“Sir, that will cut the second departing flight to six aircraft with those three leaving early,” Captain Curran interjected.
“One question, sir, if I may. How long are they going to be gone?” asked the first sergeant.
“I don’t know. I guess for as long as they’re needed. They’re attached to the 223rd for the duration.” After a short pause, the major continued, “Good, it appears we have a plan. Now let’s work the plan. There will be changes, but with a plan in place, execution is just a matter of coordination. I would start packing as much as we can before the execute order arrives. Thank you, gentlemen. Let’s go to chow.”
II Corps and III Corps: The Move North
Chapter 27
AO Orientation
“Incoming,” someone screamed, and everyone dived to the floor of the empty hooch. KAWUMP, KAWUMP, KAWUMP could be heard as the 122-millimeter mortar rounds landed, but at some distance across the flight line. To celebrate Chicken-man’s mid-March departure, the NVA dropped mortar rounds and rockets into the Chicken Pen/Snake Pit, which was now empty except for one lone aircraft that would carry the rear detachment out in the morning. No one slept well knowing they were the only ones left on that side of the airfield. The move from Lai Khe to Camp Holloway came off as planned, with little consternation. The biggest upset was for the fifteen hooch maids and kitchen helpers that were going to lose their jobs, along with the barber and girls working at the “massage parlor/steam bath.” No one cared about the barber as most thought he was working for the Viet Cong. Opie didn’t say anything, but Dorsey and so
me of the others attempted to work out a way to take her with them to Camp Holloway; however, she had a son, and taking him was out of the question. Sam, the barmaid for the officers club, was on her way to the United States, having married one of the warrant officer pilots. Chicken-man was the last US unit out of Lai Khe and the end of the US dollar gravy train for the Vietnamese.
The NVA operating around Lai Khe must have passed up the word to their friends around Camp Holloway that Chicken-man was coming, because on the night of their arrival, the NVA dropped mortar rounds on the flight line. As the main body arrived, they were immediately scheduled for the next day with orientation briefings for the crews. Only a couple of pilots had flown in previous assignments in this area, so it was virgin territory for most. The advance party had arranged orientation flights for each of the crews over a four-day period, with two Chicken-man ACs flying and a pilot who was familiar with the area riding in the jump seat. The advance party had prepared maps for each aircraft and had map sheets available so that additional sets could be made by the pilots themselves. Maintenance support came from an aviation unit that was already at Camp Holloway, the Gladiators, until Chicken-man’s maintenance arrived four days later.
Housekeeping at Camp Holloway was a pleasant surprise. Camp Holloway had been established in 1965 and had been improved over the years, being transformed from a grass field to a complex of concrete block buildings and Quonset huts with central electricity, running water, and showers with passable hot water—well, warm, at least. A unit mess hall was already up and running, so the Chicken-man cooks just assumed a shift from those already there, much to all the cooks’ joy, since they were only pulling one shift a day now instead of two. A coin toss decided who would do breakfast and who would do dinner. Chicken-man won the dinner shift, much to their pleasure. A two-headed coin can be worth a lot in the right hands.
The first morning, after all the pilots, minus the rear detachment, were on the ground, the major called a meeting.
“All right, let’s settle down,” he instructed, which everyone immediately did. “This morning the Ops and Intel officers from the Ghost Riders have been good enough to give us a map orientation and intel update before you start your orientation flights. Flight assignments and times are posted on the board in the back. Check it before you leave here. Flights will be two hours, with two ACs in the cockpit and a pilot from the Ghost Riders in the jump seat. Pay attention, because it’s the only orientation you’re going to get. Any questions?” the major asked.
“Sir, are the right-seaters going to get an orientation ride too?” Mr. Bailey asked.
“They sure are, Mr. Bailey. As soon as you take them up with you. Does that answer your question?” the major said with a smile, thinking it was nice to turn the tables on Bailey for a change.
“Yes, sir, thank you, sir,” Bailey said, sorry he had asked.
“Okay, no more questions?”
The major introduced Captain Livingston, who came to the front of the room, standing in front of a map board. “Thank you, sir. Gentlemen, if you’ll follow me on your maps, I’ll walk you through the high points of the operational area that’s south, east and north of Dak To, located here,” he said, pointing at the map. “West of Dak To is Laos. Don’t go there.” He pointed again at the map. “Back in late sixty-seven, there was some fierce fighting in this area for both the 173rd Airborne and the Fourth Infantry. Whenever you’re flying missions, you’ll be talking to US advisors or may find a Vietnamese helicopter pilot in your aircraft who speaks pretty good English.” That comment raised some murmurs in the audience as Vietnamese pilots flew with a different standard than American pilots. Most were thought to be crazy.
“This road, Highway 14, moves from Kontum north to Dak To and then it becomes Highway 17 moving to Xayden across the Laotian border. From Xayden to Dak To is a major NVA supply route at the end of the Ho Chi Minh Trail. North of this intersection, where the road splits going to Xayden and north, there’s not much in the way of friendly forces. If you have to go north, go out to the coast and then north. There’s this large mountain to the north—stay away from it unless you’re supporting the ARVNs. You’ll take fire from 12.75 antiaircraft guns. This ridge-line to the west and south, and known as Hill 1338, has two firebases on it. Firebase Five is this small firebase higher on the ridge and to the southwest, and the larger firebase lower on the ridge is Firebase Six. Firebase Five has a one-o-five artillery battery and Firebase Six has a one-five-five battery. Those two batteries pretty much cover the entire valley. If you need to call for fires, call Dak To Arty on four zero point five. There’s also a battery of one-five-five’s at Dak To,” he added as most pilots were plotting locations on their maps with grease pencils and jotting down frequencies.
Continuing his presentation, he said, “Flying the valley and along the river, you’re going to take fire. The NVA pretty much covers the entire valley with fire. Under twenty-five hundred feet, you will take fire. There’s a refuel point at Dak To.” He moved his pointer west of Dak To. “The ARVN compound is collocated at Dak To, which is this large airstrip. Any questions so far?” None were asked.
“Weather patterns for this time of year are cool nights in the mid-sixties to low eighties midday, and it’ll stay about that way for the rest of the year. We’re in the northeast monsoon season, so rains will continue into late April or early May.
“Terrain in the area is mountainous with some of these peaks topping out at four thousand feet. That’s going to affect loads, especially if you’re operating midday. Try to do heavy loads first thing in the morning. Vegetation ranges from open fields in the valley to double and triple canopy on the hilltops. If there are no questions, I’ll be followed by Lieutenant Hill.” The captain stepped off to the side.
Taking the center stage, Lieutenant Hill took the pointer from the captain. “Gentlemen, I’m Lieutenant Hill. The enemy situation is as follows.” He placed his hand over the map board and quickly made a circular motion. “There are lots of enemy ADA positions around Dak To. What are your questions?” Everyone was too stunned to ask any.
Lieutenant Hill thought he was being humorous and didn’t realize that he had just been taken very seriously. After a moment, when no one said anything, he started over. “Let me be a little more specific—but there is a lot of ADA around the area.” Pausing for a moment to study his map, Lieutenant Hill became more professional. “The NVA consider this to be Military Region Six, with elements of the Twenty-Eighth and Sixty-Sixth Regiments as well as the Fortieth Artillery Regiment. There is also the First, Second, and Third VC Regiments operating in the area. Opposing these forces is the Forty-Second Independent ARVN Regiment and some ARVN Ranger units, which you’ll probably be supporting along with MACV teams and US SF,” he added, pointing at the map.
“The area around Dak To and stretching to the coast is known as the Piedmont, a transitional area with lush valleys occupied by many South Vietnamese. The Piedmont’s rugged terrain combined with a triple-canopy jungle provides excellent cover and concealment for enemy elements, and thus there are numerous base camps throughout the region. Strong-arming the local populace through tax collections that include money and produce, they’ve been able to survive quite well in addition to being at the end of Ho Chi Minh Trail, which terminates along Highway 17, where it crosses the border to the west. The enemy’s bases in the Piedmont include hospitals, command-and-control centers, training camps and supply cache sites. With the Ho Chi Minh Trail terminating in Laos where Highway 17 crosses, it’s relatively easy for them to move supplies into the region.
“Local sympathizers notify them of checkpoints along Highway 17, or the White Mice that man those checkpoints just turn a blind eye to the movements.”28 Pointing at the major hilltops, he explained, “They move their ADA guns frequently, and the majority are 12.7 millimeter. Here, here and here are the common areas where they have been found.” He pointed at two hills west of Dak To and north of Highway 17. “You can expect to take
fire around Firebase Five and Six at any time. Small-arms fire can be expected almost anywhere.”
Pausing again and looking back at the posted map, Lieutenant Hill turned to face his audience. “The typical activity in the region has been for the ARVN to establish a firebase and conduct local patrols around the firebase with some check points along Highway 17. If they become too effective with their checkpoints, the enemy will attempt to siege and overrun the firebase. Generally this results in the ARVNs and US Special Forces allowing the siege to continue to concentrate the enemy before friendlies pile on with forces to surround and destroy the enemy force. This tactic seems to be effective as long as the weather does not preclude air operations for both fast movers and helicopters. Not since sixty-nine has there been a major US force operating in this area, and the locals are terrified of the NVA and pretty much recognize that without the US here, the NVA control the area, with the ARVN just hanging on. Don’t expect any favors from the locals. If you go down, avoid everyone unless they’re ARVNs or US. Do not trust the White Mice,” the lieutenant concluded. “Sir, that’s all I have. If we get anything more, I’ll work with your intel officer and feed him the information.”
“Thank you, gentlemen. Good brief,” the major said and turned to his assembled pilots. “Okay, gents, let’s get in the air. Anytime you take fire, I want the map in Ops updated. We’re going to put up a separate enemy situation map that you can annotate when you come in from flying. Your mission sheets each morning will now have an enemy situation paragraph with the latest updates for the previous week. Read it, and avoid those locations if you can. That’s all, and be safe,” the major concluded and dismissed everyone. Things were about to become very different than flying back in the Lai Khe area.
Air activity was intense at this point in the middle of March. Lam Son 719 was going on up north in the I Corps area, and aircraft that had been operating out of Camp Holloway were now up there, resulting in the immediate need for Chicken-man to assume missions in the area around Dak To. Reports and rumors from the Lam Son operation were not encouraging. With all support going to ARVN forces, every aircraft that could be flown was being called upon. There were few to no US ground forces in the vicinity of Camp Holloway or Dak To. ARVN forces in the area were primarily light infantry, occupying hilltop firebases. Flight hours were expected to increase from the six-to-seven-hour days to ten-to-twelve-hour days. Such flight hours hadn’t been seen since the Cambodian Incursion. Antiaircraft fire of this intensity hadn’t been seen since Tet of ’68. Aircraft from other units operating in the area were drawing fire and taking hits almost every day. Cross-border operations had ceased, but around Firebases Five and Six, the situation was intense. NVA forces had moved into the area, filling the vacuum created by the departure of ARVN forces to participate in Lam Son 719. Firebases Five and Six were seven miles from Dak To. These were two ARVN firebases undermanned by elements of the 42nd Independent Regiment and attached ARVN Rangers. If you were going to Firebase Five or Six, you knew you were going to take fire.
Chapter 28