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South Hadley Falls’s Fallen from the Vietnam War

  PAUL DENNIS FLEMING

Personal Data:

Birth Date:  August 17, 1947

Birth Place:

Race:  Caucasian

Religion:  Protestant - No Preference

U.S. Citizen:  Yes

Father’s Name:

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Marital Status:  Single

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Military Service Record:

Entry Date:

Entry Mode:

Entry Location:

Home of Record:  South Hadley Falls, Massachusetts

Service Branch:  Marine Corps                    

Service Component:  Regular                      

Rank:  Sergeant

Rank Abbrev:  SGT  

Pay Grade:  E5         

MOS:  6242               

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Length of Service:

Southeast Asia Tour Data:

Date Tour Commenced: July 18, 1968

Major Command:  Fleet Marine Force, Pacific               

Air Assignment:

Air Wing:  9th Marine Amphibious Brigade               

Air Group:  Marine Air Group 15             

Squadron:  HMM-165

Casualty Data:

Casualty Date:  January 7, 1969

Casualty Time:

Casualty Age:  21

Casualty Data 1: Non-Hostile, Died of Other Causes        

Casualty Data 2:  Air Loss, Crash on Land    

Casualty Data 3:  Helicopter - Crew              

Casualty Province:  Quang Ngai

Casualty Country:  South Vietnam               

Located In Or Near:

Casualty Vehicle:  CH-46D Seaknight serial number 152552

Aircraft Incident Data: click here for Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association report  

Body Recovered:  Yes   

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South Hadley Falls’s Fallen Casualty Order:  5th

Vietnam Veterans Memorial Panel Number:  35W  Line Number:  47

Helicopter CH-46A 152552

Information on U.S. Marine Corps helicopter CH-46A tail number 152552
Date: 01/07/69
Incident number: 69010777.KIA
Unit: HMM-165
South Vietnam
Casualties = 04 KIA . .
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database. Also: OPERA, POPASMOKE INCIDENT (Operations Report. )
Summary: Crashed into a mountain during bad weather on a routine flight between Marble Mountain and Chu Lai for mail and passengers.
Loss to Inventory

Crew Members:
AC 1LT FORD GLENN JESSE III KIA
CP 1LT JACOBS VINCENT LAWRENCE KIA
C SGT HOBART GLENN EDWARD III kIA
C SGT FLEMING PAUL DENNIS KIA

War Story:
The POPASMOKE incident reads: I was supposed to be with Glen on that flight when they crashed into a mountain. Vince, my room mate on the ship, took the flight because I had been out since day break and he did not have a flight that day. It was supposed to be an easy, afternoon mail run. However, they never came back. We think they were misdirected by a radar controller, but we don't know for sure. HMM-165 was aboard the Tripoli during the fall of 1968. I don't remember the exact months. We operated from it for three months as did other H-46 squadrons. We went ashore at Marble Mountain from the ship and remained there until the squadron was pulled from country. It was while we were at Marble that Glen Ford and Vince Jacobs were killed in the mountain crash. Their flight was just a routine run to Chu Lai for mail and passengers bound for Marble. It was a very cloudy day and they had to be radar vectored back to Marble. That was when it happened. Glen was a quiet guy, very friendly and easy to be his friend. He was very capable; that was why we had to believe that he was misdirected into the mountain. Vince was a typical New York Italian. He to was easy going and a good friend. He liked to laugh and have a good time. They were greatly missed. Submitted by Bill Turek, HMM-16

This record was last updated on 07/31/00

The following is crew member information for this incident:

The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter CH-46A tail number 152552
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 .
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.

DATE  FLT HRS    UIC      UNIT          AREA          POST          COUNTRY
6901   0    0 HMM164 HMM-164?         VIETNAM                     VS

Please send additions or corrections to:

VHPA Head Quarters or Gary Roush or Mike Law

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