This page is dedicated to Richard Evancho,
his friends, and family.
Name: Richard Evancho
Rank/Branch: E-4/USMC
Unit: MAB 536,Marine Air Group 36
Date of Birth: 18 March 1948
Home City of Record: Freeland,PA
Date of Loss: 26 March 1968
Country of Loss: South Vietnam/Over Water Loss
Coordinates:161408N 1080740E (AU930130)
Status (in 1973): Killed/Body Not
Recovered Category: 5
Acft/Vehicle/Ground:UH34D
Other Personnel in Incident: Glenn W. Mowery; Larry E. Green; Frankie E. Allgood;
Ernest C. Kerr (all missing)
Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 15
June 1990 from one or more of the following: raw data from
U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA
families, published sources, and interviews. Updated by the
P.O.W. NETWORK 1998.
REMARKS: PIL/COP RES-ALL SEARCH FAIL-J
Synopsis: The Sikorsky UH34D Seahorse was a
vital aircraft in Vietnam, serving as transport of both
personnel and material. The Seahorse and its pilots
particularly distinguished themselves throughout the spring
of 1968 during one of the most crucial and bitterly
contested struggles of the Vietnam War-The Tet Offensive.
On March 26, 1968, a UH34D was serving as a medivac
helicopter in South Vietnam. The crew consisted of the
pilot and co-pilot, as well as CPL Larry E. Green, Crew
Chief: and LCPL Ernest C. Kerr Jr. Gunner. They were
transporting wounded marines for medical treatment.
LTC Frankie E. Allgood had been wounded in the temple by
shrapnel: LCPL Richard Evancho and CPL Glenn W. Mowrey were
also injured. These three were being medivaced on board the
UH34D. The helicopter crossed a stretch of the South China
Sea during adverse weather conditions. The helicopter crashed into the sea about three miles from its
destination, Da Nang, South Vietnam.
Search teams were dispatched at once, and the pilot and
co-pilot were rescued. Crew members Kerr and Green were not
rescued, nor were the other occupants of the helicopter,
including the badly wounded Frankie Allgood. All were presumed drowned and were classified Killed, Body Not Recovered.Because the medivac was apparently not struck by
hostile fire, the incident was deemed non-battle related.
For the men aboard the Seahorse lost on March 26,1968,
death seems a certainty. We do not believe this and will
not give up hope that these men are still alive. Time will
not run out as long as there are still people who care.
Please make note: Richard's birth date is March 18,1948,
date of incident is March 26,1968, he was only 8 days into
his twentieth birthday.
Also Richard arrived Incountry on March 26,1968, the date
he arrived was the same as incident, "One Day In Hell".
At our house we have a candle burning in every window, these candles burn 24 hours a day and will remain burning until every last American Hero is returned Home.
