Capt Arnold Holm

 
Name: Arnold Edward Holm, Jr. 
Rank/Branch: O3/US Army 
Unit: F Troop 8th Cavalry Blue Ghosts 
Date of Birth: 05 March 1944 (New London CT) 
Home City of Record: Waterford CT 
Date of Loss: 11 June 1972 
Country of Loss: South Vietnam 
Loss Coordinates: 162326N 1072407E (YD565135) 
Status (in 1973): Killed/Body Not Recovered Category: 3 
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: OH6A Refno:
 
Source: Compiled from one or more of the following: 
raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence 
with POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews. 
Updated by the P.O.W. NETWORK in 2006.
 
Other Personnel In Incident: Wayne Bibbs; Robin R. Yeakley 
(missing from one OH6A); James E. Hackett; James R. McQuade, 
Richard D. Wiley (missing from second OH6A).
 
SYNOPSIS: By December 1971, U.S. troops in-country had declined 
dramatically - from the 1968 peak of nearly 55,000 to less than 
30,000. The enemy, temporarily on the defensive by the moves into 
Cambodia in 1970 and Laos in 1971, began deploying new NVA forces 
southward in preparation for another major offensive.
 
In March 1972, the Vietnamese launched a three-pronged invasion of 
the South. One NVA force swept south across the DMZ, its goal apparently
 the conquest of the northern provinces and the seizure of Hue. A second 
NVA force drove from Laos into the Central Highlands, and a third effort 
involved a drive from Cambodia into provinces northwest of Saigon.
 
Fierce fighting ensued on all three fronts, with NVA success the greatest 
in the northern provinces. Fighting continued until by June, the North 
Vietnamese began withdrawing from some of their advance positions, still 
holding considerable amounts of South Vietnamese territory in the northern 
provinces.
 
On June 11, 1972, Capt. Arnold Holm, pilot, PFC Wayne Bibbs, gunner, and 
SP4 Robin Yeakley, passenger, were aboard an OH6A observation helicopter 
flying from Camp Eagle to the Northern Provinces of South Vietnam on a visual 
reconnaissance mission. The function of their "Loach" chopper was searching 
out signs of the enemy around two landing zones (LZ's). The OH6 joined with 
the AH1G Cobra gunship as "Pink Teams" to screen the deployment of air cavalry 
troops. On this day, Holm's aircraft was monitoring an ARVN team insertion.
 
During the mission, Holm reported that he saw enemy living quarters, bunkers, 
and numerous trails. On his second pass over a ridge, at about 25' altitude, 
the aircraft exploded and burned. It was reported that before the aircraft crashed 
that smoke and white phosphorous grenades began exploding. After the aircraft 
impacted with the ground, it exploded again. Other aircraft in the area received 
heavy anti-aircraft fire. No one was seen to exit the downed helicopter, nor were 
emergency radio beepers detected.
 
In another OH6A (tail #67-16275), 1Lt. James R. McQuade, pilot, and SP4 James E. Hackett, 
gunner, tried to enter the area of the crashed OH6A, but encountered heavy fire and 
their aircraft was also shot down. McQuade's aircraft was hit, and the intensity of the 
resulting fire caused white phosphorous and smoke grenades carried aboard the aircraft 
to explode prior to hitting the ground. The aircraft continued to burn after impact and 
no crewmen left the ship before or after the crash.
 
No ground search was made for survivors or remains of either aircraft because of hostile 
fire in the area.
 
There are unanswered questions remaining from Vietnam. Of the nearly 2500 Americans who 
did not return alive or dead, experts venture that hundreds may still be alive. Thousands 
of reports have been received concerning them. Whether the two OH6A crews are among those 
seems unlikely. But one can imagine their willingness to deploy on one more combat team 
to bring those who are alive home to freedom. 
====================
July 28, 2006 •• 
By RAY HACKETT Norwich Bulletin NORWICH -- The search for the remains of 
Waterford native Arnold Holm hit yet another snag Thursday, stealing some 
of the joy that came with an announcement earlier this week his helicopter 
crash site had finally been found after 34 years. The search for the remains 
of Holm and his two crewmen may have to wait until 2008. Holm, a U.S. Army captain 
and helicopter pilot, was shot down June 11, 1972, over the Central Highlands of 
Vietnam. 

 Vietnam OKs dig at site of alleged POW's crash
September 16, 2006 •• 
By KATHERINE HUTT SCOTT Norwich Bulletin WASHINGTON -- The Vietnamese government 
is willing to proceed as soon as possible with excavating the possible remains 
of Army Capt. Arnold Holm, U.S. Rep. Rob Simmons said Friday. Holm of Waterford 
was shot down while flying a helicopter on a reconnaissance mission in 1972. An 
official of Vietnam's foreign affairs ministry wrote this week to Simmons, responding 
to the congressman's request that the excavation start asap.
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