In Sept 1967, John Moberly and I flew Gator 524 into an enemy HQ located 19 Miles NE of Dakto to rescue a bird dog pilot from the 219th that had been shot down.
The crew was in a gully and on our left, as we landed, was a line of unoccupied bunkers.
when we were on final approach the guy on the left (CE) said " Sir, bocoup bunkers at 9 o'clock. I said "Hold fire." (They wern't shooting at us).
John Moberly said keep an eye on them.
There were exploding warheads on one gun that kept shooting across us and the warheads impacted against a hill side and exploded about 100 yards or so to our left. You could see them as they flew aross us about 50 feet feet above. The enemy positions were located about 200 yards to our left on a hill about 3 or 400 feet above us. The guns were located in circular pits (donuts) and the crews were in trenches. To hit us they'd have to climb out of the trenches and depress the guns. There was a second bird dog flying above us piloted by Lt. Bohannon. He was providing air support.
Each time the enemy tried to get out of their trench and move the big guns so they could depress them and fire at us, Bohannon and his observer would fire M-16 rifle fire at them as Bohannon arced up from behind the hill and back again. his agile bird dog was giving us air support.
His voice was about 3 octive high as he talked. I looked out the right window and "Boom! Boom!", two explosions and I was holding the controls and tensed up thinking ' Mortars" and was wanting to take my side and go around. I felt John's hand on the collective holding it down in effect saying "wait. we are OK". Lt Bohannon was shouting into his mic, " There's a platoon of them coming up the gulley' so needless to say I was tense. The special forces passenger we had on board had jumpped off on landing and was moving to the right and I yelled at him to "get your ass back here" he stopped looked at me as I was gesturing and we both watched as the weaving grass parted and the two folks from the downed bird dog came into view. The SF captain and the two crewman leaped on board the helicopter and I picked us up and rotated around to depart. I hugged the gulley and we flew right past the VC coming to grab the Birddog crew. They fired off a burst from a very fast gun. I am sure it was a belt fed weapon. I am sure it was NOT an AK47 and then we were gone. After a few mins. Bohannon came on the radio and said in a very low voice " That was a mighty fine job Gator 524" and we replied, equally deep, " roger that!" as we realized how high our voice had been with excitement. Then it was silent all the way to Dak To.
On arriving at Dak To ,John and I went to see the Lt Col in charge of the troops at that location, and the two crewmen we'd rescued went about their way. I was real excited and kept pointing to the map. John was cool and matter of fact. Too cool I thought, since the Colonel was not as excited as me.
I kept stabbing the map and saying " Sir they are right there! A bunch of them with 6 guns gurading HQ!" He finally looked at me and said " Son, I'm not sending anymore lost batallions up that god damned valley" I got the hint and shut up and went to find some chow.
When John and I got back to Camp Holloway, they were abuzz with all that had happened. "The Maint Officer had been on a real combat missionand will get a DFC" and John and the crew were thinking " we did it and survived"
Anyway, we gave a verbal report to the operations officer and I had visions of a hero medal. I we went to the hootch and then I was called to operations again. The XO was there and he said " we are putting John in for the DFC and the Crew for the Airmedal with V. and you will get the ARCOM with V." That XO had been a MO in the service platoon and moved to the Executive officer position after a few probelms and he and I had had words. He and I had been at odds for months because he had a few issues with combat and I'd called him a coward.
Anyway, I looked at him and said in a level voice, "sir you can shove my medal up your ass" then walked away. Not a word from him. That night John and I went to the Dragon's Den with the 219th and we were both given the carved headhunters and told "thanks"and Lt Bohannon got a silver star on the spot. John and I were thanked again by the rescued crew. I can't remember that resucued pilots name but it started with an "F".
I was thinking now "John and the crew will get a Medal."
We nevr got a damned thing.
Yesterday John called me and said he thought it was because the C.O. hated me and I said John let's see if we can get your medal after all these years. I laughed and said NO. he and I got along fine. It was the XO that had issues with me because I called him a coward and ruined his damned electric skillet when he ordered me to clean it!
Anyway, John deserved a medal then and so did the crew. I've looked at the 119th history. Not one damned word of that day is in the records. BUT we made the front page of the "Stars and stripes" so it is documented.
Now as to why I need help. I want someone who lives in DC (LUMPY?) to go to the national archives and look for the 219th archives for september 1967 and find that rescue. Find the names of the crews and their numbers. I intend to write John up for at least the silver star for that action (an AF guy got a MH for similar action). When you find the data send it to me. I'll find the crews. And I'll write the letter. and hope I burn that XO's ass for his pettiness in 1967. NO I HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN!
Bob Taylor