November 30, 1967: A mission that never reached its destination
On November 30, 1967, U.S. Air Force C-7B Caribou tail number 62-4175 departed Cam Ranh Bay carrying Army medical personnel returning from temporary duty in Pleiku. Among those aboard was 1LT Hedwig D. Orlowski, known to everyone as Diane, an Army nurse whose steady compassion helped wounded soldiers through their darkest hours. Low clouds and driving rain closed in as the aircraft attempted to divert toward Nha Trang. Visibility collapsed to almost nothing. Minutes later, the Caribou struck a mountainside at approximately 1,850 feet, just south of Qui Nhon. All 26 people aboard were lost.
What happened and the immediate aftermath
The crash occurred in extremely remote and rugged terrain. Search teams required five days to reach the site, slowed by weather and steep mountainsides. The aircraft carried a mix of Air Force crew, Army medical personnel, soldiers, and civilians returning to their units across Vietnam. Among the dead were four fellow Army medical team members who, like Diane, had been serving at forward hospitals and clinics.
Who was 1LT Hedwig D. Orlowski
Official records identify her as 1LT Hedwig D. Orlowski, often called Diane by colleagues and friends. She served as an Army nurse during a conflict that placed medical teams under constant pressure to treat combat casualties, infectious disease, and traumatic injuries. Accounts from contemporaries remember Diane for calm bedside manner, quiet strength, and an ability to comfort soldiers separated from home. Her life and service reflect the many unnamed acts of courage and care performed by medical personnel in Vietnam.
Context: the role of medical personnel in Vietnam
Army nurses and other medical staff played a crucial role throughout the Vietnam War. They worked in evacuation hospitals, surgical units, field hospitals, and aid stations, often under air‑raid alerts and with limited supplies. Medical evacuation by aircraft such as the C-7B Caribou was a routine but inherently risky part of maintaining care continuity. Flights carried personnel, supplies, and patients between forward bases and larger treatment centers, helping to save lives but exposing crews to weather and terrain hazards.
The human cost
The loss of Diane Orlowski was part of a broader, tragic pattern in wartime transportation accidents. On that November day, 26 lives were ended before their duties could be resumed and before many returning personnel could rejoin their patients and wards. Families, comrades, and patients were left with grief and the knowledge that those who gave comfort on the front lines sometimes paid the ultimate price themselves.
Remembering Diane and her fellow medical personnel
We honor her life, her service, and the quiet courage she carried into every ward and every mission.
Remembering those who served goes beyond dates and casualty counts. It is remembering faces, bedside conversations, small acts of kindness, and the steady work that sustained soldiers through injury and illness. Diane represents the many nurses and medics whose compassion and expertise saved lives and eased suffering, often without recognition.
Quick facts
- Date of crash: November 30, 1967
- Aircraft: U.S. Air Force C-7B Caribou #62-4175
- Departure: Cam Ranh Bay; mission included personnel returning from Pleiku
- Attempted diversion: Nha Trang; crash site near Qui Nhon, 1,850 feet elevation
- Casualties: all 26 aboard were lost; search teams reached site after five days
How to honor Diane’s memory today
There are practical ways to remember Diane and other medical personnel lost in service:
- Visit official memorials and record repositories to learn more about specific individuals and units.
- Support museums, archives, and veteran organizations that preserve the history of military medical service.
- Share verified stories of service on social media and community platforms to keep memories alive.
- Volunteer with or donate to groups that support military families, veterans, and medical caregivers.
Legacy and reflection
The story of 1LT Hedwig D. Orlowski is a reminder of the larger sacrifices made by those who serve away from the front lines yet remain central to the war effort. Nurses and medical teams carried emotional burdens as they treated the wounded and dying, often returning home emotionally marked by what they had witnessed. Honoring Diane means acknowledging both her professional skill and the compassion she brought to her patients.
Conclusion
On that stormed night in late 1967, a mission to return medical personnel to their posts ended in tragedy. Diane Orlowski and her colleagues never resumed their duties, but their commitment endures in the records, memories, and ongoing respect for military medical service. Remembering Diane is not only an act of historical recognition; it is a tribute to the quiet courage embodied by nurses and caregivers in wartime. They tended wounds, offered solace, and in doing so, left legacies that deserve remembrance and respect.
