On August 7, 1967, the 187th Assault Helicopter Company (Blackhawks/Crusaders/Rat Pack) was participating in a combat assault north of Saigon. During the first lift into the landing zone (LZ) the flight experienced heavy small arms fire from entrenched NVA positions, resulting in the lost of a number of aircraft and the wounding (WIA) of aircrews and infantry. The 187th AHC was inserting member of the 199th Infantry Brigade, a mixed US and Vietnamese unit. Typically a chalk or stick, was 4 ARVN and 3 US troops.
I was the peter pilot in Chalk 7 (829) and we were unable to land in the LZ due to the chaos going on around us. We came to a high hover and waited while the other aircraft unloaded (if possible) and departed the LZ. As the flight was departing the LZ, Chalk six, LT. Connelly, in aircraft 66-934, reported that his aircraft was badly hit and that he would have to land , then, almost immediately, he reported engine failure and entered autorotation at which time he also suffered the loss of hydraulics, His autorotation was successful into the nearest open area.
He settled slightly nose low in the rice patty and we landed nearby to evacuate the crew, weapons, and radios. We were leaving the remaining infantry on the ground to secure the aircraft. During the lift into the original Chalk 6 had been carrying the Infantry Company Commander (CPT), but during all the shooting he had collapsed and the crew assumed he was shot. The crew of Chalk 6 was getting all the equipment and the wounded off their aircraft to load onto ours. The CE/Gunner were responsible for removing the guns while the AC/PP were responsible for removing the radios in the aircraft nose. A couple of US infantrymen were bringing the wounded CPT over to our aircraft for evac and the ARVN were forming a security perimeter.
One of the infantryman on our ship was a very large SSG, he was well over 6 feet tall and over 200 lbs. The rotor blade of 66-934 was still slowly turning and as I stated before, the ship was slightly nose low. The SSG was facing us and backing toward Chalk 6 while insuring the perimeter was forming and secure. Most of us could see that he was walking right into the path of the rotating blade. I never felt so helpless, we were shouting and gesturing to him, but he did not understand and then the blade struck him in the head. Now we had multiple wounded in the LZ, the aircrew and US infantry had there hands full with equipment and wounded and we had the biggest guy in the bunch down. My crew went to assist, but they had a very difficult time in being able to carry the SSG, plus the ARVN were no help, they tried but couldn’t budge the guy. The finally pulled a door off the downed aircraft and used that as a makeshift stretcher and was able to get him into the aircraft.
We headed to 24th Evac in Bien Hoa, Hotel 3 was closer, but 24th Evac was the head wound specialist and we knew we need to get the SSG there. The crew started first aid the best they could, they looked all over the CPT and could not find any wounds, yet he had no apparent signs of life. We later heard he had died of a heart attack. Never could get any additional info on the SSG, but figured it couldn’t be good.
One of the most frustrating events of my life to sit by and watch two men die without being able to help. At least we got the Chalk 6 crew out without further harm. The PP that day was one of my best friends and tent mates, William Preston, so I felt good about that.