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Rocky D. Armstead
Warrant Officer
AIR AMBULANCE PLT, HQ & SPT CO, 326TH MED BN, 101ST ABN DIV, USARV Army of the United States Monahans, Texas March 30, 1946 to October 05, 1969 ROCKY D ARMSTEAD is on the Wall at Panel W17, Line 39 |
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WO ROCKY D ARMSTEAD
WO ROCKY D ARMSTEAD
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Rocky was born in Waco, Texas and lived there until his early teeanage years, when Rocky's family moved to Monahans, Texas. He was a 1964 graduate of Monahans High School. He enlisted in the Army in 1968 for the Warrant Officer Flight Program. He graduated in Class 69-7. He was commissioned a WO1 and flew medevac missions with the 101st Airborne Division. On the date of his death, he was the co-pilot of a UH-1H, tail number 69-19516. The aircraft was returning to base camp from an aborted Medevac mission. The aircraft went "IFR" and crashed and all aboard perished. Rocky was buried with full military honors in Waco, Texas. Rocky is remembered by the Permian Basin Vietnam Veterans' Memorial in Midland, Texas.
From a PBVVM representative, |
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Rocky was a greatly admired friend. We became close friends and spent most of our free time together in "Basic", and "Flight School". Rocky was a mild mannered gentleman. He had natural leadership abilities beyond his years. I will never forget him. His loss is our loss.
From a fellow pilot, |
A Note from The Virtual WallAt about 0500 on 5 October the medevac center at Mai Loc received a request from Fire Base Scotch to pick up two American soldiers who had been seriously injured in a bunker cave-in. The 326th Med alert helicopter crew at Mai Loc was briefed for a night flight in bad weather, and the medevac pilot requested that a Huey flare ship accompany him to provide illumination for the pick-up. The medevac Huey was crewed by
The flare ship departed first and once airborne received a call from the medevac UH-1H (tail number 67-19515) indicating that the weather was hampering their flight. The medevac returned to Mai Loc and began the flight to FB Scotch over again, only to fail once more in penetrating the weather. While returning to Mai Loc to await sunrise before a third try, the aircraft commander elected to fly at very low altitude in an effort to operate below the clouds. The aircraft apparently rolled inverted and crashed, possibly as a result of weather-induced vertigo. All four men died in the crash. |
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