HINES, VAUGHN MAURICE

Name: Vaughn Maurice Hines
Rank/Branch: E3/US Army
Unit: 244th Aviation Company, 1st Aviation Brigade
Date of Birth: 16 February 1947 (Klamath Falls OR)
Home City of Record: Arcadia CA
Date of Loss: 08 November 1967
Country of Loss: South Vietnam/Over Water
Loss Coordinates: 083929N 1051727E (WQ320570) 
Status (in 1973): Killed/Body Not Recovered
Category: 5
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: OV1C
Refno: 0898

Other Personnel In Incident: Lawrence Chris Suttlehan (remains recovered)

Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 15 October 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 2020.

REMARKS:

SYNOPSIS: On November 8, 1967, Maj. Lawrence C. Suttlehan, pilot, and PFC
Vaughn M. Hines, observer, were in an OV1C (tail #603746, call sign Delta
Hawk 5) on an aerial reconnaissance mission off the southern coast of
Vietnam.

There were numerous naval craft offshore in the area, and the aircraft was
observed to make several low level passes over some of them. On one low
level pass, the aircraft was seen to start a climb and roll to the left
engine in an inverted position. A recovery back to the right was attempted,
but the left wing struck the water and the aircraft crashed and
disintegrated.

One of the naval craft was on the scene of the crash within 2 minutes, but
the aircraft had already disappeared beneath the water. There was some
floating wreckage and debris which the crew off the boat retrieved. The
debris identified the crew of the aircraft as being Suttleman and Hines.
Some remains were also recovered and identified as those of Maj. Suttleman.

A search for Hines was continued, but proved unsuccessful. An over water/at
sea casualty resolution operation was conducted during the period of July -
September 1973 to determine the feasability or desirability of expanding
such operations to be used in cases such as this. Based on the combined
factors of cost and lack of any positive results whatsoever, the at sea
operations were terminated. It was determined that there was no hope of
recovering Hines' body.

Vaughn Hines is listed with honor among the missing because no remains were
found. His case seems quite clear. For others who are listed missing,
resolution is not as simple. Many were known to have survived their loss
incident. Quite a few were in radio contact with search teams and describing
an advancing enemy. Some were photographed or recorded in captivity. Others
simply vanished without a trace.

Reports continue to mount that we abandoned hundreds of Americans to the
enemy when we left Southeast Asia. While Hines may not be among them, one
can imagine his willingness to fly one more mission to gather the
intelligence needed to secure their rescue and flight to freedom.

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01/2020

https://dpaa.secure.force.com/dpaaProfile?id=a0Jt0000000KZmAEAW

PFC VAUGHN MAURICE HINES

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On November 8, 1967, a OV-1C Mohawk (tail number 603746, call sign “Delta Hawk 5”) carrying two crew members took part in an aerial reconnaissance mission off the southern coast of South Vietnam. The aircraft made several low-level passes over water craft located just off-shore. Witness report that during one of these passes, the aircraft rolled over and crashed into the water in the vicinity of (GC) 48P WQ 320 570 while attempting to recover. Naval units quickly arrived on the scene, and located the remains of “Delta Hawk 5’s” pilot. Searches for the other member of the Mohawk’s crew were unsuccessful, and he remains unaccounted for.

Private First Class Vaughn Maurice Hines, who joined the U.S. Army from California, was a member of the 244th Aviation Company, 1st Aviation Brigade. He was an observer aboard “Delta Hawk 5” when it went down, and was lost with the aircraft. His remains have not been recovered. Today, Private First Class Hines 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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