Photos courtesy of Frank Jones and Edited by Randy White

A Frank Jones photo of the ship Maj. Robert L Grof was killed in on April 10, 1971. Maybe the flight can help I.D. the people in the photo. RW

As told by Eugene Lott, 19 APR 2015, Door Gunner for Major Groff flight of 10 APR 1971

On the day of the mission Dale Brewer (the Crew Chief) and myself (Harless Eugene Lott) were asked to report to Major Grof's office. When we reported to the office he told us not to wear any insignias, dog tags, or anything that would reveal our rank. We asked him what was going on and he said we were going hunting in Laos.

We crossed over the valley flying UH-1H tail number 68-15753 on a Hunter Seeker Mission with canisters of high explosives aboard, we passed what I believe was Tiger Mountain. I was the Right Side Door Gunner behind Major Grof and asked for permission to test guns. Major Grof said okay. About five minutes after I got through firing my M60 we received return fire. I reported to Major Grof that we were taking fire. I could see white tracers popping up all around the ship. Major Grof said he was going to bank to the left to try to avoid fire. At this time we received a right nose hit from enemy anti-aircraft. Major Grof and his seat were thrown back from the pilots position toward me, badly wounded. After the Co-pilot stabilized the ship I went to check on Major Grof who was now lying by my left side. I knelt down next to him to check him, the FO (Forward Observer sitting in the center jump seat) stated that he had passed and there was nothing we could do for him. While we tried to maneuver our way back to Vietnam, through the valley we were constantly taking fire. We were not able to land until we got to the other side of the valley on an abandoned firebase (Fire Base Rendezvous?). I set up security when the recovery chopper (crewed by Michael J Richter) landed. Major Grof was moved to the pickup chopper along with what gear we could carry and ourselves.

We proceeded to Medevac (85th Evac) at Camp Eagle. Upon taking Major Grof off the chopper we found out he was still alive. We took him into OR. After a very short time in OR he passed.

Harless Eugene Lott

Eugene also received orders for a 101st Airborne Division Commemorative Coin which he has never received. He hopes to get the coin for his family.

Michigan State University Alumni Memory Page for Major Grof

The sitrep for B Troop, April 10, 1971. The grid coordinates for FSB Rendezvous are YC 436 960, so I believe there's a mistake in the report. The grids given on the C.D. must be where the ship was hit at. This is very near the border on the west side of the Valley, in the FSB Erskine -Bradley area.

Info from the VHPA C.D. about the incident.

Name: MAJ. Robert Lester Grof
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 04/10/71 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 32.7
Date of Birth: 07/27/38
Home City: Lansing, MI
Service: AR branch of the regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: B/2/17 CAV 101 ABN
Major organization: 101st Airborne Division
Service: AR branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 04W-115

Short Summary: C&C hit by 37mm in right seat killing Grof. WO Stone flew A/C back to Firebase Veghel, RVN. After Lam Son 719.

Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 68-15753
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 1983
Primary cause: 37MM
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: small arms fire
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: aircraft commander
Vehicle ownership: government
Started Tour: 07/09/70
"Official" listing: ground casualty
The initial status of this person was: no previous report
Location: Quang Tri Province I Corps.
Military grid coordinates of event: YD165108

Additional information about this casualty from Michael P. Loyd, CE 67N2F, 170th AHC BIKINI/BUCCANEER Apr66-Feb69, B Trp 2-17th Air Cav BANSHEE Oct70-Jan72, 48th AHC BLUE STAR/JOKERS Jan72-May72, Fairbanks, Alaska, Oct. 97:

I remember the Hendrix "Love Birds" well. It was one of those good news, and very bad news things, that seem like a Hollywood script. They had a very fine Air Cav wedding, complete with swords, Cav hats, and send off in, what else, a Loach. I was out there waving with the rest, her in her white gown, heading off for their honeymoon. Since her parents couldn't be there, Patti had our Commander, Maj Grof, give her away. That's the good news. The A Shau Valley was our AO and unhappy hunting ground. We went out there as often as we could, weather permitting. Maj Grof went out on a weather recon, to see if the AO was workable, that way we didn't send a whole gaggle, only to return. He descended down a "Sucker Hole", and took a 37mm in the chin bubble. The Peter Pilot, on his very first in-country mission, managed to get the Huey down in one piece at Fire Base Rendezvous, with no hydraulics. Our FO LT Michael Rodak, attended Maj Grof, and kept him alive until he arrived at the 85th Evac. After hours of operating, he just had to much damage to his intestines, he passed away with Patti attending him. Very bad news.

Reason: gunshot or small arms fire
Casualty type: Hostile - died of wounds
married male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Methodist (Evangelical United Brethren)

The following information is secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: battle dead
Category of personnel: active duty
Army Military class: officer
This record was last updated on 10/13/97

The instrument panel of the Grof ship.

L-R: from B Troop: W.O. Stone, CPT. Frank Jones. From L Company: CPT. David Ohle, Lt. David Grange and Lt. Bob Suchke.
Bob Suchke told us this was in May of 71. The sitrep, Randy believes it to be, is next.

Bill Collum
Correctly identified by Frank Jones, Brian Price and Randy White.

Frank Jones

Lou Spiedel and Bill Collum during happier days.

Bill Collum

L-R: Unknown, Maj. Albright, unk., Hoc Bao CO., LTC. Archie Rider.
The tail number appears to be 893.

Date : Thu, 16 May 2002 22:45:33 -0400

The tail number is not 893... there was no 893 in HHT, but there was a 853.
RW

Date : Thu, 2 Jan 2003 16:38:09 -0500

This came in today about the photo of Rider that's posted in Frank Jones's name, with pictures of the Groff KIA ship.

The picture you have posted here is of particular interest to me - I have been in contact with Maj. Dick Albrecht, the man on the left in the forefront of the picture.He confirms that the man next to Col. Rider with the helmet on is Major Doan, Commander of the Hoc Bao, and he believes the other man between him and Major Doan, is Captain Nge, XO of the Hoc Bao who was KIA before the war ended.
RW

L-R: Unknown, name tag looks like O'Brien, Frank Jones with plate and Bill Jones.
Lunch time at the Cav.

WO Bill Cullum

I believe this is Lou "John" Spiedel (see below). Frank Jones said the color photo of the guy in the white T-shirt sitting in the hooch I called Spiedel was Collum, but if you look at the name tag on the color photo I've identified as Collum, you'll see that's the name given. Regardless it is Collum and Spiedel with the model biplane, and in these photos. Maybe one of the flight can straighten it out. Please let me know if they do. If any of your guys have other photos they'd like touched up, or photos of L Company people I can copy, please send them my way. I'll be taking over the L Company web site in June, and plan on many additions and changes over the coming months. Always looking for guys who can tell me about our missions from the aircrew point of view, and photos of our guys. RW

From: JonFra304@aol.com Frank D. Jones
Sent: Friday, May 28, 2004 5:35 PM
Subject: R. White Photos 1971 - Ref: photo identified as "Speidel"

I am Frank D. Jones, now a retired Major. The Photograph with the aviator holding the model airplane is not Captain Speidel. It is WO Bill Cullum. I took the picture and I inventored his property when he was killed. For historical accuracy, the captioned should be corrected. If the webmaster is Randy White then I say hello and happy Memorial Day. I'm new to this thing called "internet" boy it is great flying it.
Regards, Frank