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derivative filename/jpeg
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363-07948 to 363-07951.pdf
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Digital Object Identifier
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363-07948 to 363-07951
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Title
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Article about Sgt. Johnnie G. Lee
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Description
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Keever's title: "Crew Chief Makes it Home for a Heartbreaking Christmas in a Casket", Article draft about Sgt. Johnnie G. Lee who was killed in action, for Newsweek Magazine
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Transcript
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Beverly Deepe
101 Cong L
Saigon
Sgy. Johnnie G. Lee was just an average G. I. Born in
Macon, Mississippi, he was blonde, blue-eyed, five-foot seven,
slightly chubby and probably stronger than most men his size because
he had worked in his father's sawmill when he was young. He didn't
like movies, music, sports or any xxx have any hobbies. He didn't
dinx drink or "run around." He was "a good kid", who would do anything
for anyone in the unit. Almost every month this included loaning as much
as $125 to his buddies.
Though he is celebrated his twenty third birthday on October 11-
only eight days after arriving in South Viet Nam--he was still so baby-
faced "he'd have a hard time buying a drink in a States-side bar."
On otherxhintays birthdays, he would have been given the day off
and the commanding officer would have sent him birthday greetings.
But in South Viet Nam, the Htility U. S. Army Utility Tra Tactical
Transport Helicopter Company didn't have time for such "frilly things."
Sgt. Lee was distressed that with three months more duty in Viet Nam,
he would not be home for Christmas. He had wanted to be home "the worst
way" with his wife, Maudie. He had bought her a pink Mandarin
collared Chinaese dress in Okinawa and a star sapphire ring in Bangkok.
Presumably these were for Christmas. But most of all he wanted
to be with hixx Jonnie (correct) Gene Lee, his first son, whom he had
never seen.
(More)
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Deepe--2
In the Fer Fest, Sgt. Lee's big interest was "old 702 689",
as he called his HU-1A helicopter (now designated as a U-1A).
As crew chief of the ship, he was responsible for its proper care and
maintenance. He scrubbed the floor of the aircraft with the fetishness
of an oldmaid housekeeper; kept the outside shell polished; often worked
until 10 p.m. on its engine after a day-long mission. In Spe September
he had installed a new engine in the helicopter and boasted to the other
crew chiefs he had the fastest ship immi
of the 15 in the
company.
On Friday, Nov. 2, "old 689" was
"EDP" (equipment down for parts).
So Sgt. Lee volunteered to fly the next day's mission in helicopter "690".
On Friday night, he and three of his buddies left Tan Son Nhut airport,
where they lived eight to a hot, mosquito-filled tent, and squeezed
into a small blue-and-white Renault taxi.
Tom,
he calmly
I'm not coming ham back from tomorrow's flight,"
told Sgt. Tom Pounders, his 25-year-old Arkansas buddy, during the
ride downtown. The foursome ato a quiet dinner of filet mignon and
saladxxxxxxxxtumn in the pizzeria on central Saigon's Tu-Do Street.
The next morning, Sgt. Lee asked to be taken off the flight he
hed volunteered for. Another crew chief offerred to substituse for him.
But at the decisive moment, Sgt. Lee decided to go. At 8:00,
he decided to move from the left side of the ship, where he placed th
an a Vietnamese "observer", strapped him hi in and then sat down
moved to the rear right side of the helicopter.
old settee cushion and a double layer of his flac
the five HL HU-1A's exc escorted in the first
carried in I-21 helicopters into the first im Mekong delta landing zone.
It was a quiet run.
a blanket of automatic
He squatted crosslegged on an
shorts. At 8:10
11ft load of troops
The next left was different. As the troops leaped off the H-21's,
gunfire streamed from the treeline skirting the
Helicopter 690 spun around fast,
(More)
rice-paddy landing zone.
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deepe-3
making a 45-degree turn to return the fire with its 16 2.75 kas inoh
rockets. One bullet moved through the bottom of the helicopter,
through the thin outer shell of the helicopter, through the settee
curshi cushion, through Sgt. x Lee's left leg and into his abdomen.
Sgt. Lee pushed the inter-com button. "I've been hit, Mr. Wright,"
he told CWO Richard "Pappy" Wright, of Augusta, Illinois. Wind blowing
through the door-less helicopter splattered blood over the pilots and
the instrument panel.
Five minutes later,
at Vinh Long's x airport.
blood and shock.
Sgt. Lee was in the hands of a French surgeon
Twelve minutes later he RX died from loss of
Four other Viet Cong bullets hit the HU-1A's on that lift. Capt.
Joel R. Stein of Warrenton, Georgia, was luckier. A bullet came through
the instrument panel of his ship, but was stopped by the seven layers
of fiberglass in his flac jacket., his notebook and xizik metal
ballpoint pen. The U. S. made M-1 rifle bullet which that he pulled
out of his flac jacket left only a black-and-blue imprint of his pen.
Despite Sgt. Lee's death, the mission was an important victory
in the four-day Operation Da-Da (Partridge), one of the most successful
ones conducted within past weeks.. A total of 232 Viet Cong were
confirmed dead and an estimated additional 100 dead were carried away.
Forty two prisoners and a number of weapons were captured.
On Wednesday of this week, the officers and enlisted men of
Sgt. Lee's first platoon, dressed in fatigues during duty hours, gathered
at Tan Son Nhut airport for a five minute plane side ceremony. Crews of
the company's other two platoons were flying another mission, aizax
They had changed the chalk or paint markings on the helicopter rockets
from "Give 'em Hell-UTT" to "This one's for Johnnie Lee."
The heavy drones of incoming and departing military aircraft
drowned out the minister's words at the brief ceremony. One thousand
feet away, "old 689" stood on grassy strip, still down for parts. The flag
draped casket was lifted aboard by six khaki-clad pallbearers for shipment
back th the United States and burial.
Sgt. Johnnie Lee made it home for Christmas.
(End)
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deepe--4
Three other American deaths were recorded this week: Pfc.
Gerry C. McFetridge of Wheatland, Indiana, wes killed by grenade
thrown into restaurants two were killed in crash of B-26 light bomber
(names unavailable here). Official American military records here
show this brought the total to 40 American dead (from all causes,
including natural death, drowning, suicide as well as killed in action)
since July, 1959, when first death was registered. Ninety eight have
been wounded (from all causes) since the beginning of this year.
Sangminh
30
NOTE:
suggest you check the Pentagon for casulty reports asl also
since there is a discrepancy here between American i military
fig, Vietnamese xhain and wire service, figures.
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Date
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1962
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Subject
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Vietnam War, 1961-1975; United States. Air Force; Air warfare; War casualties; Airmen
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Location
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Saigon, South Vietnam
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Coordinates
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10.8231; 106.6311
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Size
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20 x 26 cm
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Container
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B2, F4
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Format
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dispatches
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Collection Number
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MS 363
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Collection Title
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Beverly Deepe Keever, Journalism Papers
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Creator
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Keever, Beverly Deepe
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Collector
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Keever, Beverly Deepe
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Copyright Information
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These images are for educational use only. To inquire about usage or publication, please contact Archives & Special Collections.
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Publisher
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Archives & Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries
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Language
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English
