March-April 1971-page 12,13

“Southeast Asia”

ARRS Det 1 Saves Gunship Pilots

Two pilots whose Cobra gunship was downed eight miles from Phan Rang AB, were rescued by an HH-43 Pedro from Det 1, 38th ARRSq, a few minutes later. When Capt Roger K.Coffey and his crew arrived at the crash site, a flooded rice paddy, they found the two survivors between a group of trees and a dam.

To make the pickups, Captain Coffey held the HH-43 in a hover with the rotor blades close to nearby trees and terrain. Although high winds made it difficult to maintain a stable hover, both rescuees were brought aboard without incident. A helicopter gunship nearby furnished cover for the Pedro crew since enemy activity in the area was not known. Soon afterward, the survivors were delivered to a waiting medical team from the 35th USAF Dispensary.

Others manning the HH-43 were Capt Michael H. Nelson, copilot; MSgt William F. Pell, helicopter mechanic; and SSgt James W. Holden, medical technician. Det 1 is based at Phan Rang.

In a similar mission, the crew of an Army gunship which crashed in a small rice paddy five miles from Phan Rang, was picked up a few minutes later by an HH-43B crew from Det 1. Since the area was known to be frequented by enemy forces, Captain Nelson decided against the more time-consuming hoist pickup and landed in an adjacent field. SSgt Walter J. Sobanski dashed from the helicopter and helped the four survivors aboard. Seconds later the rescue helicopter was headed for Phan Rang where medical attendants were waiting. Others manning the HH-43 were Captain Coffey, copilot; and Sgt Albert F. Meta, medical technician.

Speedy Rescue By Nakhon Phanom Unit

Only 21 minutes after bailing out of his crippled A-7 20 miles from Nakhon Phanom RTAFB, a Navy pilot was plucked from the dense jungle by an HH-43 crew from Det 9, 38th ARRSq. The unit is stationed at Nakhon Phanom. The forest penetrator was used by Maj Bobby S. Lay and his crew to make the pickup from the area where the downed airman had landed in the midst of trees 100 or more feet high. Major Lay said the speedy completion of the mission, classified as a "combat save," was the result of a combined effort of a number of fixed-wing and rotary­wing aircraft including C-130's, HH-53's and A-1's. He added that he believed the 21-minutes from bailout to pickup should be competitive for minimum time for a SAR effort in SEA.
Others manning the Pedro were Capt Lawrence S. Hagerman, SSgt Alvin A. Malone, SSgt Charles E. Vickers, SSgt Jerry L. Price and Alc Jean H. Boehm.

In another mission, a Det 9 crew picked up two pilots who bailed out of an F-105 after engine failure and landed in the jungle. Both made their way to a small clearing where the Pedro crew landed and took them aboard. Total elapsed time from notification of emergency to return to pad with the survivors was 26 minutes. Two combat saves were claimed.
Manning the HH-43 were Major Lay, pilot; Capt Robert P. Starnes, copilot; Sergeant Vickers, medical technician; SSgts Earl L. Miller and Edward L. Brickner, firefighters.

In a third Det 9 mission, a critically-injured Army sergeant was taken to the hospital in an HH-43 manned by Major Lay, pilot; Major Lewis, copilot; Sgt Milas L. King, helicopter mechanic; and Sergeant Vickers. To make the pickup a landing was made in a space cleared by bulldozers. The patient, who had been run over by a large piece of earth-moving equipment, was in deep shock when placed aboard the helicopter. Credit for a non-combat save was later given by ARRS.

VNAF Pilot Aided By Det 6

The pilot of a Vietnamese Air Force plane which crashed a mile from Bien Hoa AB was picked up by an HH-43 crew from Det 6, 38th ARRSq. Shortly after launching from the base, the HUSKIE located the downed airman sitting on the wreckage of the A-1 which was surrounded by dense brush. The medical technician was lowered to assist the survivor who was injured, in shock and unable to help himself. Both men were hoisted on the jungle penetrator seat to the helicopter. A few minutes later the Vietnamese pilot was undergoing treatment in an Army hospital. Capt Roy M. Litzen was pilot of the HH-43 and Capt John W. Mack was copilot. Crewmen were SSgt Glenn A. Mum­power and SSgt Alan G. Morten.

In another Det 6 mission that day, the same HH-43 crew evacuated a military man to the Army Hospital at Long Binh. Oxygen was administered to the patient, who was in a coma, by Sergeant Mumpower and first aid was given by an Army doctor.

last update : 28/09/2007