - killed
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Lutheran (Missouri Synod)
The following information secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: warrant officer
This record was last updated on 07/29/94


Name: SP4 Delbert Charles La Flemme
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 10/07/64 while performing the duty of Crew Chief.
Age at death: 21.1
Date of Birth: 08/24/43
Home City: Salem, OR
Service: regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 118 AHC
Major organization: other
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 01E-065
Short Summary: P W1 HAVEMANN AC O3 RIGGINS CE E4 LA FLEMME G E3 BAIN were killed.
Aircraft: UH-1B tail number 63-08598
Service number: 28803177
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 67N20 = UH-1 Helicopter Repairer
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: weapons
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: crew chief
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
Length of service: 01
Location: Unknown Province
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - killed
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: unknown or not reported
The following information secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: enlisted personnel
This record was last updated on 07/28/94


Name: CPT Gary Ronald Riggins
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 10/07/64 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 30.9
Date of Birth: 11/23/33
Home City: Yreka, CA
Service: IN branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 118 AHC
Major organization: other
Service: IN branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 01E-066
Short Summary: P W1 HAVEMANN AC O3 RIGGINS CE E4 LA FLEMME G E3 BAIN killed.
Aircraft: UH-1B tail number 63-08598
Service number: O4030941
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 1981 = 19 Rotary Wing Aviator (Unit Commander)
Primary cause: Hostile Fire
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: weapons
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: pilot
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - pilot
Length of service: 10
Location: Unknown Province
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - killed
married male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Methodist (Evangelical United Brethren)
The following information secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: officer
This record was last updated on 08/20/95


Please send additions or corrections to:

Gary Roush
43 Overbrook Road
Painted Post, NY 14870


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