S.E.A.STORIES
The Tortoise & the Hare
The HARE had a long lead on the Tortoise when the two small Air Rescue HH-43s churned out of the dust at DaNang AB and headed west.
Whenever an Air Rescue Crew gets a call for help it’s a race to pick up the survivor before enemy troops get to them. Although they have a head start, we usually win the race.
Winning [life or death] races is the job of the Air Rescue Service. In July 1965, headquartered at Tan Son Nhut AB, the 38th ARS assumed responsibility for Detachments in Southeast Asia. Eventually there would be fourteen HH-43 Detachments; 5 in Thailand and 9 in South Vietnam.
Airborne in less than 10 minutes after notification of a downed aircraft, RESCUE 95 & 96 headed toward the infamous A Shau Valley. The two crews from DET5 PARC prepared for any eventually. The site of the crash was pinpointed in a narrow side valley.
Knowing they were mostly on their own, the responding Airman epitomized the
Air Rescue creed:
“THESE THINGS WE DO”
As the unarmed Huskie headed down the valley flying at tree top level, the downed crew radioed that they were taking intense fire from closing NVA soldiers. These facts seemed to make any rescue extremely dangerous, if not impossible.
A flight of Skyraiders had arrived on-scene and were making passes to suppress ground fire and keep the enemy at bay. After a second pass, Hobo 03 cleared in the H-43s to attempt a pick-up.
Flying at just over one hundred knots and skirting tall trees, the four man Aircrew hoped that speed and surprise would give them the edge to complete the rescue. Their strategy worked as RESCUE 96 flew over the crash and quick stopped on a small hill just 75 feet from the survivors. Suddenly three men ran from cover and jumped aboard the little helicopter. When more survivors didn’t materialize, the Flight Engineer and PJ went and checked the wreckage, finding 2 deceased. At the same time one of the survivors informed the Rescue Crew Commander (RCC) that all remaining crewmen were dead. Hearing this information, the RCC low hovered RESCUE 96 trying to attract the attention of the FE and PJ.
The “High Bird” RESCUE 95 could see that 96’s missing crewmen were pinned down by the enemy. NINE – FIVE contacted the RESCAP requesting more suppressing fire.
While the Fighters made their gun runs, the missing FE and PJ ran toward their hovering aircraft with machine gun fire tearing up the ground around them. When the Copilot reported both men back on board, the RCC did a spot turn and “Got the Hell out of Dodge”!!!!
For their actions on this mission, members of the crew were nominated for the Air Force Cross and Silver Star.
Even after the arrival of the CH-3 “JOLLY GREEN GIANTS” in December 1965, HH-43 crews and aircraft from DaNang AB, RVN, Nakon Phanom RTAFB and Udorn RTAFB continued to fly SAR missions into North Vietnam and Laos well into 1966. Launched from the F.O.L. in Quang Tri just south of the DMZ and various LIMA Sites maintained by the CIA. in Laos, these missions saved many a pilot that would have otherwise been lost.
A view from the F.O.L. bunker looking at RESCUE 96 standing Alert at Quang Tri
LIMA Sites 36 & 85 were Primary Alert locations, although other Sites were used for refueling stops
Another mission flown by DET5 involved the rescuing of the Crew and passengers from a USMC helicopter that was shot down, 30 miles South of DaNang. It was at night and required a blacked out landing due to enemy activity.
As the H-43 made its approach, the survivors turned on flashlights just for a moment to identify their location. The sound of the approaching rotors started the enemy firing blindly into the sky. There must have been 2000 rounds fired including 12.7mm AA.
The aircraft that went in before RESCUE 95 was shot down and the one that came after took battle damage, but the little H-43 made it in, picked up 3 survivors and left without a scratch.