Pilot
OH-6A Cayuse
Serial #67-16144

Aviation Platoon
Headquarters & Headquarters Company
2nd Brigade
1st Cavalry Division
Vietnam

Warrant Officer Raymond Taylor was pilot of a Hughes OH-6A Cayuse that crashed alongside
a road near Phu Loi Base Camp in the Binh Duong Province of South Vietnam on February 12th, 1970.
Though badly burned and injured, he was able to extricate himself from the wreckage and atttempted
to rescue his two crewmates. He was able to free one of them, SP4 Ross Hardt, but the flames were
too intense and he was unable to do anything for the other, Sgt. Larry Goschka. Sadly, Hardt died
the next day and Taylor also, nine days later on the 21st of February.

More info HERE, on the 'Virtual Wall'.

Here's a look at the type of helicopter that Ray Taylor was flying that day; a Hughes OH-6A Cayuse,
nicknamed the 'Loach' after its role descriptor, 'Light Observation Helicopter'. I don't know
which outfit this Loach was from, but its serial number is 67-16149, which means that it was
just five behind Taylor's ship, 67-16144, on the Hughes production line.


Richard Udden photo