March-April 1967-page 10-11-17

"Southeast Asia"

During 1966 a total of 214 Kaman Scrolls of Honor were awarded to HH-43 pilots and crewmen serving in Southeast Asia. All of the rescue flights were carried out under hazardous con­ditions involving either enemy fire, poor weather, limited visibility, rugged terrain or various combinations of these factors. The following are only a few of the missions for which Scrolls were awarded.

Photo-caption:
LOG ANOTHER SAVE-SSgt Thomas E. Hand  looks on as Maj Joseph Watson, fills out his log after a rescue mission. Both men are assigned to Det 8, 38th ARRSq, at Cam Ranh Bay AB, RVN. During the past year the squadron has flown approximately 2200 missions in the HH-43 HUSKIE helicopters assigned. Included are local base emergencies, base support, medical evacuations, intelligence surveys, transporting vital blood, and emergency aircrew recovery missions. (USAF photo)

Pedro Flight comprised of two HH-43's from Det 7, 38th ARRSq, Da Nang AB, RVN, rescued three crewmen from a Marine helicopter which had been downed by intense ground fire. The rescues were made despite the fact that the site was infested with hostiles and there were nine confirmed 50-caliber machine guns within 300 meters of the downed aircraft. In addition, a raging brush fire had developed from a heavy artillery barrage. The immediate rescue area was surrounded by high ridges, whipped by turbulent winds and covered with 10-foot-high elephant grass.

While Armed helicopters suppressed ground fire, the two HUSKIES landed and the rescue specialist and helicopter mechanic were deployed from both aircraft. As flames burned the grass beneath the rotor blades of the rescue helicopters, the crewmen made their way through the heavy undergrowth and fire to lead the dazed survivors back to the HH-43's. Because of the heat and exploding ammunition they could not get to the crash to search for a fourth man in the wreckage. The secondary helo took off with the survivors and headed for safety. Piloting the second HUSKIE were Capt John B. Kneen and Lt Frederick D. Gregory. Crewmen were TSgt Delmar R. Mapes and Alc Dennis C. Hughes.

Meanwhile, the first HH-43 remained at the scene in a vain attempt to aid the fourth downed airman. Despite the heavy enemy action, 1stLt Tommy L. Brown tried three times to hover over the burning wreckage but each time was driven off by the flames and exploding ammunition. Finally the search had to be discontinued because of smoke and approaching darkness. Sharing in the hazardous flight with Lieutenant Brown were Capt Joseph E. Symond, Jr., the copilot, and TSgt Patrick A. Bowers and SSgt William C. Sutton, crewmen.

In a similar mission, an HH-43 from Det 7 rescued two Marine crewmen from their helicopter which had crashed in a combat area on the side of a steep, tree-covered hill swept by strong, gusty air currents. At the time, shell fire was falling on three sides of the crash area, an air strike was in progress on the fourth, and heavy fighting was going on nearby. Capt Gary E. Robertson and his copilot, Lieutenant Gregory, held the HUSKIE in a hover at tree-top level after Alc Albert W. Foster, III, the pararescueman, was lowered to the ground, The two downed airmen were hoisted to the chopper by SSgt David L. Lancaster, helicopter mechanic, with the aid of the pararescueman. Disregarding enemy fire, Airman Foster then assisted in removing the other crewman who had been killed in the crash. The pickup took about 20 minutes during which time the HUSKIE crew was constantly exposed to enemy fire - and the air strikes and artillery fire were steadily moving closer.

In a third Det 7 mission, an HH-43 piloted by 1stLt David E. Stevenson flew over hostile territory and through turbulent weather to rescue a downed pilot from the wind­whipped waters off Tiger Island in the South China Sea. Part of the flight was made at top speed and only 20 feet above the waves due to the proximity of heavy hostile gun emplacements on both the mainland and the island. Sharing the hazardous rescue with Lieutenant Stevenson were Sergeant Sutton and Alc Ronald E. Renard.

38th Plays Many Rescue Roles In SEA                Det 1 Aids Tiger Victim

Saigon (7AF) - Many dangers lurk in the jungles of Vietnam, but those bred by nature can hardly compete for headlines with mortars, snipers, claymore mines and the like. Still, to the Montagnards, a tribal people who inhabit the mountains, nature's booby traps play a large role in day-to-day living. The Det 1, 38th ARRS, alert crew recently played a supporting part in this Montagnard-jungle saga which has taken place for hundreds of years.

The Montagnard runner told his story to the first field radio position he could find - a young man of his village had been attacked and seriously hurt by a large tiger. Word was flashed to Phan Rang Air Base and the Det 1 alert crew. Minutes later, an HH-43 HUSKIE crewed by Capt Lamonte M. Kahler, Lt David W. Barksdale, and Alc Gerald O. Steiff, was off and enroute to the village 10 miles from Phan Rang. After landing in the village square, the chopper crew found that the Montagnard had indeed been badly mauled and was bleeding profusely from a clawed leg and many deep cuts on his body.

While taking off from the village with the wounded man aboard, the HH-43 pilots caught sight of the tiger's body stretched out on the edge of the square. No doubt the highly prized skin would soon become a warm blanket for the Montagnard's family. But the big cat's intended dinner would be the first to agree that the price for tiger skin blankets is high in Vietnam.

In a combined operation, two HH-43's from Det 10, 38th ARRSq, Binh Thuy AB, rescued eight crewmen from an Army helicopter which had crashed in a rice paddy and was under constant enemy fire. Manning the primary alert helicopter, which picked up three survivors, were Capt Robert D. Vespico, RCC; Capt Alma L. Williams, CP; A2c Terry M. Dicken, Jr., HM; and A2c Michael P. Benno, RS. Aboard the second HUSKIE, which rescued the remainder of the downed airmen, were 1stLt John M. Armstrong, RCC; Maj Charles R. Kay, CP; Alc Malcolm G. Aldridge, HM: and Alc Patrick J. Geisler, RS. Protective cover during the rescue was provided by armed helicopters and an AC-47.   

After flying through heavy cloud formations and dodging numerous thunderstorms, an HH-43 crew from Det 5, 38th ARRSq, hovered over the burning wreckage of a downed aircraft and Alc Vincent P. Rogalio, rescue specialist, was lowered 100 feet into the dense jungle.
Finding no one, a search was initiated for survivors and they were rescued after a landing was made in an extremely confined area. 1stLt Ralph E. Vick was pilot of the HUSKIE and 1stLt Kenneth G. Griffis, copilot.
Others in the crew were TSgt Reginald W. Willis, rescue specialist, and Alc Andrew C. Paparella, flight mechanic.

Two HH-43's from Det 6, 38th ARRSq, Bien Hoa AB, teamed up to rescue the crew of a C-123 downed by enemy fire while flying over dense jungle in the Iron Triangle. Guided by the other crew members of the HUSKIE, Capt David L. Wiest held the helicopter in a hover with the rotor blades clearing the trees by a scant six inches as two of the three survivors were hoisted aboard. The second HH-43, piloted by Capt James F. Jansa, then moved in and repeated the hazardous maneuver to rescue the third survivor. Although no hostile fire was encountered, gusty winds made hovering difficult for both choppers. With Captain Wiest were Lt Wendell B. Wood, the copilot; Alc Harrison H. Ewton, flight engineer; and A2c Steve M. Northern, rescue specialist. Those in Captain Jansa's crew were Lt Charles I. Rice, copilot; SSgt Barry Sherman, flight engineer; and A2c John J. Dagneau, III, rescue specialist.
(add by Ragay : Mr Jim Burns comment on 22 June 2007 : " is most likely the UC-123B "Ranch Hand" aircraft that was lost on 31 October 1966." ; "I used the book "Vietnam Air Losses" by Chris Hobson to look up the  'possible matches' ")

In another Det 6 mission, Maj David M. Randall and his crew disregarded enemy fire nearby to search for, and rescue, the pilot of an F-100 who bailed out of his crippled aircraft and landed in such dense foliage he could hardly be seen. As in the previous mission, the HUSKIE pilot held the chopper in a hover below the tree tops while the rest of the crew checked for blade clearance. With the Major were Lt Robert A. Reilly, the copilot; Alc Melvin G. Goff, flight engineer; and SSgt Robert S. Loud, rescue specialist.

Det 11  Helps Shipwrecked Survivors

Quick thinking by an HH-43 pilot from Det 11, 38th ARRSq, at Tuy Hoa AB, and prompt application of his idea by two sergeants from Det 6, BienHoa AB, resulted in the saving of more than a dozen civilians after a Vietnamese vessel, battered by wind-driven seas, sank near the harbor.

A HUSKIE piloted by Capt Zack L. Stockett joined the mass rescue effort by military and civilian personnel at Tuy Hoa after the tragedy occurred. Also aboard the helicopter were MSgt Donald F. Larsen, flight engineer, and SSgt Calvin H. Felts, medic, both TDY from Det 6. When they reached the scene, panicky passengers and crewmen from the sunken vessel were being slammed into the side of an old, half-submerged LST nearby and others were hanging onto pieces of wood and inner tubes which had broken away from the wreckage. Due to the rough water and heavy undertow it was impossible for the survivors to reach shore. The Det 11 chopper and an Army helo tried to hoist them from the water but the victims were too exhausted or panicky to hang on; the sunken ship's masts and superstructure also made hoisting almost impossible. Captain Stockett then got the idea of using the hoist cable with the sling to tow survivors to the beach. The system worked and the Army helicopter began using the same procedure. In all, 60 Vietnamese were rescued, either by the helicopters or shore personnel - the HH-43 crew was responsible for saving 16 persons.

Det 7  In Fiery LBR Mission

Crew members of an Air Force HH-43 HUSKIE rescue helicopter headed off what might have become a flaming inferno at DaNang recently after an F-4C Phantom landed but was unable to engage the barrier and skidded wildly past the overrun and into the mud. The F-4C crew had flashed an in-flight emergency call while en route back from a strike mission north of the DMZ and the HH-43 alert crew, commanded by 1stLt Frederick D. Gregory, were aloft and waiting for the stricken Phantom.

"We were following him slightly to his rear, " related Lieutenant Gregory, "when he went off the end of the runway. When they came to rest, the aircraft burst into flames but there was no explosion. The fire was pretty big," he added.

"I saw the pilot and aircraft commander starting to get out," said 1stLt Donald D. Sams, the HUSKIE copilot. "The pilot got out right away but the aircraft commander was still there and it looked like the flames were about to reach him so our pilots brought the chopper around and fanned the flames away from him while he got out, " he said.

After the pilots were safely away, the helicopter crew dropped to the ground and detached its fire suppression kit. "Although this is the first time we've ever used a fire suppression kit on the real thing, it worked perfectly," said Alc Wayne L. Boteler.

Working feverishly, the firemen put out the fire before the first fire truck arrived.

   ..... and from  "RotorTips  Mar-Apr67"  - p.17  (part of an article about Det.10 , AARRC, at Aviano AB, Italy) :

Aviano Pilots In SEA Mission

Braving flames and exploding ordnance, an HH-43 crew from the Headquarters Detachment, 38th ARRSq (MAC), Tan Son Nhut AB, RVN, rescued five injured survivors from an Army helicopter which crashed at a Vietnamese airfield. The hazardous night mission was accomplished successfully despite the fact that, just after scramble, the instruments, directional stability system and other electrical equipment aboard the rescue helicopter became inoperative due to an inverter malfunction. Maj Philip S. Prince, RCC, and his co­pilot, Capt Franklin L. Chase, had only ground lights to rely on to avoid spatial disorientation.

Six minutes after the HUSKIE began orbiting, the pilot of the battle-damaged Army chopper was unable to keep the aircraft in the air and it plunged to earth and burst into flames. Within seconds Major Prince placed the fire suppression kit in position and off-loaded SSgt Ramon N. Colunga and A2c Wylie G. Cox, the airborne firefighters, and Alc Thomas W. Buggie, medical technician. As the HUSKIE hovered over the blazing wreckage, using the rotor downwash to beat down the flames, ordnance aboard the downed helicopter began to explode. Disregarding the danger, Airman Buggie ran to the aid of the five injured survivors who had made their way from the aircraft and then collapsed. At the same time Sergeant Colunga and Airman Cox began laying foam from the FSK on the ammunition and grenades in an effort to cool the explosives and reduce the number of detona­tions. Then they assisted the medical technician in helping the last of the survivors to safety. Afterward it was found that the HH-43 had been hit three times as it hovered over the burning helicopter to keep the flames away from the men on the ground.

last update : 22/06/2007