Dan Heller 
Name: Jerry William Elliott
Memorials: Find a Grave 1 2 Vietnam Wall Wall of Faces
Rank/Branch: Staff Sergeant/USA
Unit: 282nd Assault Helicopter Company 17th Aviation Group 1st Aviation Brigade
Date of Birth: 14 July 1948
Home of Record: Greenville MS
Date of Loss: 21 January 1968
Country of Loss: South Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 163722N 1064434E (XD860385)
Status in 1973: Missing in Action
Category: 2
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: UH-1D “Iroquois”
Other Personnel In Incident: None
REMARKS:
SYNOPSIS: By early 1967, the Bell UH-1 Iroquois was already the standard Army assault helicopter, and was used in nearly every “in-country” mission. Better known by its nickname “Huey,” troop carriers were referred to as “Slicks” and gunships were called “Hogs.” It proved itself to be a sturdy, versatile aircraft which was called on to carry out a wide variety of missions including search and rescue, close air support, insertion and extraction, fire support, and resupply to name a few. It usually carried a crew of four.
On 21 June 1968, Captain Tommy C. Stiner, pilot; WO Gerald L. McKinsey, Jr., co-pilot; SSgt. Billy D. Hill, door gunner; and SP5 David H. Harrington, crew chief; comprised the crew of the lead UH-1D (Serial No. 66-01027) helicopter in a flight of two, which were inserting ARVN troops at an old French fort approximately 1,200 meters east of Khe Sanh, Quang Tri Province, South Vietnam. Also in the lead aircraft was Lt. Col. Seymoe, senior advisor to the ARVN unit being inserted. Then PFC Jerry W. Elliott was the door gunner on the second Huey on this troop insertion mission.
As WO McKinsey’s aircraft touched down on the landing zone, NVA troops stood up all around the aircraft and began firing at almost point blank range. As soon as all the ARVN troops were off loaded, the aircraft lifted off. At approximately 8-10 feet off the ground, the aircraft was hit by either a 57mm recoilless rifle or a direct hit from a mortar round, burst into flames and crashed. PFC Elliott and the crew chief from the second helicopter, which landed approximately 50-60 feet from the wreckage, exited their aircraft to assist the survivors of the downed Huey. In a matter of seconds the crew chief reentered his aircraft and advised the pilot to take off because of the intense enemy ground fire. The aircraft lifted off leaving Jerry Elliott on the ground to fend for himself.
SSgt. Hill was last seen by Capt. Stiner just prior to the aircraft being hit in the crew compartment in which he was manning his machine gun. Capt. Stiner stated that Billy Hill was probably struck by the same volley of rounds that downed the aircraft as his machine gun was observed blown to pieces. Before taking evasive action Capt. Stiner searched the area, but could find no trace of his door gunner.
Three days after the incident, a helicopter searched the crash site and surrounding area for the two missing crewmen. He observed a body lying in the tall elephant grass and small trees. By process of elimination, the pilot determined that the body must be that of PFC Elliott, even though there was no way to positively identify the body as his. Because of the enemy presence in the area, no recovery attempt could be made by air or ground. Both Billy Hill and Jerry Elliott were listed Missing in Action.
As to the fate of the other Americans aboard the doomed lead helicopter, Capt. Stiner exited the aircraft successfully, evaded capture and returned to friendly lines. SP5 Harrington was also able to evade capture and board one of the rescue aircraft that landed in the LZ. WO McKinsey was killed while escaping with Capt. Stiner and Lt. Col. Seymoe succumbed to wounds received while being pinned underneath the wreckage The remains of both men were recovered shortly after the ambush by a ground unit, and later were positively identified.
While it appears Billy Hill and Jerry Elliott died in this ambush, there is no way to know for sure. Since the end of the Vietnam War well over 19.000 reports of American prisoners, missing and otherwise unaccounted for have been received by our government. Many of these reports document LIVE American Prisoners of War remaining captive throughout Southeast Asia TODAY.
American servicemen in Vietnam were called upon to operate in many dangerous circumstances, and they were prepared to be wounded, Killed or captured. It probably never occurred to them that they could be abandoned by the country they so proudly served.
