CPL Warren Leigh Dempsey, Church Rock, NM on www.VirtualWall.org The Virtual Wall® Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall

Warren Leigh Dempsey

Corporal
HMM-364, MAG-36, 1ST MAW, III MAF
United States Marine Corps
Church Rock, New Mexico
March 03, 1940 to December 03, 1965
WARREN L DEMPSEY is on the Wall at Panel 3E, Line 122

Combat Aircrew

21 Jul 2003
On 03 Dec 1965 four men from HMM-364 died when their UH-34D (BuNo 148762) was shot down:

Capt Kirk I Riley, pilot
1st Lt Stanley G Johnson, copilot
Cpl Warren L Dempsey, gunner
Cpl Robert H White, crew chief
These men, and the other Purple Foxes who served in Vietnam, are remembered by the women who waited at home, whether mothers, sisters, daughters, or friends. Those women, the

Purple Foxy Ladies
continue to support today's Purple Foxes of HMM-364 as they serve our country.
Visit

the Purple Foxes
on-line or go to our unit page
on The Virtual Wall
A memorial initiated by the
Purple Foxy Ladies
Foxyladiesgroup@aol.com

Mission Notes
On 03 Dec 1965, a flight of 6 UH-34s from HMM-364 were tasked with carrying ARVN troops to an outpost at Hiep Duc, just west of Tan Ky. The lead aircraft, UH-34D BuNo 148762 carried a crew of four and nine ARVN soldiers. Another pilot in the flight recalls what happened:
"We tried to go in as high as possible, though we were limited by somewhat low ceilings, which may have placed us approximately 2000 feet above ground level. The flight was in normal cruise when we reached the vicinity of UTM grid coordinates BY031273 where the Viet Cong fired on us with time delay fused mortars. Unfortunately Capt. Riley's aircraft received a direct hit in the belly, where the fuel tanks were located, and they never stood a chance. Capt. Riley tried desperately to get the aircraft on the ground, but it was burning so fiercely he appeared to lose control and the aircraft rolled inverted and crashed. No one survived"
Kenneth L. Gross, Major USMC (Ret)
All thirteen men aboard died in the crash:

Capt Kirk Irwin Riley, pilot;
1st Lt Stanley G Johnson, copilot;
Cpl Warren Leigh Dempsey, gunner;
Cpl Robert Henry White, crew chief; and
nine unknown South Vietnamese soldiers.
The remains of Captain Kirk, Corporal Dempsey, and Corporal White were recovered and identified, but the remains of 1st Lt Johnson could not be individually identified and he still is carried as "Body not Recovered".

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