Facebook post by Steven T. Burns to SAT & BAF! Memories of a Tower Rat group:

On August 18, 1971, the entire 33-man heavy mortar platoon of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Bn 4th Inf, stationed in Neu Ulm, was enroute to the Grafenwöhr training area in a CH-47 cargo helicopter of the 4th Aviation Company, 15th Aviation Group to participate in a live fire training exercise. At 0945, a faulty rear rotor blade broke free and struck the helicopter causing structural failure. The CH-47 broke into two parts and crashed in a hay field near Pegnitz, West Germany with the complete loss of life including the four members of the flight crew. (An unconfirmed report indicated that a faulty rotor blade was removed and turned into the supply system. The rotor blade then reportedly was incorrectly reentered into the supply system as serviceable, returned and installed back on the aircraft.)
The names of the flight crew were: CPT James W. Hensley, CW3 James H. Perry, SP5 Lawrence J. Angetini, and SP4 Dennis A. Ferraro. The names of the infantrymen were: 1LT John E. Echterling, 1LT Henry L. Pittard, Jr., SSG Paten L. Smith, SGT Terry E. Bowerman, SGT George J. Gongaware, SGT Christopher W. Pyzik, SGT Harold D. Dillaman, Jr., SP5 Russell L. Schroder, SP4 Fernando Apodaca, PFC Ronald F. Scholl, PFC Arthur R. Kearney, PFC Roger M. Hartman, PFC Ronald R. Pestka, PFC Eric L. Landry, PFC Samuel M. Cherry, PFC David P. Dunks, PFC David W. Stover, PFC Michael L. Annis, PFC Raymond T. Gadbois, PFC Lawrence H. Karaschin, PFC David A. Person, PFC Paul E. Hickson, PFC Charles E. Fife, PFC Jeffery M. Vickerman, PFC Eddie W. Nichols, PFC Richard Willis, PFC Vernon J. Ailstock, Jr., PFC Noel Velez, PFC Mark P. Connors, PFC Edward A. Monnin, Jr., PFC Raymond H. Cork, PFC Clarence C. West, and PFC John P. Egelund.

The citizens of Pegnitz placed a bronze plaque and hold an annual memorial service at the crash site in honor of those young men who gave up their tomorrows on that tragic day.
Mounted on a large boulder is the following bronze lettering which read: HIER STARBEN 37 JUNGE MENSCHEN IN EINSATZ FUR FRIEDEN UND FREIHEIT. FLUGZEUGABSTURZ AUGUST 1971. 
 (HERE DIED 37 YOUNG MEN ON A MISSION FOR FREEDOM AND PEACE. AIRCRAFT CRASH AUGUST 1971)

Our son, our brother, a boy, a man. Kept his promise to believe.
His challenge countered with courage. His unfulfilled dreams as soon connected with God. 
18 August 1971

https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=126261417