BEACH, ARTHUR J.
Name: Arthur J. Beach
Rank/Branch: United States Marine Corps/03
Unit: HELICOPTER MARINE MEDIUM 163 MARINE AIR GROUP 16
Date of Birth: 29 August 1938
Home City of Record: ORANGE COVE CA
Date of Loss: 20 March 66
Country of Loss: South Vietnam Over Water
Loss Coordinates: 161008 North 1081213 East
Status (in 1973): Killed In Action/Body Not Recoverd
Category: 5
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: UH34D TAIL # 149351
Missions:
Other Personnel in Incident: "Ferguson" rescued?
Refno: 0250
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. 2020
REMARKS: Pilot became disoriented in bad weather and crashed at sea.
HELICOPTER MARINE MEDIUM 163 MARINE AIR GROUP 16
No further information available at this time.
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01/2020
https://dpaa.secure.force.com/dpaaProfile?id=a0Jt00000001UZBEA2
On March 20, 1966, an UH-34D Seahorse (bureau number 149351) with five crew members crashed into the South China Sea in the vicinity of (GC) 49Q BT 010 895, off the coast of South Vietnam. All personnel aboard the helicopter except the copilot were recovered. Search efforts to locate the copilot were unsuccessful.
Captain Arthur James Beach entered the U.S. Marine Corps from California and was a member of the Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 163, Marine Air Group 16, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing. He was the copilot of this Seahorse when it crashed, and his remains were not recovered. Today, Captain Beach 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 Active Pursuit.
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