bell uh-1h huey (67-17597)

BELL UH-1H HUEY (REGISTRATION: 67-17597)
On September 20, 1970, a U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H (tail number 67-17597) from C Company, 158th Aviation Battalion was on a Ranger team insertion near the DMZ when a .51 caliber round came through the windshield and hit the pilot, 1LT Albert M. Finn, perforating his “chicken plate” (ballistic vest) and causing the aircraft to crash. It was estimated that the helicopter was traveling at 100 knots when it hit the ground. There were no survivors. The other crew members were co-pilot WO1 Larry G. Baldwin, crew chief SGT Dan O Felts, and gunner SGT William T. Dotson III. The passengers were members of Team 1-8, P Company, 75th Rangers, and included SP4 Raymond H. Apellido, SP4 Anthony J. Gallina, SP4 Dale A. Gray, PFC Glenn G. Ritchie Jr., and SGT Harold E. Sides. The crash site was immediately secured by a platoon from Alpha Company 1-61st Infantry Regiment (Gators) who lost two men to a mortar barrage on the crash site, platoon leader 1LT Richard H. Stube and PFC Michael T. Linville. 1LT Finn's chicken plate was recovered from the downed aircraft and sent to Da Nang to be tested for a suspected .51 caliber hole.