OSBORNE, SAMUEL WILLIAM JR

Name: Samuel William Osborne Jr.
Branch/Rank: United States Marine Corps/E2
Unit: HS BLT 1/3 9 MAB
Date of Birth: 01/21/1946
Home City of Record: CHARLESTON SC
Date of Loss: 27 April 1967
Country of Loss: South Vietnam/Over Water
Loss Coordinates: 153319 North  1094715 East
Status (in 1973): Killed In Action/Body Not Recovered
Category: 5
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: UH34D
Missions:
Refno: 0657

Other Personnel in Incident: Other Personnel in Incident: James Benton,
Reinaldo Castro, Blenn Dyer, Richard Dallas, Ronald Pennington

Source: Compiled by P.O.W. NETWORK from one or more of the following: raw
data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA
families, published sources, interviews and CACCF = Combined Action
Combat Casualty File. See below for 2003 update.  2020

REMARKS:

CACCF/CRASH/NON-AIRCREW

 

Date: Mon, 20 Jan 2003 18:40:15 -0500
From: Jerry Ostapowicz <jostapwicz@comcast.net>
USMC/Vietnmam Helicopter Pilots
Subject: Info on Dallas, Richard Howard, et al

INCIDENT DATE 670427 HMM-263 UH-34D 148071+

[Crew]
Dallas, Richard Howard LCPL Gunner HMM-263 670427

[Passengers]
Benton, James Austin LCPL Pass 670427
Castro, Reinaldo Antonio SGT Pass 670427
Dyer, Blenn Colby LCPL Pass 670427
Osborne Jr, Samuel William PFC Pass 670427
Pennington, Ronald Keith LCPL Pass 670427

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BENTON JAMES AUSTIN : 2260604 : USMCR : LCPL : E3 : 1371 : 19 : DAISY : TN :
19670427 : Air Loss Crash Sea : Passenger : body NOT recovered : Offshore,
South Vietnam : 00 : 19480219 : Cauc : Protestant / single : 18E : 100
CASTRO REINALDO ANTONIO : 1890653 : USMCR : SGT : E5 : 1345 : 27 : PACIFIC
GROVE : CA : 19670427 : Air Loss Crash Sea : Passenger : body NOT recovered
:Offshore, South Vietnam : 06 : 19400412 : Cauc : Roman Catholic/single :
18E : 100

DALLAS RICHARD HOWARD : 2109651 : USMCR : LCPL : E3 : 6332 : 19 : MEMPHIS :
TN : 19670427 : Air Loss Crash Sea : Crew : body NOT recovered :Offshore,
South Vietnam : 02 : 19471005 : Cauc : Protestant / single : 18E : 101

DYER BLENN COLBY : 2267656 : USMC (draftee): LCPL : E3 : 1371 : 22 :
STANDISH : ME : 19670427 : Air Loss Crash Sea : Passenger : body NOT
recovered :Offshore, South Vietnam : 01 : 19440601 : Cauc : Protestant /
married: 18E : 103

OSBORNE SAMUEL WILLIAM JR : 2256897 : USMCR : PFC : E2 : 1371 : 21 :
CHARLESTON : SC : 19670427 : Air Loss Crash Sea : Passenger : body NOT
recovered : Offshore, South Vietnam : 00 : 19460121 : Negro :
Catholic/single : 18E : 103

PENNINGTON RONALD KEITH : 2227359 : USMC (draftee): LCPL : E3 : 1371 : 20 :
HAMBLETON : WV : 19670427 : Air Loss Crash Sea : Passenger : body NOT
recovered : Offshore, South Vietnam : 01 : 19460927 : Cauc : Protestant /
single : 18E : 104

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comments on Incident:
On take off from aft platform of ship the a/c lost power and crashed into
the water. Troops were aboard the aircraft.
Comments on Incident:
Yrs. have passed, but remember this incident clearly. Watched the bird take
off, dip' blades, and hit the ship. The bird sank fast. Navy crew members of
ship ran out with M-1 rifles to keep any sharks off survivors if they came.
Saw only a few crew members swimming and no grunts. We where loaded down
with full gear and ammo for the operation ahead. Submitted by Michael L.
Meeker, Marine Infantry, 1 Bn/3rd Mar, on operation

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

02/2020

https://dpaa.secure.force.com/dpaaProfile?id=a0Jt0000000KZeaEAG

PFC SAMUEL WILLIAM OSBORNE JR.

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On April 27, 1967, a UH-34D Choctaw (bureau number 148071) carrying eleven Marines was transferring personnel from the USS Point Defiance (LSD 31) to the USS Okinawa (LPH 3) when it crashed for unknown reasons into the South China Sea sixty miles from land. Search and rescue teams from both vessels deployed to the crash site and rescued five of the Marines, but were unable to recover the other six.

Private First Class Samuel William Osborne Jr., who joined the U.S. Marine Corps from South Carolina, served with the Headquarters and Service Company, 1st Battalion Landing Team, 3rd Marine Regiment, 9th Marine Amphibious Brigade. He was aboard the Choctaw when it crashed, and his remains were not recovered. Today, Private First Class Osborne is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. 

Based on all information available, DPAA assessed the individual's case to be in the analytical category of Non-recoverable.

If you are a family member of this serviceman, DPAA can provide you with additional information and analysis of your case. Please contact your casualty office representative.

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