THESE THINGs WE DO
Thanks from the GRUNTS
This is a
story that could pertain to any crew member of a Pedro Unit
in
A couple of
months ago a guy called me up, and asked if I was the Harry O'Beirne,
Pararescueman, who served with the 38th ARS, Det. 6 in Bien
Hoa, in Nov. '65?
Pedro 97 making an approach over Hill 65 Nov 1966
I answered yes, and he told me that he was on Hill 65 during a battle, and that
our choppers came in with ammo, water, chain saws, etc, and took out their
wounded when no one else could get to them. They wanted to thank me
and any other member of the crews (2 choppers) that could be rounded up; Pilots, Flight
Engineers, PJs and I was invited to their reunion - 173rd. Airborne Brigade,
Reg. 503rd. in Daytona Beach. Now comes the rest of the story
- During the banquet, a guy came up to me and wanted to shake my
hand. I said we were only doing our job. He replied, “You don't really know
the half of it”!
When your choppers came in with the ammo, I was down to 12 rounds of 45 ammo
and 18 rounds of M-16. Most of my squad was in the same situation and the
NVA
were getting ready to hit us again.
Pedro 42 hovering over wounded GRUNTS during
“Operation HUMP” Nov 1966
Helmets of some of the Command Group can
be seen at the bottom of this photo
Shortly
after you guys flew out, they did hit us - but your ammo made the
difference. Because of the ammo thirty or so of our guys lived
through that, and I'm here today to say thank you."
I know of
several occasions where our choppers made trips like
that, some I was on, some I was not on. I'm sure that it was
repeated many times over by many Pedro Choppers.
I just
wanted you to know - you made a difference in the lives of many men, many
wives, and many children who would not have been born if you had not done what
you did.
I am passing that
"thank you" on
Harry