Prose, Thomas D. (KIA)

Thomas Dean Prose, A1C, USAF (KIA)
September 04, 1951 – November 25, 1971

Crash information on U.S. Air Force helicopter HH-53C tail number 68-10366

On November 25, 1971, as he went on a rescue mission with crew member CAPT John W. George, MAJ Robert B. Swenck, and TSgt. Thomas. They were able to successfully retrieved 13 soldiers whose helicopter had been shot down. A1C Thomas’ chopper took ground fire during the rescue, and the crew stopped at a forward base camp to make sure the chopper was safe to fly. The rescued soldiers got off at that time. On the flight back to its home base at Bien Hoa, the chopper took more fire and the pilot was hit. It began a slow descent and impacted in the Na Bhe River, breaking in two. The three crew members were found dead. The two other crew members both got out and were recovered by friendly forces. A local fisherman who saw the crash said a third man, wearing a white t-shirt, also escaped. One side of the river was controlled by friendly forces, and the other by enemy troops. [Taken from vhpa.org]

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