During the year 1967 the 119th had many varied missions. These missions ran the gambit from direct support of II Corps, support of the 25th Infantry Division, 4th Infantry Divisions. and various RVN units, to classified missions for the 5th Special Force.
The opening of 1967 found the 119th in support of the 25th Infantry Division. The 119th was bivouaced at Lane AAF and was flying daily as a whole company. The commitment for this period was 13 troop carrier aircraft(slicks), and 5 armed helicopters(guns). The remainder of the company stayed at Camp Holloway to support II corps on the local missions.
3 Jan- 12 Feb. The 25 Infantry Division was the main participant in opperation THAYNR II. This comsisted of many troop movements and combat assaults(C/A). The 119th was the main troop carrier during this operation.
13 Feb-27 Mar. The name of the game had changed but the players remained the same. The division participated in operation Pershing, This operation was mainly moving the division fire based. But, to set up a fire base, the area had to be reasonably secure.The 119th carried the load again, First the assualt troops were moved in on the C/A's, then the fire bases set up and resupplied. During this 3 month period the 119th moved over 40,000 passengers and flew 8,000 hours.
The end of March found the 119th back at Camp Holloway, Flying the II Corps area. The company was spread this over many varied missions.
Several of these missions were of a classified nature; operations OMEGA and PRAIRE FIRE were for the 5th Special Forces out of Dak To and FOB-2.
28 Mar- 5 May. Operation PRAIRE FIRE. While the 119th was on this mission Alligator 616 (slick) was lost. The aircraft was a total loss but the crew was brought out shaken but uninjured.
13 Apr-16 May. Operation OMEGA. This operation ran concurrently with PRAIRE FIRE but cost the 119th much more. On 6 May Crocodile 596 was lost with 3 KIA. WO Pullington(A/C),WO Kearney (P), and SP/4 Gupton(G) were lost supporting other ships of the 119th in a hot LZ.
These were two classified missions of the 119th. While these operations were going on the rest of the company flew resupply, C&C, and recon missions in the II Cors area.
Starting on the last of May the 119th was directed to support the 4th Infantry Division. After the end of operation OMEGA the normal commitment to the 4th was 13 troop carriers and 5 armed ships. While supporting the 4th Division the 119th participated in many combat assaults, tactical troop moves and resupply missions, in addition to the normal suport given to II Corps and its units. The following is a break down of some of these missions for both 4th Division and II Corps.
2Jul FAITHFUL EAGLE. The company moves tropps of the 1/8 Infantry. This combat assault for the 4th Division was the first of many.
3 July. ARVN Rangers, 24 th ,attached to the 4th Division were used to clear and set up a fire base. The 119th, using 5 slicks, started to move the 8th bn,24th STZ, at 1500 hours. The mission was completed before dark.
5 Jul Classified mission, WING DROP, with 2troop carriers and 2 armed ships along the border.
8 Jul The 119th supported the 5th Special Forces on a G-1 mission, a combat assault for the 173rd ABN near Dak To, and a third mission in the same area for the 2/503 ABN.
9 Jul A glorified C&C mission, HM-1, using 5 trooops carriers and 6 armed helicopters for a escort, The honorable Mr Wernke, Under Secretary of the Army, ADJ Sharp,CC of the Pacific, Gen Abrams, and Gen Peers, toured the 4th Division area of operations.
10 Jul Mission B-2. This mission got off to a late start. The reason for this was, the mission of the day before was not released until 1045 hours on the 10th. Utilizing commanders do not seem to be aware that the aircraft have to have maintenance pulled after missions and that they are not the only units we are flying for, Although mission B-2 was off late, the move of the 24th STZ, on a combat assault, was well done.
This brief rundown of 6 different missions in July shows some of the problems encountered in the first three months supporting the 4th Division. The second half of the year, also spent in support of the 4th Infantry Division, seemed to run much smother. After using commanders became aware that the company had to have time down for maintenance and that the aircraft could not fly 24 hours a day, missions became a little more manageable. Commanders started having the troops load on time; all loads were rigged and ready to go, and in general, they started using the 119th as it should have been used from the start.
During the second half of the year the normal missions for the 119th were usually one or two troop moves a day, plus the many administrative and resupply missions, not to mention the many combat assaults. The following log shows only the high points of these missions in detail.
1-23 Aug Normal missions in support of the 4th Infantry Division and II Corps.
24 Aug During the day of the 24th, 2 ships from the 119th were damanged. The armed ships, Crocodile 582 and 560 were on a mission near Duc Co. Crocodile 582 was shop up on this mission and had to be left at Duc Co over night for repairs. Crocodile 560 had a near miss by friendly artillary, the windshield was blown in and the right door was buckled, but the ship was flown back to camp Holloway.
At 1500 hours Alligator Control was notified that Alligator 526, a troop carrier, had crashed in the river west of Kontum. At the time of the crash there were nine people on board. The 38th Air Rescue picked op 4 survisors, WO Harrison A/C, WO Witherall(P), Sgt Maj. Ulps(from the 4th Division), and a red cross girl. They were taken to the FOB-2 dispensary at Kontum and later to the 18th Surgical Hospital.
25 Aug Continued search for the remaining passengers and crew of the Gator 526. Air search, gtound troops and Navy divers were used, but to no avail. Gator 526 cannot be found, 5 persons MIA
26 Aug. The 119th moves a Vietnamese Mike force into a hot LZ. After 20 minutes of artillery prep, and flying with an air cap, the 119th took no hits.
Aug. 27,28,29. Normal missions for the 119th.
30 Aug. Another combat assault for the 4th Division. Using 7 Alligators and 4 Crocodiles for air cover, the 119th moves the 3rd/8th.
1 Sep Normal missions plus another combat assault for the IVY men. This time it.s an extraction for the 3rd/12th. 8 Gators with 5 Crocs for air cover carried out 110 troops in 29 sorties. Later in the day the 119th was notified that a body was found near the crach site of Gator 526 but the body could not be identified.
2 Sep. The other companies of the 3rd/8th are moved by the 119th. The 9 Gators and 4 Crocs move 120 troops in 28 sorties.
3 Sep. At approximately 1300 hours the 119th the 119th was notified that Gator 373 was down. It crashed and burned near Jackson,s hole. WO Bosley, A/C, and WO DANIEL were killed in the crash, but positive identification was not made untill the next day. The crew chief and gunner, SP4 Klimick and SP4 Allen were evacauated to the 18th Surgical Hospital.
6-7 Sep Besides the normal missions, two of the Crocs flew escort for a comvoy of the 173rd AVN.
8-12 Sep Most missions of the 119th are delayed due to weather.
13 Sep More combat assaults, 6 different lifts, one after another. Seven Alligators with four Crocodiles for air cover moved (1) A Co,3rd/8th a combat asualt, 138 troops moved in 23 sorties,(2)A final extraction for C Co, 3rd/8th, 120 troops pulled out in 20 sorties,(3) Another combat assault, B Co, 3rd/18th, 121 troops in 20 sorties,(4) A combat assault for B Co, 3rd/18th, 147 troops in 25 sorties, (5)An insertion of a Mike force near Plei Nrong, 84 troops in 12 sorties.(6) A final extraction for the 5th Special Forces, 169 troops in 28 sorties. After a hord day, the 119th had made 128 sorties without taking a round.
14-21 Sep Normal missions for the 119th.
22 Sep. Back to work with a combat assault, The 119th had a Mike force insert on, There was supposed to be a 15 minute artillery prep, but the lead ship had to make a go around because the artillery did not stop on time. Once into the LZ we received enemy fire from a ridge line, To the southeast, After 5 of the Crocs expended on the ridge line, we received no more fire.
28 Sep At 1200 hours all ships of the 119th were called to the Phu Hiep area for a lift on the 29th.
29 Sep The 119th, with 14 Alligators and 5 Crocodiles, has a combat assault for the 2nd/503rd of the 173rd ABN Inf.Artillery, tac air, and the armed helicopters gave the LZ a 2 hour prep. In 32 sorties 432 passengers were moved into the LZ. All ships returned to Camp Holloway the next morning.
30 Sep-5 Oct Normal missions in support of the 4th Division. Most missions are delayed due to the weather.
6 Oct At 1355 Crocodile 139 crashed and burned off the west end of the runway. Lt Sciance, Pilot, WO Rodgers, A/C Sp4 Doblejeff and SP4 Larson all got out with minor injuries. The aircraft lost power on take-off and was a total loss.
7-11 Oct Normal missions for the 119th.
12 Oct The 119th participated in a combat assault with the 170th Assault Helicopter Company. A total of 22 troop carriers and 8 Armed ships were used in the lift. The combined companies moved the 1st/12th and the 1st/22nd of the 4th Infantry Division.
13-21 Oct The 119th shiips were used in support of other helicopter companies on combat assaults throughout the 4th Division area of operations. This is in addition to then normal missions of the 119th.
22 Oct Our turn to be supported by other units. The 119th had 11 troops carriers, but only ! armed ship, the 170th AHC provided 3 additional armed ships on the combat assaults of the 22nd. In 12 sorties, 60 troops were moved from the 1st/12th ,light enemy fire recieved, but no hits, no losses. Later in the day, 1530 hrs, another combat assault, C Co 1st/12th, 12 sorties into a 4 ship LZ. Recieved enemy fire for a second time in a day, still no hits, no losses. That night 5 troop carriers and ! Armed ship RON at DAK TO.
23,24,25 Oct Normal missions, resupplying the 4th Div. At Dak To 5 troops carriers RON. At Kontum 2 of the armed ships remained over night in support of the 5th Special Froces At FOB-2.
26 Oct. A final extraction for the 3rd/12th, 10 troops carriers with 3 armed ships, moved troops back to Jackson,s hole,after the lift the 119th returned to the normal supply missions for the 4th Division.
27 Oct-2 Nov Back to normal missions for the 119th. Support of the 4th Div.,resupply, aerial recon, and administrative troop moves.
3 Nov Using 5 troop carriers, the 119th moved 2 units of the 4th Div. A co, 1st/12th had 120 troops moved out of Jackson,s hole to set up a fire base, B Co of the same unit had 90 troops moved into the oasis. Enemy fire was received on both moves but with no hits. It started to seem like there was a war going on, this was a preview of things to come.
4-9 Nov Back to normal missions for the 119th.
10 Nov Croc 594 was part of the air cover for a combat assault, at 0930 hours, it was hit with 20 or 37 mm HE round. It was hit just aft of the fuel cell, the shell blew the tail boom off. The ship crashed into trees that were about 150 feet tall. WO Hewitt, the A/C, and WO Chase, The pilot were pinned in the wreckage, SP/5 Thompkins and SP/4 Wilcox were thrown clear before the aircraft his the ground. Alligator 521 hovered down 50 feet below the tree level but could not land. 521 then lowered a rope to SP/4 Wilcox and pulled him out to another area.He was set down in a bomb crater, the crew chief, SP/4 Vergil, repelled down the rope and cleared a area for the 521 to land. Gator 521 landed and took Wilcox internally and cleared a area to land. 519 completed much of the same operation to the north with tompkins. Gator 519 pulled him out of the crash site on a rope, set him down in a clear area, then landed and took him internally. This whole operation was carried out with only Aligator 540, with door guns, for aerial cover. Shortly after these operations were completed, Dust off 23 was on the seen, they lowered a medic and the crew chief to the crash site. By this time Croc 594 was on fire and ammunition was ezploding, the medics pulled out WO Hewitt but Wo Chasecoud not be found, WO Hewitt had to be put into a basked and raised into the Dust Off aircraft. The three people pulled out were taken to the 71st Evac Hosp, but the body of WO Chase was never recovered. Later, on the way to the states in a Med Evac aircraft, WO Hewitt died, This day cost the 119th 1 KIA, 1MIA, and 2 seriously injured.
11 Nov At approximately 1300 hrs, B and C Co 3rd/8th started moving south west to secure the crash site of Croc 594. They came into heavy enemy contact and for the next 24 hrs they took many casualities. Among these were the B Co Commander. WO'sDrury and Thybony in Gator 534 and WO's Bulger and Breedlove in Gator 517 started med evac from their small ship LZ. This started at 2200 hrs and went until 1400 hrs. Small arms fire, mortar and rocket attacks covered the LZ the whole time. Gun cover was not available after 0100 hrs, although an Air Force plane did drop flares for the two ships to get in and out of the LZ.
12-18 Nov. Back to normal missions for the 119th.
19 Nov. Alligator 371, while flying recon, took 15-25 hits from automatic weapons, but was able to return with no casualities.
23 Nov. While on a combat assault for the 173 rd ABN, Gator 522 was hit in the tail rotor and went down in the LZ. After a successful landing it had to be slung out after the LZ was secure.
23 Nov A final extraction for A and B Co 3rd/12th. After 40 sorties no fire was received.
24 Nov The day started with a combat assault for the 1st/12th. Gator 180 took about 8 rounds of automatic weapons fire while coming out of the LZ. No casualities and 180 was still flying. Shortly after Gator 374 took hits, SP/4 Virgil is hit in the leg. Later the same day the 119th had to help in a TAC-E for the 5th Special Forces. Finishing 20 soties just after dark, the 119th takes no enemy fire.
25 Nov. This day marks the start of a classified mission for the 119th with the 5th Special Forces out of FOB-2 at Kontum. This mission was to show the 119th that Charlie was not to be laughed at. Most parts of the mission were classified but to give an idea of what happened, unclassified sections of the log can be exsposed. We had the mission of insertion small recon teams into classified areas and then on a later date extracting the team. If the teams got into trouble, we extracted them early, thus making us prime targets. The following points out how much of a target we were during these insertions and extractinos.
4 Dec Flying out of FOB-2 Gator,s 516 and 519 took minor hits from automatic weapons.
6 Dec Gator 516 is hit in the tail boom while coming out of the LZ.
7 Dec Groc 560 takes rounds through the main rotor blade while putting a team into a LZ.
8 Dec Gator 521 takes rounds through the windchield, WO Howard wounded slighty.
10 Dec. Gator 525 takes rounds through the main rotor blade.
12 Dec Alligator 516 and Crocodile 582 are both shot down, the crews are extracted with no magor injuries, but , both aircraft must be destroyed by TAC Air. On the same mission Gator 535 was shot up in the belly and the nose section. WO Beauregard was wounded but was able to bring the ship back. Gator's 533 and 521 also take hits but are not seriously damaged. Croc 590 also took several large calibre hits but was able to return to Dak To without #2 Hydraulic system.
14 Dec Still in support of the 5th Special Forces. Alligator 591 takes rounds in the chin bubble and tail boom. Althrough shot up,it is brought back with no casualties.
16 Dec Charlie comes up with some new tactics. Alligators 517 and 521 land on mines in the lz.Gator 517 had the right skid split. Gator 521 had plexiglass damage and punctures in the belly. Both aircraft were brought back with no casualties.
21 Dec Aligator 371 takes rounds in the main rotor blades, windsheld and engine compartment. WO Carrigan was wounded, but brings the ship back for repairs.
26 Dec Gator 207 had a engine failure south of Kontum. WO Witherall,A/C, made a successftl autorotation to a road and the aircraft and the crew were recovered.
30 Dec CPT Martin, A/C and WO Vasseur,P, in 685 are wounded on a C/A for FOB-2. Both recovered and are flying soon afterward for the Crocs.
This FOB mission was to continue well into the new year. These extracts from the missions, in the month of December, were an example of the type of flying the 119th performed for the Special Forces. The 119th acompliched these missions with such professionalism that they earned a reputation in the Kontum area, that they would go anywhere and do anything, Some time later the men of the 119th, looking back, could not believe some of the things they accomplished themselves.
31 Dec The members of the Special Forces teams at FOB-2 showed their appreciation of man jobs well done with a New Years Eve party that kept most of the aviators grounded the next day.