RESCUE CHOPPER RESCUED FROM THE PACIFIC STARS & STRIPES FOR FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 1971.

Copy of article provided by Dave Eckberg

S&S Vietnam Bureau

SAIGON — An Air Force HH53 Super Jolly Green Giant rescue helicopter was itself rescued Monday by a quick-acting team of young airmen hours after it was shot down 15 miles south of Chu Lai, 7th AF spokesmen said Wednesday.

The chopper, piloted by Maj. Donald Jensen, was hovering over the Tra Khuc River in an effort to rescue a body from a downed Army helicopter, when Communist gunners opened up and forced the chopper down on a sandbar, they said.

A six-man volunteer maintenance team from the 37th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Sq., at Da Nang was flown to the scene where they repaired the downed chopper, spokesmen said.

The airmen patched the helicopter within an hour and Jensen flew it out of the area, they said.

NOTE:  The rescue helicopter was sent to recover the body of CWO Robert Dennis Black, from the 174th Aviation Company, who was killed on January 11, 1971 when the helicopter he was piloting crashed in the Song Tra Khuc River.