Dates

Event

Constructed as an AH-1G-BF by Bell at Fort Worth, Texas, USA.

December 1967

Taken on Strength/Charge with the United States Army with s/n 66-15343.

January 1968

To Director of Supply and Transport, Sharpe Army Depot, CA.

February 1968

Transferred to 355th Aviation Company, 4th Army, Fort Sill, OK.

March 1968

Transferred to 7th Squadron, 1st Cav., South Vietnam.

By August 1968

Transferred to 164th Aviation Group, South Vietnam.

16 August 1968

Damaged.
Damaged by enemy ground fire. Exact details unknown.

August 1968

Transferred to B Troop, 7th Squadron, 1st Air Cav., South Vietnam.

9 October 1968

Damaged.
During a Recon mission for Armed Recon in South Vietnam, AH-1G 66-15343 was attacking at 150 feet and 135 knots when it took 1 hit from an enemy 7.62MM weapon. The helicopter was hit in the windshield causing spalling, damaging the structure and wounding one of the flight crew. The helicopter continued flight and accomplished all mission objectives.

15 March 1969

Damaged.
During a Recon mission for Armed Escort, Other Aircraft, over South Vietnam, AH-1G 66-15343 was attacking at 600 feet and 80 knots when it took 1 hit from an enemy 7.62MM weapon. The helicopter was hit in the Equipment Section, damaging the fuel systems. The helicopter continued flight, however, was diverted prior to accomplishing any mission objectives.

20 March 1969

Damaged.
During a Recon mission for Armed Escort, Other Aircraft, over South Vietnam, AH-1G 66-15343 was attacking at 70 feet and 160 knots when it took 2 hits from an enemy 7.62MM weapon. The helicopter was hit in the Skid, however, the main rotor system and structure were also damaged. Search and rescue operations were not required. The helicopter continued flight and accomplished all mission objectives.

29 March 1969

Damaged.
During a combat mission over South Vietnam, AH-1G 66-15343 was attacking at 600 feet and 70 knots when it took 1 hit from an enemy 7.62MM weapon. The helicopter was hit in the right side causing fragmentation damage. The communication systems were damaged. In addition, one crewman was wounded. The helicopter continued flight and accomplished all mission objectives.

15 April 1969

Damaged.
During a Recon mission for Armed Escort, Other Aircraft, over South Vietnam, AH-1G 66-15343 was attacking at 700 feet and 120 knots when it took 1 hit from an enemy 7.62MM weapon. The flight controls were damaged by this hit. The helicopter continued flight and accomplished all mission objectives.

21 April 1969

Damaged.
During a Close Air Support mission over South Vietnam, AH-1G 66-15343 was attacking at 1700 feet and 160 knots when it took 1 hit from an enemy 7.62MM weapon. The helicopter was hit in the Main Rotor Blade System, damaging it. Search and rescue operations were not required. The helicopter continued flight and accomplished all mission objectives.

29 May 1969

Damaged.
During a Recon mission for Armed Recon over South Vietnam, AH-1G 66-15343 was attacking at 600 feet and 70 knots when it took 4 hits from an enemy 7.62MM weapon. The helicopter was hit in the right side, damaging the structure and wounding one of the crewmen. The helicopter continued flight and accomplished all mission objectives.

12 June 1970

Damaged.
Damaged by enemy ground fire. Exact details unknown.

14 January 1971

Shot down.
During a Close Air Support mission over Cambodia, AH-1G 66-15343 was at Level Flight at 2000 feet and 130 knots when it took 1 hit from an enemy 7.62MM weapon. This impact damaged the driveshaft and tail rotor. Search and rescue operations were not required. The helicopter crashed, however, was later recovered by any means other than its own power. Both mission and flight capability were terminated.

By April 1972

Transferred to D Co., 229th Aviation Battalion, 1st CAV., South Vietnam.

19 April 1972

Shot down.
On April 19, 1972, CAPT Arnold J. Rahm and 1LT George K. Barsom III were crewmen aboard a U.S. Army helicopter AH-1G 66-15343 from D Company, 229th Aviation, 1st Cavalry Division, covering an OH-6A scout helicopter during a reconnaissance mission north of Dau Tieng in Binh Duong Province (III Corps), RVN, when they were shot down. Both crewmen were killed by small arms fire before they could egress the cockpit. A number of efforts were made during the next three months to recover the bodies which were presumably still with the AH-1G lying in the southwest section of the Michelin Rubber Plantation. Each attempt was met with heavy enemy ground fire. The area was finally evacuated by the enemy and the bodies were recovered. Evidently, neither the U.S. nor Vietnamese governments would allow any destruction of the rubber trees, hindering the recovery process.

Circa July 1972

Recovered.

After July 1972

To U. S. Army Transportation Aeronautical Depot Maintenance Center (ARADMAC), NAS Corpus Christi, TX.

Transferred to 8th Squadron (Air Cav.), 1st Army, Fort Knox, KY.

By February 1974

To ARADMAC, NAS Corpus Christi, TX.

March 1974

Transferred to Supply Division, 5th Army, Fort Knox, KY.

April 1974

To ARADMAC, NAS Corpus Christi, TX.

May 1974

Transferred to Installation Maintenance Flight (INST MAINT FLT), 1st Army, Fort Campbell, KY.

October 1974

Transferred to 101st Airborne Division, 1st Army, Fort Campbell, KY.

Converted to an AH-1F.

Circa August 2003

To Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 1341, Bull Shoals, AR.
Dedicated in a ceremony honoring the memory of the last two pilots that flew it in Vietnam: Capt. Arnold John Rahm and 1st Lt. George Kasper Barsom III.
View the Location Dossier

From 2013 to 2015

Restored.
Helicopter was removed from display for restoration.