Full Name: GEORGE WILLIAM CASEY
Date of Birth: 3/9/1922
Date of Casualty: 7/7/1970
Home of Record: ALLSTON, MASSACHUSETTS
Branch of Service: ARMY
Rank: MGEN
Casualty Country: SOUTH VIETNAM
Casualty Province: TUYEN DUC
Born on March 22, 1922, he graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1945.
He served at the end of World War II, in the Korean Conflict and in the Vietnam War.
He was killed-in-action in the Republic of Vietnam on July 7, 1970 while commanding the 1st Cavalry (Airmobile).
His command helicopter crashed while in a hostile combat zone.
He had previously served in the Korean War.
He was subsequently buried in Section 5 of Arlington National Cemetery.
Name: MGN George William Casey (posthumously promoted)
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 07/07/1970 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 48.3
Date of Birth: 03/09/1922
Home City: Allston, Massachusetts
Service: GO branch of the regular component of the U.S. Army
Unit: HHC/1 CAV DIV
Major organization: 1st Cavalry Division
Service: GO branch of the U.S. Army
Short Summary: Hit a mountain near Bao Luc partial IFR flying from Tay Ninh to Cam Ranh to visit troops in hospital
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 69-15138
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 0002 = – General Officer
Primary cause: A/C Accident WX
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: vehicular accident
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: passenger
Vehicle ownership: government
Started Tour: 07/30/1969
“Official” listing: helicopter air casualty – pilot
The initial status of this person was: no previous report
Location: Tuyen Duc Province II Corps
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile – died while missing
married male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Religion: Roman Catholic
The following information 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: officer
The 1st Cavalry Division suffered a tragic loss early in July when the 1st Cavalry Division Command Helicopter, piloted by Major General George William Casey, enroute to visit wounded Skytroopers, crashed in a remote area in South Vietnam.
Six members of his personal staff perished with him:
Major John Alexander Hottell III, Aide-de-Camp; First Lieutenant William Frederick Michel, Pilot; Command Sergeant Major Kenneth William Cooper, Division Sergeant Major; Sergeant William Lee Christenson, Door Gunner; Sergeant Ronald Francis Fuller, Crew Chief; Sergeant Vernon Kenneth Smolik, Aide & Stenographer.
General Casey took command of the 1st Cavalry Division, considered the Army's best, in May, while the division was engaged in the operation against the communist sanctuaries in Cambodia. He served as the Task Force Commander in that operation.
The Division, the Association, the Army, and the Nation, lost a dedicated and gallant leader. As one of the youngest Major Generals in the United States Army, General Casey was an outstanding soldier with a bright future. In the names of the men, the Association extends deepest sympathy.
U. S. REPORTS FINDING 7 BODIES IN GENERAL’S COPTER IN VIETNAM
SAIGON, South Vietnam, July 11, 1970 – The United States Command said today that seven bodies had been recovered from the wreckage of a helicopter that had carried Major General George William Casey, the commander of the First Cavalry Division (Airmobile).
A military spokesman declined to positively identify the bodies, believed to be those of General Casey as well as six aides and crewmen.
General Casey was widely regarded as one of the most promising officers in the Army before his death at the age of 48.
His combination of traditional Army methods with the latest in air mobility tactics was widely respected by other commanders who had asked to serve under him, and by his superiors.
He was a familiar figure to troops in the First Cavalry Division in South Vietnam. He had served as Chief of Staff of the division there in 1967 and has for nine months assistant division commander before he gained his second stat and a promotion to commander two months ago.
General Casey, who earned a master’s degree in international relations at Georgetown University in 1958 and a master’s degree in business administration at George Washington University in 1963 was selected by the Army in 1965 to spend a year of study at the Center for International Affairs of Harvard University, where had had studied earlier before going to West Point.
General Casey’s initial service in the Army was as a platoon leader of a paratroop regiment stationed in Japan. He moved through his division and became aide-de-camp of then Major General Lyman L. Lemnitzer.
In 1951, he became a rifle company commander in Korea and participated in engagements at Heartbreak Ridge. After Korean service, he returned to the United States for a number of tours of duty before going to Europe in 1963 as commander of the Eighth Infantry Division.
General Casey is survived by his wife, Mrs. Elaine Morton Casey of North Scituate, Massachusetts, three daughters and two sons.
CASEY, GEORGE
MG U S A
DATE OF BIRTH: 03/09/1922
DATE OF DEATH: 07/07/1970
BURIED AT: SECTION 5 SITE 16
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.
Reviewed by: Michael Howard