Heroes
EDITOR’S
NOTE: The following story is
of a Medivac Mission and the subsequent shoot-down of
Pedro 74 on
Hal Salem (RCC Pedro 74):
At 1445 hours I was notified by 3rd JSARC
(3rd ARRG Joint Search &
Rescue Center)
that the Army needed to evacuate 4 wounded
personnel
by hoist from the jungle at YS 263 905 (1047N 10705 E). (First
coordinates
were given as XS 263 905 heading 269 degrees from Tan Son Nhut) Pedro 74 and Pedro 97 were refueled
immediately and were airborne at 1455L.
Bien Hoa tower coordinated with
the Army and lifted the artillery southeast of Bien Hoa so that we didn’t have to skirt around
the artillery fire zone. Pedro 74 and 97 arrived over the pick up
area at 1520L. The Forward Air
Controller was unable to take off
from Long Thanh because of a blocked runway. Contact
was made
with Gunslinger 33 (armed UH-1B escort
helicopter) and also with Damage Charlie 5 (the
ground party). Marker smoke was requested by Pedro
74. When the “Goofy
Grape”
was spotted Pedro 74 descended to the pick
up point with Pedro 97 flying
high cover, and Gunslinger
flight circling as RESCAP. Pedro 74 hoisted
1 seriously wounded in the “stokes” litter and had begun to lower the forest
penetrator for a second pick-up.
The jungle canopy was 100 to 125 feet high with
heavy jungle undergrowth. As the forest
penetrator was being lowered (approximately 20 feet extended) (1525L) ground
fire tore through the Plexiglas on the pilot’s side and at the same time (FE) TSgt Connon (hoist
operator) was hit in the calf
and thigh.
Chuck
Nadler (RCC Pedro 97): Pedro 74 had completed one hoist
pickup using the “stokes” litter and was lowering the hoist with the forest
penetrator for a second rescue when he started taking ground fire. I heard the Army FM radio say “Get out Pedro” and I could hear
weapons fire through the radio mic. Hal said something like “We’ve been hit” and
started to pull out of the area.
Hal
Salem:
The rotor
RPM dropped to 230 and I immediately pulled the
aircraft up and to the left away from the VC weapon fire. My (CP) Capt Potter, who had
been operating the radio transmitted that we had been hit. Hearing the transmission, both gunships closed for escort. Pedro 97 simultaneously began descending to aid in case
74 went down.
Chuck
Nadler:
I made some abrupt turns to keep him in
sight and Andy Schneider, the Black Star photographer in my helicopter had his mic cord disconnect after hearing “We’ve been hit”. He thought that our helicopter was the one
that had
been hit.
Dave Milsten (PJ Pedro 97): The photographer was in our door taking pictures while we
circled the
pickup point and when the
shooting started I pulled him away from the door. We dropped down rather
rapidly to get behind the wounded bird and landed right next to them when they
set down. I didn't realize it at the time, but I accidentally pulled the
cameraman's com cord and he had lost communications. The last thing he
heard was "We're taking hits" when I shoved him aside and because we
were dropping so fast he thought we were the ones going down.
Hal
Salem:
The aircraft felt like it was sinking.
At this time I was mentally preparing for a crash landing in the trees.
(PJ) A2c Sanger began treating Sgt Connon and also advised that oil was literally pouring from
the ceiling throughout the cabin. Then the “engine oil low” caution light came
on! We skimmed along the tops of the
trees trying to stay airborne. The rotor
RPM held at 230 and I was able to pick up airspeed and a shallow climb to about
200 feet above the jungle. I spotted a
clearing next to a rubber plantation and I headed the aircraft in that
direction. The engine oil pressure
dropped to zero and the engine oil temperature began to rise. Although knowing that the clearing was not
secure, no choice remained, but to
land. I landed the aircraft with no
further
damage and shut it down. The crew immediately climbed out with weapons in hand to secure the area. Within 30 seconds, (RCC) Capt Nadler landed
Pedro 97 along side and the “stokes” litter patient and
Sgt Connon were
transferred
to his chopper.
Chuck
Nadler: As soon as we landed,
first (PJ) Dave Milsten, then the photographer exited my aircraft. After
hesitating momentarily while taking in the overall situation, he started taking
pictures. Dave Milsten
and Fred Sanger carried the “stokes” litter with the wounded soldier over to my
helicopter. I took off with two wounded people
from Pedro
74 and the
rest were picked up by two Hueys.
(PJ
Dave Milsten looks toward Pedro 74)
Dave Milsten: I hit the ground running to get to the downed
bird and Andy Schneider, the photographer was out right behind me. The
wounded Dick Cannon was out and hobbling toward our bird,
(
L to R: PJs Milsten & Sanger with Capts.
Salem & Potter providing cover) (FE Rick Connon
grimaces while being treated)
Hal
Salem: Gunslinger Flight
began
circling the area for protection. As
Pedro 97 lifted
off with the wounded, one of the
gunships landed but could only take-on one person; Airman
Sanger boarded this aircraft. Capt
Potter and I waited for the second Huey and within a minute the second gunship landed and picked us
up. The aircraft was so weighed down with fuel and
ammo that when the pilot pulled torque, the Huey just jumped about 3 feet and
slammed back to the ground. When we hit, the skids sprung
apart acting like a spring
flinging us back up and higher into the air. This continued three more times
until we had gained sufficient altitude for the nose to be lowered, allowing
the overloaded bird to gain speed and climb just missing the rubber trees at
the opposite end of the clearing. Dale Potter and I just stared at each other
in disbelief.
Pedro 97 headed for the 93rd
(Capt.
Chuck Nadler outside the 93rd MASH)
The
gunships then returned to
protect the downed Huskie and within 15 minutes the
three of us were enroute to Bien Hoa aboard another Army helicopter.
The following information was collected after my
return to Bien Hoa. When Pedro 74 was hit by VC gun fire, Pedro 97 called “MAYDAY” on Bien Hoa tower frequency – which Major Kessler heard of
the UHF receiver in the alert
trailer. He became airborne in less than 1 minute in Pedro 73,
and
departed towards the downed helicopter.
Shortly after taking off he contacted Capt Nadler in Pedro
97. Nine-Seven advised
that he had both wounded aboard and was
heading towards the 93rd
(Maintenance
personnel SSGt. Cole, SSGt.
Vance, A1c Strohaker, and A2c
Burnett prepare Pedro 74 for retrival)
(“Pedro
97 home safe” L to R: PJ Milsten, Capt. Nadler &
Capt. King) (L to R: Pilots Salem,
Potter, & Nadler discuss the mission)
(L
to R: PJ Milsten, Photographer Andy Schneider &
Capt. Nadler)
ARS
Crewmembers were:
Pedro 74
RCC Capt Harold D. Salem
CP
Capt Dale
L. Potter
FE
TSgt Richard
L. Connon
PJ
A2c Frederick
L. Sanger
*******************************
Pedro 97
RCC Capt Charles P. Nadler
CP
Capt Karl
G. King
FE
A1c Gerald C. Hammond Jr.
PJ
SSgt David
E. Milsten
*******************************
Pedro 73
RCC Major Maurice G. Kessler
CP
1st
Lt Mark C. Schibler
FE
A1c Alexander Montgomery
PJ
A3c Gordon
C. Thayer
*********************************
Det 6 maintenance crew deployed to rig the downed chopper
for airlift included:
SSgt William D. Cole
SSgt Larry G. Vance
A1c Richard
A2c Charles H. Burnett