Which rescue helicopter was destroyed by a bomb explosion…

Which rescue helicopter was destroyed by a bomb explosion from a B-52D?

Short answer

A rescue HH-43, call sign Pedro 70, which was thrown some distance away and crashed when the Stratofortress's bomb load detonated. It had arrived with firefighting equipment and was hovering near the burning B-52 looking for the tail gunner. Two of its crew died.

Published: November 1, 2026 · Updated: November 1, 2026 · Edited by Above Ten Thousand · Editorial policy

Which rescue helicopter was destroyed by a bomb explosion from a B-52D?

A B-52 Stratofortress flies near the North Pole

A takeoff in the rain

On July 19, 1969, a B-52D was taking off in heavy rain from U-Tapao on an Arc Light mission when the pilot's and co-pilot's airspeed indicators gave different readings. The pilot ended up aborting the takeoff, but the nose gear collapsed and the aircraft caught fire when it came to a stop just past the end of the runway.

The HH-43 Pedro 70

One of the base's HH-43s, call sign Pedro 70, arrived quickly with a firefighting kit hanging beneath the aircraft and hovered near the burning Stratofortress to locate the tail gunner. Then the aircraft's bombs and fuel tanks began to explode, and the HH-43 was thrown some distance away.

The casualties

When the helicopter crashed, Major Warren K. Davis and Technical Sergeant Harry Cohen were killed; Sergeant Thomas Miles survived with serious injuries.