Brookline War Memorial
James R. Bodish

SP4/E4 James R. Bodish
United States Army (1969-1970)

James R. Bodish

United States Army (1775-present)

James Robert Bodish was born on April 18, 1951. He lived at 2001 Plainview Avenue, on the corner with Capital Avenue, where his parents operated a Mom and Pop store. James enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1969, at the age of eighteen. After boot camp and flight mechanic school, his tour of duty in the Republic of Vietnam began on March 10, 1970.

James had the rank of Specialist Four/Engineer Four. His Military Occupation Specialty (MOS) was 67U20-Multi Engine Tandem Rotor Helicopter Mechanic, assigned to the 213th Assault Support Helicopter Company (ASHC), 11th Aviation Battalion, 1st Aviation Brigade, 12th Combat Aviation Group.

                          

Midway through his tour of duty, on September 16, 1970, Specialist James R. Bodish was the Flight Engineer on U.S. Army helicopter CH-47C, tail number 69-17100. The Chinook was on a routine combat resupply mission which originated from the Pho Loi Air Base.

At 11:00 the aircraft picked up a 14,000 pound external sling load of cement at the Tay Ninh Province East Airfield. The torque and all systems were in the green and the aircraft began a takeoff. As the aircraft reached about 1000 feet above ground level, the CH-47 leveled off and began a shallow right turn.

CH-47 Chinook    CH-47 Chinook

A muffled explosion was heard from the right rear of the aircraft and flames were immediately observed inside the Chinook, in the aft pylon section. Flight Engineer Bodish immediately released the sling load and an emergency descent toward an open area was initiated.

Almost immediately the heat became so intense and the smoke so dense in the cockpit that all instrument and radio panels were obscured. The aircraft Commander executed a left descending turn with his head out the left window in order to breath.

CH-47 Chinook    CH-47 Chinook

Full control was maintained throughout the descending turn and on the initial approach. As the aircraft Commander flared to set the Chinook down, control was lost and the aircraft assumed an extreme nose high attitude. The Chinook was consumed by fire.

The five crew members on board the helicopter when it crashed were: AC W1 R.G. Young, P W1 G.P. Burns CE E4 G.E. Fowler, G E3 J. Jacob, and FE SP4 J.R. Bodish. Four of the crew members were injured. Flight Engineer Bodish was the only crew member killed.

James R. Bodish

On September 22, the Pittsurgh Post-Gazette announced the death of SP4/E4 James Bodish. His body was eventually returned to the United States and buried at the Mount Lebanon Cemetery. James Robert Bodish was the 51st and final soldier to fall during wartime from Brookline. His memory is honored on the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial, Panel 07w, Line 67.

 SP4 James Robert Bodish - Virtual Wall 

* Written by Clint Burton: May 11, 2018 *

The original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database. Army Aviation Safety Center database. Also: OPERA (Operations Report.)




The Brookline War Memorial

The Brookline Veteran's Memorial.

Listed below are many of the sons of Brookline who gave their
lives to preserve freedom and contain aggression during
World War I, World War II, Korea and Vietnam.

“It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died.
Rather, we should thank God that such men lived.”
General George S. Patton
 

United States Army (1775-present)  United States Army Air Services (1917-1947)  United States Navy (1775-present)  United States Marine Corps (1775-present)
United States Coast Guards (1790-present)  United States Air Force (1947-present)  United States Merchant Marine (1775-present)

World War I (1917-1919)

Percy Digby

Digby, David P.
Mayville Avenue
Army

Details

Raymond P. Cronin

Cronin, Raymond P.
Berkshire Avenue
USMC

Details

Charles Luppe

Luppe, Charles
Ferncliffe Avenue
Army

Details

WW1 Memorial - Washington D.C.
The World War I Memorial - Washington D.C.

<> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <>

World War II (1941-1945)


Alm, William H.
Pioneer Avenue
Army

Details


Arensberg, Roy T.
Fernhill Avenue
Army

Details


Bracey, Bruce H.
Plainview Avenue
Army

Details


Brickley, Edward G.
Woodward Avenue
Army

Details


Capogreca, James J.
Merrick Avenue
Navy

Details


Copeland, Clarence R.
Creedmoor Avenue
Navy

Details


Cullison, Thomas J.
Birtley Avenue
Army

Details


Dempsey, Howard F.
Berkshire Avenue
Army

Details


Dempsey, Walter F.
Milan Avenue
Navy

Details


Diegelman, Edward R. Jr
Norwich Avenue
Army

Details


Dornetto, Frank P.
Jacob Street
Navy

Details


Doyle, John F Jr.
Eben Street
Navy

Details


Fagan, Gerald B.
Woodbourne Avenue
Army

Details


Falk, Harold E.
Pioneer Avenue
Army

Details


Fehring, Robert M.
Fernhill Avenue
Army

Details


Gmuca, Joseph J.
Brookline Boulevard
Army

Details


Heil, Robert F.
Bayridge Avenue
Army

Details


Hynes, Richard E.
Waddington Avenue
Army

Details


Kestler, Paul C.
Creedmoor Avenue
Navy

Details


Ketters, Robert C.
Berkshire Avenue
Army

Details


Mahoney, Michael J.
Oakridge Street
Army

Details


Majestic, Arthur B.
Starkamp Avenue
Army

Details


Mayberry, Alexander G.
Breining Street
Army

Details


Mazza, John
Alwyn Street
Army

Details


McCann, Robert F.
Edgebrook Avenue
Navy

Details


McFarland, Hugh R.
McNeilly Road
Army

Details


Meisner, Walter F.
Berwin Avenue
Merchant Marine

Details


Miller, William J.
Norwich Avenue
Army

Details


Napier, Edward J.
Brookline Boulevard
Army

Details


Nicholson, John D.
Woodbourne Avenue
Army

Details


O'Day, John R.
Creedmoor Avenue
Navy

Details


Orient, Andrew D.
Fordham Avenue
Army

Details


Pisiecki, Raymond A.
Wolford Avenue
Army

Details


Reeves, Alfred M.
Brookline Boulevard
Army

Details


Reitmeyer, John P.
Bellaire Avenue
Navy

Details


Rhing, Vern M.
Norwich Avenue
Army

Details


Ruane, Roy J.
Berkshire Avenue
USMC

Details


Shannon, Harry C.
Midland Street
Army

Details


Shannon, Jack E.
Midland Street
USMC

Details


Simpson, James D.
Woodbourne Avenue
Army

Details


Spack, Harry
Linial Avenue
Army

Details


Tobin, Paul M.
Woodbourne Avenue
Army

Details


Vierling, Howard F.
Fordham Avenue
Army

Details


Wagner, Ralph G.
Shawhan Avenue
Army

Details


Wentz, Walter L. Jr
Woodbourne Avenue
Army

Details


Zeiler, Harold V.
West Liberty Avenue
Army

Details


WW2 Memorial - Washington D.C.
The World War II Memorial - Washington D.C.

<> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <>

Korean War (1950-1953)

Patrick Gallagher

Gallagher, Patrick J.
Bodkin Street
Army

Details

James Gormley

Gormley, James W.
Brookline Boulevard
Army

Details

Gerald Hilliard

Hilliard, Gerald G.
Edgebrook Avenue
Army

Details

James McKenna

McKenna, James E.
Bellaire Place
Army

Details

Korean War Memorial - Washington D.C.
Korean War Memorial - Washington D.C.

<> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <>

Vietnam War (1965-1973)

James Robert Bodish

Bodish, James R.
Plainview Avenue
Army

Virtual Wall
Additional Details

James Gilbert Collins

Collins, James G.
Dunster Street
Army

Virtual Wall
Additional Details

James Charles Wonn

Wonn, James C.
Mayville Avenue
Navy

Virtual Wall
Additional Details

Vietnam War Memorial - Washington D.C.
Vietnam War Memorial - Washington D.C.




The Brookline Monument - The Cannon

Brookline Veteran's Park - April 26, 2014.

<Brookline War Memorial> <> <Brookline History>