UH-1F Eglin AFB 1966   UH-1F DMAFB, AZ 1967   UH-1F Malmstrom AFB 1967   UH-1F Eglin AFB 1969   UH-1F Edwards AFB 1971   UH-1F Ellisworth AFB 1971   UH-1N FT. Bragg 1973   HH-1H Hill AFB 1974   UH-1F F.E. Warren 1975   UH-1F Ellsworth AFB 1982   UH-1F Whiteman AFB 1982   UH-1N Bahamas 1984   UH-1 Ellsworth AFB 1986   UH-1N Edwards-Jan-1991   UH-1N Edwards-Oct-1991   UH-1N Kirtland AFB 1996   UH-1N 1998   UH-1N F.E. Warren AFB 1999   UH-1N Kirtland AFB 2002   TH-lH Ft. Rucker 2009   UH-1N Malmstrom AFB 2010   UH-1N Kirtland AFB 2011   UH-1N Minot AFB 2013   CH-3C Malmstrom AFB 1965   CH-3C Sheppard AFB Mar. 1967   CH-3 Sheppard AFB Nov. 1967   CH-3E Midair in Laos 1970   HH-3E Korea 1973   HH-3E Elmendorf AFB 1974   HH-3E Iceland 1979   CH-3E Patrick AFB, 1984   HH-3E Osan 1984   HH-3E 29-Palms 1988   HH-3E Kadena 1989   CH-3E DMAFB 1989   H-5G Ladd AFB 1951   H-5H Maxwell AFB 1953   H-5 New York 1958   H-13G Niagara Falls 1955   H-13 Bryan AFB, TX 1957   H-19A San Marcos 1952   H-19A O'Neill, NB. 1953   H-19B Alexandria, LA. 1954   H-19B Austria 1954   H-19B France 1954   H-19B Korea 1954   H-19B March AFB 1954   H-19B Rhine Main AB 1955   H-19B Eglin AFB 1955   H-19 Skaneateles Lake, NY 1956   H-19 Ashiya Japan 1957   H-19 Edwards AFB 1957   H-19 Niagra Falls 1959   H-19 Sheppard   H-19B Loring AFB 1960   H-19 Beal AFB 1963   H-19 Larson AFB 1963   H-19 Saigon, RVN 1964   YH-21 Thule AB 1953   H-21 Goose Bay 1954   H-21A San Marcos TX 1955   H-21B Tennesse 1955   H-21 San Diego, CA 1956   H-21 Alaska 1957   H-21 Goose Bay 1958.   SH-21 Greenland 1958   H-21 Elmendorf AFB 1958   H-21 Dugway Proving Grnd. 1958   H-21 Goose Bay 1959   H-21 Greenland 1959   CH-21B Otis AFB 1959   H-21 Indian Springs AAF 1961   H-21 Luke AFB 1961   H-23B Moody AFB 1953   H-43A James Connally AFB 1959   H-43B Loring AFB 1961   H-43B Westover AFB 1961   HH-43B MacDill AFB, FL 1964   HH-43B Stead AFB 1965   HH-43B Clark AB, PI 1966   H-43 Sheppard AFC, TX 1966   HH-43B Phan Rang 1968   HH-43B MacDill AFB 1969   HH-43B Hill AFB 1973   HH-53C Eglin AFB 1969   CH-53C Germany 1975   CH-53C Germany 1976   HH-53C Woodbridge 1977   HH-53C Kadena AB 1979   HH-53B Kirtland AFB 1981   HH-53C Kirtland AFB 1982   MH-53 Philippines 1984   CH-53C Pope AFB 1984   HH-53C Hickam AFB, HI 1985   HH-53C Hill AFB 1986   HH-53H Nellis AFB 1986   MH-53J Korea 1995   HH-53B Vance AFB 1996   HH-53B Cherry Point 1998   MH-53J Ft. Bragg 1999   MH-53M RAF Mildenhall 2000   MH-53 Durango CO 2002   MH-53M USNS Kanawha 2002   MH-53M Afghanistan 2003   MH-53M FOL Hurlburt Fld 2003   MH-53M Kuwait 2003   MH-53M Hurlburt Fld. 2007   UH-60A Pope AFB 1987   HH-60G New York 1991   MH-60G Antigua 1991   HH-60G Great Salt Lake 1992   HH-60G Davis-Monthan AFB 1994   HH-60G Korea 1994   HH-60G Indian Springs 1998   HH-60G Al Jabar AB 1999   HH-60G Avon Park 2001   HH-60G Mt. Hood 2002   HH-60G Afghanistan 2002   HH-60G Afghanistan 2003   HH-60G Afghanistan 2004   HH-60G Angel Fire, NM 2005   HH-60G Kandahar 2007   HH-60G Afghanistan 2009   HH-60G Okinawa 2013   HH-60G Lakenheath 2014   HH-60G Lakenheath 2014 1   HH-60G Lakenheath 2014 2   Ellsworth AFB 1955   Hawaii crash 1963   Patuxent River NAS 1960   Randolph AFB 1957   Spokane River, WA 1959   Tyndall AFB 1961   Wright-Patterson 1956   Spokane River 1972  


UH-1F #65-7913

Det. 9, 37th ARRS

Whiteman AFB, MO.

11 June 1982


History of Bates County: Tragedy Strikes Missile Escort


Typical Minuteman missile transport vehicle




January 15, 2015     Bates County News Wire


By Doug Mager


This is the final segment of our three part History of Bates County series featuring information about Minuteman missile silos and launch facilities formerly located throughout the area

 

June 11, 1982. Misty, overcast conditions greeted twins Les and Wes Nieder, 19, of Amsterdam as they began

their daily farm chores, which included a trip down F highway near the Miami school.

 

Around 9:30 am, they met an Air Force missile transport heading west. It wasn't unusual to see one of these trucks at any given time. What was unusual was the UH-1 Huey helicopter flying very low, slightly erratically. The helicopter was not tracking with the vehicle but had just crossed over the highway and was headed northeast.

 

The pilots had radioed a few minutes earlier to let flight control know there was a problem with the aircraft. It is guessed that they may have been trying to make it to a suitable landing spot, possibly at Kilo 1, the closest Air Force facility which was just a couple of miles away.

 

Wes told his brother something was terribly wrong and thought the helicopter was probably going to crash. The tail section was wobbling badly and it was obvious the pilot was having difficulty controlling it.


The Nieder's, somewhat panic stricken, tried to signal the transport truck to stop so they could inform the driver about what they had just seen. No dice. Unbeknownst to them, military transports don't stop for anything.

 

Not even if their escort helicopter was in trouble.

 

The truck continued towards Amsterdam as the twins headed their vehicle north to find the wreckage.

 

In the muddy farm field just west of CC highway, about 3/4 of a mile north of F highway, 6 men are trapped in the burning helicopter. Those first on the scene, including the Nieders', said some screamed for help, but the flames were


Members of the Whiteman Air Honor Guard participate in the dedication of the UH-1F for those who died in the BatesCounty crash

June 11, 1982

simply too hot- plus ammo bursting from within made getting close too dangerous.


X marks the spot where the Huey helicopter went down just north of F highway and west of CC highway in northwestern Bates County



The wreckage burned for about 3 hours while Air Force personnel, police and TV crews poured into the area. It was later in the afternoon before the bodies were removed and the area secured for the evening.

 

In all, the scene was tightly guarded for several days while the investigation continued and wreckage was finally removed.

 

Those who lost their lives were Capt. Richard Conrardy, 2nd Lt. James Hebert, Staff Sgt. Richard Bohling, Sgt. Thomas Meredith, Senior Airman Marion Pace and Senior Airman David Jones.

 

A memorial for those who died was dedicated June 11, 1984 at Whiteman Air Force base.

It was later determined that a small piece of the main rotor had broken loose, striking the tail rotor. The imbalance caused structural failure.

 

**The writer of this article walked the area of the crash a few weeks later- only to find a tiny bit of debris- a charred piece of a metal watchband. A sad reminder of the tragedy that unfolded a short time earlier.




Six Airmen who made the ultimate sacrifice


Posted 9/6/2007 Updated 9/10/2007


9/6/2007 - WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. -- June 11, 1982, Whiteman lost six Airmen after their UH-1F Iroquois helicopter crashed in a rural area 30 miles south of Kansas City.

 

The two pilots from Detachment 9 of the 37th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery squadron, and four security policemen, from the 352nd Missile Security Squadron were providing security for a routine Air Force convoy transporting weapons system from Whiteman to a launch silo near Passaic, Mo. At the time, the UH-1 helicopter was one of four assigned to a military unit responsible of monitoring 50 of the Whiteman area missile silos.

 

The crew were: Capt. Richard Conrardy, 2nd Lt. James Hebert, Staff Sgt. Richard Bohling, Sgt. Thomas Meredith, Senior Airman Marion Pace and Senior Airman David Jones.

 

"They worked in conjunction with the forces on the ground to defend the weapon system against any possible attack," said Master Sgt. James Osban, 509th Security Forces Squadron.

 

Part of their security convoy duties was to watch for any obstruction in the path of the convoy or for any security threats, Sergeant Osban said.


Left to right: Betty Bohling, mother of Staff Sgt. Richard Bohling and Beverly Rice, Sergeant Bohling's sister, place flowers in his memory at the Peace Park Memorial March 31, 2007. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Rob Hazelett)


"With them being in the air, they could encounter the adversary from any direction with speed and agility. They were also used to relay back information to the ground teams on construction, railroad crossings and any information that might slow or stop the convoy," he said.

 

According to an Air Force report, the crash was caused when the helicopter's main rotor blade dipped out of position and struck the tail of the aircraft, which then broke apart.

Two years later, June 11, 1984, Whiteman dedicated a replica of the Bell UH-1 Iroquois at Peace Memorial Park located on Arnold Avenue near the 72nd Test and Evaluation Squadron building.


Although more than 25 years have passed, the sacrifice has not been forgotten.

 

"The 509th SFS is extremely honored by the tremendous accomplishments made by our sister units here during the Cold War," said Lt. Col. Craig Allton, 509th SFS commander. "The legacy of the Charlie fireteam members who made the ultimate sacrifice, will forever live in the hearts and minds of every Niner defender, and will constantly serve as an inspiration for all of us to strive for greatness within our profession."


Members of the Whiteman Air Honor Guard participate in the dedication of the UH-1F June 11, 1984. (File photo)


Furthermore, the courage of the six Airmen continues to inspire Airmen of today.

 

"You cannot pass by the UH-1 static display or go through our museum without sensing what these six young Airmen stood for time and time again: integrity, service before self and excellence in all we do," Colonel Allton said.

 

This memorial is just a small way for the community to pay respect to those who have made this type of sacrifice," Sergeant Osban added. "It is not just a static display of what used to be here, it is a display identifying the price that has been made by those before us; a price paid for

the freedom that we enjoy every day."


That same freedom provides a means for the 509th SFS to commemorate the Airmen who died serving our country.

 

Although the competition stopped when the base turned to aircraft instead of missiles, the competition was a way for the troops to show respect to those individuals who made the ultimate sacrifice while defending this country and our way of life, Sergeant Osban said.

 

~Information provided by Robert Jones, brother of Sr. Amn. David Jones~



            


    



"FREEDOM ISN'T FREE"

~SOMEONE PAYS FOR YOU AND ME~


"HELICOPTERS" - THE ONLY WAY TO FLY


~NEVER FORGOTTEN~