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Another sad day! Dadante was a good man!
09 SEP 65
CW2 Robert W. Reagan [AC]
1LT Leonard J. Dadante [CP]
SP5 Erich Simkaitis [CE]
PFC Harry A. Hipke [G] †
Vietnam
A/101 AVN
#63-08550
On a check ride, A/C took fire low level that seriously wounded the crew chief. Successfully landing the Huey 150 meters from VC lines, Dadante carried wounded CE 30 meters from the aircraft. Despite being wounded himself by enemy fire, he retrieved an M-60 machine gun with ammunition from his helicopter and maintained a defensive position long enough for a rescue helicopter to land and for him to carry his critically injured crew chief to safety. Dadante died as a result of his injuries on 9 September 1965.
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E7-CW3-direct commission VN
B model gunship pilot 65-66 Soc Trang, Cobra Pilot 68-69-70 Can Tho Life member 101st Airborne Association
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