Gene Paul Stuifbergen

Branch/Rank: United States Air Force/E5
Unit:
Date of Birth: 29 June 1934
Home City of Record: AUGUSTA MI
Date of Loss: 27 November 1968
Country of Loss: Cambodia
Loss Coordinates: 134415 North  1072940 East
Status (in 1973): Killed In Action/Body Not Recovered
Category: 2
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: UH1F #7942
Missions:
Other Personnel in Incident: Earl Gurnesey, releasee
Refno: 1332

Source: Compiled by P.O.W. NETWORK from one or more of the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews and CACCF = Combined Action Combat Casualty File. 2020

REMARKS:

CACCF/CRASH/AIRCREW

SYNOPSIS: Documents that follow are from the Library of Congress. Each have a document number.  CIRCUMSTANCES OF LOSS: CASE 1332  ON 27 NOVEMBER 1968 SSGT GENE P. STUIFBERGEN, FLIGHT MACHANIC, MAJ JOHN B.WALKER, CO-PILOT, TSGT VICTOR R. ADAMS, FLIGHT MECHANIC, AND THE PILOT, (NAME UNKNOWN), WERE ABOARD A UHLF HELICOPTER, (#65-7942), ON A COMBAT MISSION OVER COMBODIA.  DURING THE MISSION THE HELICOPTER WAS IN A HOVER ABOUT 10 FEET ABOVE  THE GROUND OVER A LANDING ZONE, WHEN IT WAS HIT BY ENEMY GROUND FIRE.  THE HELICOPTER ROLLED TO THE LEFT, CRASHED AND BURNED IN THE VICINITY OF GRID COORDINATES YA 700 200, APPROXIMATELY 10 NAUTICAL MILES WEST OF DUC CO, SOUTH VIETNAM.  RESCUE EFFORTS WERE INITIATED, RESULTING IN THE RESCUE OF MAJ WALKER,

TSGT ADAMS, AND THE PILOT, ALL OF WHOM ESCAPED FROM THE BURNING WRECKAGE.  SSGT STUIFBERGEN WAS PINNED UNDERNEATH THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE AND HIS DEATH WAS APPARENTLY INSTANTANEOUS.  BECAUSE OF HOSTILE ACTION IN THE AREA, HIS REMAINS WERE NOT RECOVERED. (REF I & 2)

DURING THE EXISTENCE OF JCRC, THE HOSTILE THREAT IN THE AREA PRECLUDED ANY VISITS TO OR GROUND INSPECTIONS OF THE SITE INVOLVED IN THIS CASE.  SSGT STUIFBERGEN’S NAME AND IDENTIFYING DATA WERE TURNED OVER TO THE FOUR-PARTY
JOINT MILITARY TEAM WITH A REQUEST FOR ANY INFORMATION AVAILABLE.  NO RESPONSE WAS FORTHCOMING.  SSGT STUIFBERGEN IS CURRENTLY CARRIED IN THE PRESUMPTIVE STATUS OF DEAD, BODY NOT RECOVERED.