Charles Worth Millard

Chief Warrant Officer
478TH AVN CO (HH), 11TH AVN GRP, 1 CAV DIV
Army of the United States
08 June 1933 - 14 September 1978
Wilson, North Carolina
Panel 50E Line 050

1 CAV DIV

478TH AVN CO
CH-54

Army Aviator

Purple Heart, Air Medal, National Defense, Vietnam Service, Vietnam Campaign

The database page for Charles Worth Millard

21 May 2002

The CH54 "Flying Crane" on which Arthur Lord was aircraft commander, Charles Millard pilot, Michael Werdehoff flight engineer, and Philip Shafer crewchief was carrying a bulldozer into the recently resecured LZ Tiger when the aircraft was hit and crashed. All the crew were classified Missing In Action.

From one who wore his MIA bracelet.
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26 July 2002

For those of us that remember that day, Charles Millard, Arthur Lord, Michael Werdehoff and Philip Schafer were recovered on 7/14/99 and identified on 11/19/2001. Thank God they are home.

From a fellow soldier,
mrjbarnes@aol.com

02 Sep 2002

Let it be known that Charles Worth Millard is coming home.
On September 15, 2002, his remains will be buried in his hometown of Wilson, North Carolina.

From his nephew,
James M. Moore
moorekm327@aol.com

Notes from The Virtual Wall

Landing Zone Tiger was located in the upper reaches of the A Shau Valley. Following the initial air assaults, larger helicopters were needed for resupply. Three of the aircraft, all hampered by sling loads, were shot down as they approached the LZ:
  • CH-47A (tail number 64-13124, A Company, 228th Avn Bn) received small arms fire from the ground and crashed. The pilot and co-pilot were able to crawl away from the wreckage, but three other crewmen were not found:
    • SSG Douglas Randolph Blodgett, gunner
    • SSG William R. Dennis, flight engineer, Pittsburgh, PA (03/29/1977)
    • SSG Jesus Armando Gonzalez, crew chief


  • CH-47A (tail number 66-19063, B Company, 228th Avn Bn) was hit by 37mm rounds in the aft pylon area during approach. The aircraft was in flames as it descended. The flight engineer and crew chief jumped while the aircraft was still 50 feet or more above the treetops. Their bodies were not found. The other three crewmen, although injured, survived the crash. Lost were

  • CH-54A (tail number 64-14205, 478th Avn Company (Heavy Helicopter) was on approach to the landing zone when an explosion occurred in the cockpit. The aircraft crashed against a cliffside about a mile distant from the LZ. The crash was not survivable. Four men were lost:
    • MAJ Arthur James Lord, pilot
    • CW4 Charles Worth Millard, pilot
    • MSG Michael Ray Werdehoff, flight engineer
    • SP6 Philip Raymond Shafer, crew chief

At day's end, the heavy helicopter companies had five injured and nine missing in action. Four of the MIAs - Major Lord, CW4 Millard, MSG Werdehoff, and SP6 Shafer - have been repatriated; the five men from the two CH-47s remain among the missing as of 03 Sep 2002.





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With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Channing Prothro, former CAP Marine
Last updated 11/13/2010