Vintage POW MIA VIETNAM WAR Bracelet CWO Lowell S. Powers US Army 2 Apr 69 #0138

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Vintage POW MIA VIETNAM WAR Bracelet CWO Lowell S. Powers US Army 2 Apr 69 #0138:
$17.98

On 2 April 1969, aircraft commander Major Butler and copilot WO1 Lowell Powers, both of A/159th ASHB, took their CH-47 CHINOOK (hull number 67-18523) into a landing zone south of Khe Sanh, Quang Tri Province, where about 73 members of the ARVN 9th Popular Forces Company were loaded onto the aircraft.

On lift-off, the aircraft lost power and settled to earth, touching down on the side of a ravine. It then rolled down to the bottom of the ravine, coming to rest on its left side. When it settled, Major Butler asked WO1 Powers if he was all right and received a positive response. Major Butler also reported that WO Powers released his harness and called back through the companionway to the passenger compartment. Butler left the aircraft through the left window and did not see WO1 Powers again. Shortly thereafter, the helicopter began to explode. Although ARVN, American, and Australian personnel (the latter from MACV Advisory Team 19) reached the crash site in short order, their ability to rescue the men still within the burning helicopter was limited at best. The result of the crash was one American (WO1 Powers) missing, 23 ARVN killed, and 50 ARVN wounded. That night, the area was secured by an ARVN company, and the next morning an ARVN and 3rd Marine Division Graves Registration team started the recovery of the remains. The ARVN team recovered what was thought to be 17 bodies and the Marine team recovered 3 bodies. It was later determined that all 3 of the remains recovered by the Marines were Vietnamese. Efforts were made by the U.S. Army mortuary officer to exhume the ARVN remains to determine if WO1 Powers was among those remains turned over to the Vietnamese next of kin, but his efforts were unsuccessful because of Vietnamese religious constraints.