“Crescent Six, White One, go ahead.”
“White One, primary LZ is not, repeat, not secure. Move to alternate LZ, one klick to the east. Friendlies have secured it to some extent. Contact Doberman Six-One on three eight nine five Fox Mike and he’ll pop smoke. How copy?”
“Crescent Six, understand second lift to alternate LZ, contact Doberman Six-One for smoke.”
“White One, good copy. We’re going to put a third lift in and are requesting you to stay on mission.”
“Roger, Crescent Six, that will have to be approved through Lightning Bolt Six.”
“Request has been sent to higher. How soon can you execute?”
“Crescent Six, we have to refuel and rearm at Song Be for the next mission. One hour minimum. Over.”
“Understood, White One. Crescent Six out.”
Switching radios, the commander said, “Flight, this is White One. Primary LZ is not secure. Alternate LZ is one klick to the east and supposedly secured. Friendlies will pop smoke. No fire unless engaged.”
The flight continued heading for the valley, which was easily marked now by the fires on the west ridge as well as tracers crisscrossing the primary LZ. As White One turned to make his final approach, he called, “Doberman Six-One, White One, pop smoke.”
“White One, smoke out.” At first, nothing was seen. Then at the south end of the clearing, which was large enough to land the entire flight, green smoke could been seen starting to spread.
“Doberman Six-One, I have green smoke,” White One indicated.
“Affirmative, White One. Be advised we have secured the southern end of the LZ and part of the eastern side.”
“Doberman Six-One, understand only the southern end and part of the eastern side.” There was some apprehension in White One’s voice as he was at three hundred feet and beginning to decelerate as he crossed over the southern end tree line.
“Affirmative, White One, we have no one on the west side or north side.” Too late, as the tree line on the northwest side opened with automatic weapons just as White One touched down with additional elements, to include the company mortars and part of another infantry company. Aircraft started reporting hits.
“Lobo, northwest side, automatic weapons,” White One called to the gunships.
Immediately Lobo Six nosed over and entered a dive with the second aircraft right behind him. Door gunners and crew chiefs that had held their fire on the insertion to the alternate LZ returned fire on identified enemy positions. As each aircraft unloaded without touching the ground, since the grunts were anxious to get off, they immediately started pulling pitch to get out of the LZ. Standard operating procedures dictated that if an aircraft was shot down in the LZ, the crew scampered to the aircraft behind them to get out or joined the infantry in the fight.
White One called Crescent Six.
“White One, Crescent Six, go ahead.”
“Crescent Six, White One, lift complete. We are en route to Song Be for refueling and rearming. Have you heard back from Lightning Bolt Six? Over.”
“White One, that is negative. Understand you are en route to Song Be.”
“Affirmative, Crescent Six. Will stand by in case you get approval. White One out.”
White One and the flight proceeded to Song Be for refueling and rearming. The decision for them to conduct another lift for Crescent Six was above their pay grade as several of the aircraft had additional missions already scheduled for other units. In truth, no one was looking forward to going back into that valley.
As the aircraft were landing at the refuel point in Song Be, Lightning Bolt Six landed. Without leaving his aircraft, he could see that almost every aircraft had small-arms holes in the body. None, however, were leaking fuel and all appeared to be in flyable condition.
“White One, Lightning Bolt Six, over.” Everyone was monitoring the radios, and silent groans were raised.
“Lightning Bolt Six, White One.” To the Chicken-man crews, it sounded like White One was gasping for air, his nose was so far up Lightning Bolt Six’s ass.
“White One, I need three aircraft to support Crescent Six with immediate resupply. Who’ve you got?” Chicken-man crews already knew what was coming. Without asking for the damage assessment from each aircraft, White One made his decision.
“Lightning Bolt Six, I have three Chicken-man aircraft that I can chop to Crescent Six.”
“Roger, have them contact Crescent Six on four one five zero Fox Mike.”
“Roger.” Switching frequencies over to VHF, White One called the Chicken-man aircraft.