At Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Copyright © - Douglas Bull
One of two C-141's to be hijacked....
Starlifter 66-0192 was waiting for cargo during an enroute stop at Bien Hoa AB,
RVN. The Aircraft Commander was at command post. The other six crewmembers were
relaxing in the cargo compartment when a 20-year-old US Army Private entered
through the open ramp, carrying an M-16. He ordered the crew into the cockpit
and demanded that they fly him "somewhere".
When the crew attempted to taxi, vehicles blocked their path. The hijacker
ordered the loadmaster into the cargo compartment, then shot him three times.
The crew advised authorities that the loadmaster had been shot. The vehicles
moved and then again blocked the aircraft. The crew was able to communicate
over headsets without the knowledge of the hijacker.
At a prearranged time, the navigator grabbed the rifle barrel, as the copilot
and engineer lunged for the hijacker. In the struggle, 13 rounds were fired
into the cockpit ceiling.
The crewmembers were able to overpower and disarm the hijacker before turning
him over to the Security Police. The Loadmaster survived, but was later
medically discharged.
There were no other serious injuries.
There was at least one additional hijacking attempt of a C-141, also during the
war in Vietnam.
On 9/12/2007, the following additional information was submitted by Johan Ragay
in the Netherlands :
Scanning the text of the
Kaman Rotor Tips
magazine of November-December
1970, page 21, I came by the following small report :
PEDRO HELPS HIJACKER VICTIM
A crewmember, shot during an attempted C-141 hijacking at Bien Hoa AB, was
taken to the hospital in an HH-43 from Det 6, 38th ARRSq. The detachment is
stationed at the base. The seriously wounded man, who had been shot at close
range with an M-16, was accompanied to the U. S. Army 24th Field Evacuation
Hospital by a flight surgeon.
The hijacker had been captured immediately after the shooting. Manning the
Pedro were Capt Roy M. Litzen, pilot; Capt Russell T. Birmingham, Jr., copilot;
Sgt Earl S. Wright, helicopter mechanic; and TSgt Grady J. Mullins, medical
technician.
At AMARG
Copyright © - Phil Kovaric
At AMARG
Copyright © - Phil Kovaric