A bridge on Wrights Road in Newtown has been named after a 19-year-old veteran who was killed in Vietnam, writes Jeff Werner for the Patch.
The dedication is part of an effort by the Lower Bucks County Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the Bucks County Government to name bridges throughout the area after local heroes who served in Vietnam.
WO1 William Herbert McDonnell was commanding a Bell UH-1C Iroquois, also known as a Huey gunship, on January 24, 1969. The gunship was part of the 170th Attack Helicopter Company, known as the “Buccaneers.”
This aircraft was flying low when the fragments of a rocket-propelled grenade struck it midair, causing a hydraulic failure. The helicopter crashed and burned 13 miles from An Khe near Strong Point No. 10.
The other men on board, crew chief SP4 Bruce W. Westmoreland, pilot WO Scott C. Griswold and gunner SP4 John O. Tafoya, also lost their lives in the crash.
The military awarded Commander McDonnell the Silver Star for his service in Vietnam and his ultimate sacrifice.
The bridge dedication ceremony took place at Bridge 39 on 192 Wrights Road on June 24 at 11 AM.
Learn more about William McDonnell’s story and the effort to honor Vietnam veterans with bridges across Bucks County in the Patch.
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