Dalat Experience

In early April 1970 while returning to home to Flanders Field at Dong Ba Tin from a deployment to Bao Loc, with a flight of two UH-C helicopter gunships from the 92nd Assault Helicopter Company, the Light Fire Team was about to make the necessary fuel stop at Dalat.  Upon approaching the area Light Fire Team Lead Rhodes called Dalat control and notified of their location and arrival time.  Within a few seconds after that conversation a voice came on the radio from Dalat control. “Sidekick 3 we need you to help us out of a serious situation.”

Warrant Officer Jack Rhodes (Sidekick 3) commanded the lead aircraft and his wing was flown by Warrant Officer John Boyd (Sidekick-10).  This was to be WO Boyd’s first real combat action as an aircraft commander and therefore not as proficient at firing rockets as WO Rhodes would have liked.

A unit of Viet Cong and North Vietnamese regulars had seized an ‘L’ shaped brick two story Catholic Orphanage that was located on a prominent hilltop at the Northern edge of the city.  They had taken the Nuns and children hostage and threatened to kill them if the local government did not release their Viet Cong friends being held in the city jail.

Army of Viet Nam (ARVN) troops had surrounded the hill and those troops were trying to advance on the orphanage but the insurgents were able to hold off their advances firing down on the ARVN troops from slit trench type bunkers dug around the crest of the hilltop.

The hurried plan was to fly the gunships over the bunkers to see if the enemy troops were still in the bunkers.  The two helicopters were flown in the usual gunship formation with the lead helicopter in front and the wing trailing in a position to cover the lead with fire.  It was determined that the enemy troops, in fact, still occupied the defensive bunkers.  A General Officer came on the radio and asked if the pilots had confidence enough to fire rockets into the bunkers and not hit the orphanage or send rockets over the hill into the town.  Sidekick 3 answered with a hesitant yes.

The pressure was on to get the job done quickly to keep the enemy off balance so that they would not carry out their threat to kill the children.  With resolve, and some faith, both helicopters attacked in formation, low over the trees so as to be sure of hitting the target.

Door gunners sprayed the area with M-60 fire, some of which went astray and put holes in the water tower by the orphanage.  As expected, the gunships received AK-47 fire as they attacked with rockets and mini-gun.  The enemy troops, that were able, fled the bunkers to the building.  On the second target run-in Sidekick-10 observed an enemy troop in full combat gear exiting a bunker and running toward the building some thirty meters away.  A rocket was fired that hit behind the running troop and between the bunkers and the orphanage.  The troop made it to the orphanage door and the explosion was close enough to the orphanage that the General Officer called off the attack.  But, the bunkers had been cleared and the ARVN were able to advance up the hill unopposed.

It was said that a lot of children were saved that day thanks to the quick action and determination of the gunship pilots.  Several words of appreciation were heard on the radios as the gunships fueled up at the Dalat airfield and were on their way back to Flanders.

John Boyd  -     Sidekick 10           11/69 - 7/71

Jack Rhodes  -  Sidekick 3             12/69 - 12/70