“Chicken-man Six, when you depart the LZ, we’re going to position our fire with two birds on each side and ripple fire whatever we have left in rockets on and along your path out as well as laying down suppressive fire. We’re going to expend everything, over.”
“Death Dagger Three-One, sounds good.”
“Roger, Chicken-man Six, good luck. Out.” And Death Dagger went silent.
After another four minutes, Cory called Major Adams. “Six, turn right ninety degrees on my mark and the firebase will be on your nose at two klicks,” Cory indicated.
“Roger” was the only response as Major Adams and Captain Curran waited for Cory to give the final turn.
After two minutes, Cory said, “Six, on my mark.” He paused. “Execute!” Chicken-man Six made an immediate hard bank ninety degrees to his right. The hilltop filled his windshield as he was only two klicks from the hill. Moving at ninety knots airspeed, he would be there in one minute. Three-quarters of the way up the hill, Chicken-man Six commenced his deceleration, not wanting to come over the hilltop so fast that he would overfly and have to turn around and come back.
“Death Dagger is engaging” was heard on the UHF radio as four rockets leaped from each of the low birds into the hillside on both sides of Chicken-man Six. Small green streaks could be seen approaching all three aircraft, along with blinding flashes of light from impacting 2.75-inch nineteen-pound rockets on the hillside below the firebase. The green streaks were answered by red streams pouring from the approaching gunships’ miniguns.
As Chicken-man Six crested the hilltop, he initiated a rapid deceleration right over the berm surrounding the firebase and landed in front of an American advisor holding an orange panel. Beside him was another American soldier lying on a stretcher. There were three bodies wrapped in ponchos beside the stretcher. Turning to his right, Major Adams observed the remains of a Huey that had crashed and burned the day before. Four ARVN soldiers surrounded the stretcher and ponchos, ready to load them as soon as the aircraft touched down. Death Dagger’s two low AH-1G gunships thundered past and entered into steep power climbs, clawing for altitude and turning to get behind Chicken-man.
“Chicken-man Six is down,” Captain Curran stated.
“Chicken-man Six, are you okay?” Cory asked, misunderstanding the term down.
“Roger, we got a few holes added but we’re good,” Captain Curran said. Momentarily, he came back on the radio. “Resupply is off and we’re loaded. Coming out.” Evidently Major Adams was flying and concentrating on getting out of there before mortar rounds started impacting. He was leaving the conversations up to Captain Curran.
“Death Dagger commencing second run.” All four gunships were at altitude now and began their dives from one thousand feet, with two aircraft on each side of Chicken-man Six. Firing in ripple mode, all the rockets in each of the sixteen nineteen-round pods fired in rapid order with the press of the trigger. As the aircraft began expending rockets on the departure route, the side of the hill began to rupture as each rocket was the equivalent of a 105-millimeter artillery round. Twin miniguns on each aircraft spat out a stream of red tracers, hosing down the jungle between the impacting rockets and the front of Chicken-man Six.
Because of radio antennas, bunkers, perimeter berm and wire, a combat takeoff couldn’t be executed, so Chicken-man Six had to come to a hover before he could depart. As he increased his speed, but not his altitude, towards the impacting rockets, the entire perimeter around the firebase lit up like a Christmas tree with green tracers and white flashes, all directed at Chicken-man Six. The ARVN soldiers on the perimeter were engaging the tree line in an attempt to suppress the fire directed towards Chicken-man Six, but it was ineffective. There were just too many positions for Death Dagger to hit them all.
From two thousand feet, Cory could do nothing but watch the scene unfold, and he knew it wasn’t going well. It all appeared in slow motion: Chicken-man Six coming to a hover, moving to take off, a hail of green concentrating on the aircraft, then the flash of an RPG as he cleared the perimeter of the firebase and the explosion on the side of the aircraft. He kept moving forward and gaining speed, but the shower of green tracers continued to follow the aircraft as it cleared the firebase and flew down the side of the hill.
“Damn, he’s going to make it. He’s still flying,” Cory shouted to everyone and no one.
“Chicken-man Six , going down, on fire,” was heard on the UHF radio a moment later in a calm, matter-of-fact voice. It was Major Adams.
“One-Niner is coming down to get you.” Cory took the controls from Ben and executed a fifteen-hundred foot per minute diving turn towards Chicken-man Six. He’s going to make it, Cory was thinking as he watched Chicken-man Six start to execute a deceleration over a small clearing.
In a blinding flash, all hope vanished, however. Chicken-man Six exploded over that small beckoning clearing. The tail boom separated and the rotor blades dug into the ground as they came apart, throwing what was left of the transmission in one direction while throwing the aircraft cabin on its back and driving it into the ground.
As Cory made a fast pass over the clearing, he could see the remains of the aircraft upside down, the nose and cockpit area smashed. No one was seen. Cory was sure no one could have survived that explosion and crash. He had witnessed this scene enough times in Lam Son 719 to know the outcome. A quick pass over the remains confirmed his observation and his decision. It was time to go home when this tour was finished.
Chapter 39
On Wings of Eagles
As the pilots and crews returned to Camp Holloway that evening, they were instructed to go to the mess hall. Cold beer and dinner had been laid out. The usual banter between pilots was heard, and some of it extended to the crew chiefs and gunners, who could dish it out as well as anyone, sometimes much better than the officers. Noticeably absent were the platoon leaders, CO, XO and Ops officer as well as the first sergeant. Finally, the platoon leaders entered, followed by the XO and first sergeant.
“Okay, let me have your attention,” the XO announced. He did not look happy. Captain Trejillo had been in the unit since the move to Camp Holloway, and as XO he didn’t get to fly much but was noted as being a good pilot. He was easy to like and was generally respected.
Once everyone settled down, he continued, “This morning, Major Adams and Captain Curran flew up to Firebase Five.” On that note, everyone immediately suspected what was coming next. “Major Adams’s intent was to retrieve the bodies of those shot down yesterday and bring out the wounded crew chief.” He paused and looked upward at the ceiling. “They landed on the firebase and retrieved everyone. However, on the way out, the aircraft took fire and exploded just off the firebase. Everyone was killed.”
He paused again, trying to maintain his composure. “This was a selfless act carried out by a brave crew wanting to do what was right for our people. We leave no one behind—no one—and that was Major Adams’s intent. Major Adams didn’t hold out much hope for the success of this mission, but he knew he had to try. He wouldn’t send one of you to do this mission, but he selected himself for this mission. He didn’t need this mission to prove anything to anyone. He had two Silver Stars, four Distinguished Flying Crosses and two Bronze Stars for valor. He wasn’t trying to be a hero, but he believed you don’t send others to do a job that you wouldn’t do. Let us bow our heads and each in your own way…”
He didn’t finish, but he didn’t need to. Everyone lowered their heads. After a moment, the silence was broken by a lone voice.
“May they soar with the Angels on the wings of Eagles; may they watch over those they loved and those who loved them; may they rest in peace until we all stand together at the final formation. Amen.”
Epilogue
For the actions of that day, Major William Adams was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. Captain John Curran received the Distinguished Service Cross. First Lieutenant Brian Thacker also received the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions on Firebase Six. It was reported that after the crash, the ARVN soldiers had moved to the crash site to look for survivors. Truth be told, they had not. It was sometime later that the crew’s bodies were recovered.
Chicken-man continued to op