U.S. Air Force Photo, by Boyd Belcher
The Mayaguez Incident: "An hour after this photo was taken, everyone aboard this CH-53 helicopter was killed when it crashed in a remote area of northwest Thailand. The passengers were all security policemen assigned to the 56th Special Operations Wing, Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, and were to be a part of the assault force to recapture the USS Mayaguez and rescue its crew from Cambodian forces on Koh Tang."

(Click photo for Photo with names)

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The 56th SPS was selected to to assist in the recovery operation for the USS Mayaquez and effect rescue of the Mayaguez's crew prior to Marines involvement. Their giant helicopter launched from Nahkom Phanom RTAFB, en route to U-Tapao, at 2030 on 13 May 1975 with a crew of five and 18 USAF Security Police. All onboard were killed."

On the 13th of May 1975, fifty-one SPS members were to join in the recovery operation for the USS Mayaguez--fate had other plans. At 9,000 feet, the chopper carrying 23 USAF personnel overflew an area near the Thai-Laotion border where two months prior another aircraft was shot down. At that location, the chopper disappeared from the airfield's departure radar and either fell or was blown from the sky, crashing approximately 330 miles N/E of Bangkok and 40 miles west of the airfield. Cause of the crash is still controversial: enemy action, or faulty maintence--the truth may never be known.

As Air Force forces regathered, Marines had time to advance to a staging area, where controversy and anger swirled as to which service would smite the enemy responsible for setting in motion events that would kill 23 Air Force personnel, and members of the 56th SPS. Tempers raged to near blows between Air Force and Marines... and was settled only when Marines agreed to the demands of the 56th SPS that when boarding the Mayaguez, all enemy would be killed and no prisoners taken. Blood-vengence... slaughter... revenge... were terms of peace between Airmen and Marines.

And then the cover-up and betrayal. During the war years, body-count (theirs, not ours) was the name of the game. Vietnam casualties were known to have been medevacd to Japan where deaths were sometimes attributed to unrelated causes, and not counted as battle casualties. So, when 23 USAF personnel were killed en route to the rescue, the cover-up began. Why? Reasons mentioned in the Bangkok Post were that Uncle Sam did not want Thailand officials to know that a rescue of the Mayaguez was launched from their bases without consulting them. Other reasons included curtailing protests from U.S. Citizens by portraying a victory without significant casualties. No concern seemed given toward the memories of the 23 Airmen and their parts in the rescue. Betrayal of the spirits of the 56th SPS dead... was easy.

The Pacific Stars & Stripes (May 15, 1975) printed Official Claims: "A spokesman said the chopper was flying from one location to another within Thailand and was not involved with the U.S. military reaction to the seizure of the container ship Mayaguez."

The controversial truth began to surface as printed in the English language newspaper, Bangkok Post , which wrote: "Initially US Air Force security units from Nakhon Phanom Air Base were to coordinate their plans with U-Tapao units and seize the Mayaguez before the marines would have been prepared... but then the crash of a helicopter killing all 23 on board delayed matters."

Read examples of the official (cover-up) version and the unfolding stories, in Headlines:
Article submitted:
• 23 GIs Die In Thailand Helo Crash (Pacific Stars and Stripes, Thursday, May 15, 1975, Page-2)
• 23 Americans Die in Mystery Crash (Bangkok Post, May 1975)
• The Truth behind the Mayaguez Incident (Bangkok Post, Wednesday, May 21, 1975)
• Special Operations CH-53 SEA Losses
• Final Combat: The Mayaguez Incident at Koh Tang
Read e-mails from Airmen who were there
Check out VSPA
• NKP 56th SPS stories and photos!
• Mayaguez stories and photos: Mayaguez Remembered, by Charles Coles, CMSgt, USAF, 56th SPS

ON THE ISLAND OF KOH-TANG:
AIR FORCE KILLED IN ACTION
Rumbaugh, Elwood E.
Van de Geer, Richard

AIR FORCE WOUNDED IN ACTION
Bateson, Thomas J.
Corson, Howard A., Jr.
Dejesus, Jesus P.
Gross, Ronald, A.
Harston, Jon D.
Morales, Nick