: Tom do you remember if any one was firing when
: they went down?
: BT

We were en route to a pick up point on or over the border at tree top level about 80-90 Knots. It was not friendly turf but at the time we were not receiving any fire that I could detect. I don't know how far we were from the LZ but I do know it was an emergency extract which ment we would most likely go in Hot and stay Hot all the way through. We had another Croc Gunship on the right side and a back up slick coming from another mission to meet us. I am sure we also had a few A1-E's higher up, pretty much SOP for these missions. The back up slick was Curt Burger and his CE was Jim Triplett. I was doing my usual scan fore and aft up and down through the cockpit to glance at the gauges and when I looked out the left and back I saw 596 suddenly take a nose down attitude and crash into the jungle on the hill side. No glide path of any kind. Even with a full load of fuel and ammo you would expect some kind flair before entering the canopy since air speed was around 90 knots. I'm not a pilot but that is enough speed for a feeble attempt to auto rotate at tree top level.

If my mind had Digital outputs I could tape the entire incident and to this day I still can't get the smell of burning flesh to go away.

As long as we are on this earth we will never know the answer but as long as I am on this earth I will continue to Salute them and all of are fallen Brothers.

Tom Gator 851.
"NEVER FORGET"