🇺🇲Vietnam War Stories: Honoring the Heroes We Lost: Carl Lee Thornton of Georgia
Today we honor Staff Sergeant Carl Lee Thornton, of Gainesville Georgia, who served with the 101st Airborne Division, 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry, Headquarters Company.
According to The Honor States Archive: “Carl Lee Thornton had served his country during the Korean War before being deployed to Vietnam. It was Thanksgiving Day on November 28, 1971 when he was a passenger on the CH-47 Chinook helicopter #68-15866. This CH-47 had been sent to provide administrative troop movement from LZ 401 at DaNang to Camp Eagle. During their flight they called in, declaring an emergency.”
“Their aircraft was located 650 feet up the mountain, and was completely demolished. Located in a creek bed, it had hit a 50 degree slope with such impact that it caused it’s fuel cells to rupture resulting in a flash fire.”
“The official investigation showed that the Chinook had taken a single hit, creating spalling, or loss of adhesion, causing it to fall apart. There were no survivors and 29 soldiers from 1/327 and 5 crewmen were lost.” Carl Lee was 34 years old.
A recipient of the Bronze Star Medal with OLC and the Purple Heart Medal, Staff Sergeant Carl Lee Thornton, is honored on the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial in Washington DC on Panel 02W Line 80. Carl Lee lies in rest at Mount Zion Baptist Church Cemetery in Flowery Branch Georgia. Lest We Forget.
#VietnamWarStories #honorourveterans #vietnamveterans #vietnamveteran #VietnamWar #VietnamVets #vietnamvet
#honorthefallen #rememberthefallen #lestweforget
Original description and photo sourced by The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund Database and Honor States Database
