That ol' HH-43

may have been small but it could certainly handle its' share. On a snowy, Sunday night in Nov '64 a Bonanza F-27 turboprop w/29 aboard didn't make it over one of the last foothills just 13 miles SW of Las Vegas. Ended up at 4500', no survivors. We found the wreckage early the next AM and for the next week or so, we helped w/the recovery and salvage operation. We slung out the engines, some wing and tail sections and some other parts/pieces. Some real challenges in this operation, with stuff flying around, the weight of the load and of course you couldn't fly very fast since the pieces weren't very "airworthy".
Tom

                                 Det 22 Group Photo - 1970

 

Front row, left to right:  SSgt Gerard Bucknall, SSgt Jerry Hibner, MSgt Bert Marsh, SSgt Fred Pecotte,

Capt Jim Wollace, TSgt Jim Ramsey, Maj Tom Fallows, DET CO, and Capt Frank Andreus.
 
Back row, left to right:  A1C Vincent Gilleran, A1C Tony Hook, Sgt Peter Thomas, Capt Al Tollefsen,

SSgt Gerald Reich, SSgt Garry Eberhardt, SSgt Sheldon Squair, SSgt Heyward Allen and Sgt Jesse Gamez. 

 

Other members of the unit, but not present, were Maj Richard Heitz, SMSgt Bob MacMillan and SSgt Gene Elvington.