“It is my duty, as a member of the Air Rescue Service, to save life and to aid the injured. I will be prepared at all times to perform my assigned duties quickly and efficiently, placing these duties before personal desires and comforts. These things I do that others may live.”

Pararescueman Killed in Action

On June 9th, 1968, a Marine A4E Skyhawk, was shot down while bombing NVA forces in the heavily defended area at the north end of the A Shau Valley in South Vietnam. A SAR effort was mounted to rescue the pilot. The survivor had landed along a major branch of the Ho Chi Minh Trail near the Laos-Vietnam border.  Radio contact was established with the survivor, who reported he had a broken arm and leg. After extensive bombing to silence the enemy ground fire, an HH-3E Jolly Green Giant helicopter moved in to attempt a pickup.   This helicopter, Jolly Green 22, made two attempts to reach the survivor but was driven off by heavy ground fire each time.   After each attempt, more ordnance was dropped on the surrounding areas in an effort to suppress this ground fire.   Jolly Green 22 finally was forced to abort its efforts due to low fuel. Following additional suppression efforts, a second helicopter, Jolly Green 23, moved in to attempt a pickup.   After entering a hover and beginning to lower PJ James Locker to assist the injured survivor. JG23 came under intense ground fire.   The left engine of the helicopter erupted in flames, and the Jolly pilot reported he was pulling off and attempting to reach a clearing approximately one kilometer north of the rescue site.   As JG23 approached the clearing, the rotor noticeably slowed and the helicopter impacted the ground. The aircraft was totally engulfed in flame.   The on-scene FAC stated that it was apparent there could be no survivors from this crash. James Locker was listed Killed in Action/Body Not Recovered.
On 23 January 2003 Joint Task Force-Full Accounting (JTF-FA) in Hawaii announced that a Joint Field Activity team operating in Laos had discovered the wreckage of Jolly Green 23.   The wreckage was found on 9 November 2002, but the announcement has been delayed pending notification of the families of the four crew members.                                       A joint service honor guard carries the remains of the crew of Jolly Green 23 upon their arrival back on American soil on February 14, 2003 at Hickham AFB in Hawaii. The remains were transported to the U.S. Army's Central Identification Laboratory, Hawaii (CILHI) where they were identified as the crew of JG 23.
SAR Mission Report on Loss of JG 23	Story of Jolly 23 and James Locker
	Story by Richard Wallace