CASE SYNOPSIS: UHLMANSIEK, RALPH EDWARD
Name: Ralph Edward Uhlmansiek
Rank/Branch: E4/US Army
Unit: Company B, 227th Aviation Battalion, 11th Aviation Group, 1st
Cavalry
Division (Airmobile)
Date of Birth: 09 October 1946
Home City of Record: Cincinnati OH
Loss Date: 11 June 1967
Country of Loss: South Vietnam - Over Water
Loss Coordinates: 131800N 1094000E (CQ555705)
Status (in 1973): Missing In Action
Category: 5
Acft/Vehicle/Ground: UH1D
Other Personnel In Incident: Quentin Beecher; Thomas Riggs; James R.
Nelson;
Dean E. Clinton (all missing)
SYNOPSIS: The 227th Aviation Battalion (Assault Helicopter), 11th
Aviation Group was organic to the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). From
the end of October 1966 into February 1967, the 1st Cavalry Division
battled clearing Binh Dinh Province in Operations THAYER II and
PERSHING, the latter concentrated in the rich northern coastal plain as
well as the Kim Son and Luoi Ci Valleys to the west. Throughout the rest
of 1967 the division combated the North
Vietnamese Army's 610th Division and Viet Cong Units in the II Corps
Tactical Zone. There were over 7100 known enemy casualties in the two
operations.
On June 11, 1967, WO1 Thomas F. Riggs, pilot; WO Dean E. Clinton,
co-pilot; SP5 James R. Nelson, crew chief; and passengers WO1 Quentin R.
Beecher and SP4 Ralph E. Uhlmansiek; departed Landing Zone Uplift, Qui
Nhon airfield in the southern coastal region of Binh Dinh Province,
South Vietnam.
The crew and passengers were aboard a UH1D helicopter (serial
#63-12958), call sign "Bamboo Viper 47", on an operations mission in the
province. At 1900 hours, Bamboo Viper 47 left the LZ at Qui Nhon. While
en route, bad weather was encountered, and the pilot requested
assistance in determining his position.
Efforts by Tuy Hoa and Qui Nhon airfields, and airborne search and
rescue control aircraft failed to locate the aircraft to guide it to the
airfield. At 2057 hours, the pilot reported that he was out of fuel, and
was willing to make a water landing. Search and rescue efforts started
immediately, and continued until 13 June, but was unsuccessful in
locating either the helicopter or its crew and passengers. All were
declared Missing in Action, Category 5 (which
indicates that it is not felt that remains can be recovered).
There are nearly 2500 Americans who remain missing in Southeast Asia.
Reports from refugee and intelligence sources continue to mount that
indicate some of these men are alive, still held in captivity. Experts
now believe that hundreds of Americans are still held.
The case of the downed UH1D seems clear - the crew will probably never
be found. But for many of the others who are missing, endings are not so
easy to write. Many are alive and waiting for the country they proudly
served to bring them home. As long as one American is alive in captivity
in the jungles of Southeast Asia, the war is not over - our flag is
still there.
"All Biographical and loss information on POWs provided by Operation
Just Cause have been supplied by Chuck and Mary Schantag of POWNET. Please check with P.O.W.
Network regularly for updates."
