HIMLER ROBERT JOHN

Narrative

This aircraft took a couple of hits from some enemy small arms fire as they were coming out of Quizmaster Team Echo's position on a normal resupply mission. They climed to about 3,000 feet, both to get out of the range of the weapons and to check out the controls. When the wingman asked how they were, they replied that the plane had taken two hits but the crew was okay. They made a safe descent to 800 feet with white smoke coming from the forward pylon when the plane unexpectedly rolled rapidly to the right and dropped straight down burning and exploding on impact. Both pilots and the gunner died instantly. The crew chief was thrown clear. He may have lost both legs but is thought to have survived. Extracted from 1500 Feet Over Vietnam by Bruce Lake.