POSTED ON 1.9.2018 POSTED BY: WKILLIAN@SMJUHSD.ORG
FINAL MISSION OF SP4 GERALD D. GRAY
POSTED ON 4.9.2021 POSTED BY: RICHARD D SAKHAROFF
ON YOUR 70TH BIRTHDAY ANNIVERSARY
Thank you SP4 Gerald Gray for your service in Vietnam as a helicopter repairman. When your tour of duty began, you were just 18 years old. With only a few short months left on your 1 year tour, we lost you to this terrible war when you were only 19.
I stopped by to pay tribute to your honorable service to help keep the memory of you alive. Rest in Peace.
Dak Seang Special Forces Camp was a U.S. Army and Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) base northwest of Kontum in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. On April 1, 1970, an estimated 1,500 North Vietnamese Army (NVA) soldiers attacked the camp starting a siege which lasted until May 8th. By the 18th day of the siege, NVA gunners in the ridgelines that surrounded the camp began selecting their targets, holding fire until a helicopter set down within the perimeter or until an American began moving away from cover. On April 19th, a U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H (tail number 68-16578) from 170th Assault Helicopter Company was hit by a 75mm recoilless rifle round, destroying the aircraft. The crew chief, SP4 Clarence E. Umstot, was killed in the incident. Gunner SP4 Gerald D. Gray suffered 2nd and 3rd degree burns over 95% of his body and succumbed to his injuries the following day at the 71st Evacuation Hospital. Aircraft commander WO1 William H. Stepp, who was also critically burned, died 41 days later at Army Hospital Camp Zama in Japan. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org, wikipedia.org, vhpa.org, and “Dak Seang keeps low, but morale is high.” Stars & Stripes, April 20, 1970]
