Specialist 4 Donald Leon Braman was born 1 August 1941 in Mystic, Conn and died 2 January 1963 while serving as a gunner on an CH-21 with the 93rd Transportation Company.
SP4 Donald Leon Braman of Mystic, Conn.
On 2 January 1963, the 93rd Trans Co was tasked for an air assault by troops of the ARVN, 7th Infantry Division. All ten CH-21 helicopters were used in the lift.
On the fourth lift, the landing zone near Ap Bac was ambushed by an entrenched and reinforced VC battalion. The first 4 CH-21s were able to take off again. The #5 helicopter was shot down, and the #6 CH-21 attempted to pick up the crew of the downed CH-21, but was shot down itself. The landing zone was judged untenable due to enemy fire, and the remainder of the flight departed for the staging area at Tan Hiep.
An hour later, ground troops in the area reported that VC firing had subsided and evacuation of the downed crews was possible.
A CH-21 was dispatched to recover the downed crews and wounded, but the tempo of enemy fire increased and the pilot was wounded. The copilot immediately lifted off, leaving all behind.
Eight hours later, the downed aircrews were picked up by ARVN armored personnel carriers and moved to an area where they could be evacuated by helicopter.
By day's end, nine Americans had been wounded and one killed in action. Of the ten helicopters on the mission, all had been hit by enemy fire, four were shot down and only three could fly back to base.
SP4 Braman, gunner in the #6 CH-21 was killed. He received a posthumous Distinguished Flying Cross for his actions to recover the downed #5 aircrew.
The 93rd Trans Co eventually became the 121st Assault Helicopter Company.
Information From:
http://www.transchool.lee.army.mil/museum/transportation%20museum/NAMDIARIES.htm
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