There were times when 'Kicking Ass' was extremely exhilarating! There were several CAs that remain engraved in my memory ... A flight of 6 Stallions... Freaking Brass Bold and Diliberate descending through that last few hundred feet of our final approach, as a Newby then, I sincerely asked myself... "What? Dear Lord, am I doing here?!! In the middle of this, with all this shooting going on!!!" The AC had already orderd; "Facesheilds down and guns goin' hot!" Firing up the areas of immediate concern and anything else around the LZ, I could see the cabin roof tops, the flying-spinning rotors and highlighted orange tops of sycronized elevators. The slowing, weightless, floating and weaving of our column of slicks in flight, immediately below and ahead of us. Watching brothers Joe Callaway and Kenny Devore rip a few ships away, 2nd Airlift door gunners, firing n' rippin' their guns in a steady rate of fire. Hearing and feeling the continuous blasting of our '60s and the multiple heavy concusions of impacting Sidekick rockets was rather scary yet a bit calming.
The smell of smokeless powder mixed with a freshly plowed, overturned dirt and grassy field, and the sound of rocket motors in 2's swooshing overhead is quite unique and unforgettable. That cool and disciplined, radio chatter of our Flight leader and AC's voices coordinating cover fire for the air assault with our actively working gunships. Calling in hot locations of enemy fire teams and pin pointing their positions verbally by 'dead reckoning' over particular land marks, clock positioning and estimated distances. I glimpse a small team of black pajama figures quickly scattering then flattened out, abruptly cut down! That deadly report of that low steady growling of a minigun run, showering the LZ with sunlit gleaming bright brass, laying waste, chewing up the bamboo and jungle cover right through their position. Triggering and setting off a 'secondary' series of tension release, exploding bouncing Bettys. Blasting accross the length of the LZ, causing a heavy sonic ripple effect, shuttering our Main Rotor blades in flight... Moments later we "Clear left and right", the skids bump down, the infantry squad hastily exits. We quickly "Clear left and right", covering and watching them disperse, crouching and advancing with their weapons ready to clear the LZ, as our pilots, apply full collective power, twisting up the torque meter needle, pushing us heavily into our seat and rapidly pulling us upward and outta there to rejoin the flight group. Just like that, nothing more said, we fly back rapidly to bring in another lift of troops to strengthen their support. CAs were sometimes a routine 'walk through' on a regular basis. Then again, sometimes, surprisingly enough...not so very kind to slicks at all! Getting our ass kicked?!! Yes. It will test and prove your character and Heaven Knows! the 92AHC had an over abundance of those guys! Surrealistic Pillow, '68-'69...You left us a strong front runner, she was very dependable, not a bit 'gun shy' and a 'phantom' in combat. I don't recall recieving any hostile damage when we were 'in charge'. We took good care of her and she reciprocated. She always got us back safe, 'was still flying well when I rotated back to stateside. 1st flt, Brian Yee
