Shocking radio communications from double Prairie Fire extraction in Laos January 1971
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- Опубликовано: 29 ноя 2022
- Recon Team Hawaii and Recon Team Colorado were in a Prairie Fire emergency at the same time. The Author of the best selling book SOG John Plaster is the Covey Rider for these emergency extractions, call sign DELTA PAPA THREE. The radio transmission audio was provided by Barry Lewis Subelsky. Note the team work required by the aircrews to extract these Recon Teams from Laos. The fac/covey rider, the cobra gunships, the pilots, crew chief, door gunner of the extraction slick and recon team 1-0 on the ground. All working as a team to save lives from anhelation. This video was extracted from the longer Hall of Heroes video.
Wow that brought back memories. I was a Huey pilot (70 - 71) in the Air Cav. I have tried to explain to my wife and few friends just how chaotic some missions were. I can't put into words what it was like monitoring three radios and the intercom. Now I can just give them the link to this video. Thank you for posting this.
Thank you sir. Sincerely. Thank you !
James, I didn't get drafted so I didn't go but I have a few questions if you don't mind. When you were getting shot at how could you tell where they were coming from in the jungle. And went you were flying into that, did you know the small arms fire was not going to penetrate the cockpit? Did you feel protected inside the Huey
Muzzle not mules lol
@@Ydnar6929 I don't see your reply post.
Thank you, I was a grunt. Birds from the sky were heaven sent. 3/3 Marine 1969, Mutters Ridge
October 17, 1968 was my first day in the field as a forward observer for A company 1st 46th Infantry 198th Light Infantry Brigade. The map they gave us for the mission had no names or political boundaries on it so we didn't know where we were going. We were doing a bomb damage assessment on a bomb run by B52s. We swept through a vacant village and made night camp on a little battleship shaped hill in the middle of some rice paddies. Just as it was getting dark some of the guys left the concealment of the jungle to go down to the rice paddy for water. When they started getting water some belt fed machine guns opened up on them. Everyone made it back to the jungle but one guy had a bullet through his upper left shoulder. We spent kind of an uneasy night and when the sun started to come up I needed to pee in the worst way. I didn't want to pee in my fox hole because I didn't know how long I would have to spend in it. I got out of my hole and sprinted to a very large jungle tree and started to pee. My sprint had not gone unnoticed and a machine gun started trying to cut down the tree I was behind. I finished peeing and sprinted back to my hole. When I got in my hole I noticed I had 4 leaches on my helmet. I thought that was odd, I didn't know leaches lived in trees. After it got light I was able to direct air strikes onto the guys with the machine guns and create some space for slicks to come in and take us back to Quang Ngi city. A few years ago I was watching a PBS special about leaches and they showed a spot (the only spot in the world) where leaches live in trees and that spot was in Laos.
Holy hell, what an awesome story. Thank you for you service, sincerely. Thank you for that awesome story as well. God Bless!🙏🏻🇺🇲💪🏼
Dude
@@Mephistopholies You should have seen it in color.
Insane!! Thank you for the story.
As a "recently" retired Forward Observer, I'm honored to comment on your post brother.
My dad was a Cobra pilot in '71. He didn't talk much about his tour in Vietnam and questions about it were rarely asked in our family. When he did talk about his time over there it was mostly funny stories. He flew as a Pink Team with a Loach. He lost several friends when their helicopters were shot down. My dad died from cancer due to Agent Orange. He was only 48 years old. I miss him every day but when I tell Vietnam veterans that my dad flew Cobra's their faces change. They tell me, in an almost reverent way, that if Cobra's weren't there when needed they would most likely have been overrun and killed. These men tell me to tell my dad "thank you" - I hope he hears them. I've always wanted to hear radio traffic from helicopter pilots during combat. Now I know a little more of what he went through. I know he did everything he could to save his brothers on the ground and in the air every time he flew. Thank you for the recording, it brings tears to my eyes.
I too am a Vietnam vet, 1st Cav Bien Hoa, door gunner.
1969. I still feel the lose of everyone after 54years! The radio chatter really got to me. Not a lot of us left my brother and sisters. Be kind to each other! Went out of country due to a nurse. Accepted stateside buy another. Bless you all! Aloha 🌴
Bless you brother welcome home.
Aloha brother
Welcome home sir and thank you 🙏
Did you know a Karl Zinsman, from Waianae, he was also a door gunner in 1st. Cav. Aloha 🤙🏽
Thank you for your service sir, Welcome home.
Many of us have been back. Some helping DPAA teams recover our MIA. At this point SOG still has 133 recon men and aviators still missing. We have recovered many. Thank for watching.
Is there any way to help recover the MIA? I'm interested in helping.
God bless you man
@Awesome Wizard The best way is to contact your Congress person and urge them to Fund more resources to DPAA and focus on Vietnam recovery teams. Because of the popular success they have in Vietnam they have pulled focus away to other conflicts. Also you can support the National League of POW/MIA Families. Thank you for your interest and support.
Worked in Cambodia in 1992 flying UH-60A's with JTFFA, recovering our fallen brothers. I also had a book with the names of all helicopter aircrew lost in the Vietnam War. Having been trained and mentored by the Vietnam Vets when i joined the Army in the 80's, I remember reading the names and wondering if I wound up losing any friends before I met them.
But John McCain said we gotten everybody.
As an Iraq Combat Veteran (Ramadi 05-06) I just want people to know these Vets of Vietnam were the Giants who's backs we all stood upon. Before we deployed we were in Camp Shelby Mississippi training and they brought in several Nam Combat Veterans to explain to us in a closed door session what we were all about to really face. The advice that they gave saved many of our mens lives for sure. I can not find the words of gratitude to correctly thank them for that. I just know that the men who go into combat need to hear the reality of what they will experience sans any bullshit so they can adequately prepare. God Bless every single Vietnam Veteran.
Honestly Vietnam, Fallujah, and Ramadi vets are different breeds. I appreciate all the sacrifices you guys made over there. Hopefully America can understand and appreciate it a little bit better and are able to understand what it all means. This country really needs to take a look at what they're willing to fight and die over. The blood of our patriots is the foundation of our nation.
@@duderistdude6466 most civilians dint give a fuck bud they just don't. We cantrelate to them and would t want to and they don't get it so it's better they stay in their side of the fence so to speak.
@marc2638 I agree. I'm Australian and deployed to Iraq 2005 (As-Samawah) 2007 (Nasiriyah)- when I tell Civi's that I deployed, the only question they ask is " did you kill anyone "
But action movies are what these people think happens during deployments, so I guess I can't blame them too much....Unless you experience it, you don't really know fuck all about what it's like.
Amen sir!
I was in Ramadi 04/05. Big shit fest.
Quebec sounds panicked because he is yelling but he isn't. The pilots and crew chiefs have helmets and headphones on designed to talk over the noise. So they sound calm. Quebec is probably talking on a hand mic on a PRC-77 and has to yell over the noise of the choppers and gun fire. Hard men.
PRC-25
I remember as a 6 year old boy being in Melbourne looking up at the soldier, wishing one day I could be like him. Now in my 60s so grateful I've never been to war. Luck of the draw.
When you're young, you are invincible and the "glory" of war tempting. Age teaches you otherwise.
54, Cold war vet... ETS'd and 1 yr later my unit was in the Desert Shield/storm 3/3 ACR 19d .....luck of the draw
I was the same, only that Soldier was my Dad and I followed him everywhere. I became as much a part of the Australian Barracks he was posted to that I even had my own car park...for my pedal car LoL. My cousin became a Huey pilot on 1970/71 in SVN with 9 SQN, I went on initially to follow dad after his Army and I did an apprenticeship as mechanic, then I drove trains. I late started in the Army at 21, but I already had three years of reserve training and two stripes.
The old adage of shut up and let them teach you served me well, I stayed the grey man for 13 weeks of basic training. Then I became THAT Soldier. I was proud and honoured to wear my uniform.
2000 I got the chance to do active service and I went to Iraq...six days later I was sent to J/Bad Afghanistan to work with ISAF and I did several rotations in the Northern region in that role.
Luck of the Draw!
@@spartan5921 Didn't drive trains but was s signalman for 4 years . Good memories of the railways.
And what's truly amazing about this is that John Plaster and his Hovie pilot were on their way home from a mission when these two units needed emergency extractions. They stepped in and got them both out...with helicopters and close air support...but Plaster couldn't get to the one prairie fire to direct the show until he got the first group out or they'd lose their air support. He told them to run in order to buy time. This is really an amazing recording when you realize how calm he performed under immense pressure.
Is that the guy who wrote the book SOG? I remember the book from 6th grade and the name sounds very familiar
Ghostrider Don here; Yes John wrote SOG, among other great books.
This audio is a great example of teamwork (army, army aviation, USAF) that was almost a daily routine and by men who were willing to sacrifice everything for fellow soldiers that many times they did not know or would ever meet!
I joined CCN MACSOG a few days after this event! These missions were extremely dangerous! My team, RT Asp, was inserted 3 weeks after I left SOG and were never heard from again! The NVA had specialized units for hunting SOG teams.
In 47 months in Vietnam (101st, Vietnamese Airborne Division, and SOG) I never had a single helicopter crew ever refuse to fly a mission. Even after I would advise them that they would probably get the crap shot out of them!
Their bravery was extraordinary, but almost a daily occurence, without much recognition.
Sometimes I am asked who impressed me the most and my answer is always; first, the soldiers on the ground. And second, the helicopter crews!
In 1972 at the Battle of An Loc I was shot 2 times (stomach & leg). A single Huey at 03:00 came in under fire and lifted myself and 17 wounded Vietnamese paratroopers out for a 45 minute flight to the hospital!! They just kept telling the troops to keep piling them on! It was extraordinary!
The crew received DFCs for their action.
I could tell many "war stories" about helicopter crews and their bravery!
They are wonderful people and deserve much more credit and recognition!
God Bless 'em
"!The NVA had specialized units for hunting SOG teams." Not just the NVA if the rumors at that time were correct. I was told there was intel that some of these teams were Russian Spetnaz teams. I also heard a rumor about an unmarked helicopter like the ones flown by "cowboy" and the other VNAF guys picked up a recon team in FOB-1's area of operations,and that team was never heard from again. I was never sure if it was true or not,but after that I ALWAYS took a close look at the VN pilots flying any Kingbee I got into to make sure I recognized them.
Geez,that's awful sneaky of those bastards. Thanks for Everyones' service!
Damn you were there at the bitter end of the War.
I've heard a cool legend from my home where a prior Huey pilot became a pilot of a medical search and rescue type of helicopter and he was able to set that helicopter in places modern aviators would never even begin to consider. Those Vietnam pilots were extremely skilled
I happened to be at Washington hospital center when the metro train collision happened back in 2009 or 10. I could see the shock trauma center's landing pad from the window of the room where I was visiting someone and watched for about an hour as about a dozen helicopters landed one after another with injured passengers. At one point a park police uh 1 was just finishing unloading a patient when a medevac helicopter arrived, so the pilot lifted up over a set of power lines and lights and tucked himself into a small empty space to allow the other pilot to land. It must have been a faster option than a full departure take off, because he sat there about fifty feet off the grass while the other helicopter unloaded and took off, then moved back over the pad before making a full lift off to leave. Maybe there were other obstructions I couldn't see that limited his take off area, or something. But I understood that what he was doing was an extreme circumstances only type thing, something you don't see every day.
Did it happen to be Oregon?
@@jlw6030 no
Just sitting at home, listening to this, gets the pulse rate up. Well worth a listen. Hats off to those guys.
The story from those involved the jtac and man on the ground is on SOGCAST.
Quebec: "OKAY, TAKE OFF! Six more people on the ground."
The teamwork and selflessness exhibited in these recordings is incredible. You can tell by their voices they would do anything, including giving their own lives, to get those six soldiers onto a chopper and back to base.
White Lead: "Are they on yet?"
White Lead Crew Chief: "No.""
The frustration is palpable.
These were kids flying these damn things
My Uncle was a slick pilot in the 281st AHC in 67. He finally opened up to me about what he experienced about 3 years ago. I think it was because I was a UH-1 pilot in the US Army in the late 80s early 90s, and being in the Warrant Officer brotherhood.
Your uncle and the 281st. Supported B-52 Project Delta. They did the same thing as SOG only in Vietnam. Highly respected special operations unit. Your uncle is a hero. Doing the same thing as depicted in this video.
I served, but wasn't yet even born for a decade when this event happened...listening to this RT brings back some memories of my own from a different place and time. It brings tears to my eyes what folks like this did for our country and now to see the state our country has been brought to in 2022 by our so-called "leaders".....I'm sorry, I can't write any more... Thanks to all of you who put yourselves in harm's way for our once great country, you will never be forgotten
Growing up in New Zealand and living in Australia we heard how those pilots were INCREDIBLY brave and did amazing things to save our guys too. They are just as much part of our lore of the Vietnam war as they are of the US’s. incredible men always remembered.
9 Squadron RAAF spent a month at Plantation Army airfield, home of the 195th. AHC. The crews would drink with us in our EM club at night when not flying. Great chaps and great warriors. We would run unto them at fuel and rearm sites throughout III Corps after that. Thanks for watching.
Anzac
Roger that, Kiwi One, over.
@@mozdickson2nd that
The RAAF pilots at the beginning of the war were very much hampered by the political bureaucracy and needed clearance from very high up to be able to pick up troops in contact, needless to say they were not well liked at first. This of course changed as the war dragged on and by the end of the 'Vietnam Experience' they were hailed as angels.
Being one of the six left on the ground when the chopper pulled out had to be the most gut-wrenching feeling. I've read John Plaster and John Stryker Meyer' books and am in awe of these brave men and what they did.
Me too
As a non combat vet I’ll never truly understand what these men experienced but they have my undying respect. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Well I'd imagine it was much like what you've experienced only in a different place and period in time.
As an American I will never truly understand why these U.S. troops went there and invaded that country, doing attrocities and bombing civilians. The freedom fighters who beat them have my neverending respect and thanks, they cared about their people and independence.
@@bubblegumbabeface6629 soo "kinda like your experience but completely different"? Lol ok
@@Kriegerdammerung Wow what a stunning and brave comment
@@SledTillDeadThese are the same type of people who turn down vets when they mentioned their service in their interview and then complained when vets lost their job.
I've listened to SOG guys tell their stories and those stories made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. But listening to the radio transmissions and hearing just how intense these extractions were I have no words.
April 1970, RT Vermont, Laos, Delta 5 area below Leghorn. 18 hour running gun battle, I called for bringing fire on our position. Taking fire from three sides. Four Yards extracted at 6am. Four of us (Kinnear, Burkins, Hyak and Gai) unable to extract. Facing approximately two NVA companies. Air support: F4's, A1E Spads, Huey gunships and Cobras. Fucking chaos!
Pilots served up a text book firing on our position. We four are face down in a bomb crater. Enemy suppressed. Extracted. NVA over-ran crater as we lifted on ropes. Used every last .556 round (#600) on the mission. Soldier's Heart: An Inquiry of War by Lee Burkins. De Oppresso Liber. Living large now!
Lee thanks for sharing your story here. We are dedicated to the history MACV-SOG and their aviators. Here's to our fallen comrades and our MIA brothers, "Never Forgotten."
Kinnear used to carry a cut down M-14. The barrel was shortened and the butt stock cut off to a pistol grip. He was a good friend of mine when we were both on Okie,but were on different RT's,so we had different schedules and didn't get to talk much. I do remember one time hearing one of our medics,who was flying with a slick over the site where the RT he was with was surrounded and in danger of being overran because it was dark by then,and he told me they could tell where the RT was by the muzzle flashes from Kinnear's cut down M-14. Really tall redheaded guy that has long arms,long legs,and looked like he had maybe just landed from Scotland. IIRC,he married a Okie girl before going to VN TDY from the 1st SFG on Okie.
I was good friends with Kinnear on Okie,and we were both at CCS at the same time,but on different teams. I was PCS there,but I THINK he was one of the TDY teams from Okie. Was he still carrying his cut-down M-14 with the pistol grip when you knew him? I was on radio watch on Leghorn one night when he and the team he was on then were surrounded and came damn close to being over ran,. By the time night fell,Kinnear was the only one of the team that was still mobile. Everybody else was imobile from wounds. Can't remember now who was on the Brightlight team that went it to get them,but he was laughing as he told me they had no trouble finding Kinnear because every time he let off a burst,that M-14 lit up the jungle. This was probably sometime in early 69. How a target as big as that Scotsman could avoid being shot to rags while lit up at night from that cut-down M-14 as he ran from position to positon to suppress enemy fire will forever remain a mystery to me. Truth to tell,I honestly felt like he earned a MoH that night,but since everybody was shot up and medi-evaced but him,there was never any paperwork put forward. That happened a LOT in SOG.
My dad and uncle served in Vietnam 67-71 marines,my uncle died in a helicopter crash,then in 1999 I joined the marines in 2004 went to Iraq and Afghanistan until 2015 discharged in 2016,1 RST MARINE RAIDER BATTALION MARSOC DET 1
It's weird everything in this world is constantly changing but the sounds of war stay the same,The Vietnam era men were tough real warriors
I was just a little boy enjoying life when these men were going through this, listening to this audio I hear the urgency ,the professionalism,the dedication, the bravery,the selflessness in their voices , I am in awe, thank you gentlemen 🇺🇸
MACV-SOG and their entire air support crews, as well as the indig forces they fought with were the absolute definition of built different. These guys stories are absolutely insane.
An incredible piece of history! Thank you for sharing!
True Heros . I got chills listening to this and I've never been in the military but understand and appreciate these men. The bravery and honor they display should never go untold . God bless warriors like these men
What were they doing in Laos anyways?
Missions, Sir.
@@DanSlotea - Do a little research, read some books.
The men who ran missions "across the fence", and the air crews that supported them, are some of the bravest men to have served. Many never got any recognition and many more never came home.
@@Charlie-zy1hg Don't tell me they were defending 'murica!
As for the books I've read, it was something about Air America and some poppy fields.
@@DanSlotea it was part of a secret war . Collecting Intel
All I can say is WOW! This happened over and over again. Mission after mission... Thank you all for doing what you did!
Whilst I served 9 yrs in the Australian SAS Regiment, I missed Vietnam by the slimmest of margins (3 weeks). One of the many things I recall from our training prior to being sent north was the bravery of the 9 Sqn (RAAF) and American aviators in carrying out their roles, there was just massive respect from all who went to Vietnam. Nothing less than total commitment.
They shared our airfield at Plantation for about a month in early 1968. Had many a beer with those lads at night after work.
Good on ya mate!
You should consider the bravery of the Vietnamese troops (North) and the freedom fighters (Vietcong) who beat the U.S. troops invading their country. Trusting in AKMSs and outdated rifles they fared against top notch military equipment. Kudos to them, mate.
@@Kriegerdammerung some years ago i spent the night at the home of a former NVA soldier and his Russian speaking Vietnamese wife in rural north west Vietnam. He forced us to do shots of homemade spirits all night, and his young granddaughter did some translations. Fed us all his best food and got us a refund at the local hotel where we had already paid and where our bags were at. He showed us his wounds and he said he was an anti aircraft gunner in Laos who shot down US bombers. Gave me the perspective they were just defending their land..all people are good when u get to know them.
@@hanoitripper1809 Yes! I tell my kids that the Vietcong and Vietnamese army were the "good guys" and I always refer to them as "freedom fighters" (Nothing like Charlie).
As I wrote before, my utmost respect and gratitude goes to them for their service.
To all the Vietnam vets here a real great big thank you for your service and to the men who died in this battle you will not be forgotten 😢rest in peace
Viet was one of the most disgusting war crimes ever commited by america, and they still lost the war
Thank you for your work on S.O.G. Prairie Fire. My friends and I finally finished the campaign, and even after knowing the contents of this audio clip, hearing it play as the forest passes beneath you while the Slicks fly you back to base brought so many chills. It brought me out of my seat as an unapologetic reminder that war isn't a video game, or a TV show or news broadcast that happens in some far off lands. It's a reality, and I wouldn't wish that upon anyone.
It's amazing anybody survived in this environment. Wow. I am humbled.
Thank you men and women who served and gave so much in VietNam, Laos and Cambodia. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
More and more Vietnam historical videos interviews and recordings are hitting the web. Its been a long wait.
Thank you You tubers for providing these Historical heroic and exciting posts....
My dad was a tracked vehicle mechanic in South Vietnam. Went up to the Laos border. Thanks for the upload.
You can't help but admire the courage and professionalism of these guys. Thank you for the video. For anyone interested in MACV-SOG and Prairie Fire Missions, I can't recommend John Stryker Meyer's books enough.
Tilt Meyer is a friend of mine and his books are very good. John Plaster Delta Papa Three, the covey rider in this video has a book SOG that is very good also. Thanks for watching.
Jocko podcast also has some really good episodes with tilt and another SOG guy
@@hughescrewchief836 I'm glad that these recordings survived and that you have the ability to share this.
@Slam Adams Thank you it truly is a look into the history of helicopter special operations in Vietnam.
Spent several missions running in and out of both Cambodia and Laos. In our briefings we were always told don't get shot or killed because you are on your own. I look back today and still can't believe I'm still alive.
The cobra attack helicopter is such an awesome timeless machine! Love it
What these people had to endure, day after day, is beyond imagination. How they could cope without going mad is beyond me. Greetings from Portugal.
Wow thank you for letting us experience this recording I'm thankful for everyone that was involved in the secret war and the vietnam conflict as a whole!
After reading about this so much in dozens of books its crazy to hear real audio. Amazing men
I have read Chickenhawk by Robert Mason over and over again. Each time I discover something that I missed before. I was there through 69/70! These pilots were Heroes! Thank you all!
Finally got my dad to confirm what I had to surmise in the past. His exploits flying personnel into places over the fence are harrowing. His TL;DR? "I flew a lot of strange people to a lot of strange places." I was a cold warrior so this was already a memory by the time I went in. Thank you for taking us along for the ride.
I've read a lot about these SOG dudes and the badass pilots that flew them around. The stories are incredible. Climbing ladders hanging from choppers out of a hot pickup zone is the tip of the iceberg.
Thank you to all the men and women who answered the call.
Yeah, can you imagine going up against all that American firepower with just an AK and punji sticks? Did the Vietcongs even get paid? But they stepped up to fight and liberate their country.
Weren't a bunch of them drafted against their will to continue that pointless war long after it was already lost?
Weren't a bunch of them drafted against their will to continue that pointless war long after it was already lost?
My great grandfather served in WWI and my grandfather lied about his age to join the Army TWO YEARS BEFORE PEARL HARBOR and served in the Air Force for 28 years. I served just over 4 years before getting injured in a training accident right after Desert Storm. God bless all the Vietnam veterans.
And here we sit all comfy on our phones listening in. Crazy
Thank you for your service and sacrifice.
Back in the 70's I worked construction with Vets who had recently returned from Nam. Many were a crazy bunch of guys, reckless almost. They had a fuck safety attitude. They would get into arguments with each other at the drop of a hat. Lunch time for them was a run to the liquor store and smoking weed in the truck. Every single one of them had a loaded .45 in the glovebox. The guys that flew Hueys were different. They were kind of aloof. They had cooler heads and didn't get angry. They didn't drink their lunch and do stupid shit. After work they were the heavy drinkers. They had .45's in the glove box too.
To listen to those guys work talking like they gotta hurry but they gotta maintain their bearing all the while the world is trying to kill you. Those men didnt fail the country. The country failed those men.
By sending them there.
@@ewokshoterz Why do you say that?
@@kcbroncohater Because the reasons and history of why the Vietnam war even happened are messy. Brave men doing what they needed to do, but those men shouldn't have had to do it.
@@rocketman3046 the time when Americans were finally starting to become palpably uncomfortable with our own imperialism. Bless these men for fighting, but God knows they shouldnt have. Most didnt even know what they were fighting for
Vietnam and Laos are brutal govts, they still mistreat the Hmong and other mountain people. I understand it's like Afghanistan, the military won battles but politicians lost the war
I've spent so many years looking for battlefield transmissions. THANK YOU UPloader ⚡⚡⚡👍
Man, I don't even want to imagine what it would be like.
Thank you for sharing this. God bless,
I was in the Army with a soldier from RT Alabama. I wish I knew then what I know now so I could have picked his brain a bit and listen to what he had to say. Unfortunately, he passed away in 2012. RIP Phil H.
May all who served there and left blood or their lives on the battlefield never be forgotten!
Michael Warner United states Army a shau valley two tours
Walter Worthington United states Marine corps Khe San one tour
Both were my uncles
Thank you ALL for your service!
This is incredible. Ive read SOG by plaster twice. But to hear the real voices is truly humbling.
From a young man born in 79. I've never known war, thank you most sincerely. KIA KAHA. Stand tall.
Growing up I knew very little about my grandfather's time over there aside from small things about how they had much tastier rice and so on lol. Last weekend he actually mentioned what his unit was and I learned what his callsign was. Reading up on MacV Sog the last couple of days made me realize how impressive his life truly has been. He's still alive, we had some bourbon and shot the shit last weekend
what was his call sign?
@@anth8945 Romeo
Outstanding. Those are some real men right there.
Many of them no older than 19
I'd recommend the book Da Nang Dairy by Tom Yarborough. It's about him recounting the time he spent as a FAC in Vietnam. These men answered the call to serve and did it with courage.
Great book to read. Thanks for watching
Wow this was 5 years before i was even born 😳 What an incredible piece of archive footage.
That recording was very interesting it gives some idea about the team work involved in an extraction. I remember reading years ago about an Australian veteran who was a helicopter pilot fighting fires. He actually said that he felt more scared fighting fires than his time in Vietnam. It was due to the fact he could in some way avoid enemy fire. When fighting fires though the trees had a tendency to explode and being so low it was pretty hairy.
Flown over those jungles in Laos and been on the ground for work. Impenetrable, inhospitable terrain and climate. Boiling hot one minute, rock hard clay, monsoon rains that go for hours, and impassable mud the next. Not to mention the wild-life that would love to nibble on you, and nowadays, un-exploded ordinance everywhere...
After listening to Tilt's SOG Cast, and of course to Tilt's multiple interviews, this recording adds another dimension to the retelling of those stories.
Thank you for watching. Adding this dimension to the SOG story is why we spent the hours to transcribe this radio traffic. It took a team of dedicated aviators and SOG operators to bring these brave men home. We dedicate it to our fallen comrades and their families.
I am just a simple student of history from the UK, but this recording is confirmation of the thoughts I had when I was first learning about the Vietnam conflict in detail as a teenager (i turned 37 this year).
I cannot imagine the adaptability and wide reaching perspective it must have taken in order to fly those missions and the men who did so truly have nothing but my deepest and sincerest admiration and respect for not only their remarkable talent but, even more so, their unyielding bravery.
I cannot even begin to imagine what revery the men evacuated and rescued must have had for you, but every ounce of it was entirely deserved.
I am in awe of you all.
just listen to this whole interview on John Sryker Meyers SOG podcast from the guy that was there. Pretty amazing stuff
Tilt!
I was in Afghanistan and Iraq and it’s crazy just being able to listen to air/ground chatter and pretty much follow what’s going on. Our thing, infantry, was getting an AF pilot overheard and if it was a female just hearing that voice made a difference.
I’m fascinated. How or what difference was made by it being a female voice?
@@anthonysteen56 hearing a female talk was just “hot” to us lol. Something about a stressful situation and hearing a woman’s voice was kinda soothing.
Like the famous Angel 😇 of Death in Afghanistan. Female Specture gunship pilot.
Man that was intense. Thank You Guys. All of You.
Insane. Thanks for posting Don
You bet
I was born well after Vietnam but the war, particularly SOG, has always captured my attention. It's surreal to hear real radio traffic after having only read about the RTs in books.
My father was a usmc radio man 71’
His chopper had a malfunction and had to land. For 10 hours 2 pilots, a crew chief (gunner) 3 marines including my father all waited in the late evening/ night. Eventually a SOG team found them and escorted them out. Dad said they made one last call and had to destroy the radios and map. Smoked their cigs before dark so the enemy “couldn’t smoke em’ tomorrow” worst night of his 250 day in country.
Rip
As a SOG Brightlight mission, recovering g downed airmen was a normal part of a SOG recon teams life. If you are interested check out the specialoperations.org website you may be able to find the surviving team members who save your fathers life way back then.
God bless them and thankyou for your sevice.
Born in 70 sorry you didn't get the welcome back. Welcome home gentlemen and thank you from the bottom of my heart
Not a cuss/swear word to be heard, nor any panic. Clear, concise and calm RATEL while taking heavy enemy fire in a hairy situation. True professionals.
i was a crew chief myself the only thing worse than dying for crew members of a huey was letting the crew down. i got my cherry popped at a place called vehgle on the ridge overlooking the ashau valley. i was third ship in two ship lz first two land second ship shot down the whole gaggle had to reset for a one ship lz. on short final approach i could see the huey being shot up on the ground and in my mind i could see an nva soldier firing his rifle and blowing my head off. if i would have had urine or feces i would have vented both i was terrified.
oops sent to soon! 🤣 anyway all this happened in a split second and i thought ok i’m going to die very soon but rather than scream and cry i’ll go out doing my job, and that’s what i did it was never that bad again because i chose to die rather than be a coward. a man named tom hacker in the bird behind me was shot in the head and died that day, we named the aircraft hanger after him.
Never Forgotten
As a Army Vet 73-76 , this was an awesome audio video. Everyone involved in this op had their shit together, buttoned up crew, land and air !
We are way pass this event i pray that these warriors went on and enjoyed successful and happy lives .
Thank You Hughes Crew chief !
Awesome. Great example of the chaos of combat. This gives you just a little idea of what it's like on the ground.
My friends father was MAC V SOG with HMLA-367 Scarface Huey Gunship with 966 combat missions. His name was Col. Frank Cuddy USMC he earned 3 Distinguished Flying Crosses and should have won the MOH during the extraction of Jimmy Stewart's step son at Operation American Beauty. Instead he won the Distinguished Flying Cross for his support. He spoke about that frequently because he lost his friend during the operation and knew he was alive well into the 1980s.
Imagine going through all this and then coming home to people who don't care or worse still hate you for being there.
Speaking for myself only,I didn't give a rabid rats ass WHAT they thought. I didn't do my tour to please them.
I mean I'm not a native but shit, I can't even focus on video games and have a normal conversation at the same time, I either focus on the game and talk gibberish or formulate eloquent sentences while playing like a moron. Meanwhile these guys process these radio transmissions that are really difficult to understand and do their job as a helicopter crew. That stuff humbles me so much.
Greetings to my brothers in arms on the other side of the big pond from a skinny german kid who never even held a real gun in his hands before. Thanks for your service!
Good observation. The difference is that your life and the lives of others aren’t on the line while playing video games.
You can either do it,or you don't run missions anymore. Being clear and concise when talking on a radio while trying to get extracted under fire is VERY important.
I was at a BBQ last summer and one of my sister-in-law's best friends was there and she brought her parents along with her. At some point, somebody mentioned her dad was a Vietnam vet and something about helicopters. Well, me being the aircraft nerd that I am struck up a conversation with him and I said something like, "You flew on the UH-1?" I honestly just figured he'd respond with an affirmative and that would have been the end of it, but I think he was surprised to hear me say "UH-1" - it's not like your average person knows what a Huey is, let alone the military designation for one. In any case, turns out he was a UH-1 Crew Chief and he ended up talking about it the entire rest of the party with me. Afterwards, his daughter told me that she was surprised because he almost NEVER talks about it to anyone. Some of the stuff he told me was absolutely crazy. Nothing but respect for those guys.
Just finished reading Chickenhawk a few days ago. This provided some excellent additional insight and I am glad for it. Thanks men.
Your next read should be Da Nang Diary that was written by a Prarie Fire OV-10 FAC pilot.
Thank you for your service. Some of us understand what you did
How the pilots remain cool under fire is amazing. It would be helpful to explain who all the call signs are.
Tango Papa is the team on the ground. Delta Papa is the FAC with Covey Rider John Plaster. Panther is the Cobra Gunships. White is the slick aircraft and crews. Hope this helps give you insight into how complex air operations in Vietnam were. Thanks for watching.
I think the
cobra is from the 361st AWC. Pink Panthers.
@sonny We think so also. We reached out to their webmaster when making this video. They did not reply. We would still love to hear from them.
The Air Force Pilots Prayer that was told to the AF jet jockeys - God grant me the eyes of an eagle, the judgment of an owl, the quickness of a hummingbird, the reflexes of a cat, the radar of a cave bat, the heart of a bull, and the balls of an army helicopter pilot
You remain cool,or you die. It really is as simple as that.
Thank you, for what you did for our country, you gave all
The audio of just listening to the guy on the m-60 non stop hammering for what feels like minutes straight is nutty
God Bless you Vietnam Veterans!
What pisses me off is how these young men are so insanely focused on the task at hand, putting 100% of their mind, body, & soul into this....while a bunch of old guys who sent them to war are sitting safe & sound 10,000 miles away
While some of the guys who aent them there were idiots, some had been in foxholes in Europe or the Pacific a quarter century before in similar situations. Cut the crap.
@@brianmccarthy5557 then you'd think they'd know better.
@@egomaniac247 They do but war is always messy.
@@egomaniac247 Are you a professional fool,or is this just a hobby?
@@lazaruslong6382 just a hobby
I served in Vietnam with the U.S. Army in 1969. God bless those Huey pilots. If not for them I wouldn't be typing this at the ripe old age of 75. Thank you for your service. This film clip gives you an idea of the chaos, but you had to be there to truly understand how bad it was at times.
Huey aircrews were proud to do our part to save lives. Many good men are alive today because we risked our lives back then. Thanks for watching.
@@hughescrewchief836And I would like to think I'm one of those 'good men' who is alive today because of those brave men. Saving (or trying their best to save) my fellow soldiers and I while under heavy mortar fire was bravery I think about every time I look at the scars I have all over my body.
I just listened/watched an almost 3 hr interview with John Plaster. He recounts this story (among others). Fascinating. I've read his book SOG twice - a must read. He mentioned this audio was on YT so I searched it up. Glad I did.
Yes many of the stories in his book, SOG are 195th. missions like Bill Deacy, Bryan Stockdale, Jerry "Mad Dog" Shriver etc. It is easy to get the 20th SOS and 195th aircraft mixed. Our friends in the 20th. SOS would sneak out to the flightline at night and paint the Green Hornet on 195th. tailbooms. To the consternation of 195th. Crew Chief's who would emeadiatly clean them off with solvent in the morning. Some missions we worked together with their gunships. All in support of CCS Recon teams.
Our Vietnam Veterans -- America's Greatest Generation. God bless you all.
#neverforget #vietnam #afghanistan
I am a non-combat US Army veteran of the Col War. What I see in this video is almost unimaginable from my experience. The adrenaline, fear, confusion and "Fog of War" must be simultaneously intensely exciting and terrifying.
I served two years active duty with the 2nd Armored Division at Fort Hord and four years active reserve duty in Southern California.
Our Reserve unit was given deployment orders during the first Gulf War, however we didn't go.
God had a different plan for me and my fellow soldiers in that Unit.
I have mad respect for your experiences and service.
The expert comradeship, machine operations and raw courage exhibited in this historical event are legendary and apropos to all that served as brothers in this theatre.
Heroes! Our Country at one time had heroes, hard to believe in today's world. Thank you all for your service
HEROS!
And the way these brave men were treated is shameful. They deserve our thanks and total respect.
Thanks for video. Was assigned to 145th Combat Avn. Bn. 68th AHC, 190th AHC.
That brought chills! Those guys are True Heroes!!!
Well done those men, Salute. 🇦🇺🇺🇸
ruclips.net/video/7Xv854XQ1_E/видео.html skip to 2:12:00 for the story but that guy was the covey rider aka Delta Papa 3 on that mission. He was doing a Prairie Fire for RT Hawaii which he was the 1-0 for until he got injured and became a covey rider. Then he picked up comms from RT Colorado and that’s when the recording starts
Yes! That guy is John "Plastic Man" Plaster. We are both good friends of John "Tilt" Stryker-Meyer and members of the Special Operations Association. Thanks for watching.
Just incredible to listen to, brave men. Leave no man behind. That end music goes so well with the clip
One of the most powerful moving Documentary I can remember seeing
1971 I was a military dependent living off base housing every couple of weeks Dad would have to go " Stay At the Base " Fort Buckner Okinawa.
He would Tell Me Listen to Your Mom
Be Good to Your Sister . Well Go Spear Fishing When I get Back . Which We Did ...
But I didn't know. Or I was just a naive kid
Hoping to go fishing with my Dad .
Which We Did. . Dad Passed away on his Native Island of Purto Rico Mid 1980s
He lived to see his Grand Children.
The only reason I am writing all this is
I have grown to realize that other Men
Have made great Sacrifices . So that Staff Sargent H Bravo USMC 22rd FORCE RECON I Surmise . Could come home and take his Son Fishing. Which We Did . Thank You
Sincerely Mark Eric. Bravo .
Thank you all for your service.
I couldn't imagine trying to climb those ladders up to a moving helo. And then hanging on for dear life as the flew out....my God.
No kidding, that had to be real hard to do.
They had gear to hook themselves to the ladder so the chopper didn't have to wait for them to climb while taking fire. There was a photo of this at some point during the recording.
They hook themselves to the ladders with snap links. When they get back to the launch site,they are so cold they can't operate their hands or legs,so the team at the launch site getting ready to go in meets the choppers and "catches" these guys as the choppers hover,unhook them,and carry them off the landing strip. They warm up pretty quickly once unhooked at the launch site.
@@lazaruslong6382 thanks
@@aaronthompson192 thanks