19 Minutes to Live - Helicopter Combat in Vietnam

by Lew Jennings

  Our crank time was at 0650 hours to get our ships up and running. Radio check in at 0655. Launch at 0700. H-hour with troops in the landing zone (LZ #2) was set at 0801.

  The Air Force was already out there doing the initial bombing of possible landing zones. There were some 30 LZs that had been identified, however only six would be used on this day. We would bomb and put in artillery on nearly all of them so the enemy wouldn’t get a clue as to which ones we would actually be using.

  Nearly 2,000 soldiers of the 1/506th, 2/501st and 3/187th Airborne Infantry Battalions were being organized out at Firebase Blaze to load aboard 65 UH-1 Hueys to combat assault in waves out to the landing zones.

  Nearly every helicopter in the 101st Division was going to be used to move and support the troops.

  The troop-carrying helicopters from the 101st Aviation Battalion with their call signs: Thunder, Comancheros, Kingsmen, and Black Widows.

  More troop-carrying Hueys and escorting Cobra gunships from the 158th Aviation Battalion: Ghost Riders, Lancers, Phoenix and Redskins.

  Huge cargo helicopters from the 159th Aviation Battalion to carry troops, supplies and large equipment like artillery cannons, call signs: Pachyderms, Varsity, Playtex and Hurricanes.

  4/77th Aerial Rocket Artillery (ARA) Cobras: Dragons, Toros and Griffin.

  A and C Troops, 2/17th Air Cavalry with their Hueys, Cobras and Scouts: Assault and Condor.

  20th TASS USAF Forward Air Controllers (FACs) with their 0-1 Bird Dogs and 0-2 Skymasters: Bilk and Speedy.

  326th Medical Battalion Hueys to conduct medical evacuations (Medevacs) day and night, in all weather conditions and under fire; the heroes of Eagle Dustoff.

  Well over a hundred helicopters of all types and sizes plus Air Force fixed wing FAC controllers and TAC air fighters to support this massive effort.

  The TAC air bombing was followed by nearly an hour of artillery preparation from the firebases surrounding the valley to the east. Thousands of rounds of 105mm, 155mm and 8inch high explosives would fill the air and shake the ground, hopefully causing lots of grief and confusion for the enemy.

  As the artillery fire was lifted and shifted we were to immediately fly in, do a quick recon of the landing zone to make sure it was clear of bad guys, and then get out of the way because we only had seconds before the “Dragons” would be firing up the LZ right behind us and the troop-carrying Hueys coming in for landing behind their fire.

  The “Dragons” were Cobras of A Battery, 4/77 Aerial Rocket Artillery (ARA) Battalion. They were under the command and control of the Artillery Commander. When they provide close air support to the ground troops they are directly employed by the Artillery Forward Observer who is with the Infantry. They were simply known as “ARA”, and we considered them our friendly archrivals.

  We in the Air Cavalry were usually first on the field of battle conducting reconnaissance to find and fix the enemy and dealing with them within our means. Our motto was “Out Front”.

  If we needed help, we could call in artillery or tactical air support from the Air Force, Navy or Marines. Or we could call ARA.

  The ARA would usually come in at a high altitude, 2,000 feet (which we considered the Stratosphere for a helicopter), fire their rockets at targets we marked for them, break off their runs at 1,000 feet so as not to get too close to the action (that’s where we usually started our runs), then return back to base as the heroes saving the day.

  It was “friendly competition”.

  Time now was 0755.

  “Lancer” Hueys from Bravo Company 158th Aviation Battalion were in the air carrying troops of D Company, 3/187th Airborne Infantry from Firebase Blaze just a few minutes away.

  Artillery was lifting and we were zooming in to Landing Zone #2 to see the results of all the explosions and mayhem.

  Al Goodspeed in his Scout bird was the first in, flying low over the landing zone with Mike and I above and behind, guns and rockets cocked and ready to pounce if he received fire.

  He just had time to call us that things were quiet when all hell broke loose. The ARA Cobras didn’t see us still in the LZ and cut loose with their rockets.

  “HOLY SHIT, WHAT’S HAPPENING?” Speed screamed, as shrapnel from the exploding rockets started tearing through the fuselage of his Loach.

  “ARA, WE’RE STILL IN THE LZ!” I started yelling over the radio net, as the smoke trails of rockets zipped by close overhead and warheads were exploding all around us.

  “DON’T YOU SEE US?” (expletives deleted) I screamed as both Speed and I broke left, trying to survive the mayhem.

  “Enough of that,” came over the radio from the CO, Major Curtin. Swearing over the radio was NEVER tolerated and I would be counseled for that later.

  “Cover the Slicks inbound” he directed, as we circled around to the east and I tried to regain my composure.

  I could see the Lancers and their Hueys or “Slicks” as we called them as they were devoid of rocket pods and cannons. They did have two machine guns, one on either side, manned by the Crew Chief and Door Gunner, often hanging by straps or mounted on a pedestal so they could be easily handled.

  It was a large formation of ten or more aircraft. They had lifted off from Firebase Blaze at 0750 fully loaded with troops of 3/187th Infantry and were cresting the rise on the east side of the valley above LZ Rendezvous, headed our way.

  We joined alongside the formation, directing them inbound to the LZ. They were escorted by their own D/158 Cobra Gunships that were darting ahead firing more rockets on either side of the landing zone as ARA had peeled off and were circling overhead.

  158th Aviation Battalion Hueys Over the A Shau

  Landing zone #2, designated for the 3/187th Airborne Infantry Battalion, was a small LZ in the saddle or low area of a ridge northeast of Hill 937. The landing zone could only accommodate two ships at a time, so the large formation of Hueys started splitting up as pairs and made their approach to the landing zone two at a time.

  The two-ship formation of Hueys flared in unison with their tails pointed towards the ground, trying to slow down. Like a choreographed ballet movement, they slowed simultaneously from nearly 100 miles per hour to a stop, hovering a few feet above the ground, as the troops jumped out and took up defensive positions. Then, just as they had arrived, they nosed over like racecars taking off from the starting line to gain speed and rose in a single movement as the next pair came in right behind them.

  The first insertion of troops was over in seconds. The faster the better as every Huey crew and infantryman knew; each second stationary in an LZ was a second closer to death.

  Repeated again and again, it only took a few minutes to land D Company and the Hueys were already headed back to Blaze for more.

  D Company “Rakkasans” were on the ground at 0801. A and C Companies were already in the air just a few minutes away. They landed in the LZ at 0820 followed by the Mortar Section and remaining elements of 3/187th Battalion at 0856; nearly 500 soldiers in all.

  The 1/506th Airborne Infantry Battalion had already landed all their troops in Landing Zone #1 at 0730. They had been supported by our sister unit, C Troop, 2/17th Air Cavalry, the “Condors”.

  The 2/501st Battalion would be inserted next northeast of us at 1001 hours, followed by the two ARVN Battalions south and north at 1020 and 1300 hours respectively.

  It was a huge operation with each landing zone requiring the same scenario of tactical air bombing, followed by artillery preparation, followed by Air Cavalry recon, followed by ARA fire prep, followed by tight formations of helicopters landing in unison, trying not to run into each other while getting troops on the ground as fast as possible.

  Miraculously, no aircraft were lost during these initial air assaults. One big CH-47 Chinook cargo helicopter hauling an artillery piece was shot down while landing at a firebase on Tiger Mountain later in the day, however, no one was injured and the aircraft was later recovered.

  The largest air assault operation of the
war up until then was a huge success! There were well over 100 aircraft involved. In addition to the 65 troop-carrying Hueys, there were the Gunships and Scouts of the 2/17th Air Cavalry, Cobras with the 4/77th ARA, Cargo helicopters of the 159th, Medevac helicopters with the 326th, Forward Air Controller aircraft with the 20th TASS and Air Force, Navy and Marine fighter jets. The whole operation had gone brilliantly and the enemy was deceived for the moment.

  Now we in Alpha Troop, 2/17 Air Cav focused on supporting the 3rd Brigade and more specifically, the 3/187th Airborne Infantry Battalion.

  Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Weldon Honeycutt, call sign “Blackjack”, was the Commander of the Battalion and flew overhead in a command and control (C&C) bird, directing the action and coordinating the operation of his three Companies. He landed in LZ #2 at 1046 to join his soldiers and establish his command post.

  D Company was first in, reconned southeast and secured an area of higher ground towards Hill 937. The Battalion Headquarters and Mortar Section followed D Company and established a Command Post within D Company’s perimeter. Mortar positions were dug and a small landing zone cleared.

  This location would prove to be critical, as Lieutenant Colonel Honeycutt would direct operations from there over the next 10 days.

  A Company had reached higher ground 500 meters to the northeast and then reconned northwest all the way down to the river, which was the boundary between South Vietnam and Laos.

  C Company was securing LZ #2 for additional forces.

  Honeycutt requested and received B Company that was being held as the Brigade reserve. B Company landed in the LZ at 1600 and 3/187th was complete with a force of nearly 600 soldiers.

  Honeycutt ordered B Company to begin a reconnaissance southeast through D Company’s location and continue up even higher ground towards Hill 937. He wanted to establish his command post up there the next day.

  We in the Air Cav had set up a round-robin affair, rotating teams out and back from Firebase Blaze to rearm and refuel while keeping one or two Pink teams of a Cobra and a Loach on station at all times.

  We were finding lots of enemy activity on the higher ground above our troops; Hill 900, 916 and 937 and the connecting ridgelines. The whole area was steep terrain covered in heavy jungle, tall trees and thick bamboo, making identification of friend and foe difficult from the start.

  The cardinal sin for Gunship Pilots is to mistakenly hurt our own. We always made it an absolute priority to identify where the friendlies were first, before unleashing our firepower.

  We had identified where all the Battalion elements were and set up our target runs to avoid hitting any friendlies if our rockets, grenades or bullets went long or short as we engaged enemy targets.

  I made it a practice to personally identify the friendlies in addition to the Scout bird when we were in close contact situations, sometimes even “Danger Close” when firing within 50 meters of friendly troops. In those cases, we usually didn’t fire rockets or grenades because of the exploding shrapnel. I would fire the mini-gun in a locked position at a “low-rate” of 2000 rounds per minute and “walk” the stream of bullets in close to the friendlies, sometimes into the trees over their heads in case enemy snipers were hiding up there.

  As B Company continued up the high ground they ran into heavy enemy resistance from small arms fire and rocket propelled grenades, suffering three wounded.

  We leaped into action and attacked the ridgeline in front of them and Hill 937, while they called in artillery, mortar and ARA fire. The skirmish was over quickly. The enemy retreated to their concealed fighting places. B Company established a night defensive position (NDP). The wounded were Medevaced out by helicopter as darkness fell and we returned to home base.

  I lay awake that night thinking about the infantry soldiers still out there in the jungle manning their positions. I racked my brain as to how I could do a better job helping them and defeating the enemy. It would become a nightly ritual for my entire tour. The guys carrying a rucksack and rifle deserved everything I could give them and more.

  May 11 (Day 2)

  We were up at zero-dark thirty again and headed to the A Shau. Two teams of us headed directly to 3/187th’s location while another two landed at Blaze to standby and replace us when we got low on fuel or ran out of ammo.

  The night had been relatively calm for the troops. At 0600 they set off a “Fireball” where everyone points their weapons outward from their positions and lets loose for a few seconds in case the enemy is creeping up on them. We did the same thing at our big bases with automatic weapons, machine guns and artillery, calling it a “Mad Minute”.

  We arrived on station shortly after their Fireball and almost immediately discovered and engaged bad guys running around between fighting positions up on the higher ground.

  All three of the Battalion’s companies were on the move. A Company to the northeast, B Company to the southeast towards Hill 937 and C Company south and east, with D Company securing the Headquarters Command Post (CP) and night defensive positions (NDPs).

  A, B and C Companies were finding lots of enemy activity including enemy dead from artillery, air strikes and us. And we discovered small telephone poles with communications wire going from east to west up and over Hill 937, which was further evidence of a sizeable force that was well entrenched up there.

  Late in the afternoon as B Company continued through the heavy jungle climbing up the ridge towards Hill 937, a lone sniper took them under fire apparently trying to draw them into an ambush.

  A few minutes later the enemy ambush was sprung and they came under heavy fire. Three B Company soldiers were killed and two more wounded. Lieutenant Colonel Honeycutt ordered the B Company Commander to drive on attacking the enemy before retrieving the wounded, calling all of us in for support; Air Cav, ARA, artillery and air strikes.

  Then the unthinkable happened. An ARA Gunship mistakenly turned into the friendlies on a gun run and hit directly into the Battalion Command Post killing one soldier and injuring 35 others, including Honeycutt himself. Though wounded, Honeycutt continued to direct and provide support for his battalion.

  B Company’s wounded and KIA were Medevaced by Eagle Dustoff at 1845 and many other aircraft provided Medevac support for the Headquarters’ wounded. All those requiring evacuation were out by 1930. Honeycutt refused evacuation and remained with his soldiers.

  All Companies set up their night defensive positions and all was quiet.

  May 12 (Day 3)

  We were getting into a routine now. Up at zero-dark thirty and out to the battlefield by sun up. Rotating our teams in and out of the Battalions’ area of operations (AO). Communicating with the Ground Commanders, Forward Air Controllers, Artillery, Medevacs and our own Headquarters. Providing reconnaissance and close air support. Rearming and refueling as necessary, sometimes “hot”.

  When the Air Force (God Bless them) comes in and drops their bombs, they head back to Da Nang, Thailand or Guam or somewhere else far away and taxi up to their parking spot directed in by their Crew Chief. The Crew Chief then helps them take off their seat belts and descend a ladder to the waiting crew vehicle. In air-conditioned comfort, they’re driven to the Officers Club for a chicken salad sandwich and a glass of iced tea, while ordnance crews rearm and refuel their airplane. They may do this once or even twice a day.

  The Navy (God Bless them too, except on Army/Navy Game Day) comes in, drops their bombs and then heads back to the Carrier well offshore. Once on deck, they are greeted by a brown-shirted Plane Captain and escorted to their air-conditioned wardroom for a chicken salad sandwich – toasted please– and a glass of sweetened iced tea while the aircraft is moved below decks for ordnance loading. They usually only do this once a day.

  The Army (Thank God for the infinite wisdom of the Green Machine) thinks all that is a waste of time. The Army prepositions your fuel and ammo just minutes from the fighting at what’s called a Forward Arming and Refueling Point (FARP, like fart with a P). And you’re
expected to carry your own C-Rations (canned dog food) and water to eat and drink whenever you can get around to it. Only sissies eat chicken salad sandwiches!

  And there is usually NO Plane Captain, Crew Chief or even Ordnance people ready to greet you as you land at a FARP. You’re expected to do it all yourself.

  Hot rearming and refueling is where we land out there at a firebase next to our fuel and ammunition and get out and load the Cobra ourselves, without shutting down!

  We bring the engine down to flight idle and with the rotors still spinning, lock down the controls so it won’t take off without us, undo our seatbelts, remove our helmets and chicken plates and then get busy reloading the aircraft as fast as we can to get back in the action quickly.

  When we arrive “on station” we are fully loaded with rockets, grenades and bullets and about two hours of fuel on board. If there’s a lot of action right away, as is happening here in the A Shau, we may run out of all our ammo in just a few minutes and still have an hour or more of fuel. In that case, we head back to the nearest FARP and then load rockets on board as fast as we can and be airborne again in minutes.

  The safety guys would go nuts seeing this in action today but it was what we had to do at the time. People were dying and we needed to get back into the action fast.

  Rearming our Cobra near the A Shau. Mike Talton on the left with the submachine gun on his hip and Lew Jennings on the right with the rocket across his shoulders. Two Alpha Troop Armorers in front lending a hand.

  We arrived on station as the sun came up. Again, all was mostly quiet for the ground troops during the night. I was off supporting the other Maneuver Battalions, when Honeycutt called for engineers to be flown out to B Company’s location to cut a new landing zone out of the tall jungle and trees to evacuate more wounded.

  Our own Blue Platoon with their Hueys were on standby to provide support to any of the 3rd Brigade units. Mark Stevens and Dave Goodman (Goody-Two-Shoes) volunteered to fly their Hueys out to do the job. Each Huey had a Pilot and Copilot up front and a Crew Chief and Door Gunner manning M-60 machine guns in the back.