Richard Thomas Perrin

On June 27, 1966, a U.S. Army helicopter UH-1B (tail number 64-14047) from the 161st Aviation Company and a U.S. Army helicopter UH-1B (tail number 65-09486) from Troop C, 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) were involved in a mid-air collision over Tuy Hoa Air Base. The accident occurred when aircraft 047 took off on a northwest heading while aircraft 486 had taken off on a westerly heading then made a right turn to a northwest heading. This put the two aircraft on a collision course. The helicopters collided, crashed, and burned. There were no survivors. The lost crew from 047 included aircraft commander CAPT Donald R. Bryant, pilot CAPT Jerry W. McNabb, crew chief CPL Fredrick M. Binder, and gunner PVT Jackie L. Goforth. The lost personnel from 486 were pilots MAJ Billy J. Nave and CAPT Richard T. Perrin, gunner SP4 Frank L. Gonderman, and passenger SP5 Louis E. Walton. The regular crew chief assigned to 486, SP4 T. Wallace, stated that MAJ Nave, commander of C Troop, and passenger SP5 Walton were completing their tours of duty in Vietnam and were leaving Tuy Hoa to go to Camp Radcliff (An Khe Army Airfield) on their way home. After they took off, they returned on a low pass to wave goodbye and collided with the other helicopter. SP4 Wallace had been replaced on 486 by Walton so he could go home as Walton had four children.