How Building an Outlaw Virtual Memorial Uncovered a 33-Year Vietnam Mystery 

Here it is. I had trouble getting this to load here. Hopefully, people can access it okay. Sources and a link to the Outlaw Virtual Cemetery are below.

Progress Report: I am making a few small edits to the PDF, and I have some more sources to add below. I’ll delete this line once I get that stuff fixed, but I’m having some struggles with this website (the WordPress people have “fixed” it so well that it is barely usable now! lol) So be patient, it might get worse before it gets better.

And meanwhile I’m juggling a lot of stuff with planning and coordinating our historic family reunion coming up right before the Outlaw reunion.

I’m also adding more of the heroes who were KIA and associated with our Outlaw units. I have found several other who flew under callsigns I was unaware of (on the amazing ArmyAirCrews.com) … It is a slow process because sometimes I come across people with no entry, or two entries (grave site and “monument” entry for their name on the Wall). A lot of times I plus up their profiles, or add missing info.

I’ve been pleased to hear from some people regarding this article. If you have anything to add or correct, or if you would like a copy of the finished PDF, please let me know. -lg.

Remembering Our Outlaws Virtual Cemetery

https://www.findagrave.com/virtual-cemetery/2124480

I went through ArmyAirCrews.com over and over and looked for any incidents which could be attributed to the62nd AHC (none found), the 502nd, or the 175th. I found several Huey crews and one Cobra crew which were KIA.

Did I miss any? Please let me know. 💝

Sources

Virtual Cemetery Sources: 
VLOA Honor Roll
https://vinhlongoutlaws.com/membership/honor-roll/

ArmyAirCrews.com
http://www.armyaircrews.com/

Outlaw 22 Crew Info

VHPA Gold Standard Database:
Outlaw 22 KIA incident report
https://www.vhpa.org/KIA/incident/670809131ACD.HTM

Latta, Charles Robert, MAJ
Two different FG tributes:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/103515323/charles_robert-latta
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/228671480/charles_robert-latta

https://army.togetherweserved.com/army/servlet/tws.webapp.webapp?cmd=ShadowBoxProfile&type=Person&ID=57192&binder=true

Sodaitis, George Frank, 1LT
Two different FG tributes:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/182041627/george_frank-sodaitis
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/228383401/george_frank-sodaitis

https://army.togetherweserved.com/army/servlet/tws.webapp.WebApp?cmd=Profile&type=Person&ID=69559

https://www.fold3.com/memorial/632297764/sodaitis-george-frank-1lt

https://www.armyaviationmagazine.com/images/archive/backissues/1967/67_09.pdf (search for Obituaries — Page 30)

SP4 Gary R. Kooman 
Two different FG tributes:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/126267410/gary_r-kooman
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/228676329/gary_roger-kooman

SP4 Gerald L. Hopper.
Two different FG tributes:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/3900675/gerald_lee-hopper
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/228640942/gerald_lee-hopper

 

Outlaw 22 also carried two passengers: 

PVT William J. McRae (Quartermaster Corps 175th) 
Two different FG tributes:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/229536394/william-joseph-mcrae
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/228398239/william_joseph-mcrae

https://www.archives.gov/files/research/military/vietnam-war/casualty-lists/ma-alpha.pdf

https://www.honorstates.org/profiles/287383/

https://www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces/37256/WILLIAM-J-MCRAE/

Civilian Contractor — Jerry Lawrence Degnan.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/146766757/jerry-lawrence-degnan

https://dpaa-mil.sites.crmforce.mil/dpaaProfile?id=a0Jt000000wbuX9EAI

https://webdoc.sub.gwdg.de/ebook/p/2005/CMH_2/www.army.mil/cmh-pg/books/vietnam/airmobility/airmobility-ch07.html

 

Decca Navigator History and Decommissioning Overview
https://www.jproc.ca/hyperbolic/decca_hist.html

 

Lt. Col. Jack Bond
Among the most tragic losses of the conflict were those caused by a mid‑air collision in South Vietnam’s overcrowded skies. On 9 August 1967, 45th TRS Voodoo 56‑0225 hit a US Army UH‑1D helicopter near Saigon and all four crew were killed, although the RF‑101C pilot, Capt Jack Bond, managed to eject.
https://vdoc.pub/documents/rf-101-voodoo-units-in-combat-6510bi0i0270

Veteran Tales Interview #14 Jack Bond
https://youtu.be/Em-FkjQSH04?si=VP1LTvvoHacAGarA

Lt. Colonel (Ret.) Jack Bond (with photo)
https://www.veterans-in-blue.af.mil/Veterans/Veterans-in-Blue-Volume-5/Display/Article/742056/jack-bond/

Lt. Col (Ret.) Jack Bond passing:
https://www.dallasmoww.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/df779441701a16802c6bf5c354efd632.pdf

Lt. Col (Ret.) Jack David Bond Obituary
https://www.west-hurttfuneralhome.com/obituaries/jack-bond

The Air Force in Southeast Asia — a narrative of the birth and growth of the RF-101C Voodoo, its entry into the conflict in Southeast Asia, the growth of the reconnaissance force, the problems encountered, and the factors which influenced its withdrawal from combat
https://media.defense.gov/2011/Mar/23/2001330100/-1/-1/0/RF-101 Voodoo 1961-1970.pdf

Generic Air Force History
https://www.dafhistory.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/431956/45-reconnaissance-squadron-acc/

Vietnam Air Losses: 
Date (9 August 1967), Aircraft (RF-101C #56-0225), Unit (Det 1, 45 TRS, 460 TRW), Pilot (Maj Jack Bond, survived), collision with UH-1D #66-01099.
https://www.vietnamairlosses.com/loss.php?id=1291

Detailed narrative account of Maj Jack Bond’s last-second evasive maneuver, belly impact on rotor/tail boom at 550 meters, right engine flameout, and subsequent ejection (but it is in Polish! Ha!)
https://www.konflikty.pl/technika-wojskowa/w-powietrzu/rf-101-voodoo-europa-wietnam-chiny/

Polka Dot Patch
https://www.ebay.com/itm/376047877353

Helicopter UH-1D 66-01099

(Accident report from VHPA)

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1D tail number 66-01099

The Army purchased this helicopter 0167
Total flight hours at this point: 00000303
Date: 08/09/1967
Incident number: 670809131ACD
Accident case number: 670809131 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 175 AHC
South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 5
Injured = 0
Passengers = 2
costing 556954

Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database. Army Aviation Safety Center database. Also: OPERA (Operations Report. )
Loss to Inventory

Crew Members:
P MAJ LATTA CHARLES R KIA
P 1LT SODAITIS GEORGE FRANK KIA
CE SP4 KOOMAN GARY ROGER KIA
G SP4 HOPPER GERALD LEE KIA

Passengers and/or other participants:
PVT MCRAE WILLIAM JOSEPH, AR, PX, KIA
CIV DEGNAN JERRY, CV, PX, KIA

Accident Summary:

Description of the accident: The US Army UH-1D departed Vinh Long Air Field at 0942 hours, on a valid flight clearance to Can Tho Air Field, Bear Cat Air Field, Long Binh, and due for a direct return to Vinh Long. The UH-1D departed the 24th Field Hospital Heliport at approximately 1554 hours, in a northwesterly direction. It continued to climb while executing a gentle right turn to avoid built up areas and the normal heavy air traffic in the Long Binh area. The climb and turn were continued until a south to southwest course was established and an estimated altitude of 1500 – 1800 feet MSL reached. Within a maximum of one minute from the time the course was established, at 1557 hours, an Air Force RF-101, which was being vectored to a GCA final at Tan Son Nhut Air Base, collided with the left top side of the UH-1D. The collision disintegrated the UH-1D’s main rotor system and tore off the tail pylon at about station 270. The UH-1D fell in a southwesterly direction, nosing down and over, losing pieces of the air frame and other material stowed in the cabin section. The aircraft commander and gunner of the UH-1D were either thrown or jumped clear of the helicopter before impact. The UH-1D struck the ground in a nose down inverted attitude completely demolishing the helicopter. A post impact fire insued gutting all the wreckage except the pilot’s compartment. After the collision the RF-101 experienced a flame out of the right engine. Full power on left engine failed to produce sufficient flying speed to control the aircraft. The RF-101 continued on a course of approximately 250 degrees and descending. The aircraft started to nose over uncontrolled at approximately 175 knots IAS. The pilot elected to eject. The ejection was successful although the pilot received major injuries from landing on his back. The RF-101 impacted in a level attitude approximately 3 1/2 miles from the assumed collision point and 3 miles from the UH-1D impact point.

This record was last updated on 09/20/1998

https://www.vhpa.org/KIA/incident/670809131ACD.HTM

[I will likely add some more information, because I really wasn’t quite done researching but for now this is what I have. I was hoping to find the location of where Jack Bond’s voodoo aircraft crashed, but so far we just have a general guess. (Unless we order FOIA or other accident reports)].