March-April 1969-page 16,17,18,19,22

“ARRS RESCUE OPERATIONS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA “

915 Saved by 3rd ARRGp During 1968

By Maj Carroll Shershun, USAF Information Officer, 3rd ARRGp (MAC)

The following information was extracted from a comprehensive report by Major Shershun on ARRS operations in Southeast Asia. Due to space limitations, it was necessary to choose the portions dealing primarily with statistics or helicopter activities, for presentation in Rotor Tips. Included in the original report were the activities of other Services, groups or individuals whose efforts contributed to the impressive number of military personnel saved from death or capture last year.

TAN SON NHUT AB, RVN (MAC) - Every existing record established by the Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service in a combat environment was eclipsed in 1968. During the past year rescue crews of the 3rd Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Group (ARRGp) whose "soul" mission is the saving of human lives, were responsible for over 900 persons being able to usher in the new year.

In 1968 a total of 915 lives were saved by the rescue unit's "Jolly Green Giant" (HH-3E) and "Pedro" (HH-43) helicopter crews, which are located at more than 20 sites throughout Southeast Asia. A total of 571 combat saves were included in the overall total. A save is credited when an individual would have met certain death or enemy capture if he had not been rescued. The "combat" classification results from the individual being exposed to enemy action or having been recovered from a hostile area.

Since air rescue operations began in Southeast Asia, a total of 2202 persons have been rescued. Of these, 1507 are classified as combat saves. Not all air search and rescues involved downed aircrew members or downed aircraft. In fact, of the combat saves made to date, the largest number have been U.S. Army personnel (472). A total of 449
U.S. Air Force men have been rescued. U.S. Navy and Marine Corps personnel account for 274 combat saves. The remainder have been from other friendly forces including Vietnamese, Thai, Korean and Australian personnel.

Involved in virtually all air rescue behind enemy lines, many as far North as the Hanoi-Haiphong area (prior to the current bombing halt over North Vietnam), have been three different helicopters of the 3rd ARRGp. These are the HH-3E Jolly Green Giant, the HH-43 Pedro, and the HH-53 "Jolly Green Buff," newest addition to the search and rescue chopper team.

Jolly Green Giant crews of the 37th ARRSq and Det 1, 40th ARRSq made a total of 300 combat saves-many over North Vietnam. Of these combat saves, 162 were of down­ed aircrews. To date the HH-3E crews have made 628 combat saves.

The little HH-43 Pedro, workhorse of the 14 detachments in the 38th ARRSq, and its crews have accounted for 171 combat saves during 1968. Of these, 79 were of downed aircrews. The Pedro's, however, continue to enjoy the distinction of having made the greatest number of combat saves in Southeast Asia -732.
Stationed in Vietnam since Dec 1, 1964, the 38th ARRSq (add by Ragay :  this is not correct, because the 38^th - then as 38^th ARS - was activated on 01 July 1965) carried the brunt of the search and rescue mission through 1965. Prior to the advent of the Jolly Green Giants in late 1965, Pedro crews flew into North Vietnam with extra 50-gallon drums of fuel, hand pumping it into the tanks to extend their range far North.

The HH-53 Buff member of the Jolly Green family arrived in Southeast Asia in late 1967 and is assigned to the 40th ARRSq. To date they have made a total of 100 combat saves, all but one during calendar year 1968. Of these, 21 have been aircrew recoveries.... 

For the 3rd ARRGp, the year has not been without tragedy.... During 1968, members of each of the four standard rescue crew positions (rescue crew commander, copilot, flight engineer, and pararescueman) have made the supreme sacrifice. As many as six rescue men were killed in a single crash during the year. While more than 100 members of the 3rd ARRGp have been killed (21), wounded (71), or declared missing inaction (21), at least 60 American Servicemen have been rescued from certain death or enemy capture for each rescueman who has been lost.

The record achieved by the men of the 3 rd ARRGp is one of the proudest ever achieved by an Air Force unit in the annals of aviation history. Capt Gerald A. Young, a former 37th ARRGp rescue crew commander, stood at attention on May 14, 1968, as President Lyndon B. Johnson said, "Any man is exalted who stands in the presence of bravery. " The event was the dedication of the Hall of Heroes in the Pentagon and the presentation of the Nation's highest award, The Medal of Honor, to the rescueman. On June 19, "Gerald Young Day" was observed at Wichita Falls, Texas, where the captain is now stationed. The mayor of Wichita Falls turned to Captain Young - one of the three living Air Force men who wear the Medal of Honor for Vietnam War actions of heroism - and said, "You are the personification of what every man in this room would like to be. " Capt Young, who earned the high honor for his daring action, despite severe burns, at Khe Sanh on Nov 8, 1967, answered, "Don't think of Gerald Young this day. Think of the Jolly Green Giants, air rescue, the Air Force, and the great work being done."

He paused, then - as if trying to explain the long-ago decision to fly his aircraft into the maelstrom of bullets on an unknown hill - he said, "There is nothing in the world like the feeling you get when you've saved someone's life. "

To date, only six enlisted airmen have been awarded the Air Force Cross, the Nation's second highest military award (equivalent of the Army Distinguished Service Cross and the Navy Cross) for extraordinary courage. Five of the six men were presented the award for courageous actions while with the 3rd ARRGp. The first was Alc William H. Pitsenbarger of the 38th ARRSq who died while taking part in an April, 1966, rescue during a jungle battle in South Vietnam.

As of Nov 30, 1968, members of the 3rd ARRGp, which includes a total of 1200 persons, have earned: 1 Medal of Honor; 14 Air Force Crosses; 207 Silver Stars; 4 Legions of Merit; 1041 Distinguished Flying Crosses; 56 Airman's Medals; 268 Bronze Stars; 4193 Air Medals; 841 Air Force Commendation Medals; and 71 Purple Hearts.
While honors have been heaped upon the 3rd ARRGp, the look in the eyes of over 2200 men who have been provided Jolly Green or Pedro rescue "rides"- men who faced certain death or capture - is the greatest reward of all!

NHA TRANG (7AF) - Hovering 20 feet above the tree­tops, the rescue helicopter from Det 12, 38th ARRSq shuddered under the impact of small-arms fire. Less than 100 feet away, trees and foliage shattered as mini­gunfire and rockets from helicopter gunships ripped into the jungle. ..Still, the rugged HH-43 "Pedro" hovered! In the door Alc Timothy M. Reynolds, pararescueman, stood by the rescue hoist. Beneath the dense green canopy at the end of the hoist cable, a wounded man held tenaciously to his life line.

Slowly, carefully, Reynolds operated the hoist, easing the cable and its burden upward. Suddenly, a bullet from the ground cut an oil line in the HH-43's engine. Oil from the severed line, driven by the helicopter's rotor wash, sprayed through the open doors. As the injured man cleared the tops of the trees below, Capt Daniel A. Nicholson lifted the damaged aircraft away from the jungle and turned down the valley.

"I was looking for a relatively safe clearing to set down in before the engine froze, " he said. "Our oil pressure was zero, and if we lost the engine we would have gone down into the trees."

Nicholson and his crew had scrambled from Nha Trang AB minutes earlier, responding to a call for help from a U. S. Army reconnaissance patrol. The Recondos had made contact with an enemy unit, and one of the team members was badly wounded in the exchange of fire. The Air Force man's job - pull him out of the jungle, get him to a hospital.

"About five miles from where we were hit," Nicholson continued, "we found a clearing and landed. An Army gunship which was escorting us landed also, took the injured man aboard, and took off again, heading for a hospital at Nha Trang. "

Moments later, another HH -43 from Det 12 arrived on the scene.

"We set up a defensive perimeter, " Nicholson said, "and tried to make temporary repairs to the downed bird. It was getting pretty dark, though, so we left the plane with a Vietnamese Civilian Irregular Defense Group guard and came back and fixed it the next morning. " Other crew members on the flight were Maj Robert J. Kazmerchek, copilot, and Sgt Joseph R. Capper, rescue specialist. (Photo on page 17)

A crewmember from a downed Army helicopter was evacuated by an HH-43 crew from Det 9, Pleiku AB, consisting of Capt James G. Ellis, III, pilot; Maj Robert A. Bunton, copilot; Sgt Luther T. Jones, pararescueman; and Sgt Donald N. Carpenter, flight engineer. To make the medevac, the chopper landed at night in an area considered highly unsecure. In another mission, a seriously injured Army sergeant, one of three crewmen from a downed O-1, was taken to the hospital from the special forces camp at Due Co in an HH -43 piloted by Capt Derry A. Adamson and Major Bunton. SSgt Frank R. Deck was flight engineer and Alc David L. Patterson, pararescue technician.

BINH THUY (7AF) - Det 10, 38th ARRSq (MAC), made the first helicopter combat evacuation in Vietnam for 1969. The HH-43 "Pedro," piloted by LtCol Roland E. Speckman, was scrambled from Binh Thuy to evacuate a wounded sailor from a Navy river patrol boat to the Army's 29th Evacuation Hospital near the base. For Colonel Speckman, the detachment commander, the mission was his last in Vietnam. He has been reassigned to the Western Air Rescue Center.

Arriving on the scene, the Pedro crew lowered a litter to the moving river boat. The HH-43 hovered until the injured sailor was strapped to the litter and he was then hoisted aboard and taken to the hospital.

The departing commander said, "I am certainly proud of the 90 medical evacuations, 69 of which were combat, that our detachment accomplished during the past year. I was particularly proud I flew this mission, since it is the first in Vietnam for the new year and it is my last day of duty. "

Other crewmembers were: 1stLt Philip H. Kammann, copilot; SSgt Gerald H. Jones, flight engineer; and Alc Richard C. Stiefken, pararescue specialist.

The month before, Det 10 was credited with nine combat saves and one non-combat save during one week.

In a Christmas Day mission, an HH-43 "Pedro" crew from Det 8, 38th ARRSq (MAC) , Cam Ranh Bay AB, evacuated a sailor, suffering from a serious gunshot wound, from the Naval facility at Cam Ranh Bay to the 12th USAF Hospital. Manning Pedro were Capt Bruce K. Ware, pilot; Capt John P. Smariga, copilot; SSgt Benjamin J. Marshall, flight engineer; and Sgt Gary P. Bryant, pararescueman. The next day a similar medevac was carried out after another sailor was critically injured when a piece of heavy construction equipment overturned. Capt Peter W. Gissing and Maj Andrew E. Kralj were pilots of the HH -43. The crewmen were Sgt James W. Simmons, flight engineer, and Alc Donald J. Goodlett, rescueman. Five days later a U. S. soldier was taken to the hospital after being struck by a construction vehicle seven miles from the base. Captain Gissing landed the helicopter on the road to make the pickup. Major Kralj was copilot on the mission; the flight engineer was Sergeant Simmons and the pararescueman was Sergeant Bryant. In an earlier mission, Captain Ware landed an HH -43 at night by the lights of five Army trucks and a flare to pick up a soldier who had been struck by a piece of heavy equipment. He was taken to the 12th USAF Hospital. With Captain Ware were Capt John F. Patterson, copilot; TSgt Joseph Fernandez, pararescueman; and Sergeant Simmons, flight engineer.

A U.S, civilian suffering from a suspected heart attack was evacuated from Warin RT Army Camp by an HH-43 crew from Det 3, 38th ARRSq, Ubon Afld, Thailand. Capt Arthur C. Plunkett was pilot of the HUSKIE. With him were Sgt William C. Murphy, medical technician, and Sgt Glenn A. Todd, flight engineer.

An HH-43 "Pedro" crew which started out to rescue two pilots from a downed F-4, ended up with three rescuees--from an Army UH-1. The alert HH-43 from Det 6, 38th ARRSq, launched from Bien Hoa AB after being notified that the F-4 was down. Aboard were Maj Richard C. Pfadenhauer, RCC; Capt Paul E. Stone, RCCP; Sgt Roland C. Schmidt, pararescueman; and Sgt Glen N. Chafey, flight engineer.

As the HH-43 Pedro drew near the area where the F-4 had gone down, a report was received that an Army helicopter was also down in the vicinity. A minute later the wreckage and three crewmembers were seen. As gunships circled protectively, the HH-43 hovered over the tree tops for 30 minutes while the rescuees were brought aboard. Frequent intermittent automatic weapons fire was heard in the vicinity and hostile fire continued to follow the HH-43 as the Army men were taken to a Special Forces compound. The Det 6 chopper then headed back for the area where the F-4 pilots had bailed out; however, it was learned that they and the pilot of the Army helicopter had already been rescued. After rendezvousing with a second Det 6 Pedro, the HH-43 was refueled and inspected for battle damage. Both helicopters then re­turned to Bien Hoa. The second Pedro, piloted by Maj Price S. Summerhill, had been on a base support mission when word was received that the F-4 had gone down. As quickly as possible, Major Summerhill had headed for the hostile area to support Major Pfadenhauer and his crew. Others manning the second HH-43 were Capt Jon C. Long, RCCP; SSgt James P. Baldwin, flight engineer; and Alc Terry M. Wells, pararescueman.

In another Det 6 mission, an HH-43 crew was credited with eight combat saves after picking up the occupants of an Army CH-47 forced down at night on a field three miles from Bien Hoa. Capt Walter D. Murphy was pilot of the rescue helicopter and Capt Harvey B. Bell was copilot. Airborne firefighters were SSgt William E. Niemann and Sgt Edward S. Bevens. In a third mission, an HH-43 crew from Det 6 scrambled after an A-1 made a forced landing in a rice paddy near the base. The Vietnamese pilot was hoisted to the helicopter on the forest penetrator and then returned to the base. 1stLt John F. Kolar was HH-43 pilot; Maj Richard W. Lorey, copilot; SSgts John A. Hudson and Joseph A. Renaud, firefighters.

Three minutes after a battle-damaged F-4 crashed at night near the runway at Danang AB, an HH-43 crew from Det 7, 38th ARRSq, had scrambled and flown to the front of the wreck which was rapidly being engulfed in flames. Crash trucks were approaching the scene, so Capt Robert S. Henderson landed and deployed the two firefighters and pararescueman to look for survivors. Alc Charles R. Ingulli, the pararescueman, located the F-4 pilot near the aircraft. He had apparently broken free of his seat restraining straps and landed in a string of concertina wire, which had tangled about him. Although the pararescueman had no protective clothing on, he made his way through the wire to the pilot, who had stopped breathing, and began mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Minor explosions were constantly taking place in the wreckage and at one point base firemen withdrew because of the loud explosions - but Ingulli remained where he was !

As the rescueman worked to save the pilot, Captain Henderson and his copilot, Capt Henry E. Hooke, provided cooling rotor wash by hovering over the dangerous fire-lit area which was littered with unexploded ordnance. A short time later, when the firemen determined the "backseater" was not in the F-4, the HH-43 began searching the runway with flood and landing lights. The object of their search was located about 100 meters from the wreckage. He and the F-4 pilot were placed aboard the helicopter and taken to the Naval hospital. Enroute, Airman Ingulli examined the critically-injured backseater and made a fast diagnosis which was relayed to the hospital. The hospital commander later said the aid and accurate diagnosis "contributed substantially to the saving of this individual's life. " Despite Ingulli's valiant efforts earlier, the F-4 pilot was dead on arrival at the hospital. Other members of the HH-43 crew were SSgt Kenneth R. Jones, Sgt Samuel D. Hamilton and Sgt Roger D. Elam.

Det 11 'PJ' Awarded Silver Star

TUY HOA (7AF) - The young Air Force pararescueman stood ram-rod straight as the Air Force general pinned the Silver Star Medal to his uniform. Just six months before, he stood alone in hostile territory watching his helicopter fly slowly out of sight. On that day, Alc Harry M. Krause helped rescue the pilot of an F-4 Phantom who had been downed by ground fire 18 miles south of Tuy Hoa AB. Krause was the pararescueman of the HH-43 "Pedro" crew, from Det 11, 38th ARRSq which scrambled and headed for the scene. 

After the pilot was located, Krause was lowered 30 feet through the jungle canopy to the boulder-covered ground. He worked his way to the pilot's location by following the shroud lines from the parachute. "When I got to him he looked at me and sort of half smiled," Krause recalled. 

Krause treated the downed pilot for a slight scratch and splinted his arm and leg which appeared to be broken. Then he placed the injured man in a litter lowered from the hovering helicopter. The job was complicated by the huge boulders on which the pilot had landed. 

As the injured man was hoisted to the helicopter, the crew realized that it would be impossible to get him into the helicopter while in flight. Using hand signals, they informed Krause that they would have to leave him alone on the ground while they flew to another location with the injured man so that he could be placed in the helicopter. The pararescueman watched as they slowly moved out of sight. He was alone in the heart of an enemy jungle. He knew that they were in the area since the F-4 had been downed by ground fire. Krause also knew that the hovering helicopter had probably attracted attention, so he listened intently for the slightest sound which would betray the advance of the enemy toward his position. After an eternity of listening he heard the helicopter returning to pick him up. The Pedro crew lowered the jungle penetrator, Krause climbed on and was hoisted up to safety.

Krause says of the incident, "I was only doing my job and what I had been trained for. " But those agonizing 50 minutes alone on the ground were rewarded when Gen Howell M. Estes Jr., commander, Military Airlift Command, presented the Air Force's third highest decoration for heroism. (Photo on page 17 - see below)

  FIRST IN 1969 - Shown making the first helicopter combat evacuation in Vietnam in 1969 is an HH-43 "Pedro" crew from Det 10, 38th ARRSq, Binh Thuy AB. Members of the crew are, left to right, SSgt Gerald H. Jones, Alc Richard C. Stiefken, LtCol Roland E. Speckman and 1stLt Philip H. Kammann. (USAF photo by Sgt Ronald Gimbert)

2,200th LIFT TO LIFE - The Cam Ranh Bay AB HH-43 "Pedro" crew which made the 2,200th helicopter "save" in Southeast Asia is shown after the mission. Left to right are Capt Peter W. Gissing, pilot: Sgt James W. Simmons, flight engineer; Maj Andrew E. Kralj, copilot; and Alc Donald H. Goodlett, Jr. , pararescueman. In second photo are the two Det 8 pararescuemen who tended the patients during the 2,199th and 2,200 missions. They are Sgt Gary P. Bryant and Airman Goodlett. (USAF photos)

SILVER STAR PRESENTATION - A1c Harry M. Krause is presented the Silver Star by Air Force Gen Howell M. Estes, Jr. , Military Airlift Command (MAC) commander. (USAF photo)

PHU CAT (7AF) - HERE COMES THE FOOD - MSgts James F. Oliver, left, and Theodore J. Smith leave behind a hovering HH-43B "Pedro" helicopter from Det 13, 38th ARRSq and carry a Thanksgiving meal to four men stationed as guards atop Hill 501. The men of the 37th Security Police Squadron, Phu Cat AB, must stand guard on the hill, and their friends back on base decided they should have a good Thanksgiving meal. So with the cooperation of the "Pedro" crew, also from the base, they took a full meal of turkey and all the trimmings to the men. (USAF photo)

RESCUING A "WOUNDED" CHOPPER - Members of Det 12, 38th ARRSq, Nha Trang AB, repair an HH-43 "Pedro" helicopter damaged by enemy fire while evacuating a wounded Marine. The HH-43 hovered for 10 minutes as the wounded man's comrades fastened him to the forest penetrator and he was brought aboard. During this time, the "tops of whole trees were blown apart" less than a 100 feet away as three UH-1D gunships used rockets and miniguns in an attempt to suppress the heavy enemy fire. Two other helicopters had been "shot out of the valley" earlier while trying to evacuate the Marine. When an oil line on the HH-43 was hit, Capt Daniel A. Nicholson managed to fly the rescue helicopter from the battle area and set the chopper down in a jungle clearing. (USAF photo by Sgt Harry Mall)

KORAT RTAFB THAILAND (MAC) - Members of Det 4, 38th ARRSq, at this base are shown in front of one of the detachment's HH-43's. Front row, left to right, are SSgt P. J. Delaney, SSgt C. Bazaldua, SSgt R. W. Greer, Sgt D. N. Mason and Sgt B. R. Williamson. Rear row, Maj A. K. Johnson, Maj C. O. Williams, LtCol M. W. Galyean (seated in helicopter), detachment commander; SMSgt W. T. Baize, Sgt V. L. Donn, Alc K. R. Murphy and Sgt T. E. Brown. Rotor Tips welcomes group photographs of personnel who fly and maintain Kaman helicopters. (USAF photo)

PHAN RANG AB (7AF) - An idea earned $300 for Sgt Robert Cruz, a rescue specialist assigned to the 35th Civil Engineering Squadron and attached to Det 1, 38th ARRSq, Phan Rang AB. His idea, submitted through the Military Suggestion Program, was to adapt a trailer kit to carry six 55 gallon drums of firefighting foam and a portable foam pump. This unit could then be towed behind any military vehicle and be used to assist water tankers in reservicing crash vehicles at the scene of a fire. Presenting the award is Col Stanley J. Obarski, air base commander. (USAF photo)

HONORED BY 3rd ARRGp - Col Hollon H. Bridges, commander, 3rd ARRGp, presents a certificate of appreciation to Mr. Albert Vo-van-To. Looking on are Sister Robert du Sacre Coeur, superior, and Sister Alice, right, both members of the French order of St. Paul des Chartes. Mr. To was honored for rescuing 10 nuns and 120 children at the Co-Nhi-Vien Viet Hoa orphanage during fierce fighting in Saigon last year. Mr. To enlisted the aid of the International Red Cross and obtained three ambulances and a passenger car. Together with two Swiss doctors, he packed the children, from infants to teenagers, into the vehicles and evacuated them all to safety. Enemy soldiers were only a few feet away as Mr. To carried the children, one at a time, to safety. USAF rescue units throughout the world help contribute to the up­keep of the home. (USAF photo)

last update : 18/07/2007