video: Vietnam War Combat Assault April 1971

[David]

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCmC6ymXf_c[/media]

[DMZ-LT]

Thanks David , was there in 71 doing that , think I was there last night.

[Packo]

Great video....but what's up with the skid's touching the ground????

Airmobile!

Pack

[frisco-kid]

Wrote this a few years ago.


The FNG

Up before dawn to get on the slick,
I have my ruck and gun.
The guy beside me is lookin' sick,
As we race to beat the sun.
We're goin' in, boys.
We're goin' in.

Once up in the cool air,
My stomach is churning away.
I re-check my gear and hardware,
Getting ready for my first CA.
We're goin' in, boys.
We're goin' in.

As my feet dangle out the door,
I try to calm my shakin' hands.
As the sun rises even more,
I can see the Central Highlands.
We're goin' in, boys.
We're goin' in.

I try to see through the mountain mist,
To see what can be seen.
Suddenly the chopper makes a twist;
Was that a fuckin' tracer of green?
We're goin' in, boys.
We're goin' in.

The crew chief says "The LZ's hot;
So get off my ship real quick."
As we go in I hear a shot,
And feel like I could be sick.
We're goin' in, boys.
We're goin' in.

Now it's finally my chopper's turn;
We're about five feet off the ground.
To my chest I feel a punch and a burn,
As I hear the crack of another round.
We're goin' in, boys.
We're goin' in.

Jesus, I feel in a world of hurt;
Why am I still in the door?
Someone is grabbing me by my shirt,
Pullin' me back onto the floor.
"You're not goin' in, boy.
You're not goin' in."

Tom

[MORTARDUDE]

Originally Posted by frisco-kid

Wrote this a few years ago.


The FNG

Up before dawn to get on the slick,
I have my ruck and gun.
The guy beside me is lookin' sick,
As we race to beat the sun.
We're goin' in, boys.
We're goin' in.

Once up in the cool air,
My stomach is churning away.
I re-check my gear and hardware,
Getting ready for my first CA.
We're goin' in, boys.
We're goin' in.

As my feet dangle out the door,
I try to calm my shakin' hands.
As the sun rises even more,
I can see the Central Highlands.
We're goin' in, boys.
We're goin' in.

I try to see through the mountain mist,
To see what can be seen.
Suddenly the chopper makes a twist;
Was that a fuckin' tracer of green?
We're goin' in, boys.
We're goin' in.

The crew chief says "The LZ's hot;
So get off my ship real quick."
As we go in I hear a shot,
And feel like I could be sick.
We're goin' in, boys.
We're goin' in.

Now it's finally my chopper's turn;
We're about five feet off the ground.
To my chest I feel a punch and a burn,
As I hear the crack of another round.
We're goin' in, boys.
We're goin' in.

Jesus, I feel in a world of hurt;
Why am I still in the door?
Someone is grabbing me by my shirt,
Pullin' me back onto the floor.
"You're not goin' in, boy.
You're not goin' in."

Tom

Excellent ! Thanks for sharing !

Larry

[Robert Ryan]

Reminds me of going into the Plei Trap Valley during Operation Wayne Grey, the 66th NVA regiment served notice that they weren't going to leave the valley with out a fight. The Special Forces Types called it the Valley of Tears, didn't take long to know why.

[frisco-kid]

Robert,

in DEC66 I CA'd into the Plei Trap Valley with the 101st. The whole 1st Bde. (the only Bde. at that time) CA'd into there and into the near-by Plei Mei Valley in a two day period. It was the largest Combat Assault up to that point of the war. We fought all around Kontum for about 6 weeks and moved on. The NVA returned immediately. The area around Kontum and Dak To (fought there my first few weeks in-country) was never pacified the whole war. They were both important jumping-off points for the final NVA assault on Saigon that ended the war.

Hope you're doing well and Kath and I look forward to seeing you in GA in April.

[Robert Ryan]

I argee, I don't know if the Operation Wayne Grey Frightend me more, of the 3 weeks we spent in Dak To was. After all the combat in November 1967 against the NVA by the 173rd and the 4th ID, you would have thought the NVA had had enough, no the just kept coming back. To me the Highlands saw some of the hardest fought battles in the war. Hamburger Hill, Hill 981 (Dak To), Wayne Grey, (Plei Trap Valley), Konthum area, LZ Mary Lou. The darn NVA didn't think we were serious when we fought them.

[Bill Farnie]

RJ

Hamburger Hill was in the A Shau Valley in I Corp, unless there was one in the Highlands too.

[Bill Farnie]

Originally Posted by Packo

Great video....but what's up with the skid's touching the ground????

Airmobile!

Pack

Never ever. Always had to jump even if it was only a few feet. Most of the time it was several feet. Must have been one hell of a secure LZ.