MACV-SOG Memorial

In Respectful and Loving Memory

CWO Brian J. DeVaney

CWO Brian J DeVaney of the 17Oth AHC, a native Canadian, who's last day of flying was the day before. One of his last missions was to insert a SOG recon team from CCC in the BRA area of the Ho Chi Minh Trail on 28 March. On the 30^th, he learned the team was now in trouble and need to be extracted from the area, he felt it was his responsibility to extract the team since he had inserted them and therefore took the mission. Upon the approach to extract the team, the helicopter came under intense fire from a RPD Machine Gun, raking the chopper from front to rear while it hovered in an effort to pick up the team under fire. Several rounds entered from the rear of the aircraft. Two rounds hit SP/4 John P. Martin, Of the 17Oth AHC, crew chief, sitting directly behind the pilot DeVaney, one round hit Martin in the left thigh and one hitting the left tibia and going through the right Femur. One of these rounds that hit Martin passed through about a 1/4" inch crack in the Armor Plating protecting the pilot hitting CWO DeVaney’s armor chest plate bouncing back into his heart killing him instantly. The aircraft rolled, crashed and burned. SP/4 Martin came to from being unconscious, he was under the fuel cell of the aircraft, as he began to crawl away, Lt John W Naurot, of CCC's Recon Team, left the safety of the bomb crater and retrieved Martin by pulling him to safety in the crater. How the other crew members consisting of the Co Pilot Taylor and B.J got to the crater is not clear, Either the Co-Pilot and other members got to the crater themselves or the other members of the Recon Team exposed themselves to the hail of bullets by crawling out and pulling the crew back to safety. One SCU scout was also KIA in this incident. All members were rescued by another 170^th Helicopter who lost 4" of tail rotor in the extraction. (Information provided by John P. Martin and edited by Robert Noe)

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