September-October 1967-page 12-14-21-23

"Southeast Asia"                              

 A small Vietnamese boy whose foot was blown off after he wandered into a mine field, was rescued by an HH­43 crew from the Headquarters Det at Tan Son Nhut AB. To effect the rescue, Capt Fernand M. Espiau, RCC, held the HUSKIE in a hover while Alc Michael Mayak, medical technician, was lowered in a rescue basket to approximately six inches above the ground. Airman Mayak then pulled the injured boy, who was also suffering from numerous shrapnel wounds, into the basket. Afterward, the airman said, "I've gone through this type of operation in training many times but this was the first operational basket-lift I've been on. Believe me I was scared. I'm glad we have such a great crew... six inches isn't very far in a mine field. " Other members of the crew were 1stLt James T. McComsey, copilot, and TSgt Colbert Ezell, flight engineer.

A pilot hanging upside down over burning fuel and ordnance after his plane crashed on takeoff, was rescued by an HH-43 crew from Det 3, 38th ARRSq, Ubon AB, Thailand. Capt Holly G. Bell, RCC, picked up the FSK and flew to the scene as soon as the aircraft plunged through the barrier and burst into flame. He saw the backseat pilot escape from the downed plane but the other pilot was trapped by his leg restraining straps as he lunged over the left side. Captain Bell set down the FSK, dispatched his crew, and maneuvered the HUSKIE so as to provide cooling rotor wash to the immobilized pilot and rescue crew. The medic, SSgt Albert E. Teasley, and the two firefighters, SSgt James R. Delk and Alc James Tevis, moved into position and Sergeant Delk charged the kit. Sergeant Teasley, clad only in a flightsuit, pulled out his survival knife, ran to the aircraft and immediately began hacking and sawing at the restraining harness. During this time, Airman Tevis was using his asbestos gloves to smother the fire on the pilot's flightsuit. As the two rescue crewmen were freeing the trapped pilot, some of the aircraft's ordnance exploded. As soon as the pilot was cut free, Sergeant Teasley and Airman Tevis assisted him from the wreckage and into the helicopter. Sergeant Teasley boarded the HH-43 and continued to administer to the burned pilot as he was being rushed toward the dispensary. Meanwhile, Sergeant Delk and Airman Tevis remained at the crash scene to assist in fighting the fire. Captain Bell and his copilot, 1stLt Merrill C. Hiscock, then returned to the area of the wreckage to search for any other injured personnel. After a few minutes of searching with no results, the flight was terminated.

In another Det 3 mission, two pilots who ejected from their battle-damaged aircraft after it went outof control, were picked up by HH-43 pilot Maj Dennis M. Chase and his crew a few minutes later. With the Major were A2c Henry B. Allen, medical technician, and Alc William E. Woodford and Alc Jerry L. McMeans, rescue specialists. An HH-43 crew from Det 3 also picked up a pilot whose plane crashed shortly after takeoff. Capt David H. Baur, RCC, landed the FSK but, due to the high bushy terrain and other factors, it was not used.Other members of the HUSKIE crew were 1stLt Fred Ayoub, copilot; Sergeant Teasley, medic; SSgt James R. Delk and Airman Tevis, firefighters.

A Thai woman in serious condition from beri beri was evacuated from a remote village by an HH-43 crew from Det 5, 38th ARRSq, at Udorn AB. Medical authorities had advised that she probably would not survive the four-day trip by boat, the only other means of transportation available. Dodging thunderstorms and navigating over unknown mountainous terrain, Capt Owen A. Heeter and his crew reached the village, in an area known to be hostile, an hour and ten minutes after take­off. A steep approach was made into a small rice paddy, which was tightly ringed with tall teak trees, and the woman was immediately loaded aboard for the trip to the hospital. With Captain Heeter were 1stLt Billy C. Marcontell, copilot, and Alc Ernest J. Chidester, crewman.

In an after-midnight mission, a HUSKIE crew from Det 6, 38th ARRSq, Bien Hoa AB, rescued a downed flier from an area partially shrouded by ground fog and surrounded by rubber trees. Two firefights were in progress as Capt David L. Wiest turned on the landing lights to aid in locating the survivor. As the rescuee was being hoisted to the helicopter, the firing drew nearer and tracers streaked across the sky near the aircraft. With the downed pilot aboard, the HUSKIE climbed through the overcast to avoid further hostile fire and then headed back to the base. Earlier, to reach the pickup point, Captain Wiest had to climb through the clouds and then direct the HUSKIE down through them over the rescue site without navigational aids. The success of the mission was due to the well­coordinated efforts of the rescue team, Captain Wiest said. Other members of the crew were Capt Sheridan K. Hawk, copilot; Alc Harrison H. Ewton, flight engineer; and A2c Steve M. Northern, pararescueman.  

Soon after a Viet Cong mortar attack at 1 a. m. , an HH-43 crew from Det 6 began airlifting wounded to an Army field hospital five miles away. Although the attack on the base had stopped, fighting continued all along the route to the hospital in the form of artillery, ground-to­air, air-to-ground, ground-to-ground, and air strikes. Captain Wiest and his crew flew eight sorties to evacuate 11 critically wounded. All flying was done with lights out and landings and takeoffs were generally also made without lights. Others aboard the HUSKIE were Captain Hawk, copilot; TSgt Robert S. Loud, pararescueman, Airman Ewton, flight engineer.

In another Det 6 night mission, Maj Breeden P. Hamer and his crew scrambled in a HUSKIE after receiving word that a civilian was trapped in a mine field at the perimeter of the air base. The forest penetrator was lowered and grounded outside the heavily mined area and then the device, maintained about two feet above the ground, was moved across the field and positioned directly in front of the rescuee. He was hoisted aboard without difficulty and later turned over to the Air Police. Lt Wendell B. Wood was copilot on the mission; Alc Robert A. Sloat, flight engineer; Alc Roger A. Porter, rescue specialist.

Eight minutes after a pilot bailed out of his battle­damaged plane, he had been picked up by a Det 6 crew consisting of Maj James F. Jansa, pilot; 1stLt Robert A. Reilly, copilot; SSgt Barry Sherman, flight engineer; and A2c Gunther Bahrenburg, pararescue specialist. In a similar mission, a few minutes after a small transport plane made a deadstick landing on an unsecured dirt road seven miles from Bien Hoa, the crew was picked up by a Det 6 HH-43. Maj David M. Randall was HUSKIE pilot, Sergeant Sherman was helicopter mechanic and Airman Bahrenburg, pararescueman.

A Marine pilot whose plane disappeared from the scope while on a night flight and executing a turn from base to final under radar control, was located and rescued from the sea by an HH-43 crew from Det 7, 38th ARRSq, at Danang AB. 1stLt Frederick D. Gregory and his crew scrambled with the FSK at 2300 and began a precautionary orbit when it was reported the plane had lost its radio and all navigational aids but would attempt a landing. Later, when the aircraft failed to appear, the HH­43 landed the FSK, refueled and then flew through the heavy overcast to join in the search. When the general area was located, Lieutenant Gregory let down through the overcast to 1000 feet but visibility was limited. The HUSKIE dropped to 100 feet and the pilot began flashing the landing lights. This enabled the survivor to direct the helicopter to his position. The pickup from the sea, about 40 miles from Danang, was made without incident. Others in the rescue crew were Capt Donald D. Sams, copilot; Alc Clyde E. Chavis, flight mechanic; and A2c Duane D. Hackney, pararescue specialist.

Three minutes after two pilots bailed out of their crippled aircraft, 1stLt William T. Sehorn and his Det 7 crew were airborne and heading for the area five miles away. Although the flight was made into a known hostile area with a heavy enemy troop concentration, Lieutenant Sehorn, elected to try for an immediate rescue without additional support or cover aircraft because he believed that he could recover the pilots before the hostile forces could block the attempt. After spotting the two chutes in a rice paddy the HUSKIE pilot landed near the small mounds of earth where the downed airmen were lying. SSgt Hubert O. Marsh, helicopter flight mechanic, then darted from the helicopter to aid one of the rescuees who was injured. Meanwhile, instead of waiting until the HH-43 moved to his position, the second pilot broke cover and ran 150 yards across the paddy to the rescue helicopter. Takeoff was made without incident. Sharing in the mission were Maj John J. Hoye, copilot; and SSgt Willard P. Barrow and Alc Herman R. Singleton, airborne firefighters.

In another Det 7 mission, a C-47 pilot who bailed out of his crippled plane was plucked from the sea by an HH-43 piloted by Capt Robert L. Merna, RCC, and Captain Sams. Crewmen were SSgts Hubert O. Marsh, flight engineer, William P. Tracey, pararescue specialist. The downed pilot was rescued as fishing boats from a nearby island chain were closing in on him.

Four rescuemen who started out on one mercy mission ended up on another. Capt Lawrence D. Jones, RCC of an HH-43 HUSKIE and his crew from Det 8, 38th ARRSq, Cam Ranh Bay AB, were on their way to a ship in the South China Sea to pick up a sailor with an inflamed appendix. Because of fuel problems and bad weather enroute, however, they were forced to land on How Chu Lao Island, approximately 35 miles off the coast of Phan Rang. Captain Jones had called for assistance and received word that help was on the way. By the time the chopper landed a crowd of 200 natives had gathered so 1stLt Ronald W. Murray, the copilot; SSgt Thomas E. Hand, helicopter mechanic; and Alc Benny G. Perez, pararescueman; followed Captain Jones to meet the audience but neither the Americans nor the natives could speak the other's language. Finally one of the villagers used hand signals to tell that one of the islanders needed medical care. Airman Perez immediately went to work. From his small first aid kit, he cleaned the man's laceration and bandaged it. Before he finished, a line of patients had formed, all waiting to receive first aid. "They were all either young children or old folks," remembers Airman Perez. "Their problems were many-skin ulcers, various lacerations, cuts and boils. The last person I treated had a cut about four inches long that had never been treated. It appeared to be about three weeks old and whatever punctured the skin, cut a vein, too. All I could do was thoroughly clean and wrap it, " continued Airman Perez. When the crew arrived back at Cam Ranh Bay, they learned the sailor they were to pick up had been airlifted to a land­based hospital by another unit of the 38th for removal of his appendix.

In another Det 8 mission, the prompt action of MSgt Roland H. Lutz, a medical technician, saved the life of a seriously wounded Army sergeant being transferred in an HH-43 from Cam Ranh Bay to Nha Trang AB for immediate surgery. The takeoff had been made despite poor visibility, heavy rain and fog, after Capt Richard L. Van Allen, RCC, obtained permission to fly low in order to maintain visual contact with the ground. After five minutes of flight, Sergeant Lutz changed the oxygen apparatus as the attending physician kept a constant vigil over the patient's pulse. Shortly afterward the wounded man's heartbeat became extremely weak so Sergeant Lutz immediately applied external cardiac massage and started the pulse back to a normal beat. He then returned to operating the oxygen equipment. After 10 minutes of blinding rain, the HUSKIE broke out A the storm and landed safely at Nha Trang. Capt Allen R. Martin was copilot on the mission and Alc Andres B. Perez was flight engineer.

A pilot downed in rugged, mountainous territory described as "very hostile and definitely not secure, " was rescued by an HH-43 crew from Det 9, 38th ARRSq, Pleiku AB. Army helicopters had arrived but were unable to effect the recovery due to the high temperatures and high pressure altitude. Disregarding the possibility of enemy fire, Capt Keith H. Ricks, RCC, initiated an approach to a spot between the towering trees and made the pickup. With him were Capt Jack V. Butler, copilot; SSgt Arthur L. Wood and Alc John A. Smith, crewmen. During the recovery, a second Det 9 HUSKIE, piloted by Maj Richard A. Smith, orbited the area. With him were Capt Francis B. Gilligan, copilot; MSgt Frederick F. Wharton and A2c David R. Berrio, crewmen.

In another Det 9 mission, HH-43 crewman SSgt Charles Jenkins was lowered into dense jungle on a mountainside to aid a downed pilot suffering from two broken ankles. After being given first aid, the rescuee was hoisted to the helicopter and then the Sergeant was taken aboard. Pilot of the HUSKIE was Captain Ricks and Captain Gilligan was copilot. The other crewman was Sergeant Wood. During the recovery, Major Smith with another crew orbited the area, braving the possibility of enemy fire, so as to be in a position to rescue the first crew if necessary. Others in the crew were Capt Robert L. Osborne, copilot, Alc Jose G. Abara and Alc Louis K. Chesnee, crewmen. After the rescuee was aboard the helicopter, Major Smith noticed that the survivor's radio was still on the ground. Fearful that it might be used by the VC against friendly forces, he brought the HH-43 to a hover and the radio was retrieved by the crewchief.

Five Army men whose helicopter crashed in the South China Sea were rescued by HH-43's from Det 11, 38th ARRSq, at Tuy Hoa AB. A school of sharks was circling nearby as the survivors were hoisted to safety. One of the HH-43's, Pedro 24, was piloted by Maj John J. Elliff.
1stLt David Dean was copilot; SSgt James A. Phillips, flight engineer; and Alc Paul J. Volges, aero medical technician. The other helicopter, Pedro 20, was manned by Maj Zack L. Stockett, pilot; Capt John E. Passant, copilot; SSgt William O. Johnson, flight engineer; and A2c Robert A. Lavender, rescue specialist. Before locating the downed aircraft, both helicopters conducted an intensive search over the many islands and mountainous peninsulas that dot the Vietnamese coast. The territory covered had been described as "hot" by local ground forces. In spite of the threat of ground fire, both crews made several low passes over smoke and debris along their search routes. Pedro 24 picked up three of the survivors and Major Elliff's crew hoisted the other two aboard.

Two HH-43B crews from Det 12, 38th ARRSq, Nha Trang AB, flew 92 miles to sea to evacuate a merchant seaman who had fallen through a hatch on the SS Steel Rover and required immediate medical attention. Manning one helicopter, Pedro 99, were Capt Melroy Borland, pilot; Capt Gary E. Robertson, copilot; Capt Chesley R. Davies (MC), flight surgeon; SSgt James Souza, pararescueman; and SSgt Frank W. Davis, flight engineer. In the other HH-43, Pedro 98, Capt Carol D. Hayden was pilot; Capt John L. Belina, copilot; and A2c Jerard J. Pearson, pararescueman. With auxiliary fuel tanks installed, the two helicopters took off as an AC-47 moved in to supply cover. After locating the ship, farther from shore than originally reported, Captain Robertson held the chopper in a hover while Captain Davies and Sergeant Souza were lowered to the deck. Turbulence, nearby cables, loading booms, and the ship's superstructure complicated the task of holding the HH-43 in the required position. When the patient was prepared for pickup, Pedro 99 headed for shore due to a low fuel state. The doctor, patient, and pararescueman were then hoisted to Captain Hayden's helicopter for the flight to the hospital.

In another Det 12 mission, the crew of an Air Force helicopter which crashed in hostile territory eight miles from Nha Trang was rescued after two HH-43 pararescuemen, Sergeant Souza and Airman Pearson, were lowered into the dense jungle to prepare the injured survivors for hoisting. During the two sorties necessary to evacuate the four men, Captain Borland hovered close to the towering trees as Captain Hayden, the copilot, called out rotor blade clearances and maintained communications with the pararescuemen on the ground. Sergeant Davis was flight engineer and SSgt Jack L. Mitchell, rescue specialist, during the mission.

A sailor suffering from severe abdominal pains was evacuated from the USS Holmes County, at sea 55 miles north-northeast of Qui Nhon, by an HH-43 crew from Det 13, 38th ARRSq, at Phu Cat AB. Capt Edmund W. Fischbeck, Jr. was pilot on the mission; 2ndLt Ronald P. Wojack, copilot; TSgts Delmar R. Smith and William A. Renten, crewmen. The landing aboard the vessel was made without incident and the patient was loaded aboard; however, soon after takeoff, fluctuating transmission oil and fuel pressures were encountered. An AC-47, flying RESCAP, provided escort for the helicopter back to the base.

Det 7 Logs 1000th USAF Save

SAIGON (7AF) - The 1000th rescue save recorded by Air Force aircrews since the start of the Vietnam war was turned in by a four-man crew from Det 7, 38th ARRSq following the Communist rocket attack July 15 at Da Nang AB. Number 1000-one of the 21 wounded men airlifted by the Da Nang-based helicopter to medical facilities - passed from the rescue crew to the medics without fanfare or identification. A rescue save is credited when an individual might have died from injuries or probably been captured if he had not been recovered.

At the controls of the HUSKIE making the 1000th save were LtCol John H. Schafer and 1stLt Alfred R. Jacox, Jr. Other crewmembers included TSgt James L. Johnson, flight engineer, and A2c David A. Carl, pararescueman. For two and one half hours, the HH-43 crew located and evacuated wounded from scattered areas of the base. Meanwhile, many other detachment personnel worked on the ground, searching bunkers and burning buildings for the injured.

In an earlier mission, a Det 7 HH-43 HUSKIE logged its 1000th hour while evacuating a Marine from the Viet Cong-infested jungle in a confined area between two ridges. Rotor blade to tree clearance was marginal and Capt Robert L. Merna, RCC, maintained as low a hover as possible into the trees to afford the enemy on the surrounding ridges a minimum target. Sergeant Johnson directed the hover as Lieutenant Jacox and Alc William J. Flower, pararescueman, watched for unusual enemy activity. After the litter was hoisted aboard, Captain Merna transitioned from hover to flying airspeed. A second later the HH-43 was subjected to fierce ground fire from one of the ridges 200 yards away, however, the pilot's immediate evasive action kept the helicopter from being hit. The Marine was then taken to the hospital without further incident.

SAIGON (7AF) - DRAGONSHIP CRASH-SSgts James D. Wells and Robert A. Brown, HH-43 firemen from Det 6, 38th ARRSq, at Bien Hoa AB, supply fire suppressing foam to the flames of an AC-47 Dragonship that crashed when it lost an engine on takeoff. Firemen had to fight the fire in a minefield where the pilot crash-landed his plane in order to avoid a nearby Army tent complex. All crewmembers were able to evacuate the aircraft safely. This spectacular photograph was taken by Capt Charles I. Rice, copilot of the helicopter which delivered the firemen and fire suppression kit to the crash scene. Maj James F. Jensa was pilot of the rescue chopper. (USAF photo)

MAC PILOT HONORED-1stLt Frederick D. Gregory of Det 7, 38th ARRSq, 3rd ARRGp, is presented a Scroll of Honor by Kaman Vice President William R. Murray in a flight-line ceremony at Da Nang AB, RVN. LtCol John H. Schafer, detachment commander, is in the center. Scrolls were also presented to Capt Donald D. Sams, 1stLt William T. Sehorn and 1stLt Alfred R. Jacox, Jr. , for hazardous life-saving missions in Vietnam.

last update : 18/06/2007