After I left the 119th (Sept.'70)I went to the 170th AHC at Kontum and crewed a slick. At that time FOBII was called Command Control Central (CCC). The 170th was assinged as the air asset for CCC until the end of Jan.'71 (not positive of the date),thats when the SOG guys turned their compound over to the ARVN Rangers.Without a doubt the term "brass balls" described the guys at SOG. We were using 2 or 3 slicks plus a C&C slick, 4 cobras (Pink Panthers from the 336th at Pleiku) and either A1E Sky Raiders (VNAF) or Phantoms as extra help. Our C models were not assigned to cover us on those missions normally. The 336th had the routine down pat. They would put the 20mm,7.65mm and 17 pounds HE's very close to us, usually because that is where it was needed. The A1E's carried the 250lb bombs, 20mm and on occassion naplam. One time they dropped CS bombs close in as we were taking the guys out on strings. That was a bad day for all. A few times the Air Force dropped "Daisey Cutters" (15,000 lb bomb) from a cargo aircraft and blew an Lz in Laos. 10 minutes later the temp. in the LZ had to be 125 degrees or more.
Did I hear someone elude to the "Pucker Factor" in an earlier email? I learned quickley what that was. By late '70 the NVA had a major build-up in the tri border area all the way to Kontum and recon teams at CCC were very busy over the border. I think part of the success (and survival) of air crews doing the SOG missions I was involved in came from the experience (trial & error)of previous units and crews that were assigned those missions.
To this day I could probably find my way from Kontum to Dak To, Ben Het, Dak Seang, Dak Pek and Leghorn by air if they were still there. It seems that those missions had a lasting impression on my mind. I don't know if that is good or bad, but I'm proud of the GIF & my gunner on those missions, that for sure!