14 Aug 2001 Bill and I swapped missions that day at his request. Although his Home of Record is Birmingham, Alabama (I think he was going to school in Birmingham), he is buried in his home town, Walthall, Mississippi. A memorial from his friend, Felix D. Bates fdbates@bellsouth.net

 

13 Oct 2004 I was a good friend of Bill Seaborn. We went through basic training, primary Flight School at Fort Wolters, and secondary flight school at Fort Rucker. We took part of our thirty days leave at my house in Covington and his home in Birminghan. Bill's mother Francis and my sister shared a hotel room when they visited Rucker for our graduation from flight school. I would like to contact Bill's sister, Beverly Tinsley who several years ago lived at 609 Night Bird Lane, Fayetteville, NC 26311. She was married to an Army officer. Someone has notified me that they have a book that belonged to her Father, and would like to get it to her. Bill is sorely missed, especially every time I hear the National Anthem at a ball game. From a friend, Bob Schoen 3413 Tezcucco Dr, Baton Rouge, La 70820 pbschoen@cox.net

 

20 Sep 2007 Bill, we will always miss you. I was the gunner, Richard Toops the co-pilot, and the crew chief was Lanice (I think it was Jimmy), we were all with you that day. It was a day of Hell and you took the worst. Sorry you could not come back to the world with the rest. May God be with you and your family. From a friend, William John Barker P O Box 267, Crescent City, Fla 32112 willbarker@aol.com

 

Notes from The Virtual Wall On 22 January 1971, an OH-6A (hull number 68-17337) of D/3/4 Cavalry was shot down. Efforts were immediately instituted to rescue the crew: CW2 Rog Johnson, pilot; SGT Michael Harris Petty, observer; and SP4 Frederick Anthony Vigil, crew chief. Another helicopter was lost in that effort. The 2nd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division's Operations Report contains the following: "The most significant contact of the week occurred at 0955 hours on 22 January when an LOH from D/3-4 Cav received ground fire 4.5 kms northeast of Binh Son (YS254957) and crashed and burned near an enemy bunker. The enemy soldiers in the bunker engaged the downed LOH with small arms fire. A UH-1H helicopter from the 240th Airmobile Company attempted to insert a security team but hit a branch and crashed. Team 1A, Company C, 75th Inf (Rgr) was inserted at 1010 hours and received small arms fire from the enemy. They engaged the enemy with organic weapons resulting in one enemy killed and the evacuation of one waterproof bag full of clothing, one flashlight, one intravenous tube, one earphone, three US claymores, eight blasting caps, one full AK-47 magazine, one PRC-25 battery and a small amount of documents. At 1155 hours, an aerial rifle platoon from D/3-4 Cav received RPG fire from an unknown number of enemy. US casualties were seven killed (three from the LOH and four from the UH-1H) and eight wounded while the two helicopters were destroyed in place. " while according to fellow pilot Hugh ("Sandy") McLeod from D/3/4 Cav the second helo was "... in the area training at the time of the crash, and responded to my call for assistance. They were hovering over a hole in the canopy, and with Special Forces folks on rapelling lines, they were shot down." (Feb 1999) Warrant Officer William H. Seaborn, Jr., 240 AHC/222 CAB, was piloting the second helicopter, a UH-1D (hull number 66-16356). He and three Special Forces troopers (SGT Frank A. Celano, SSG Kenneth Lovelace, and SGT Hugh D. Opperman) died in the crash. The bodies of all seven men - three from the OH-6A, four from the UH-1D, were recovered. WO1 William H. Seaborn is remembered by his comrades in the 240th Assault Helicopter Company

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