John Camden Soper

John enlisted in the army on 15 March 1966 and was in-processed at Fort Jackson South Carolinia and transferred to Fort Gordon Georgia for basic combat infantry training. He completed basic and advance individual training and in August of 1966 was assigned to Fort. Benning Georgia for basic airborne training. John's next assignment was with Company A, 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, Republic of South Vietnam. His military occupation specialty was 11C1P, Ammo Bearer. Upon completion of his tour John returned to the states and on March 28, 1967 he returned to Vietnam and was assigned to the 281st Assault Helicopter Company as an 11B20, Door Gunner.

In early August of 1967 PFC John Camden Soper was a member of the 281st AHC Project Delta support team under the command of Captain Bob Moberg, operating out of An Hoa South Vietnam under Special Forces Operational Order 7-67, Operation Samuria. On August the 6th 1967 the crew of UH-1D 65-09919 was under the command of WO Gary Omdahl. WO Daryl Miller was assigned as the second pilot, PFC Michael Goffredo was the Crew chief and PFC John Camden Soper was the door gunner. The 281st flight, supported by the Wolfpack gun platoon was in the process of extracting a reconnaissance team in a pick up zone covered by tall trees with sparse foliage. The recon team was in site with no reported enemy activity. However, the pick up site was located on a long grassy finger running down hill and as such the extreme slope of the site and the high grass made the approach difficult. Viewing this as a routine 281st extraction Captain Moberg released the aircraft commander to make the pick up.

WO Gary Omdahl recalls that he brought the aircraft to a hover over the pickup point and was in the process of maneuvering the helicopter backwards toward the slope with the crew chief and gunner checking the tail rotor for clearance. As he moved the helicopter close to the pickup point it suddenly dropped straight down and he recalls that it felt as though it tumbled end over end before coming to a stop down the hill from the pickup point. The crew exited the aircraft and at about the same time it burst into flames. At that point the only injury was to a member of the recon team who was hit by a skid when the helicopter initially lost power. Gary recalls that the injured member of the recon team was the first to be evacuated from the site.

Captain Moberg directed the crew to move back to the original pickup location and set the recovery plan in to effect. He then returned to the base camp for fuel and while refueling he was informed that a USAF CH-53 rescue helicopter was in route to the site to recover the crew and the recon team. At this point a Wolfpack gun platoon section, under the command of Captain Fred Mentzer had refueled and was on site to provide fire support for the recovery operation. The USAF CH 53 arrived on site and begin recovering the injured individual and at least one other member of the recon team. Following their recovery WO Omdahl placed his three crew members on the hoist for pickup while he remained on the ground. As the pickup of the 281st crew got under way the pilot of the CH 53 reported that he was taking fire and almost immediately thereafter reported that he had an engine fire light. Distracted by these events he maneuvered the aircraft away from the pick up point with the cable holding the 281st crew extended and in so doing the three crew members struck a tree, causing the hoist to swing and lag behind the rescue helicopter. The Ch-53 continued in flight and the cable holding the crew was severed dropping the 281st crew to the ground.

Captain Mentzer marked the crew's location and a 281st recovery aircraft approached and hovered over the site allowing MSGT Joe Singh of Project Delta to jump into the area to assist the downed crew members. The remaining members of the Project Delta recon team rushed to the location and reported that all three crew members were dead. The 281st recovered their fellow crew members and the remaining members of the recon team without incident.

On 0700 hours on August 8, 1967 the members of the 281st AHC gathered at the Chapel of The Green Berets to remember Michael and his fallen comrades.

24 August 1967

AVGB-B-52

Major Allen Junko
28lst Assault Helicopter Co.
APO 96240

Dear Major Junko:

During the conduct of OPERATION SAMURIA over the period 15 July 1967 through 18 August 1967 we, the Delta / 281st Team, exacted a heavy toll from the enemy. Today, our combat team enjoys a reputation never approached before and one which my be hard to exceed in future operations.

It is very clear that our successes are directly attributable to the supreme efforts of men such as Warrant Officer Daryl L. Miller, Private First Class Soper and Private First Class Goffredo who lost their lives in aggressive pursuit of their highly dangerous and demanding jobs.

It is difficult to fill the void created by their absences with words of condolence; however, for the lack of any approach more effective, my men and I offer our most profound sympathy.

• Major Robert Moberg, Commander, 281st AHC Fight in support of Project Delta.
• Major Barclay A. Boyd, Commander, 281st Gun Platoon (Wolfpack).
• Captain Fredrick Mentzer, Commander, 281st Gun Platoon Section (Wolfpack) and the 281st AHC investigation officer responsible for the official investigation into the facts and circumstances surrounding this incident.
• WO Gary Omdahl, Aircraft Commander, UH-1D 65-09919.
• Benjamin G. "Ben" Sharrow, who served with Michael, John and Daryl in 1967 provided the 281st AHC Memorial Service Program and letter from Major Allen.