The Old Guard
Four Elevens
November 1967, 11 members of DET10 38ARRS Binh
Thuy, RVN completed
11 saves in eleven days.
The unusual “11” story started at 10:46 on the morning of 4
November, when a crew was scrambled to pick up a pair of “Brown Water” Sailors
who were wounded on their RPB (River Patrol Boat) while in contact with
enemy troops.
On 15 November, eleven days later, DET10
personnel rescued another U.S. Sailor thus
completing the eleventh save. During the time between these dates, the Unit had
made 8 other combat saves to complete this unusual “Four – Eleven”
accomplishment.
The crewmembers involved were: (DetCO) Maj. Harold Pickering, (RCP)
Capt. Albert E. Tollefsen, (FE) SSGt. William L. Crawford, (PJ)
SGt. Gary G. Harold, (RCP) Capt. Laurence W. Conover, (RCP)
Capt. Donald E. VanMeter, (RCP) Capt. William J. Haugen, (FE)
SGt. Larry E. Hawkins, (FE) SGt. James A. Crawford, (PJ)
A1C James L. Parks and (PJ) A1C Ronald K. Sholes.
The third of the eleven saves occurred later on 4 November when a DET10 HH-43 landed in a rice
paddy to Medivac a wounded U.S. Sailor for a
flight to
Pedro News Library photo compliments of
Jerry VanGrunsven
A different crew flew two missions on 9 November to bring the count to
six. Two wounded U.S. Sailors were hoisted from
their moving RPB
on the first mission, while a wounded “Mud-Soldier” was evacuated on the second
mission of the day.
On the 14th, another wounded U.S. Sailor was rescued and
Medivaced. The morning of 15th started with the rescue of 3 ARVN (Army of Vietnam) soldiers and less than an
hour later ended with the final save.
Nine members of DET10
who participated in the “11” rescues are:
Front LtoR: (DetCO) Maj. Harold
Pickering, (FE) James A. Crawford,
(FE) SSgt. William L. Crawford, (RCP) Capt. Laurence
W. Conover
Rear LtoR: (PJ) A1C Ronald E.
Sholes, (PJ) A1C James L. Parks,
(RCP) Capt. William J. Haugen, (RCP) Capt. Albert E.
Tollefsen and
(PJ) SGt Gary G.
Harold