.
from dvrbs.com - SPECIALIST FOURTH CLASS ISAIAH ANTHONY DOBBINS was born on January 29, 1944 to Mr. and Mrs. Isaiah Dobbins. Known to friends and family as "Pete", he grew up in Magnolia NJ, and graduated from Sterling High School in 1963, where he played center on the varsity football team. He enlisted in the Army and trained as am aircraft mechanic. Isaiah Dobbins planned for a career in aircraft maintenance when he finished his enlistment.
Specialist Fourth Class Dobbins began his tour of duty in Vietnam on April 26, 1966, one week after his wedding. On February 7th, UH-1C helicopter #(64-14153) lost power and crashed into a river on take off from a refueling pad 30 miles southwest of Saigon. Specialist Fifth Class Willard A. Godfrey, the crew chief, and Specialist Fourth Class Dobbins, the gunner on this mission, were killed. The pilots, Captain J. L. Hill and Lieutenant William Robertson escaped without major injuries.
Isaiah Dobbins was brought home and buried at Beverly National Cemetery. He was survived by his parents, then of Somerdale NJ, his wife, Lois L. Dobbins of 724 Primas Court, Camden NJ, and two stepchildren. He also left two brothers, Wallace K. and Jerome Dobbins, both of whom were then on active duty, in Hawaii and Japan respectively; and three sisters.
Isaiah Dobbins and Willard Godfrey are forever linked, appearing next to each other on the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington DC.

Pete", as he was fondly known as, was a loving and wonderful husband and stepfather who brought about many great changes in my children and my life. We loved him dearly.

Written by Lois L. Dobbins, Wife
May 14, 2004
 

Helicopter UH-1C 64-14153
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1C tail number 64-14153
The Army purchased this helicopter 1165
Total flight hours at this point: 00000589
Date: 02/07/1967
Incident number: 670207091ACD Accident case number: 670207091 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 162 AHC
South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 2 . . Injured = 2 . . Passengers = 0
costing 217679
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database. Army Aviation Safety Center database. Also: OPERA (Operations Report. )

Crew Members:
AC O2 ROBERTSON NW
P O3 HILL JL
CE SP4 DOBBINS ISAIAH ANTHONY KIA
G SP5 GODFREY WILLARD ANSEL KIA

Accident Summary:

The aircraft crashed into the river on take-off


War Story:
Although this helicopter was written off from this incident, it was later rebuilt and returned to service

This record was last updated on 05/25/1998



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The following is crew member information for this incident:

Name: SP4 Isaiah Anthony Dobbins
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 02/07/1967 while performing the duty of Crew Chief.
Age at death: 23.0
Date of Birth: 01/29/1944
Home City: Magnolia, NJ
Service: regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 162 AHC
Major organization: other
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 15E-004
Aircraft: UH-1C tail number 64-14153
Service number: 12730818
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 67B20 = O-1/U-6 Airplane Repairman
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: drowning
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: door gunner
Started Tour: 04/26/1966
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
Length of service: 01
Location: Unknown Province
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died while missing
married male U.S. citizen
Race: Negro
Relgion: Methodist (Evangelical United Brethren)
The following information is secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: non-battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: enlisted personnel
This record was last updated on 08/27/1997


Name: SP5 Willard Ansel Godfrey
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 02/07/1967 while performing the duty of Gunner.
Age at death: 29.3
Date of Birth: 10/26/1937
Home City: Milton Junction, WI
Service: regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 162 AHC
Major organization: other
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 15E-004
Aircraft: UH-1C tail number 64-14153
Service number: 16512108
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 11B10 = Infantryman
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: drowning
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: crew chief
Started Tour: 04/30/1966
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
Length of service: 01
Location: Unknown Province
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died while missing
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Protestant - no denominational preference
The following information is secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: non-battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: enlisted personnel
This record was last updated on 08/27/1997


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Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1C tail number 64-14153
Date: 10/31/1968
South Vietnam
UTM grid coordinates: YS679912
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database. Also: OPERA (Operations Report. )
Loss to Inventory

 

MESSAGES LEFT ON THEWALL-USA (as of 2/28/09)

** Note that some of these messages are from years ago and there contact information may not be good anymore **

Mike Burgoon
LBurg97955@aol.com
Previous Hometown Admirer
Haddon Township, NJ
I lived in Magnolia, NJ from 1964 - 1974. I did not know you or recall hearing of your death in Feb 1967. I was 13 at the time. On this Veterans' Day 2003, 36 years & 7 months later, I would like to say Thank You!
Tuesday, November 11, 2003

michael bajish
mbajish41@aol.com
i served with him in the 162nd aslt
425 darrow ave
solvay, ny 13209 onon
a good and noble man / soldiar
Tuesday, May 18, 2004


Gary Polito
GPOL42@yahoo.com
Went to school with younger brother
209 Carl Ave
Beverly, NJ 08010 US
I will always remember the day notification came of your untimely death, We were in school when they came to get your brother Curtis from our class, we were young and not very cognisant of war, But as I got older I am proud to honor those that answer their countries call to arms to defend and fight . Thank you and God be with you
Wednesday, November 10, 2004


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