D Company, 1-11 Infantry relinquished responsibility for the security of FSB Fuller to the 2nd ARVN Regt, and departed FSB Fuller by foot. While enroute to the Khe Gio Bridge, sporadic 120mm and small arms sniper fire was received. Six (6) men were killed when the military aircraft was fired upon by a hostile enemy and it crashed and burned while attempting the evacuation of wounded soldiers near the DMZ. Lt Schmitz was the pilot. The men were: D Company, 1st Battalion, 11th Infantry Regiment, 5th Infantry Division CPL James Arthur Blackmon, New York, New York CPL Robert Benjamin Luther, Grand Island, New York 237th Medical Detachment, 67th Med Group, 44th Med Brigade, USARV Charles Allen Covey, Vincennes, Indiana (Silver Star) WO Alfred James Gaidis, Bristol, Connecticut SP4 John Alyn Largent, Rochester, Michigan (Silver Star) 1LT Phillip Nicholas Schmitz, St. Cloud, Minnesota (Silver Star) He is buried in Trinity United Methodist Cemetery, Grand Island, Erie County, New York along with his father. His father served his country during World War II in the U.S. Navy. - - - The Virtual Wall, May 27, 2016

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