Killed in Vietnam Gunship Pilot's Footlocker found on street

[falcon_ib]

Mods, feel free to move if this is in the wrong section.

 

I did some more research into the footlocker I found in a junk pile in Isla Vista, CA. I wasn't able to find any information on 1/LT A. C. Dickerson 090526, but found a wealth of information on another name stenciled on the inside lid and written on a shipping label as Bruce F. McMillan 082238.

 

Capt. Bruce Francis McMillan 082238 was a UH-1E gunship pilot in VMO-6 in April 1968, flying out of Quang Tri. His Huey and one other were on "night standby" on the night of April 10. Around sunsrise on April 11, the two Hueys took off to escort an H-34 on a medevac mission in the hills near Khe Sanh. After picking up 4 Marines, the flight of 3 helicopters started heading toward Delta Med in Dong Ha. McMillan’s Huey and the H-34 collided mid-air and crashed near the southeast corner of the abandoned Cam Lo refugee camp. All 12 on board both helicopters were killed.

 

He was from Walnut Creek, CA and was 30 years old when he died. He is buried at Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery in Colma, CA.

 

 

Full casualty list and lots of incredible information about the incident available here:

http://www.popasmoke.com/kia/incidents.php?incident_id=152

 

http://www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces/37117/BRUCE-F-MCMILLAN?page=2#remembrances

 

Glad I saved his footlocker from a trip to the dump!

 

Now displayed with Vietnam-era USMC helmet:

 

 

If you can help me with any information on Dickerson, please let me know. Thanks for looking!

 

[BagmanL6]

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