BIRD THOMAS ARNOLD JR

Narrative

While inserting US Marines as part of operation TEXAS about 1600 near the hamlet of Xuan Hoa, the aircraft received large mm machine gun fire. It rolled inverted, crashed, exploded and burned. The passengers were from the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines. Three of the crew died in the wreckage. 1LT Kraft was thrown clear but later that day died of injuries. Details provided by LTC Zitnik, CO of VMO-6.