Helicopter UH-1C 65-09489

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1C tail number 65-09489
The Army purchased this helicopter 0366
Total flight hours at this point: 00002044
Date: 03/19/71 MIA-POW file reference number: 1730
Incident number: 71031910.KIA
Unit: 48 AHC
Laos
UTM grid coordinates: XD585428
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Defense Intelligence Agency Reference Notes. Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database. Also: 1730 ()
Loss to Inventory
Crew: CRISTMAN, FREDERICK LEWIS; GARCIA RM SPARKS JM

Crew Members:
CE SFC GARCIA RICARDO MARTINEZ BNR
P CW3 CRISTMAN FREDERICK LEWIS BNR
P CW2 SPARKS JON MICHAEL BNR
G SP4 LANGENOUR RES

REFNO Synopsis:
Laos John M. Sparks Richard M. Garcia Frederick L. Cristman (1730) On March 19, 1971, Chief Warrant Officer Cristman and his crew were in an armed helicopter on a mission to provide fire support during the pick up of South Vietnamese airborne troops at Fire Support Base Alpha in Savannakhet Province, Laos. Their helicopter was hit by heavy automatic weapons fire and was forced to make an emergency landing. One of the crewmen, Specialist 4th Class Langenour, was pushed out of the aircraft by Sp5 Garcia and he was able to reach a group of nearby South Vietnamese troops. He was told by one of the troops that the other crewmen had exited the aircraft and headed away from the front of it into the path of advancing North Vietnamese forces. Specialist Langenour later walked out of Laos with the South Vietnamese soldiers. U.S. aircrews flying overhead after the crash landing did not see the three missing airmen escape from the aircraft. In September 1973 a People's Army of Vietnam defector reported his battalion engaged South Vietnamese Army forces in Laos conducting Operation Lamson 719. They captured an injured helicopter pilot who was taken to nearby field hospital B-7 where he later died. Other crewmen from the downed helicopter were found dead and buried. The defector identified a photograph of CW2 Christmas as resembling the individual captured alive by his battalion. In March 1987 a private American POW hunter reported a live American in Laos. The background of the purported American correlates to a crewman from this incident. None of the three crewmen from this incident were reported alive in the northern Vietnamese prison system. All were initially reported missing in action and in October 1978 were declared dead/body not recovered.

War Story:
The irony of this story is the gunner, Langenour. The aircraft was shot up and the pilots were both hit. They made an emergency landing on a firebase that was being overrun in Laos. Just prior to landing the gunner jumped out, got in the trenches with the South Vietnamese and that act saved his life. The aircraft landed in the middle of a fight, the North Vietnamese were firing mortars onto the firebase, one hit the aircraft as it landed blowing it up, and killing the crew. I have the audio tape of the frustration of the friends that were in the 48th that were trying to find out the fate of their friends..call sign Joker 92. Langenour escaped and evaded for 13 days with the South Vietnamese back to South Vietnam and survived the war. Mike Sloniker

This record was last updated on 09/26/99

The following is crew member information for this incident:

Name: CW3 Frederick Lewis Cristman
Status: Body Not Recovered from an incident on 03/19/71 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Declared dead on 10/23/78.
Age at death: 21.3
Date of Birth: 11/26/49
Home City: Salisbury, NC
Service: AV branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 48 AHC
Major organization: 1st Aviation Brigade
Flight class: 70-1
Service: AV branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 04W-058
Short Summary: Gunship shot down then took a direct hit from a mortar. Only gunner survived. W/Jon Sparks?
Aircraft: UH-1C tail number 65-09489
Call sign: Joker guns
SSN: 238767075 Service number: 12816948
Country: Laos
MOS: *
Primary cause: Laos-BNR
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: vehicular accident
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: aircraft commander
Vehicle ownership: government
Started Tour: 04/18/70
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - pilot
The initial status of this person was: missing in action - bonified
Length of service: *
Military grid coordinates of event: XD585428
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - died while missing
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Methodist (Evangelical United Brethren)
The following information is 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 07/17/94

Name: SFC Ricardo Martinez Garcia (posthumously promoted)
Status: Body Not Recovered from an incident on 03/19/71 while performing the duty of Crew Chief.
Declared dead on 09/18/78.
Age at death: 19.5
Date of Birth: 09/15/51
Home City: Driscoll, TX
Service: regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 48 AHC
Major organization: 1st Aviation Brigade
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 04W-058
Aircraft: UH-1C tail number 65-09489
SSN: 454864643
Country: Laos
MOS: *
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: vehicular accident
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: crew chief
Vehicle ownership: government
Started Tour: 09/28/69
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
The initial status of this person was: missing in action - bonified
Length of service: *
Military grid coordinates of event: XD585428
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - died while missing
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Roman Catholic
The following information is 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 07/30/95

Name: CW2 Jon Michael Sparks
Status: Body Not Recovered from an incident on 03/19/71 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Declared dead on 03/11/76.
Age at death: 21.1
Date of Birth: 02/24/50
Home City: Carey, ID
Service: AV branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 48 AHC
Major organization: 1st Aviation Brigade
Flight class: 70-29
Service: AV branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 04W-058
Short Summary: Shot down over Laos. W/Fred Cristman. Started tour in Nov 1970.
Aircraft: UH-1C tail number 65-09489
Call sign: Joker guns
SSN: 519620599
Country: Laos
MOS: 100B0 = Utility/Observation Helicopter Pilot
Primary cause: Laos-BNR
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: small arms fire
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: pilot
Vehicle ownership: government
Started Tour: 10/18/70
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
The initial status of this person was: missing in action - bonified
Length of service: *
Military grid coordinates of event: XD585428
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - died while missing
married male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Latter Day Saints (Mormon)
The following information is 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 08/10/92

The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1B tail number 65-09489
It is provided here as an ESTIMATE of the history of this helicopter and is not intended to be the final authority.
This helicopter was purchased by the US Army in 0366.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.

DATE  FLT HRS    UIC      UNIT          AREA          POST          COUNTRY
196610  28  279 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
196611  15  294 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
196612  79  373 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
196701  45  418 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
196702  63  481 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
196703  52  533 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
196704  42  575 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
196705  47  622 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
196706  49  671 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
196707  57  728 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
196708  53  781 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
196709  83  864 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
196710  97  961 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
196711  99 1060 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
196712  54 1114 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
196801  74 1188 3261   355 AVN CO       4TH ARMY   FORT SILL        4TH ARMY
196802  81 1269 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
196803   0 1269 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
196804  46 1315 3261   BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM   
196805  63 1378 3261   355 AVN CO       4TH ARMY   FORT SILL        4TH ARMY
196806  18 1396 3261   355 AVN CO       4TH ARMY   FORT SILL        4TH ARMY
196807  42 1438 3261   OPM SEA NITEOPS  1ST ARMY   FORT BELVOIR     AMC     
196808  20 1458 3479   HHD 44 ENG GP    THAILAND                    PACIFIC 
196809  19 1477 3479   HHD 44 ENG GP    THAILAND                    PACIFIC 
196810   0 1477 3479   HHD 44 ENG GP    THAILAND                    PACIFIC 
196811  40 1517 WAGWB0 COB 15TC1CAVDIV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
196812   0 1517 3479   HHD 44 ENG GP    THAILAND                    PACIFIC 
196901   0 1517 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS      ITR CONUS                   AVCOMITR
196902   0 1517 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN STORAGE NAVAL AIR STN    AVCOM   
196903   0 1517 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVCOM   
196904   0 1517 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM   
196905   0 1517 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM   
196906   0 1517 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM   
196907   0 1517 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM   
196908   0 1517 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM   
196909   0 1517 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM   
196910   0 1517 WCLNAA 79 TRANS CO      VIETNAM                     RVN     
196911   0 1517 WCLNAA 79 TRANS CO      VIETNAM                     RVN     
196912   0 1517 WCLNAA 79 TRANS CO      VIETNAM                     RVN     
197001   0 1517 WE4DAA 303 TRANS CO GS  VIETNAM                     RVN     
197002   0 1517 WCLNAA 79 TRANS CO      VIETNAM                     RVN     
197003   0 1517 WCLNAA 79 TRANS CO      VIETNAM                     RVN     
197004   0 1517 WCLNAA 79 TRANS CO      VIETNAM                     RVN     
197005   0 1517 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVCOM   
197006   0 1517 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVCOM   
197007   0 1517 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVCOM   
197008   0 1517 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVCOM   
197009   2 1519 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVCOM   
197010 133 1652 WC3FAA 68 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                     RVN     
197011 161 1813 WAX9AA 118 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
197012  87 1900 WAX9AA 118 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
197101 102 2002 WAX9AA 118 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN     
197102  42 2044 WAX9AA 118 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN     
197103   0 2044 WCLNAA 79 TRANS CO      VIETNAM                     RVN

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Printed from databases on: 05/14/04

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