OLAA Operating Date 12-Nov-1969

PRE-PCS OLAA ROSTER…

Pleiku Air Base (PKU) Detachment 3- (MAYBE WAS 2)

Lt. Col. James W. Wold (Jim) 6th SOS
Maj. Timothy L. Buttermore (Tim) 6th SOS
1Lt. Paul D. D. Houppert (DD) 6th SOS
Capt. Robert Karre (Bob) ) TDY from 1st SOS
Capt. Glenn R. Manning TDY from 1st SOS
Lt. Warren C. Blanchard (Doc) TDY from 22d SOS
Lt. Donald L Engebretsen (Don) TDY from 602nd SOS

Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Navy Base (NKP)-

*Lt. James Seith (Jim) 22nd SOS (Zorro) Was Jim delayed pending new
orders? If Jim had not requested to join the new unit, would Larry
Cavender have joined the initial group? This seems likely as Larry was
quickly assigned to OLAA at Da Nang after Glenn Manning was assumed
to have perished.

Da Nang Air Base (DNG) Detachment 2- (MAYBE WAS 1)

Maj. Dean E. DeTar (Dean) TDY Status from Pleiku
Lt. John W. Weinig (JW) TDY Status from Pleiku
1Lt. Maurice A Coleman, Jr. (Mac) 6th SOS
Lt. A. Jackson Roberts (Jax) TDY Status from Pleiku

While the may not technically be the first day of OLAA, it is the day the formulation of OLAA takes place.  I believe the planned manning for OLAA was likely 12 men; everyone is in place with the exception of Jim Seith???  He will arrive in a few days/weeks after requesting to join the unit when he met with Jim Wold at NKP during his visit to NKP to work on the details of Col. Wold’s new unit.  I can establish that many of the men in the unit were now on TDY status for 30 days awaiting the permanent move and consolidation at Da Nang Air Base.

Sadly, on this date, Maj. Gerald Robert Helmich was killed in #821 (the last A-1 ever built) near Mu Gia Pass and was the 5th pilot killed related to events that began on 11Nov69.  For the 6th SOS, this was the last aircraft loss of the war (of a total of 15).  

Additionally, George Porter bailed out near the Birds Head in the Barrel Roll on 11Nov69, after an engine failure.  He was picked up uninjured later on this day due to fog in the recovery area…

1969 – November 12; A HH-53B from the 40th ARRS, crewed by Capt. Donald L. Cardy (P), Leroy C. Shaneberg (CP), Carlos W. DeMattos (FE), Rodney D. Ohman (PJ), Gregory J. McDonald (PJ) and Raymond G. Banas (AP), rescued the pilot of a A-1E (Call sign “Zorro 65”), Capt. George H. Porter, after he ejected from his AAA damaged aircraft near Ban Ban, Laos. “Vietnam Air Losses” by Chris Hobson & Carlos DeMattos facebook post & “PJ’s in Vietnam” by Robert L. LaPointe & JRCC Save Form & http://www.pjsinnam.com/vn_history/pdf_files/Chronology/1969.pdf

1969 – November 12; A HH-53B (Call sign “Jolly Green 70”) from the 40th ARRS crewed by Maj. Robert L. Smith (P), Robert M. Horne (CP), Harold N. Bailey (FE), William E. Lester Pass. Lt. Hoyler was rescued by a HH-3E, see next entry. http://www.pjsinnam.com/vn_history/pdf_files/Chronol(PJ), Grady F. Allen (PJ) and David M. Davison (PJ), rescued the pilot of a F-4D (Call sign “Owl 07 Alpha”), Maj. Carrol W. Killen, after he and his WSO, 1st Lt. James G. Hoyler, ejected from their AAA damaged aircraft near the Mu Gia Pass. Lt. Hoyler was rescued by a HH-3E, see next entry. http://www.pjsinnam.com/vn_history/pdf_files/Chronoloogy/1969.pdf & “Vietnam Air Losses” by Chris Hobson & Carlos DeMattos facebook post & JRCC Save Form

1969 – November 12; A HH-3E from Det. 1, 40th ARRS crewed by Joe Lyle Jr. (P), John J. Livengood (CP), Daryl I. Durant (FE), Paul L. Jenkins (PJ) and Lewis J. Roberts Jr. (PJ), rescued the WSO of a F-4D (Call sign “Owl 07 Bravo”), 1st Lt. James G. Hoyler after he and his pilot, Maj. Carrol W. Killen , ejected from their AAA damaged aircraft near the Mu Gia Pass. Maj. Killen was rescued by a HH-53B, see previous entry. “Vietnam Air Losses” by Chris Hobson & Carlos DeMattos facebook post & JRCC Save Form & http://www.pjsinnam.com/vn_history/pdf_files/Chronology/1969.pdf