KIA Incident: 19680228 http://popasmoke.com/kia/conflicts/vietnam/incidents/19680228 Brothers (& Sisters) Killed in Action in USMC Helicopters or while assigned to USMC Helicopter or Tiltrotor Squadrons 19680228 HMM-262 Vietnam Incident Date 19680228 HMM-262 CH-46D 153360+ - - Hostile Fire, Crash [CREW] Sevell, Robert Lee Capt Co-Pilot HMM-262 MAG-36 1968-02-28 (vvm 41E:072) Toth, John Paul Sgt Crew HMM-262 MAG-36 1968-02-28 (vvm 42E:002) Meixner, Edwin George Maj Pilot HMM-262 MAG-36 1968-02-28 (vvm 41E:069) Thotland, John Alfred LCpl Crew HMM-262 MAG-36 1968-02-28 (vvm 42E:001) McCabe, Marc Wayne Sgt Crew HMM-262 MAG-36 1968-02-28 (vvm 41E:070) Gard, Danny D Cpl Crew HMM-262 MAG-36 1968-02-28 (vvm 41E:065) Benigni, Alfredo Cpl Crew Chief HMM-262 MAG-36 1968-02-28 (vvm 41E:059) [PASSENGERS] Labonte, Donald Arthur HN Passenger H&SCo/2/26 3rdMarDiv 1968-02-28 (vvm 41E:068) Spillman, Charles Otto BU1 Passenger NMCB-301, 31st NCR 1968-02-28 (vvm 41E:074) Turner, William Oliver Cpl Passenger H&SCo/3rdShorePtyBn 3rdMarDiv 1968-02-28 (vvm 42E:001) Stull, Jay Webster Capt Passenger HQCo/HQBn 3rdMarDiv 1968-02-28 (vvm 41E:069) Stanton, Emmett Charles PFC Passenger A/3rdEngBn 3rdMarDiv 1968-02-28 (vvm 41E:074) Parsons, Charles Edward Sgt Passenger HQCo/5thCOMMBn ForceLogCom 1968-02-28 (vvm 41E:070) Mikels Jr., James Herbert Sgt Passenger H&SCo/1/26 3rdMarDiv 1968-02-28 (vvm 41E:069) Ellis, John Patrick Capt (PP) Passenger MABS-36 MAG-36 1968-02-28 (vvm 41E:064) Dwyer Jr., Matthew Murice LCpl Passenger A/3rdEngBn 3rdMarDiv 1968-02-28 (vvm 41E:063) Dempsey, Ronald Lee Cpl Passenger BttyB/1/13 3rdMarDiv 1968-02-28 (vvm 41E:063) Cooper, Donald Nathaniel Cpl Passenger HMM-262 MAG-36 1968-02-28 (vvm 41E:062) Coles, Kyle J LCpl Passenger H&MS-36 MAG-36 1968-02-28 (vvm 41E:061) Christman, Ronald S H LCpl Passenger HMM-262 MAG-36 1968-02-28 (vvm 41E:060) Caldwell, Robert Edward Cpl Passenger H&SCo/3/26 3rdMarDiv 1968-02-28 (vvm 41E:060) Balades, David Zavala PFC Passenger H&SCo/3rdShorePtyBn 3rdMarDiv 1968-02-28 (vvm 41E:058) Bradley, Kenneth Robert Cpl Passenger HMM-262 MAG-36 1968-02-28 (vvm 41E:059) LABONTE, DONALD ARTHUR : USN : HN : E3 : HN : 23 : HOLYOKE : MA : 19680228 : Air loss Crash Land : Passenger - Corpsman : died of wounds : 19440309 : Cauc : Roman Catholic/married : 41E : 68 : died of burns after surviving helicopter crash and fire SPILLMAN CHARLES OTTO : 5533579 : USN : BU1 : E6 : 32 : NEW BRIGHTON : MN : 19680228 : hostile, crash, land : Passneger : body recovered : Quang Tri : 02 : 19351011 : Cauc : Protestant/married : 41E : 074 : Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 301, 31st Naval Construction Regiment, Dong Ha Combat Base TURNER WILLIAM OLIVER : 2172336 : USMC : CPL : E4 : 1341 : 21 : PHENIX CITY : AL : 19680228 : hostile, crash, land : Passenger : body recovered : Quang Tri : 02 : 19460725 : Cauc : Protestant/married : 42E : 001 STULL JAY WEBSTER : 080518 : USMC : CAPT : O3 : 0332 : 29 : RIVERSIDE : CT : 19680228 : hostile, crash, land : Passenger : body recovered : Quang Tri :10 : 19381023 : Cauc : Protestant/married : 41E : 069 STANTON EMMETT CHARLES : 2241061 : USMC : PFC : E2 : 0341 : 20 : LITTLE ROCK : AR : 19680228 : hostile, crash, land : Passenger : body recovered : Quang Tri : 00 : 19471103 : Negro : Protestant/single : 41E : 074 PARSONS CHARLES EDWARD : 2117797 : USMC : SGT : E5 : 2542 : 21 : SPRINGFIELD : MA : 19680228 : hostile, crash, land : Passenger : body recovered : Quang Tri : 03 : 19460917 : Cauc : Roman Catholic/single : 41E : 070 MIKELS JAMES HERBERT JR : 2137733 : USMC : SGT : E5 : 0141 : 20 : WHEELING : WV : 19680228 : hostile, crash, land : Passenger : body recovered : Quang Tri :03 : 19471030 : Cauc : Protestant/single : 41E : 069 ELLIS JOHN PATRICK : 087066 : USMC : CAPT : posthumous promotion : O2 : 7002 : 32 : COCHRAN : GA : 19680228 : hostile, crash, land : Passenger : body recovered : Quang Tri : 14 : 19360127 : Cauc : Protestant/married : 41E : 064 DWYER MATTHEW MURICE JR : 2104947 : USMC : LCPL : E3 : 1371 : 21 : NUTLEY : NJ : 19680228 : hostile, crash, land : Passenger : body recovered : Quang Tri :03 : 19461115 : Cauc : Protestant/single : 41E : 063 DEMPSEY RONALD LEE : 2150817 : USMC : CPL : E4 : 3531 : 20 : EVANSVILLE : IN : 19680228 : hostile, crash, land : Passenger : body recovered : Quang Tri :02 : 19471208 : Cauc : Protestant/single : 41E : 063 COOPER DONALD NATHANIEL : 2241658 : USMC : CPL : E4 : 6320 : 22 : BIG BEAR LAKE : CA : 19680228 : hostile, crash, land : Passenger : body recovered : Quang Tri : 02 : 19450423 : Cauc : Protestant/married : 41E : 062 : MAINTENANCE/RECOVERY CREW COLES KYLE J : 2275627 : USMC : LCPL : E3 : 0441 : 21 : SALT LAKE CITY : UT : 19680228 : hostile, crash, land : Passenger : body recovered : Quang Tri :01 : 19470205 : Cauc : Protestant/single : 41E : 061 CHRISTMAN RONALD S H : 2279648 : USMCR : LCPL : E3 : 6320 : 19 : LEHIGHTON : PA: 19680228 : hostile, crash, land : Passenger : body recovered : Quang Tri :01 : 19480601 : Cauc : Protestant/single : 41E : 060 : MAINTENANCE/RECOVERY CREW CALDWELL ROBERT EDWARD : 2302017 : USMC : CPL : E4 : 0331 : 20 : CHARLOTTE : NC : 19680228 : hostile, crash, land : Passenger : body recovered : Quang Tri :01 : 19470423 : Cauc : Protestant/single : 41E : 060 BALADES DAVID ZAVALA : 2127880 : USMC : PFC : E2 : 1341 : 20 : OXNARD : CA : 19680228 : hostile, crash, land : Passenger : body recovered : Quang Tri :02 : 19471020 : Cauc : Roman Catholic/married : 41E : 058 BRADLEY KENNETH ROBERT : 2179251 : USMC : CPL : E4 : 6320 : 20 : CEDAR LAKE : IN : 19680228 : hostile, crash, land : Passenger : body recovered : Quang Tri :02 : 19470408 : Cauc : Protestant/married : 41E : 059 : MAINTENANCE/RECOVERY CREW SEVELL ROBERT LEE : 093427 : USMCR : CAPT : O3 : 7562 (H-46) : 24 : CLARK : NJ : 19680228 : hostile, crash, land : Copilot : body recovered : Quang Tri :02 : 19430423 : Cauc : Roman Catholic/married : 41E : 072 TOTH JOHN PAUL : 2122035 : USMC : SGT : E5 : 6320 : 22 : TOLEDO : OH : 19680228 : hostile, crash, land : Crew : body recovered : Quang Tri :03 : 19450422 : Crew : Catholic/single : 42E : 002 MEIXNER EDWIN GEORGE : 078246 : USMC : MAJ : O4 : 7562 (H-46) : 29 : ALVA : OK : 19680228 : hostile, crash, land : AircraftCommander : body recovered : Quang Tri :10 : 19380629 : Cauc : Protestant/married : 41E : 069 THOTLAND JOHN ALFRED : 2162806 : USMC : LCPL : E3 : 6212 : 20 : MINNEAPOLIS : MN : 19680228 : hostile, crash, land : Crew : body recovered : Quang Tri :02 : 19471011 : Cauc : Protestant/single : 42E : 001 MCCABE MARC WAYNE : 2181347 : USMC : SGT : E5 : 6212 : 22 : MENLO PARK : CA : 19680228 : hostile, crash, land : Crew : body recovered : Quang Tri :02 : 19451003 : Cauc : Protestant/single : 41E : 070 GARD DANNY D : 2158322 : USMC : CPL : E4 : 6320 : 21 : BALLINGER : TX : 19680228 : hostile, crash, land : Crew : body recovered : Quang Tri :02 : 19460806 : Cauc : Protestant/single : 41E : 065 BENIGNI ALFREDO : 2174301 : USMC : CPL : E4 : 6313 : 20 : FOLSOM : PA : 19680228 : hostile, crash, land : CrewChief : body recovered : Quang Tri :02 : 19470511 : Cauc : Roman Catholic/married : 41E : 059 Comments: 9 HMM-262 Command Chronology Flight Schedule Wednesday, 28 February 1968: OPS DUTY OFFICER: 1stLt Cole SQUADRON DUTY OFFICER: Lt Klahn EVENT#, A/C CMDR, CO-PILOT, MISSION 20-1, Maj Meixner, Sevell, 53 KS 20-2, Barba, Otto, 53 KS 20-3, Maj Therriault, Bratton, 53 KS 20-4, Richards, Morrison, 53 KS Submitted by: N/A, 20030823 Personal Narrative - from HMM-262 website "...The pilots of that ill fated aircraft were Major Ed Meixner and Capt Robert Sevell. There were other personnel on board who were not members of HMM-262. They were getting a ride to Khe Sanh. The mission that day was to bring a repair crew to Khe Sanh to recover a battle damaged CH-46 from HMM-262. It was our practice to take a direct route to Khe Sanh but the VC and NVA spotted this route and set up automatic weapons in strategic locations to direct large volumes of fire on our aircraft. To counteract the VC, we altered our flight path to approach Khe Sanh from another direction. The VC spotted this and again set up automatic weapons to shoot at our aircraft. Our aircraft took numerous hits and crashed in flames with one survivor who died later that evening at the Dong Ha medical facility. There was a magnificent effort to recover the crew with 3rd Division Marines helicoptered in to set up a perimeter defense around the crash site and VMO-6 providing air cover. If necessary, fixed wing aircraft were standing by. We were not going to leave any one behind. Dave Althoff flew the medevac aircraft picking up the entire crew. Our Flight Surgeon, Drew Morris was with the rescue force to provide immediate medical care...." Submitted by: Mel Steinberg, Commanding Officer, 20030817 Personal Narrative - from HMM-262 website The narrative which follows was provided by Corporal Kellan "K-Bar" Kyllo, 1966-1968, crewchief of the lead aircraft of a mission involved two HMM-262 aircraft that launched from Quang Tri with the destination of Khe Sanh for the purpose of taking a recovery crew to repair an A/C at the Khe Sanh Combat Base. "... Fred Benigni was the crewchief (of the chase aircraft) but I don't remember which men were the two gunners, the extra crewmembers were members of the recovery team. I was in the lead plane. The HAC (helicopter commander of the lead aircraft) was Capt. Conroy. Major Meixner commanded the chase plane. My aircraft had just crossed over a ridge at tree top level that was thick blanket of fog. When the chase plane crossed the ridge at almost that same spot, the aircraft radioed that they had taken automatic weapons fire. There were no further communications. The aircraft then banked to the right and started to descend towards the valley at a high rate of speed. There was a yellow-white fire in the aft of the cabin that could be seen through the cabin portholes. The fire moved towards the front of cabin and consumed the entire cabin. The aircraft hit the valley floor at full speed. The crash extinguished the fire. We circled around the crash site and considered landing with the Marines we had aboard and looking for survivors.