MINUTEMEN TO THE RESCUE!
MINUTEMEN TO THE RESCUE!
7 February 1968, the 176th Assault Helicopter Company, was rotating two ‘slicks’ and two ‘guns’ (UH-1C ‘Hog’ gunships) every two weeks to support the Hue/Phu Bai Special Forces camp. The Tet Offensive was going ‘full bore.’ Hue had fallen. We were flying supplies and ammunition. Early that afternoon, we (a two ‘slick’ mission) were directed to Khe Sanh to do a medical evacuation (medevac) at Lang Vei. The landing zone (LZ) was reported to be a ‘single ship’ one so my wingman, Warrant Officer One (WO1) Lowell Tucker, stayed above,” related former WO1 Robert C. ‘Bob’ Hartley.54 “Refueling at Khe Sanh between mortar and artillery fire had been a bugger at Khe Sanh. We broke off fueling three times to zigzag hover away before finally ‘topping off,’” said former artillery Specialist Fourth Class (SP4) Raymond E. ‘Ray’ Cyrus, the right door gunner.55 “During the refueling three SF soldiers from Command and Control, North (CCN), MACV-Studies and Observation Group (SOG), ‘bummed a ride’ into old Lang Vei,” stated COL (then 1LT) Paul Longgrear.56
“Every day was on-the-job training (OJT), so I was getting my Aircraft Commander (AC) check ride as pilot while my co-pilot, another WO1, Thomas Lake, served as AC. I saw mortar rounds hitting near the LZ as I flew over the Special Forces (SF) camp checking things out. We had no communications (comms) with the SF on the ground, but smoke was finally popped as I came in on final,” said WO1 Hartley.57
“As right M-60 door gunner, I spotted two disabled tanks; one still smoldering as we flew over Lang Vei. The air reeked of burnt cordite from the airstrikes. When we landed, the aircraft was mobbed by indigenous troops, some with M-16s, others with AK-47s, intent on scrambling aboard. I didn’t know who was who. There was total chaos. An unconscious wounded American was pulled off the helicopter. Then, some SF guys began throwing indigenous troops off so they could get the wounded on board,” remembered former SP4 Ray Cyrus. “It was crazy. Nobody knew who we were because there were no unit markings or nose art on our Huey.”58