Interim Search and Recovery
Report 2002/CIL/005, a CH-46A Crash Site Associated with REFNO 0746, Phu Loc District,
Thua Thien-Hue Province, Socialist Republic of Vietnam, 12 Through 30 January
2002
by
James Pokines, PhD
U.S. Army
Central Identification Laboratory
310 Worchester
Avenue
Hickam AFB, HI 96853-5530
25 February
2002
INTRODUCTION |
1 |
|
BACKGROUND |
1 |
|
RECOVERY SCENE LOCATION |
2 |
|
DESCRIPTION OF RECOVERY SCENE |
4 |
|
FIELD METHODS |
6 |
|
ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDINGS |
9 |
|
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS |
11 |
|
REFERENCE |
11 |
LIST OF FIGURES
|
Figure 1. |
Example of a CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter. |
2 |
|
Figure 2. |
General location of the REFNO 0746 project area in Thua Thien-Hue Province. |
3 |
|
Figure 3. |
Topographic map of REFNO 0746 project area. |
4 |
|
Figure 4. |
REFNO 0746 schematic soil profile. |
5 |
|
Figure 5. |
Soil profile at N550 E500, north face. |
5 |
|
Figure 6. |
REFNO 0746 overview diagram. |
7 |
|
Figure 7. |
Diagram of REFNO 0746 excavation area. |
8 |
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Figure 8. |
Excavation of REFNO 0746. |
9 |
|
Figure 9. |
East side of excavation area, bordering stream bed. |
10 |
|
Figure 10. |
West side of excavation area. |
10 |
|
Figure 11. |
Center of excavation area. |
11 |
Interim Search and Recovery Report
2002/CIL/005, a CH-46A Crash Site Associated with REFNO 0746, Phu Loc District,
Thua Thien-Hue Province, Socialist Republic of Vietnam, 12 Through 30 January
2002
From 12 through 30 January 2002, during the 68th JFA, Recovery
Element Four (RE4) excavated a crash site associated with Case 0746 in Phu
Loc District, Thua
Thien-Hue Province, Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV). RE4 excavated approximately 388 m2. The Investigator in Charge (IC) suspended
excavation of the site on 30 January 2002.
RE4 did not recover or receive any remains, personal effects or
significant material evidence. This
project area is recommended for further excavation (approximately one full JFA
for completion).
This case involves the 30 June 1967 loss of a CH-46A helicopter
(see Figure 1 for an example) while conducting an insertion mission, resulting
in five unaccounted-for individuals.
On 15 May 2000, Investigation Element One (IE1) conducted split
operations and investigated case 0746 in Phu Loc District, Thua Thien-Hue
Province. IE1 interviewed one witness
who had knowledge of a helicopter crash site.
The witness guided IE1 to a crash site where the joint team found personal
effects, and several pieces of both aircrew and troop-related items. IE1 recovered material evidence that
conclusively correlated the crash site with case 0746. IE1 did not recover or receive any remains,
but did recover and receive several personal effects and both aircrew and troop
related items while investigating Case 0746.
IE1 recommended additional investigation. J2/J3/CILHI analysts subsequently
recommended the site for excavation.
RE4
re-interviewed the same witness:
(1) Name: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
(2) Age: XX yoa.
(3) Current
residence and length of time there: Lifelong
resident of XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
(4) Current
occupation: Farmer.
(5) Occupation
during time of incident: Farmer.
(6) Reliability: Reliable.
The location of the crash area was reconfirmed by previous investigation
during the 60th JFA and partial excavation during the present JFA.
(7) Statement: Mr XXXXXXX provided RE4 the same
information as he provided the IE during the 60th JFA, showing the team to the
same location. He further indicated that
to his best recollection, the local forest had been logged in approximately
1978. He also led RE4 to a location
approximately 300 m west of the crash area, which he claimed had additional
wreckage from it washed there by storm erosion.
This location was reached by climbing approximately 150 m up the
waterfall adjacent to the base camp.
Life Support Analyst (LSA)/Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Technician
analysis indicated that the few pieces of wreckage remaining were from a UH-1
helicopter. The erosional
scenario described by the witness was also impossible, due to the shape of the
terrain. This wreckage is therefore
unrelated to the CH-46A site area.
The REFNO 0746 project area is in central SRV, approximately 45 km from the city of Hue (Figure 2). This site is located in the vicinity of Lang La Khe Village, Phu Loc District, Thua Thien-Hue Province (Figure 3). The team gained initial access to the site by a drive of approximately 20 minutes from the Huong Giang Hotel in Hue to Phu Bai Airport south of the city. The team then flew to the site via a 10-minute helicopter ride to a landing zone (LZ) approximately 150 m downhill from the site. The team later gained access from a base camp located adjacent to the LZ area. The nearest habitations are approximately 4 km from the site.
The
grid coordinates are: 48Q ZC 00822 99956,
determined by Garmin III Global Positioning System
(GPS) receiver, tracking seven satellites.
This site is located on map: Name:
Q. Phu Loc; Sheet: 6541 I; Series: L7014; Edition: 2-TPC; Scale:
1:50,000; Datum: Indian Datum
1960.
Map: Name: Q. Phu Loc; Sheet: 6541 I; Series: L7014; Edition: 2-TPC; Scale: 1:50,000; Datum: Indian Datum 1960.
Figure
3. Topographic map of REFNO 0746 project area.
The project area is on the side of a low hill (ca. 320 m above mean sea level) with an approximately 300 slope. Downhill exposure is to the north, looking over the coastal plain in the direction of Hue. The surrounding upland area is protected forest reserve, with rice paddies in the valley bottoms. The hillside is well-drained, but has undergone extreme erosion of its topsoil in recent years.
The soil in the site area (Figures 4 and 5) consists of a thin, brown silty A horizon, grading immediately into an orange C horizon primarily composed of sand, silt, and decayed bedrock. Bedrock is exposed in and around the site, and is composed of bands of sandstone high in iron content and siltstone. Root disturbances are common from the trees throughout the site, as are
Figure 4. REFNO 0746 schematic soil profile.
Figure 5. Soil profile at N510 E500, north face.
small mammal burrows. Multiple areas of exposed subsoil (from erosion and other agencies) are apparent in the site area.
The
site area drapes over a spur of the hill (Figures 6 and 7), with slopes
dropping on three sides (west, south and east) from the central site area. The eastern side of the site terminates at
the base of a dry streambed lined with large sandstone boulders. Previous investigation during the 60th JFA
indicated that the site stretches approximately 50 m east-west and
north-south.
Multiple
factors have impacted the site area between the time of the loss incident and
this excavation. Multiple small
entrenchments are located due south, uphill from the crash area. These may be the remains of wartime tunnel
entrances, indicating occupation near the crash site at that time. RE4 recovered multiple indications of
significant ordnance expenditure in the site area, further indicating its
possible occupation by enemy forces.
Significant scavenging of site materials therefore could have begun as
early as during the war. According to
the witness statement (above) and as confirmed by visual inspection, the site
surroundings were logged out in the late 1970s.
This would have exposed the crash site and allowed wholesale movement of
materials from the area. The witness
indicates that most of the helicopter was already gone upon his initial
discovery and salvage activities in 1985.
The site has also undergone scavenging between the activities of this
mission and the previous investigation during the 60th JFA. Upon arrival at the site, RE4 discovered that
a game-trapping trail already transected the site area.
The excavation team followed standard archaeological procedures. This site placement was determined from the witness statement and through metal detector prospecting of the site area by the EOD Technician, though the latter efforts were restricted by the high iron content of the bedrock. The IC determined the probable original impact/burning area through the location of melted fragments of Plexiglas-like material, which apparently had not been disturbed by scavenging efforts. Only two metal artifacts of any type were visible on the surface after clearing efforts, with sporadic pieces of possible aircraft wreckage (corroding aluminum, brass, etc.) located through metal detector sweeps. The IC selected areal exposure using multiple 5-x-5-m units as the excavation strategy. The IC aligned the excavation grid at 3390 (210 west of magnetic north). These units were excavated (Figure 8) using shovels, picks, and trowels, starting at eastern edge of the site area. Culturally sterile soil was reached at a normal maximum depth of 0.30 m below the original ground surface. The team passed all sediments through 1/4-in wire mesh, with US personnel examining the contents of each screen. The final excavations covered approximately 388 m2.
The IC, EOD Technician and LSA analyzed all artifacts recovered from the site (see Archaeological Findings section, below). The team photographed the site before, during and at the close of excavations.
Figure 7. Diagram of REFNO 0746 excavation area.
Figure 8. Excavation of REFNO 0746.
The partial excavation of this site yielded
few finds of any kind. Scattered
shrapnel was recovered throughout the excavation area (Figures 9, 10 and 11) as
well as other fragments of expended ordnance.
A few pieces of aircraft wreckage were recovered, scattered throughout
the excavation area, with the largest/densest of these concentrated on the
downhill margins of the site area (trapped against natural rock barriers). Additional finds of melted Plexiglas-like
material were concentrated in the central crash area. Other items were found through metal detector
sweeps outside of the excavated area and include scattered pieces of aluminum
and some items of ordnance (below).
These items were disposed of near the site.
The items of
explosive ordnance recovered in and around the site consisted of: (1) shrapnel from 105 mm M-1 howitzer
rounds; (2) multiple fragments of 81 mm mortar rounds; (3) multiple
fragments of 2.75 in HE rockets; (4) multiple fragments of RPG2 rounds; (5)
multiple small caliber projectiles, possible non-US origin; (6) one 7.62-x-51
mm small arms round; (7) multiple M-16 rounds; and (8) two small components of
an M-16 rifle. These were disposed of
near the site.
Figure 9.
East side of excavation area, bordering stream bed (view is northwest).
Figure 10.
West side of excavation area (view is east).
Figure 11.
Center of excavation area (view is northeast).
RE4 excavated the eastern side and
part of the central portion of the established site area to the fullest
possible extent within the time available during this JFA. The IC suspended operations on 30 January
2002. Only minor traces of debris
consistent with the aircraft type in question were recovered in the excavated
area and in adjacent areas swept by metal detector. The IC recommends additional excavation of
this site, with an estimation of a full JFA being necessary for
completion. No wet screening will be
necessary.
JAMES POKINES, PhD
Investigator in Charge/Anthropologist
Ripley, T.
1998 Jane’s Pocket Guide: Modern Military Helicopters. Harper Collins Publishers, London.