Rocket Accuracy and Then Some

submitted by: Alva Leon Matheson

---

---

My diary has it recorded on 9 Jan 69. My last and fourth strike of the day was Litter 91, four F-100s. It was a fragged target of 85 mm antiaircraft guns I had found several days earlier about 600 meters south of the NVA border near Ban La Boy. I found this 85 mm site by the proven method of getting hosed – scared my mule bad! The Huns had Lau- 3 rockets and CBU-24. They nailed the suspected site with the rockets when the other 85 mm sites opened up on us. I put the F-100s in with the CBU-24. These Litter 91 guys were going bananas to get at the guns. They silenced one site and destroyed another. Their muzzle flashes were still burning in my memory...that did a lot to pin point those bozos.
Then with one site still firing at us, Litter 91, begged me to let them come down the chute with their 20 mm cannons. I reluctantly let them come in on random passes and they had a ball – 85 mm vs 20 mm. They only stopped shooting at the Huns when the 20 mm was being unloaded on them. My diary says the 85 mm shells were bursting at 9,000, 11,000 and 17,000 feet. These F100’s guys were great and refused to leave the area until they escorted me out.
Sorry, but I got distracted, I started telling a story about rocket accuracy. After the F100’s left I went up to the alligator head, north of Ban La Boy and found a single truck stuck there – maybe an old one. I had two WP rockets left. From 7,000 feet, I put the first on the hood of the truck. I came around again and put the second one on the hood also. My best shots ever. The O-2 was #424 and it obviously had a great sight on it.