“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

0n 25 November 71 Jolly Green 70 and 73 were scrambled out of the 37th Forward Operating Location at Bien Hoa AB, RVN (near Saigon). A USN CH-46 had been shot down ninety miles south with twenty-one people on board. Weather problems were encountered enroute with navigation being hampered by low ceilings and poor visibility. Both aircraft were forced to fly at 100-300 feet and were exposed to enemy ground fire as they approached the down helicopter. King advised the Jollies to withdraw to a safe holding point to await area preparation. Major Robert B. Swench the Alpha Low pilot  on Jolly Green 70 was advised that Dustoff and Sea Wolf helicopters had extracted seven injured survivors and that his assistance would be required to pickup the remaining personnel. Jolly Green 70 rendezvoused with Sea Wolf helicopter and was briefed on the SAR situation. Approach and landing at the crash site was without incidents and fourteen survivors taken on board. The Jollies proceeded to Binh Thy to unload the survivors and assess battle damage. Jolly Green 70 discovered five hits and Jolly Green 73 one, but the damage wasn’t critical and the return to Bien Hoa was begun. The weather had become even worse and both aircraft were again forced to fly at low altitude. After transiting through a heavy rain shower Capt. Richard L. Wall, Jolly Green 73 pilot, lost all visual and radio contact with Jolly Green 70. A run through of all normal frequencies proved fruitless and Jolly Green 73 proceeded to Bien Hoa for fuel. 0n the ground it was determined that Jolly Green 70 had crashed in the Son Nha Bhe River at the same position where visual contact had been lost. Several aircraft were already in the area and Jolly Green 73 launched to join them. Despite poor weather Captain Wall and crew spotted a survivor, Pararescueman AIC Richard L. Steed. He on the river bank and an immediate pick-up was made. The search for additional survivors was continued. It was learned that a Navy helicopter had rescued the Flight Engineer, Sergeant Hank L. Theriot, who had been taken to Vung Tau. Low fuel finally forced Captain Wall to return to Bien Hoa. Search and rescue efforts continued for the next three days. However, no additional survivors were located. It was decided to attempt the recovery of the wreckage of JG 70 with the hope that the bodies of missing crewmembers could be found. When the wreckage was removed from the river, all the missing crewmembers were found, except for PJ James Thomas. He was initially listed as missing in action. His status was later changed to killed in action, body not recovered. Subsequent investigation revealed that Jolly Green 70 had been downed by enemy ground fire. The pilot was found to have been hit by a bullet and the helicopters extremely low altitude resulted in the crash of the HH-53 helicopter.             TSgt Thomas joined the Air Force when he was 18 and was assigned duty as an aircraft mechanic. While he was stationed in Hawaii, he was able to train for Pararescue, and subsequently assigned to an Air Rescue Squadron at Da Nang, Vietnam.
37th ARRS Memorial Program	37th ARRS History re: Loss of JG 70