ASH AND TRASH

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MADE MY TOUR WITH THE 92ND AHC SO INTERESTING WAS THE FACT THAT THIS UNIT HAD WHAT WAS CALLED A "GENERAL SUPPORT MISSION". NOW THIS MEANT WE FLEW ALL TYPES OF MISSIONS WICH INCLUDED COMBAT ASSAULT, COMMAND AND CONTROL, MEDIVAC AND WHAT WAS COMMONLY CALLED "ASH and TRASH".  THIS ACTIVITY NORMALLY MEANT CARRYING ANYTHING THEY COULD LOAD IN THE HELICOPTER FROM POINT "A" TO "B". DEPENDING ON THE TERRAIN, THE WEATHER, AND THE ENEMY SITUATION THIS COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS. THE STORY I AM ABOUT TO TELL CONCERNS AN "ASH and TRASH" MISSION THAT NEARLY ENDED IN TRAGEDY AND STILL SCARES ME TODAY WHEN I THINK ABOUT IT. THE BAD DECISION I MADE THAT DAY ALMOST CAUSED ME TO BE LISTED ON THE VIETNAM WALL.

  THAT FATEFUL DAY BEGAN AS MANY DID WITH AN OPERATIONS BRIEFING ON THE MISSION. MY CREW AND I WERE TASKED TO FLY A BUNCH OF VIETNAMESE COOKS FROM OUR BASE AT DONG BA TIN UP TO A FORWARD OPERATING BASE AT BAO LOC. THE WEATHER WAS NICE AND I DIDN'T EXPECT TO ENCOUNTER ANY VISIBILITY PROBLEMS ENROUTE SO I DECIDED TO FLY WITH A NEW WARRANT OFFICER WHO JUST ARRIVED IN-COUNTRY. I WILL NOT LIST HIM BY NAME BUT HOW THAT GUY EVER MADE IT THROUGH FLIGHT SCHOOL IS STILL A MYSTERY TO ME. POOR THING, HE COULD BARELY TUNE THE RADIOS SO I TOLD HIM TO JUST CALM DOWN AND JUST FOLLOW MY INSTRUCTIONS. I WAS TRYING TO MAKE HIM COMFORTABLE AND AT THE SAME TIME TEACH HIM THE CORRECT PROCEDURES NECESSARY TO OPERATE IN THIS AREA.  WE MADE OUR DEPARTURE AND HEADED UP IN THE MOUNTAINS TOWARD OUR DESTINATION. MY CO-PILOT SEEMED LIKE HE WAS IN SHOCK SO I TRIED TO MAKE HIM TALK A LITTLE BY ASKING A FEW QUESTIONS. NOT GETTING MUCH OF A RESPONSE I FINALLY GAVE UP AND THOUGHT TO MY SELF " IT'S GOING TO BE A LONG DAY". EVER HEARD THAT SAYING "THE SILENCE WAS DEAFENING"? WHEW! BELIEVE ME IT'S TRUE! WE WERE ABOUT HALF WAY THERE WHEN THE WEATHER BEGAN TO DETERIOATE AND I DESCENDED TO TRY AND STAY UNDER THE OVERCAST. THE FURTHER SOUTH WE FLEW THE LOWER WE HAD TO FLY TO STAY UNDER THE CLOUDS UNTIL WE WERE ABOUT 100 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. THAT'S WHEN I DECIDED TO TURN AROUND AND RETURN TO DALAT FOR REFUELING. SHORTLY THEREAFTER IS WHEN I DID SOMETHING VERY STUPID. I DECIDED TO CLIMB UP ABOVE THE OVERCAST AND FOLLOW ONE OF MY FRIENDS {TOM BYNUM} TO MY DESTINATION. HE WAS ALREADY UP THERE ON TOP AND SAID THAT BAO LOC TOWER WAS REPORTING A BIG HOLE OVER THE AIRFIELD. I CONSIDERED THE POTENTIAL DANGER OF BECOMING TRAPPED ABOVE THIS OVERCAST BUT AT THAT TIME WE HAD PLENTY OF FUEL ONBOARD. IF WE COULD NOT FIND THE "HOLE" WE COULD ALWAYS FLY BACK TO DALAT AND REFUEL. WOW! IN HINDSIGHT THAT WAS NOT A GOOD DECISION.

  SO I CLIMBED UP ON TOP, JOINED THE OTHER AIRCRAFT, AND WE HEADED FOR BAO LOC. ABOUT 30 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT BAO LOC TOWER CALLED TO REPORT THAT THE HOLE HAD BEGUN TO CLOSE AND VISIBILITY WAS DECREASING RAPIDLY. NOW I WAS BEGINNING TO QUESTION MY DECISION TO CONTINUE. MY COPILOT WAS FOR ALL PRACTICAL PURPOSES SITTING "CATATONIC" IN THE SEAT TO MY RIGHT AND HAD NOT UTTERED A WORD IN THE LAST 30 MINUTES. A LOT OF HELP HE WAS GOING TO BE. THEN WE FOUND WHAT LOOKED LIKE A HOLE IN THE CLOUDS AND TOM BYNUM SAID HE WOULD GO DOWN FIRST. I WATCHED HIM DESCEND SLOWLY INTO THE FOG AND THEN LOST CONTACT WITH HIS AIRCRAFT. THEN I HEAR HIM SHOUTING THAT HE HAD GONE COMPLETELY IFR {FLYING ON INSTRUMENTS} AND WAS DISORIENTED. ABOUT THIS TIME MY TWENTY-MINUTE FUEL WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. NOW I HAD NO CHOICE, I HAD TO DESCEND AND TRY TO FIND THE AIRFIELD BEFORE I RUN OUT GAS.

  I FINALLY GOT DOWN BELOW THE OVERCAST BUT HAD NO IDEA WHICH WAY TO GO. TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE IT HAD STARTED RAINING SO NOW I'M HAVING TO DODGE THESE RAIN SHOWERS JUST TO KEEP THE NECESSARY FLIGHT VISIBILITY. THE FUEL WARNING LIGHT WAS GLOWING LIKE A "ROMAN CANDLE" AND IT SEEMED IT HAD BEEN ON FOR AN ETERNITY. THESE DEVICES WERE KNOWN TO BE INACCURATE AND YOU NEVER REALLY COULD TRUST THEM. THEN WE MADE VISUAL CONTACT WITH BYNUM'S AIRCRAFT AND JOINED UP FOR THE FLIGHT TO THE AIRPORT OR SO I THOUGHT. HE SAID HE KNEW THE WAY SO LIKE A DUMB "COON ASS" I JOINED UP IN "TRAIL" FORMATION AND FOLLOWED HIM. ANOTHER BAD DECISION ON MY PART.

IN TRAIL FORMATION AND AT LESS THAN 50 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND WE WERE FOLLOWING A WINDING PAVED ROAD WHEN WE PASSED A SMALL VILLAGE THAT I THOUGHT I RECOGNIZED. I SAID "HEY TOM SHOULDN'T THAT TOWN BE ON OUR LEFT IF WE ARE GOING THE RIGHT WAY?" THERE WAS A LONG SILENCE THEN HE SAID "YOU MIGHT BE RIGHT. LET ME CHECK MY MAP". BY THE WAY HE RESPONDED I JUST KNEW HE WAS LOST AND SO WAS I. BY THIS TIME THE FUEL WARNING LIGHT WAS REALLY GLARING {OR SHOULD I SAY SCREAMING}. SHORTLY AFTER THAT I MADE A 180 DEGREE TURN AND LOST VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE OTHER AIRCRAFT. NOW I'M DODGING RAIN SHOWERS AGAIN TRYING TO REMAIN VFR, OUT OF IDEAS, AND ALMOST OUT OF FUEL. THAT'S WHEN I CALLED THE TOWER AND TOLD THEM TO PREPARE TO LAUNCH A "SEARCH AND RESCUE" AIRCRAFT. I JUST KNEW THE ENGINE WOULD QUIT AT ANY MINUTE AND WE WOULD HAVE TO MAKE A FORCED LANDING ON THAT ROAD. TO MAKE MATTERS EVEN WORSE

I COULDN'T EVEN TELL THE TOWER WHERE WE WERE BECAUSE NOW I WAS COMPLETLY LOST. THOUGHTS OF CRASHING AND CERTAIN CAPTURE BEGAN TO RACE THROUGH MY MIND. LOTS OF "BAD"GUYS WERE KNOWN TO BE IN THIS AREA AND THEY WERE PROBABLY WATCHING US FLY UP AND DOWN THIS ROAD LIKE A CAT WATCHING A CANARY FLY AROUND THE ROOM. JUST WAITING FOR THE "LUNCH" TO LAND. HA! NO TELLING WHAT

MY POOR COPILOT WAS THINKING BUT I'M CERTAIN HE MUST HAVE BEEN SCARED SH..LESS.

  THE NEXT THING I REMEMBER WAS THE CREWCHIEF SHOUTING,"SIR! THE AIRFIELD IS AT 10 OCLOCK ABOUT 3 MILES". WOW! WHAT A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT! I FLEW DIRECTLY TO THE REFUELING AREA AND AFTER THE SKIDS WERE FIRMLY PLANTED ON THE TARMAC I FELT LIKE GETTING OUT AND KISSING THE GROUND. WHEN I LOOKED OVER AT MY COPILOT HE WAS STILL SITTING IN HIS SEAT LIKE A "SACK OF CORN". NEVER SAID A WORD. I'M THINKING "WHERE DOES THE ARMY FIND THESE GUYS?" BELIEVE IT OR NOT

BEFORE MY TOUR ENDED THEY TRANSFERED THIS GUY TO ANOTHER UNIT AND HE ENDED UP IN THE GUNSHIP PLATOON. FIGURE THAT ONE OUT. WHEW!

HARRY BROUSSARD

STALLION SECTION LEADER

NOV67 - OCT68