http://armyphotos.togetherweserved.com/279194.jpg

Harold Byars
hbyars@gateway.net
Commander, 602nd Transportation Detachment (Acft DS)
108 Rowe Drive
Poquoson,VA 23662 USA
Harold Tharp joined the 602nd Transportaion Detachment, a direct support maintenance organization at Fort Bragg, NC, which supported the 187th Assault Helicopter Company which flew the UH-1 helicopter. We went to Tay Ninh, Vietnam in March, 1967. Harold was originally assigned as a helicopter mechanic, but had a burning desire to be a crew chief of one of the eight armed UH-1C aircraft of the 187th. I told him to bide his time, and the opportunity would come. One day he was part of my maintenance crew that went out to a couple of aircraft that had been shot up. One was a UH-1C, which had received minor damage not sufficient to remove it from action for the day. However, the crew chief had been wounded and evacuated. The pilot of the aircraft asked me to allow Harold Tharp to serve as his crew chief. I shook Harold's hand and told him his opportunity had arrived. He had, on his own, learned the duties of the crew chief during combat missions, and made an outstanding crew member. I rotated to the states at the end of the 12 month tour, but Harold extended for another six months. I was deeply saddened when I learned of the death of this outstanding soldier and man. Thursday, June 03, 1999

Dennis Dauphin
OshunSprgs@aol.com
Training Officer, C-2-3, 3d Bde BCT
Ocean S, MS 39564-3440 USA
You Were A Soldier
It has taken nearly 40 years for me to go back and review the BCT yearbook from May of 1966 and note that you gave the ultimate sacrifice for your country. Your drill sergeants gave you their best efforts in creating the "soldier" in you and you have rewarded them and your nation with your bravery. May God bless you throughout eternity. Wednesday, May 18, 2005

We Remember
Posted for: HAROLD ALLEN THARP JR:
	Harold is buried in Ft Bliss National Cem,El Paso Co,TX.
Posted by: Robert Sage Email: Relationship: Thursday, April 17, 2003 Helicopter UH-1C 66-00670 Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1C tail number 66-00670 The Army purchased this helicopter 1166 Total flight hours at this point: 00001224 Date: 04/12/1968 Incident number: 68041222.KIA Unit: 187 AHC This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was LOSS TO INVENTORY for Close Air Support Unknown this helicopter was in Orbit at 0125 feet and 085 knots. South Vietnam UTM grid coordinates: YT564593 Helicopter took 3 hits from: Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive ballistic projectiles less than 20 mm in size. (12.7MM) The helicopter was hit in the Left Side causing a Fire. Systems damaged were: PERSONNEL Casualties = 03 DOI, 01 INJ . . The helicopter Crashed. Aircraft Destroyed. Both mission and flight capability were terminated. Burned Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database. Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis Center Helicopter database. Also: OPERA, UH1P3, 10302 (Operations Report. ) Loss to Inventory Crew Members: CE SP5 THARP HAROLD ALLEN JR KIA AC WO1 FITZGERALD JOHN FRANCIS KIA AC WO1 ECKLE STEPHEN JOHN KIA This record was last updated on 05/25/1998

Tharp, Harold Allen, Jr., SP 5