Name: George Thomas Condrey III Rank/Branch: W1/US Army Unit: 281st Aviation Co., 10th Aviation Btn 17th Aviation Group, 1st Aviation Brigade Date of Birth: 12 February 1944 Home City of Record: Atlanta GA Date of Loss: 08 May 1968 Country of Loss: South Vietnam Loss Coordinates: 155517N 1073857E Status (in 1973): Killed/Body Not Recovered Category: 2 Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: UH1C Refno: 1164 Other Personnel In Incident: James L. Dayton; Robert E. Jenne; Daniel E. Jurecko (all missing) REMARKS: EXPLODE - N SIGN SUBJ OR CRASH - J
SYNOPSIS: George Condrey, pilot, James Dayton, aircraft commander, Daniel Jurecko, crewchief and Robert Jenne, crewman were on a combat support mission 35 nautical miles southwest of Da Nang on May 8, 1968.
During the mission, the helicopter was completing a turn from the east to the west when it exploded in midair and plunged into the Buong River bank. The violent midair explosion of the aircraft indicated that it had been hit by an explosive projectile. Shortly after the incident, recovery personnel landed in the vicinity of the crash, but were unable to find any signs of life. On 12 May a ground patrol located the remains of 4 bodies. Two bodies were found in the wreckage, one along side, and one was 2 meters forward of the aircraft. All bodies were burned beyond recognition. Due to enemy activity and the badly deteriorated state of the remains, the remains were not recovered.
All personnel aboard were classified as killed, body not recovered. They are among nearly 2500 Americans who remain unaccounted for from the Vietnam war. They are among the dead because evidence exists that they did not survive. They are listed among the missing because no formal identification of remains was made. Although it would appear unlikely that the crew of that UH1C helicopter survived, other cases are not so clear. Many of the missing were known to be alive at the time they disappeared. Some were photographed in captivity. Yet the Vietnamese deny knowledge of them, and the U.S. seems unable or unwilling to do what it takes to account for them.
With reports mounting that hundreds of Americans are still alive in prison camps in Southeast Asia waiting for the country they proudly served to bring them home, the phrase "Peace With Honor" has little meaning.
This is my Adopted POW/MIA/KIA.. I'll send photos from his family to Amanda so she can post them.
