Contents From VOL. 1, NO. 9 11 NOV 1968
173rd AIRBORNE BRIGADE
Pilot Braves Typhoon To Save LRRP Team
By
Sp4 Adrian Acevedo
BONG SON- A Helicopter Pilot from the 61st Assault Helicopter Company recently braved
typhoon winds and rain to make a dramatic rescue of a 173d Airborne Brigade Long Range
Patrol which was being tracked with dogs by a North Vietnamese Platoon.
Team F of the 74th Infantry Detachment (LRP) had been, searching for three reported NVA
base camps in the northern An Lo Valley, an enemy stronghold 20 miles north of Bong Son
when they detected enemy movement to their rear.
"We set up in a hasty ambush," said Sergeant Peter G. Mossman of Stamford Conn, leader
of the six-man combined American Vietnamese team. "My rear security man Specialist 4 Chase
Riley of Wayne NJ, killed their point man and two others fled. We searched the body,
captured a Chinese bolt-action rifle and moved out about 150 meters." "We stopped and again
and heard movement behind us, talking, and dogs barking," continued Mossman. "They must
have been trying to track us with dogs and we couldn't get anyone on the radio, so we tried
to break contact by moving as fast as possible."
Getting Closer
During the next three hours, the NVA force kept closing with the team. The Paratroopers
however finally made radio contact with elements of the Americal Division and told them
their situation. The Americal passed the word on to the 173d. But, the team was told, that
no helicopters could fly in the typhoon which had been building up for a week, and to
continue on their escape and evasion course.
Meanwhile, the decision was made to send four helicopters anyway in case the weather
let up. A team ship piloted by Warrant Officer Sam M. Kyle of Castalion Springs Tn, a
command and control ship piloted by Warrant Officer Dany Pennington of Crossett Ark and two
gunships were sent to the rescue. The LPR's were notified and headed for the closest
suitable pick upzone about 500 meters away while the weather and visibility got
progressively worse.
"When we got to the pick-up zone, the NVA were practically breathing down our necks,"
said Mossman. "They couldn't see us though because the visibility was down to about 25
meters. We couldn't see the choppers either, but we could hear them, so we just kept
signaling with a strobe light and just hoped."
No Sign of Team
Pennington reconned the area but couldn't locate the team, so he moved out to make room
for Kyle. By this time, the team had made contact with the choppers, and were told that the
gunships were leaving because the ceiling was so low they couldn't bring suppressive ground
fire.
"I made the decision to stay and try to get them out," said Kyle, "because I'd sure
hate to be in their position and have the choppers leave me. I figured this was their only
chance because the weather probably wouldn't clear up for a couple of days, so I just kept
circling lower and lower until I finally spotted their light."
Shocked Me
"I thought all the choppers had left," recalled Mossman, "so I was really shocked when
I saw that beautiful ship loom up suddenly out of the rain. It took about two seconds for
us to pile onto the helicopter in spite the trees, clumps of bushes, eight-foot elephant
grass and the bouncing of the ship as it tried to keep steady in the storm."
"They sure looked happy when they got on," remembered Kyle. "Afterwards, one of the
Vietnamese who couldn't speak too much English, came up to me with a big smile on his face
and motioned for me to come and have a beer with him. That sort of made it all worthwhile."
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This story used by permission of the 173rd Fire Base Web Master.