A Night Save
submitted by: Alva Leon Matheson
I had occasion to return to Ban Me Thuot East (BMTE) at night several times from ‘classified’ missions to Nha Trang to recon the 5th SF and Nha Trang O’clubs for meaningful intelligence. (The ALO has to be in the know) As previously mentioned, we had little to no MWR at East field and I just didn’t believe in all work and no play. Saying the field was dark with no lighting would be the understatement of the war. But to ensure my absence went ‘unnoticed,’ I made my arrival in the darkness off the BMT TACAN and I must say I got pretty good at it. If I remember correctly, 115/3.6nm at 90kts full flaps at 300fpm descent from 4,500 feet MSL put me over the end of the runway in five minutes and 35 seconds with about 100’ to spare. Obviously, I did not share this procedure with my junior FACs who had much less pilot experience. I had six years of B-47 Navigator time running my own onboard GCAs and three years of C-141 time making non- precision approaches in Europe.
On one such return I overheard a C-130 calling BMTE tower (there was no BMTE tower) saying he had departed the TACAN and had the ‘runway lights’ in sight. I made a subtle call on guard and informed the unsuspecting hero that BMTE had no tower and no runway lights then, much to my surprise, he said the hell they don’t, they’re right off my nose! At that I searched the sky to see what BMTE field this guy was aiming for. You can imagine my amazement as I observed what appeared to be a parallel set of runway smoke pots burning somewhat off to the right of my ‘expert’ approach. A quick double check of the TACAN and ADF, and my insurance, a moonlight glimpse of the plantation pond west of the field, showed that I was right on the 115 degree radial heading for the field with no C-130 in sight. As the C-130 reported flaps and gear down on final descent I got the “SOG feeling” that something was wrong, BIG TIME! Just about that time I came over the end of the East Field runway and as I touched down I screamed on guard, “MAYDAY- C-130 at BAN ME THOUT, GO AROUND, GO AROUND!” Thank God the aircraft commander was a well-trained stud and go around he did, post haste, but not before his four props cut through the treetops of a ‘non- existent’ runway. It seems the VC (or NVA) had taken the time to set up a parallel set of lighted
pots in the trees about three miles south of the field as a trap. I learned this the next day from Pyramid Control and was told that this was not the first time this had happened?
As I rolled out on the runway I heard a Guard frequency radio message “Thanks errrrr, thanks bud, you just saved my ass!”
I replied with a “no sweat GI, its just part of the job. These highlands are full of bad guys and we try to take care of the tourists.”
He asked and I gave him my call sign but I never heard another thing about it. If by some chance any of the crew reads this, I sure would like to hear from them. It was one of the most rewarding moments of my tour. It was just one of those days.
PS. I had to try to explain to the Special Forces commander why I was flying at night when we weren’t supposed to be able do that. Don’t remember the line of bull I gave him but he bought it, just another part of the job.