122

c/n 122

EA-55

No photographs at this time.

Photo:

c/n 122

55-3275

EA-55

• 55-3275 United States Army. Delivered 19^th-May-1956. Designated as U-1A.

2nd Aviation Company at Fort Riley, KS.

April/May 1957 to Brookley AFB, Mobile, AL. Here the aircraft were loaded on board the 'USS Tripoli', an aircraft carrier then serving with the Military Sea Transportation Service, which set sail for Bremerhaven, Germany arriving on 16-May-1957.

2nd Aviation Company based at Illesheim, until July 1959 when moved to France.

The Company headquarters of the 2nd Aviation Company and one platoon were based at Orléans, a second platoon at Verdun and a third platoon at Poitiers. During its time in France the aircraft was either based at or visited all three locations for different levels of maintenance

Returned to the USA in Jul-1962 to the 20th Engineer Battalion at Forest Park Army Depot, Atlanta, GA., where prepared for transportation to Vietnam.

In December 1962 it was on charge with the 339th Transportation Company in Vietnam.

18th Aviation Company.

Accident: Song Be, Vietnam. 22nd August 1963 The aircraft sheared its landing gear while landing at Song Be. The wings and engine were removed by a recovery team from the 339th Transportation Company and the fuselage was then sling-loaded, using a 339th Transportation Company CH-37 helicopter to Air Vietnam in Saigon, where the Otter was repaired. It re-joined the 18th Aviation Company in March 1964.

Returned to the United States by Douglas C-133 Cargomaster in Aug-1966 for depot level overhaul at the Army Aeronautical Depot Maintenance Center (ARADMAC), Corpus Christi, TX.

Returned to Vietnam by Douglas C-133 Cargomaster with 56th Transportation Company at Tan Son Nhut in Nov-1966 who re-assembled the Otter and used it in the support role for two months.

Re-assigned to the 54th Aviation Company in January 1967 until Aug-1968.

388th Transportation Company in Aug 1968.who prepared it to be shipped home to the USA.

Sharpe Army Depot, Stockton, CA., in November 1968 and was put into storage and deleted from US Army inventory in Jan-1977.

• EA-55 Government of Ethiopia Feb-1971, under a Military Aid Program for the Ethiopian Army.

Accident: Details unknown.

• Destroyed •

Otter 122 was delivered to the United States Army on 19th May 1956 with serial 55-3275 (tail number 53275). It was delivered to the 2nd Aviation Company at Fort Riley, Kansas. It did not however accompany the unit to Europe, but remained in the United States and was allocated to the 20th Engineer Battalion. In July 1962 it arrived at the Forest Park Army Depot, Atlanta, Georgia where it was overhauled and it was then transported to Vietnam. In December 1962 it was on charge to the 339th Transportation Company, before entering service with the 18th Aviation Company. On 22nd August 1963 the Otter sheared its landing gear while landing at Song Be. The wings and engine were removed by a recovery team from the 339th Transportation Company and the fuselage was then sling-loaded, using a 339th Transportation Company CH-37 helicopter to Air Vietnam in Saigon, where the Otter was repaired. It re-joined the 18th Aviation Company in March 1964.

53275 was returned to the United States in August 1966 for depot level overhaul at the ARADMAC Depot, Corpus Christi, Texas. It arrived back in Vietnam in November '66 with the 56th Transportation Company at Tan Son Nhut who re-assembled the Otter and used it in the support role for two months, until it was re-assigned to the 54th Aviation Company in January 1967. It continued to serve with the 54th until August 1968 when it was entrusted to the 388th Transportation Company who prepared it to be shipped home. The Otter arrived at the Sharpe Army Depot, Stockton, California in November 1968 and was put into storage there. In January 1971 it was deleted from the Army inventory and the following month was transferred to the Government of Ethiopia under a Military Aid Program. It was given the serial EA-55 with the Ethiopian Army and was destroyed in a crash.