Info Sheet - James Patrick Delaney
Killed in Action 10 November 1971
see Incident Report
The Mission
At about 0230 10 Nov 1971, a UH-1H (tail number 66-16036) of the 334th Assault Helicopter Company was launched from Phu Loi on a night flare mission over an enemy contact site located about 17 miles southeast of Saigon. The Huey was to work with two AH-1G gunships which had departed Phu Loi about 30 minutes earlier.
036 stopped enroute at an ARVN compound and picked up an American advisor and a Vietnamese officer, then continued to the target area. On arrival, 036 took station at 2,000 feet above ground level (below the two AH-1G's) and 036's pilot began a radio brief with the AH-1G crews. He stopped in midsentence and stated that he had a transmission failure. The UH-1H departed orbit in a descending left turn which continued to ground impact.
All seven men aboard 036 died in the crash:
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 11/10/1971 while performing the duty of Aircraft Commander.
Age at death: 21.9
Date of Birth: 12/17/1949
Home City: Lorain, OH
Service: AV branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 334 AHC
Major organization: 1st Aviation Brigade
Flight class: 70-31/70-29
Service: AV branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 02W-064
Short Summary: Transmission seizure at 1500 ft while on a night flare mission with WO1 James Klassen co-pilot.
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 66-16036
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 100B = Utility/Observation Helicopter Pilot
Primary cause: A/C Accident
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: vehicular accident
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: pilot
Vehicle ownership: government
Started Tour: 12/20/1970
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - pilot
The initial status of this person was: no previous report
Length of service: *
Location: Gia Dinh Province III Corps.
Military grid coordinates of event: YS092794
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Religion: Protestant - no denominational preference
Burial information: ELMWOOD CEMETERY, LORAIN, OH
The following information secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: non-battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: warrant officer
This record was last updated on 02/23/2003