Info Sheet - CPT Eudelmer "Skip" Petrie
Killed in Action 16 May 1971
On May 16, 1971 a mortar/rocket attack did heavy damage to an aircraft from F Troop, that was in for maintenance. (U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 69-15272). UH-1 Mechanics SP4 Leonard D. Montes, SP4 Ralph E. Posey and SP4 Phillip C. Blackmond were performing maintenance on the helicopter when an enemy rocket landed in the revetment. SP4 Montes was killed outright. SP4 Blackmond was seriously wounded and died of wounds a few hours after arriving at the hospital. (SP4 Blackmond was pulled from the burning helicopter by CPT Skip Petrie.) SP4 Posey received what appeared to be minor wounds and burns, but died of wounds while in an Army hospital in Japan. (Posey may have inhaled hot gases from the burning helicopter.)
The VHPA Report:
Helicopter UH-1H 69-15272
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 69-15272
The Army purchased this helicopter 0470
Total flight hours at this point: 00000750
Date: 05/16/1971
Incident number: 71051616.KIA
Unit: F/4 CAV
South Vietnam
UTM grid coordinates: XT765385
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database. Also: OPERA (Operations Report. )
Summary: These three men were killed by an enemy rocket while working on this helicopter on the ground.
Loss to Inventory
Crew Members:
OG SP4 BLACKMOND PHILLIP CORNELI KIA
OG SP4 MONTES LEONARD DANIEL KIA
OG SP4 POSEY RALPH EDWARD KIA