Cpt Derrill Burnside
Here is a narrative concerning the Burnside incident. Use whatever part of it seems appropriate.
CAPT Derrill Burnside transferred to Charlie Horse from the 1/5th MECH Flight Section shortly before he was KIA.
As a senior career CAPT, it was an opportunity for him to gain Combat Command time as the Platoon Leader of the Scout Platoon.
He was OH-58 rated and AO experienced.
On May 3rd, while operating as Observer in a OH-58 Scout aircraft just to the east of Khe Sanh, the entire Hunter Killer Team was engaged by multiple 51 cal antiaircraft sites.
The Scout aircraft, with CAPT Marty Gronborg as A/C was struck with multiple hits.
Two of the 51's struck CAPT Burnside, penetrating both his armored chest protectors and exiting through the armored seat wounding the CE SPEC-4 Mike Duffy.
CAPT Gronborg landed the aircraft with severe battle damage on the KS strip and the crew was extracted by the UH1 "Bagger" chase aircraft.
The Scout aircraft was destroyed on site rather than attempting a recovery.
Tom Ford
Capt. Derrill Burnside, Capt. Martin Gronberg and myself (SGT. Michael Duffy) were flying along the Ho Chi Min trail north and west
of Khe Son and found a huge Cache about the size of a football field.
We had to leave to rearm and refuel and call for air strikes, but we were requested to go back and pop smoke and mark the area.
My asshole was really tight after I heard that request.
And sure enough we went back and Capt. Burnside was flying left seat and Capt Gronberg was Pilot and I was the Door Gunner ( Sgt.Michael Duffy).
When we went down to work the area, we kept flying left and I got on the horn and said I can't cover the left side stay right.
And sure enough we got hit with a 51 & 23 Cal. and it ripped us apart.
I thought we were going to crash at that site but Capt. Gronberg pulled the aircraft up and we flew about 2 clicks east and
I was checking out the aircraft, which was full of holes and on fire,
I also checked Capt. Burnside out because he was slumped over and not attentive to what was happening, so I checked him and found he had been hit,
the round went through the chicken plate on the rear of the seat, his personal back chicken plate and his front chicken plate.
At that time I reached over and tried to feel for a pulse but couldn't feel one.
And about that time the engine the aircraft's engine just quit and we crashed on top of a hill and rolled down the side in a ravine.
We were on fire still. I jumped out and tried to set up a perimeter, but my 60's barrel was bent in a U shape, so I grabbed Capt. Burnside Car 15.
When I did that I also checked Capt. Burnside again and found him with no pulse and not breathing.
I unstrapped him and tried to get him out but being the aircraft was on fire when we went down,
my grenades and Willy Peat's started to cook off, so I couldn't get him the rest of the way out,
and I've always regretted that because he burned and I second guessed myself if he was truly dead.
He had a hole in his chest the size of my fist.
Billy, If you or your children ever read this I really tried to save him.
At this point I helped Capt. Gronberg and we set up a perimeter, again.
It took them a while before we got out and a couple of cobras were lost suppressing fire for us.
Capt. Derrill L. Burnside was my friend, Billy. He was a very brave man. May he rest in Peace!
CPT Burnside was my scout platoon leader with the call sign of Charlie Horse 16 and his nick name was “Hawk.”
I was Charlie Horse 19 and we lost several scouts during that time period.
Tom Bell and I were shot down the same day on 21 May and both recovered.
Thank you for keeping up the records and God Bless You my fellow Trooper.
Hal
William R. Halevy
CW5, USArmy Retired
The following information was taken from the Memorial Service for Cpt Burnside on 9 May 1971 at Quang Tri, Vietnam.
Captain Derrill Lee Burnside was born 2 Aug 1939 at Marion, Ohio.
He was the son of Clyde and Cleta Burnside. Derrill graduated from Coolidge High School, Coolidge, Arizona, in 1957.
He entered service on 27 July 1965 and was stationed at Fort Polk, LA: Fort Eustis, VA: Fort Sill OK: Fort Knox, KY: Fort Walters: Fort Rucker, AL: Vietnam and Germany, before joining D Trp, 3rd Sqdn, 5th Cav on 12 March 1971.
Cpt Burnside served with Troop C, 2nd Bn, 14th Arty in Germany and with HHB, 5th Bn 4th Arty, 1st Bde, 5th Inf Dv (M) from 16 Feb 1969 to 22 Sep 1969, in Quang Tri Province, Vietnam.
Cpt Burnside was killed in action 3 May 1971 in Quang Tri Province, Vietnam.
He was awarded the Bronze Star (w/1 OLC), RVN Cross of Gallentry (w/palm) and the Good Conduct Medal.
Cpt Burnside was recommended for the Army Commendation Medal foe Achievement and the Air Medal. (do not know if these were awarded).
He was survived by his parents, a brother and sister and wife, Mrs Cathy Burnside, with 10 children.
BIA Leroy Beck