Bluehawk
Airman 1st Class
I came across something that has me puzzled and questioning the veracity or completeness of the report. Here is the quote:
"A Fairchild C-123K Provider (tail number 55-4574) call sign "Bookie 102" was en route to Nha Trang AB from Tan Son Nhut AB when it struck trees on a ridge at an elevation of 4600 feet, some 500 feet below the top. It crashed at 1330 in the hills west of Cam Ranh Bay, 25 km (15.6 mls) SW of Nha Trang Airport. Weather was poor with a broken overcast at 2000 feet and 1500 m visibility. The wreckage was found nine days after the accident.
79 people were killed in the crash,
5 USAF personnel from the 19th Tactical Airlift Squadron:
Major Robert L. Baker
1st Lt. Marvin S. Arthington
1st Lt. Frederick M. Rader
TSgt. William B. O'Kieff
Sgt Allen J. Bodin
1 USAF from the 600th Photographic Squadron:
A1C Frederick R. Neef
South Vietnamese Troops:
73 ARVIN soldiers"
I worked on the Bookie almost 3 years and never did I see anything close to 79 total humans of any size in that cargo area. I suppose it is possible, but 60 give or take was our official maximum.
The report states "73 ARVN soldiers" were aboard and lost that day (27 Nov 70). If they were in there without ANY combat gear, it would still be a real stretch to imagine this, even if they were all standing for the flight and some number of them placed on the ramp in the UP position.
What am I missing?
"A Fairchild C-123K Provider (tail number 55-4574) call sign "Bookie 102" was en route to Nha Trang AB from Tan Son Nhut AB when it struck trees on a ridge at an elevation of 4600 feet, some 500 feet below the top. It crashed at 1330 in the hills west of Cam Ranh Bay, 25 km (15.6 mls) SW of Nha Trang Airport. Weather was poor with a broken overcast at 2000 feet and 1500 m visibility. The wreckage was found nine days after the accident.
79 people were killed in the crash,
5 USAF personnel from the 19th Tactical Airlift Squadron:
Major Robert L. Baker
1st Lt. Marvin S. Arthington
1st Lt. Frederick M. Rader
TSgt. William B. O'Kieff
Sgt Allen J. Bodin
1 USAF from the 600th Photographic Squadron:
A1C Frederick R. Neef
South Vietnamese Troops:
73 ARVIN soldiers"
I worked on the Bookie almost 3 years and never did I see anything close to 79 total humans of any size in that cargo area. I suppose it is possible, but 60 give or take was our official maximum.
The report states "73 ARVN soldiers" were aboard and lost that day (27 Nov 70). If they were in there without ANY combat gear, it would still be a real stretch to imagine this, even if they were all standing for the flight and some number of them placed on the ramp in the UP position.
What am I missing?
