PHIPPS, JAMES LARRY

Name: James Larry Phipps
Rank/Branch: W1/US Army
Unit: Troop C, 7th Squad, 17th Air Cavalry, 17th Aviation Group, 1st
Aviation Brigade
Date of Birth: 09 December 1943 (Washington DC)
Home City of Record: Matoon IL
Date of Loss: 09 January 1968
Country of Loss: South Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 153817N 1080930E (AT955308)
Status (in 1973): Missing in Action
Category: 2
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: UH1C
Refno: 0979

Other Personnel in Incident: Warren E. Newton; Rainier S. Ramos (missing);
Fred J. Secrist (remains recovered)

Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 15 June 1990 from one or more of
the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence
with POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews. Updated by the P.O.W.
NETWORK 1998.

REMARKS:

SYNOPSIS: On January 9, 1968, the crew of a UH1C (tail #66-00745) consisting
of WO1 James L. Phipps, aircraft commander; WO Rainier S. Ramos, pilot; SP4
Warren E. Newton, doorgunner; and PFC Fred J. Secrist, gunner, were on a
gunship-cover mission about 20 miles west of the city of Tam Ky in Quang Tin
Province, Republic of Vietnam.

LT Williamson, the pilot of another helicopter, was flying as scout in front
of WO Ramos' aircraft when he received a call from WO Phipps indicating that
he had been hit, was on fire, and was going down. LT Williamson stated he
would follow the aircraft down. He saw smoke training from Ramos' aircraft,
but did not sight flames until the aircraft impacted on the ground.

The helicopter hit and exploded (the estimated impact speed was between 65
and 80 knots). The senior officer of Troop C, 7th Squad, 17th Air Cavalry
arrived and made several passes over the downed aircraft. Heavy automatic
weapons fire from the north and east of the downed aircraft was received on
the third pass, but it was noted that the downed aircraft was gutted by fire
and explosions. At no time was any evidence seen that suggested that the
crew had been thrown clear of the crash.

During the first 45 minutes of the on-scene observation, the munitions,
consisting of 2.75 rockets and 40 mm grenades were exploding every minute or
two. The senior officer remained in the area for about one and one-half
hours. On January 20, a recovery operation was initiated and the remainder
of the aircraft was located in the bottom of a large trench. About three
sets of remains were recovered, but only one set (that of PFC Secrist) was
subseqently identified.

Newton, Phipps and Ramos were not declared dead, but Missing in Action,
indicating that there was still the possibility that they were thrown clear
of the aircraft and captured by the enemy.

Since American involvement in Vietnam ended in 1975, over 10,000 reports
relating to Americans missing, prisoner, or otherwise unaccounted for in
Indochina have been received by the U.S. Government. Many officials, having
examined this largely classified information, have reluctantly concluded
that many Americans are still alive today, held captive by our long-ago
enemy.

Whether Newton, Phipps and Ramos survived the crash of their helicopter to
be captured by the enemy firing at other aircraft in the area is certainly
not known. It is not known if he might be among those thought to be still
alive today. What is certain, however, is that as long as even one American
remains alive, held against his will, we owe him our very best efforts to
bring him to freedom.

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