Fellow Warriors
submitted by: Alva Leon Matheson
Other UH-1’s waited at the staging area, typically Kontum, to lift Vietnamese infantry troops should enemy troops be detected. If troops or weapons were found and were too large for our troops we called for help from a FAC, typically OV-10 or Cessna O-2. He would mark the target and call in his “boys.” They were good but the OV-10 drivers were remarkable. We considered them to be one of our own, completely unafraid to get down and mix it up when the time came to do so. I know. I was there.
On April 14, 1972, our Cavalry Squadron was en route from Pleiku to Kontum when we began to pick up some radio chatter on guard channel. At first it sounded as if one of the Air Force pilots had ejected and the hunt was on. But, we finally put enough together to learn that a FAC, 555 (Triple Nickel), had stumbled onto an American Army Infantry Major who was an advisor on a Vietnamese firebase. Their firebase had been completely overrun the night before and the American and about 20 “smart” friendly Vietnamese had escaped. They had E and E’d (escaped and evaded) throughout the night. When daybreak came they found themselves in hiding, no ammunition and only a hand-held survival radio which the Major would occasionally use to make a “may- day” call. 555 finally heard him and homed in to his position. By the time we figured out the scenario and learned they were not too far from us, 555 was circling helplessly overhead with no assets to help him and fuel running low. He knew that unless they were extracted soon they would all be lost.
I was flying C & C (Command and Control) with our Commander, “Embalmer 6.” As soon as we understood the call we immediately contacted 555 on guard and agreed on a frequency. We dispatched two of our four Huey Cobras to provide cover while we requested a mission change. Ultimately the mission change was granted. 555 talked in our four UH-1’s and eventually handed the mission off to us. But, until the last minute he worked our gunships and described the situation well enough to hand the mission off to one of our gunships. Our UH-1, C & C, turned the mission control over to the Gun Driver and we assumed number four position of a four-ship lift team. The first, second, and third UH-1’s got in and back out one at a time with their troops while taking only sporadic enemy fire. Our turn came and we were “shot out of the LZ” on the first pass. The Guns shot up the LZ some more. Had it not been for the fact that the lone American on the ground had been a good soldier and waited with his troops for the last bird, I doubt we would have gone back in, but we did go back in under sporadic fire.
As we touched the left skid down on a slope with the right skid in the air, the four friendly Vietnamese and one American broke from the tree line for the helicopter. One Vietnamese was immediately hit in the leg but continued. As they neared the aircraft, rounds began hitting the helicopter, striking our left side door gunner, Dallas Nihsen, who died. The last troop to the aircraft, a Vietnamese, was killed instantly when struck by an enemy round in the head. We left the LZ under fire, the American and three troops on board, and returned to Kontum. I am still looking for the FAC pilot of 555 because I have that mission on tape and would be willing to share it with him.
As a member of a “hunter/killer” team, I applaud those who were willing to come in and work closely with us in the same environment in which we operated daily. The FACs did so. They were among the few whom we respected as “like us.” Indeed they were...