Veteran of the Day
July 20, 2026
Specialist Four David Andrew Dillon
United States Army
68th Assault Helicopter Company
“Never Recovered… Never Forgotten”
May 28, 1942 – July 20, 1966
The Mission
Every helicopter crew in Vietnam shared the same understanding.
The next landing zone might be quiet.
Or it might erupt in gunfire.
On July 20, 1966, Specialist Four David Andrew Dillon climbed aboard a UH-1B Iroquois as crew chief with the 68th Assault Helicopter Company, part of the 145th Aviation Battalion, 12th Aviation Group.
His job was more than maintaining an aircraft.
He was responsible for helping keep the helicopter, its crew, and the soldiers it carried alive.
The Crew Chief
Crew chiefs were the heartbeat of Army aviation.
They inspected every component.
Maintained every system.
Often served as aerial observers and door gunners.
And when the mission began…
They fought alongside the pilots.
David Dillon was one of those professionals whose quiet competence made every mission possible.
July 20, 1966
During an air assault mission in Long An Province, South Vietnam, Dillon’s UH-1B (tail number 64-14095) came under intense enemy ground fire while approaching the landing zone.
The helicopter was struck, exploded, and crashed. Three crew members were recovered and later identified.
Despite immediate search efforts, David Dillon could not be found. His wallet and identification card were recovered near the wreckage, but hostile fire forced search teams to withdraw before they could continue looking for him. He was ultimately classified as Killed in Action, Body Not Recovered, and his case remains in active pursuit by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. (DPAA Military Site)
Never Left Behind
Although his remains have never been recovered…
America has never forgotten him.
Today, Specialist Four David Andrew Dillon is honored on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii.
His name is also permanently engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Panel 9E, Line 45, ensuring that his sacrifice will never be forgotten. (DPAA Military Site)
Reflection
“Some heroes return home.
Some remain where duty called them.
But all remain in the grateful memory of a nation.”
Legacy
Specialist Four David Andrew Dillon flew into danger so others could reach the battlefield and return home.
Though his final resting place remains unknown, his place in American history is secure.
He represents every soldier whose courage carried them into impossible missions…
And every family that still waits for answers.
The Micky Spano Radio Show proudly honors Specialist Four David Andrew Dillon, United States Army, 68th Assault Helicopter Company, as Veteran of the Day for July 20, 2026.