Original subtitles

\hNarrator: THE HELICOPTER CAME OF AGE IN VIETNAM...

\h\h\h\hWITH ONE INVINCIBLE MACHINE BECOMING THE SYMBOL OF THAT WAR:

THE HUEY.

\h\h\h\hIT WAS THE WARHORSE OF THE AIRBORNE CAVALRY

AND MEDEVAC COMPANIES.

FOR MANY YOUNG MEN FLYING THESE FAMOUS HELICOPTERS,

IT WAS A SHORT-LIVED ADVENTURE.

Man: A HELICOPTER PILOT \h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN VIETNAM

\hWAS TWICE AS LIKELY TO BE KILLED IN COMBAT

AS AN ORDINARY SOLDIER.

Narrator: SOME MISSIONS \h\h\h\h\h\hWERE SO DANGEROUS

IT WAS BEST NOT TO THINK TOO MUCH ABOUT THE ODDS.

Man: I OFTEN TELL PEOPLE

IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN MORE GUTS NOT TO GO THAN TO GO.

Man: THE ROTORS WERE OVER THE OUTER PERIMETER.

Narrator: 40 YEARS LATER \h\hTHESE PILOTS RELIVE

THE MOST TRAUMATIC MISSION \h\h\h\h\hOF THEIR LIVES--

\h\h\h\hFLYING IN TO RESCUE OVER A HUNDRED SOLDIERS

CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE \h\h\h\h\hOF AN AMBUSH.

AND TO REACH THEM,

THEIR HUEY WOULD HAVE TO CUT \h\h\h\hITS OWN LANDING ZONE

THROUGH A FOREST OF BAMBOO.

\h\hMan: I JUST SAID TO MYSELF I’M GONNA GET SHOT IN THE BACK.

AND THEN I SAID I’M GONNA GET SHOT IN THE BACK

\h\h\h\h\h\hAND I’M GONNA LIVE AND I’M GONNA BE A PARAPLEGIC.

\h\hI MEAN, ALL THIS STUFF WAS GOING THROUGH MY HEAD.

Narrator: VIETNAM, 1967.

TOM BACA AND JACK SWICKARD ARE PILOTS IN THEIR EARLY TWENTIES.

\h\hAS A KEEN AMATEUR CAMERAMAN, TOM’S UNIQUE RECORD OF THE WAR

\h\h\hIS SHOWN HERE FOR THE FIRST TIME.

THEY’VE BEEN FLYING HUEYS \h\h\h\hIN COMBAT MISSIONS

FOR LESS THAN A YEAR.

\h\hBUT BY VIETNAM STANDARDS THEY’RE SEASONED VETERANS.

\h\hON MAY 14, 1967, THEY WOULD SET OFF

ON ONE OF THE MOST EPIC \h\h\h\hRESCUE MISSIONS

OF THE ENTIRE VIETNAM WAR.

Jack: TOM, DOES THIS \h\hMAKE YOU HOMESICK?

\hTom: IT SURELY DOES. IT’S A GOOD AIRCRAFT.

Jack: IT’S EVEN GOT THE ARMOUR IN IT, DOESN’T IT?

Tom: YEAH, IT’S GOT THE ARMOUR \h\hJUST LIKE WE HAD IN VIETNAM.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hJack: HOP IN. Tom: NO, YOU JUMP UP THERE.

Jack: OK.

Narrator: 40 YEARS LATER,

\h\hTHE VIETNAM VETERANS INSPECT AN OLD FRIEND--

A HUEY STILL IN SERVICE

WITH THE NATIONAL GUARD \h\h\h\h\h\hIN SANTA FE.

Tom: WE USED TO NAVIGATE, \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hREMEMBER,

JUST WITH A MAP IN OUR LAP

AND GOING LIKE HELL REALLY FAST AND LOW.

\h\h\h\h\h\hIT’S BASICALLY JUST EXACTLY LIKE IT WAS.

YOU KNOW, IT’S A BASIC HUEY.

\h\hJack: NOT QUITE AS OLD AS WE ARE, BUT PUSHING IT.

\h\hNarrator: TOM BACA’S CO-PILOT ON THE MISSION THAT FATEFUL DAY

WAS LARRY LISS.

Tom: IS THAT LARRY LISS?

Larry: YEAH, I’VE BEEN CALLED IN TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT.

Tom: WELL, I’LL BE DAMNED...

WE CALLED YOUR WIFE \h\h\h\hLAST NIGHT.

Larry: SHE SET YOU UP.

Tom: SHE SET US UP.

Jack: LARRY, HOW ARE YOU? \h\h\h\hLONG TIME NO SEE.

Tom: I SAW YOU WALKING UP, \h\h\hI SAID THAT’S LARRY.

HOLY COW.

Larry: YOU LOOK A LITTLE OLDER.

Tom: YOU’VE AGED BETTER \h\h\h\h\h\hTHAN I HAVE.

Larry: YEAH, RIGHT.

Tom: THIS IS AMAZING.

I HAVEN’T SEEN YOU SINCE WHAT?

Larry: ’69, ’70.

Tom: I THINK...1970.

\h\h\h\hLarry: PROBABLY. I GOT OUT IN APRIL ’70.

\h\h\h\hTom: I FELL IN LOVE WITH A PROGRAM ON TELEVISION

WHIRLYBIRDS,

AND I ALWAYS THOUGHT \h\h\hTHAT WOULD BE

A GOOD THING TO DO \hWHEN I GROW UP.

SO I JOINED THE ARMY AT AGE 17,

\h\h\h\hAND SUBSEQUENTLY THEY SELECTED ME FOR FLIGHT SCHOOL.

\h\h\h\h\h\hLarry: WE WERE ON THE CZECH-GERMAN BORDER

DURING A SNOWSTORM,

AND THIS ONE DAY THIS GUY \h\h\h\hCAME IN IN A HUEY,

AND HE PUT DOWN HIS WINDOW \h\hAND HE HAD SHORT SLEEVES

AND HE WAS DRINKING \h\hA CUP OF COFFEE

AND I WAS FREEZING MY BUTT OFF,

\hAND HE JUST LOOKED AT ME AND HE SAID "YOU’RE SUCH A JERK."

HE USED OTHER WORDS. I’M TRYING TO KEEP IT CLEAN HERE.

\h"YOU’RE SUCH A JERK," AND I LOOKED LIKE "WHY?"

\h\hAND HE SAID, "LOOK AT YOU, YOU’RE FREEZING YOUR ASS OFF,

IT’S SNOWING, IT’S SLEETING,

I’M HERE, I’M NICE AND WARM,"

AND HE SAID, "MAN, YOU SHOULD SIGN UP

FOR HELICOPTER TRAINING."

\h\hSO THE NEXT DAY AT THE OFFICERS CLUB

THERE WAS A SIGN THAT SAYS WE’RE LOOKING FOR HELICOPTER PILOTS,

SO I SAID "TAKE ME."

\h\hWITHIN FOUR DAYS I WAS IN THE STATES

GOING THROUGH FLIGHT SCHOOL.

Narrator: WITH THE DESPERATE \h\h\h\hSHORTAGE OF PILOTS,

THE ARMY HAS DEVISED A RAPID \hFLIGHT-TRAINING PROGRAM--

FOUR MONTHS PRIMARY INSTRUCTION AT FORT WOLTERS

FOLLOWED BY ADVANCED TRAINING AT FORT RUCKER.

\h\h\h\h\hTom: WHEN I WENT TO THE PRIMARY HELICOPTER SCHOOL,

\h\h\hTHE FIRST FIVE HOURS THAT WE GOT AS INSTRUCTION

WAS LEARNING HOW TO HOVER.

THAT’S THE FIRST THING \h\h\h\hYOU HAD TO DO.

YOU DIDN’T HAVE TO BE \h\h\hREAL GOOD AT IT,

BUT THAT’S HOW YOU LANDED AND YOU TOOK OFF IN A HELICOPTER.

Narrator: AT FLYING SCHOOL THEY LEARN HOW HELICOPTERS

\h\hARE ABLE TO PERFORM THIS EXTRAORDINARY FEAT.

IN A FIXED-WING AIRCRAFT

\h\h\h\hTHE RAPID FLOW OF AIR OVER THE WINGS GENERATES LIFT

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hWHEN THE PLANE TRAVELS FORWARD FAST ENOUGH.

\hIN A HELICOPTER, ITS WINGS ROTATE.

AS THE ROTOR BLADES SPIN \h\h\h\hTHROUGH THE AIR,

THEY GENERATE LIFT,

EVEN WHEN THE HELICOPTER \hIS NOT MOVING FORWARD.

BUT STATIONARY FLYING-- \h\h\h\h\hOR HOVERING--

IS MUCH HARDER THAN IT LOOKS.

THE PILOT HAS TO MAKE \hCONSTANT ADJUSTMENTS

\h\h\h\h\h\hWITH BOTH HANDS AND FEET TO KEEP THE HELICOPTER STEADY.

\h\hLarry: WHILE MY WHOLE CLASS WAS ABLE TO TAKE A HELICOPTER

AND AFTER A COUPLE OF HOURS \hAND PICK IT UP TO A HOVER,

I WAS ALREADY IN THE NINTH HOUR AND STILL COULDN’T HOVER,

AND YOU HAVE TO SOLO \h\h\hIN TEN HOURS.

\h\h\h\h\hSO I COULDN’T HOVER, SO NOW I’M BEGINNING TO PANIC

BECAUSE IF YOU DON’T GET \hTHROUGH FLIGHT SCHOOL,

THEN YOU GO, YOU’RE BACK \h\hON THE GROUND AGAIN,

AND I WAS REALLY SCARED.

\h\h\h\h\hTom: I ALWAYS HAD A PRETTY GOOD CONTROL TOUCH,

AND I COULD PRETTY MUCH \h\h\h\hGET THE AIRCRAFT

TO DO ANYTHING I WANTED IT TO DO

\h\hWITHOUT MOVING THE CYCLIC CONTROL

MUCH MORE THAN THE SIZE \h\h\h\hOF A SILVER DOLLAR.

Narrator: THE CYCLIC \hIS LIKE THE STICK

IN A FIXED-WING AIRCRAFT.

MOVING THE CYCLIC CHANGES THE ANGLE

OF THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES \h\h\h\h\h\hINDIVIDUALLY

TO MAKE THE HELICOPTER \hROLL TO THE SIDE...

OR POINT UP AND DOWN.

THE LEFT HAND CONTROLS THE COLLECTIVE LEVER.

THIS MOVES THE HELICOPTER \hVERTICALLY, UP OR DOWN,

\h\h\hBY ALTERING THE PITCH OF THE BLADES COLLECTIVELY.

\h\h\hTHE FOOT PEDALS CHANGE THE PITCH OF THE TAIL ROTOR,

\h\h\hALTERING THE DIRECTION THE HELICOPTER IS POINTING--

A BIT LIKE A RUDDER.

\h\hTom: THERE WERE SOME PILOTS THAT HAD A POOR CONTROL TOUCH

THAT MOVED THAT CYCLIC \h\h\h\hAROUND A LOT,

AND WHAT HAPPENED WHEN YOU DID THAT

WAS YOU WOULD DUMP LIFT OUT OF THE ROTOR SYSTEM,

OUT OF THE ROTOR DISC,

SO THE BETTER YOUR CONTROL TOUCH

THE BETTER PERFORMANCE YOU COULD GET OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT.

\h\hLarry: THEY GAVE ME A CIVILIAN INSTRUCTOR

WHO FLEW AROUND WITH ME.

NOW IN THE AIR I WAS FINE,

\h\h\h\h\hI JUST--WHEN I GOT WITHIN 20 FEET OF THE GROUND

I COULDN’T CONTROL \hTHE HELICOPTER.

SO HE GOT OUT AND SAID, "YOU’RE NOT GONNA SOLO."

I SAID, "YOU HAVE TO \h\h\hLET ME SOLO."

HE SAID, "YOU’RE NOT \h\h\h\hGONNA SOLO."

\h\h\h\hI SAID, "YOU HAVE TO LET ME SOLO, I’LL MAKE IT."

HE SAID, "NO, YOU’LL DIE."

I SAID, "I’LL MAKE IT."

SO HE SAID, "FINE, GO AHEAD," AND HE WALKED AWAY.

AND I PUT MY HELMET ON

\h\h\h\h\h\hAND I WENT TO PICK THE HELICOPTER UP TO A HOVER,

EXCEPT I HAD WRAPPED THE CORD AROUND MY NECK,

SO MY HEAD WENT BACK LIKE THIS,

SO I HAD TO LAY THE HELICOPTER BACK DOWN AGAIN.

I STRAIGHTENED IT OUT,

THE TOWER SAID, "ARE YOU OK? \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hARE YOU OK?"

AND I JUST TURNED OFF \h\h\h\h\h\hTHE RADIO.

I JUST TOOK A DEEP BREATH, \h\h\h\h\hI PICKED IT UP,

\h\h\h\hAND THE HELICOPTER WAS LIKE THIS, LIKE THIS,

\h\h\h\h\h\hBUT I GOT IT OFF, THE FIRST TIME I CAME AROUND--

YOU HAVE TO DO IT THREE TIMES--

I ACTUALLY MADE IT AND I WAS \h\h\hFEELING KIND OF GOOD.

THE SECOND TIME I CAME AROUND, IT GOT REALLY BAD.

\h\hTHE THIRD TIME I CAME AROUND I WAS HEDGE HOPPING LIKE THIS.

\h\h\hIT GOT THE LAST HEDGE AND PUT THE HELICOPTER DOWN

\h\h\h\hAND LIKE SHUT IT DOWN AND RAN OUT OF THE HELICOPTER.

I DIDN’T EVEN TAKE IT \h\h\hOFF THE RUNWAY.

SO I HAD SOLOED.

[STARS AND STRIPES FOREVER \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hPLAYING]

OUT OF 84, I THINK \h\hI WAS RANKED 82,

SO I WAS REALLY BAD ALL THE WAY THROUGH.

I WAS A BAD PILOT.

Narrator: AFTER EIGHT MONTHS \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF TRAINING,

THE PILOTS GRADUATE TO FLYING

THE ARMY’S PRINCIPAL HELICOPTER IN VIETNAM,

THE BELL UH-1, NICKNAMED "HUEY."

THE DISTINCTIVE ROTOR BLADES

WERE RENOWNED FOR THEIR STRENGTH AND RELIABILITY IN COMBAT.

\h\h\h\hIT’S THE ARMY’S FIRST JET TURBINE-ENGINED HELICOPTER,

FOR A NEW TYPE OF WARFARE.

Tom: WHEN WE GOT TO THE HUEY \h\h\h\h\h\hTHE FIRST TIME,

WE WERE ALL IN AWE.

WE ALWAYS HAD THAT PICTURE \h\h\h\h\h\hIN FRONT OF US

DURING OUR PRIMARY TRAINING \h\h\h\h\h\hAT FORT WOLTERS.

BOY, THAT’S WHAT WE \hREALLY WANT TO DO.

WE WANT TO FLY THE HUEY. \h\h\h\h\h\hTHAT IS IT.

THAT WAS STATE OF THE ART.

THAT WAS THE AIRCRAFT \h\hYOU WANTED TO FLY.

Jack: HERE’S THE TACTICAL \h\h\h\hINSTRUMENT TICKET.

Tom: I HAD ONE JUST LIKE THAT.

A LICENSE TO KILL... \h\h\h\h\hYOURSELF.

Larry: THAT’S RIGHT.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT MINE SAID \h\h\h\h\h\h\hON THE BACK?

MY INSTRUCTOR PILOT SAID,

"REMEMBER, YOU ARE \hTHE WORST PILOT

\h\h\h\hWE EVER PUT THROUGH THE PROGRAM.

\h\h\hYOU WILL SURELY KILL YOURSELF FLYING.

\h\hPLEASE DON’T WORRY ABOUT GETTING SHOT."

\h\h\h\hTHAT WAS ON THE BACK, THAT’S WHAT WAS HANDED TO ME.

\h\h\h\hJack: THAT REALLY ENCOURAGED YOU, DIDN’T IT?

Larry: BUT HE WAS RIGHT, HE WAS TELLING ME DON’T GET ARROGANT.

\hNarrator: WITHIN TWO WEEKS OF FINISHING FLYING SCHOOL,

THEY’RE OFF TO FLY HUEYS

IN COMBAT ASSAULT MISSIONS \h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN VIETNAM.

THE ROOKIE PILOTS WOULD BE LUCKY TO SURVIVE SIX MONTHS.

\h\hTom: IT WAS PRETTY QUICK FROM FLIGHT SCHOOL TO FRIGHT SCHOOL.

Narrator: FRESH OUT \h\hOF FLIGHT SCHOOL,

\h\h\hTHE NEW PILOTS ARRIVING IN VIETNAM

COME TO A DIVIDED COUNTRY.

THEIR ROLE IS TO FLY HUEYS FROM THEIR BASES IN SOUTH VIETNAM

\h\h\hIN THE WAR AGAINST COMMUNIST NORTH VIETNAM.

\h\hTHE COMBAT ASSAULT HELICOPTER COMPANIES

\hUSE THESE POWERFUL AND ROBUST MACHINES

TO INSERT TROOPS ON THE GROUND.

Jack: IF YOU WERE GOING \h\h\h\hTO BE IN A WAR,

\h\h\hFLYING TURNED OUT TO BE A MUCH BETTER WAY TO FIGHT IT

\h\h\hTHAN BEING ON THE GROUND WITH THE MUD AND THE LEECHES.

\h\hWE LIVED IN A VILLA IN DOWNTOWN BIEN HOA.

SO I COMMUTED TO THE WAR \h\h\h\h\h\h\hEACH DAY.

Jack: TO THIS RIGHT?

THIS WAS NOT EVEN A ROAD.

Narrator: 40 YEARS LATER,

TOM, LARRY AND JACK RETURN TO BIEN HOA,

THE SMALL TOWN WHERE THEY WERE STATIONED,

JUST OUTSIDE SAIGON.

\h\h\h\h\hTom: THAT’S THE SECOND FIELD FORCE

HEADQUARTERS BUILDING \h\h\h\h\hRIGHT THERE.

OK.

THAT’S WHERE I LIVED \h\h\h\hMY SECOND...

REMEMBER WHEN I TOOK A PICTURE OFF OF THE BALCONY,

\h\h\hI WAS SHOOTING DOWN ON THAT ROAD RIGHT THERE.

OK?

Jack: WOW, THINGS CHANGE IN 40 YEARS, DON’T THEY?

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: ONE IN EVERY 18 HELICOPTER PILOTS NEVER MADE IT HOME.

BUT AS THE SURVIVORS CLOCKED UP THOUSANDS OF HOURS OF FLYING

IN LESS THAN A YEAR,

IT DIDN’T TAKE LONG FOR THEM \h\hTO BECOME BATTLE-HARDENED.

IN NINE MONTHS LARRY LISS WENT \h\hFROM BEING A HOPELESS ROOKIE

TO A MAVERICK ACE

WHO WAS PREPARED TO PUT HIS NECK ON THE LINE TO SAVE OTHERS.

ONE DAY HE WAS FLYING \h\hAN UNARMED VIP HUEY

WHEN HE SAW ANOTHER HELICOPTER CRASH LAND.

DESPITE HIS OWN HELICOPTER BEING TOTALLY UNEQUIPPED FOR COMBAT,

LARRY’S INSTINCT WAS TO FLY IN

AND SAVE THE CREW FROM CAPTURE BY THE VIET CONG.

Larry: WE GOT IN REALLY QUICK, EVERYBODY JUMPED IN,

WE BEAT IT OUT OF THERE

\h\h\hAND EVERYBODY’S YELLING AND SCREAMING FOR JOY, YOU KNOW,

\h\h\h\h\h\hAND WE LANDED THEM AND I SHUT THE AIRCRAFT DOWN.

WE DIDN’T TAKE ANY HITS \hOR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

\h\h\hA COUPLE OF HOURS LATER I WAS IN FRONT OF MY COMMANDER

WHO BASICALLY CHEWED ME OUT

FOR GOING AND PULLING \h\h\h\hTHESE PEOPLE OUT.

I COULDN’T UNDERSTAND \hWHY HE WAS SO UPSET.

\h\hAND HE WAS UPSET BECAUSE I DISOBEYED A DIRECT ORDER

AND WRITTEN ORDERS,

\h\h\h\h\h\hAND I SAID, "OK, BUT WE SAVED THESE PEOPLE."

AND HE COULDN’T HEAR IT, \h\hHE COULDN’T HEAR IT,

\hSO BASICALLY HE SAID, "IF YOU EVER DO IT AGAIN

I’LL GET YOU THROWN OUT \h\h\h\h\hOF THE ARMY."

Narrator: ONLY A WEEK LATER, \h\h\h\h\hIT’S EASTER SUNDAY

AND LARRY LISS’S FUTURE \h\h\h\h\h\hIN THE ARMY

\h\h\h\h\h\hIS ABOUT TO BE IN EVEN GREATER JEOPARDY.

HIS FLYING BUDDY, TOM BACA, \h\h\hHAS JUST 12 DAYS TO GO

BEFORE HIS TOUR OF DUTY IS OVER.

SO HE’S GIVEN WHAT SEEMS LIKE AN EASY ASSIGNMENT:

TO TRANSPORT A CHAPLAIN \h\h\h\hTO EASTER SERVICES.

Tom: THEY WERE TAKING IT \h\h\hKIND OF EASY ON ME

AND NOT FLYING ME TOO HARD.

SO, EASTER SUNDAY THEY SAID, \h\h\h\h\h\hWELL, YOU GO OUT

AND FLY THE STAFF CHAPLAIN \h\h\h\hWITH CAPTAIN LISS,

AND SO WE DID.

Larry: THERE WAS LIKE A CALL, \h\hCOULD YOU FLY WITH TOM BACA

BECAUSE NOBODY’S AROUND TO FLY,

\h\h\hEVERYBODY’S LIKE TAKING OFF ON SUNDAY,

AND I SAID SURE, I’LL GO.

SUNDAY’S FINE, YOU KNOW.

MILK RUN. THEY CALL THEM \h\h\hMILK RUNS, RIGHT?

\h\hTom: I HAD A VIP AIRCRAFT, I THINK IT WAS A BASIC HUEY,

AND I HAD A COUPLE \h\hOF INDIVIDUALS

THAT WANTED TO FLY WITH US \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHAT DAY

IN ADDITION TO THE CHAPLAIN

JUST TO SEE THE COUNTRY.

THEY DIDN’T KNOW WHAT THEY WERE GETTING INTO THAT DAY,

AND OF COURSE WE DIDN’T EITHER.

AS LARRY AND TOM WAIT \h\h\h\hFOR THE CHAPLAIN,

\h\h\hTHEY HEAR ABOUT A GROUP OF SOLDIERS OUT IN THE JUNGLE

WHO NEED RESCUING.

\h\h\h\h\hA COMPANY OF SOME 100 SOUTH VIETNAMESE TROOPS

LED BY U.S. SPECIAL FORCES

HAS BEEN RAIDING THE COMMUNIST SUPPLY LINES FROM THE NORTH

ALONG THE INFAMOUS HO CHI MINH TRAIL.

THEIR MISSION HAS GONE \h\h\h\h\hBADLY WRONG.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAMBUSHED BY THE NORTH VIETNAMESE ARMY,

THEY’RE HOPELESSLY OUTNUMBERED AND RADIO FOR HELP.

[GUNFIRE]

ANOTHER HUEY RACED \h\hTO THE RESCUE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hON BOARD, SPECIAL FORCES MEDIC JIM DOPP.

FLYING OVER THE SCENE,

HE WAS HORRIFIED BY WHAT HE SAW OUT THE HUEY DOOR.

Jim: IT WAS REALLY, REALLY DENSE COVER,

\h\h\h\hAND THERE WERE SOME TALL TREES THERE.

I DON’T KNOW HOW THEY WERE GOING TO TRY TO SET THAT THING DOWN,

\h\hBUT IN THE MEANTIME THEY WERE GOING TO DROP ME DOWN ON A ROPE.

Narrator: JUST AS JIM WAS ABOUT TO LAUNCH HIMSELF OUT THE DOOR,

\h\hTHE TAIL ROTOR CLIPPED A BRANCH.

Jim: WHEN HE HIT THE TREE,

\h\h\h\h\hTHE HELICOPTER REALLY STARTED TO BUCK.

\h\h\h\hAND I THOUGHT WE WERE JUST CRASHING.

YOU’RE LOOKING AT THE GROUND

\h\h\h\h\hTRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHICH WAY YOU’RE GOING TO RUN

WHEN YOU HIT THE GROUND.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hYOU TRY TO WATCH IF YOU CAN SEE ANY OF THE FIRE,

\h\h\hIF YOU CAN SEE ANY OF THE FLASHES.

YOU WANT TO SEE WHAT YOU CAN

SO THAT YOU’RE NOT RUNNING TOWARD IT.

\hTHE GUY FLYING IT MOVED US UP AND AWAY

AND SET DOWN ON A HIGHWAY MAYBE A KILOMETER FROM WHERE WE WERE.

HE PUT THE HELICOPTER DOWN THERE

\h\hBECAUSE HE SAID IT WAS GOING TO CRASH OTHERWISE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: \h\h\hAFTER A QUICK INSPECTION OF THE BADLY DAMAGED TAIL ROTOR,

THE PILOT RISKS FLYING THE HUEY BACK TO CAMP.

DESPITE HIS NARROW ESCAPE, \h\hJIM DOPP IS DETERMINED

\h\h\hTO GO BACK TO SAVE THE PEOPLE LEFT BEHIND.

HE APPROACHES THE ONLY OTHER HELICOPTER AT CAU SONG BE--

\hTOM AND LARRY’S UNARMED VIP HUEY.

Larry: THE FIRST THOUGHT \h\h\h\h\h\h\hWAS LIKE,

\hOH, GOODY, LIKE, COME ON LET’S GO.

THE SECOND THOUGHT \h\hWAS THIS IS BAD,

\h\h\h\h\hBECAUSE THIS IS NOT MY HELICOPTER, THERE’S NO GUNS.

I DON’T REMEMBER EVER FLYING IN AN AIRCRAFT WITHOUT GUNS,

\h\h\h\hSO THIS WAS... YOU FEEL NUDE SOMEHOW,

BUT I DIDN’T GIVE IT \hA SECOND THOUGHT.

I SHOULD HAVE, BUT I DIDN’T.

Tom: WE WERE THE ONLY \h\h\h\hHELICOPTER THERE,

AND THEY NEEDED OUR HELP

AND, YOU KNOW, WE WERE \h\hNOT GONNA SAY NO,

I MEAN, WE WEREN’T GONNA SAY NO.

[HELICOPTER ENGINE STARTING]

Narrator: AGAIN LARRY LISS \h\h\h\h\h\hFINDS HIMSELF

IN AN UNARMED VIP HELICOPTER \h\h\hNOT MEANT FOR COMBAT,

\h\h\h\hHEADING TO A LANDING ZONE IN THE MIDDLE OF A FIREFIGHT.

MORE THAN 30 SOLDIERS \h\hHAVE ALREADY DIED,

\h\h\h\hAND A HUNDRED MORE ARE IN DESPERATE STRAITS.

Larry: MY REMEMBRANCE \h\h\h\hOF THIS THING

WAS WE KNEW EXACTLY \hWHERE WE HAD TO GO

AND WE FLEW AT ALTITUDE \h\h\h\h\h\hFOR A LITTLE BIT,

THEN WE GOT RIGHT DOWN \h\h\h\h\hON THE DECK

AND WE DIDN’T KNOW THAT WE WERE GONNA RUN INTO BAMBOO

WHEN WE DID.

Narrator: AS THEY APPROACH \h\h\h\hTHE LANDING ZONE,

\h\h\hTHEY FLY LOW, KEEPING THE FUSELAGE ALONG THE TRAIL

\h\hAND THE ROTORS JUST ABOVE THE TALL TREES ON EITHER SIDE.

Jim: GENERALLY THEY’LL COME DOWN 2, 3, 4 FEET OFF THE GROUND

AND YOU JUST JUMP THE HELL OUT.

THAT’S THE NORMAL WAY TO INSERT.

IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE \h\h\h\hTHERE WAS NO LZ,

\h\hTHERE WAS JUST THIS REALLY HEAVY VEGETATION.

\h\h\h\h\hTom: WE LOOKED DOWN AND WE COULDN’T SEE THE TROOPS

BECAUSE OF THE BAMBOO AND THE THICK VEGETATION,

AND THEY SAID, OH, YOU’RE \hRIGHT OVER US RIGHT NOW,

CAN YOU LAND?

LARRY AND I ARE LOOKING \h\h\h\h\h\hAT ALL THIS STUFF

AND SAID, WELL, WE CAN TRY.

Narrator: THE SITUATION \h\h\h\h\hIS DESPERATE.

BUT GLIMPSING A VERY NARROW \h\h\hOPENING IN THE BAMBOO,

\h\h\h\hTOM AND LARRY DECIDE THE ONLY WAY OF GETTING DOWN

\h\h\h\h\h\hIS TO CREATE THEIR OWN LANDING ZONE.

THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO USE THE ROTOR BLADES

TO CUT THROUGH 40 FEET \h\h\h\h\h\hOF BAMBOO.

IT’S AN ACTION THAT COULD EASILY LEAD TO DISASTER.

EVEN IN THE FAMOUSLY \h\h\h\hROBUST HUEY.

Larry: I HAD A SENSE THAT \hWE COULD CUT THE BAMBOO.

I DIDN’T KNOW HOW LONG THE BLADES WOULD LAST,

BUT THERE WAS NO OTHER WAY \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO DO IT.

THE ONLY OTHER WAY WAS TO LEAVE, AND YOU HAD TO TAKE THE SHOT.

Narrator: TOM TAKES THE CONTROLS AND DESCENDS INTO THE BATTLE.

THE BLADES START TO SLICE \h\h\hTHROUGH THE CANOPY.

Tom: WE STARTED DOWN THROUGH THE BAMBOO,

AND IT WASN’T REAL THICK,

BUT, I MEAN, IT WAS DAMAGING THE BLADES,

AND IT WAS PRETTY NOISY GOING DOWN THROUGH THAT.

WE WERE A LAWNMOWER, BASICALLY, IS WHAT WE WERE DOING.

Narrator: THE HUEY’S \h\h\h\hROTOR BLADES

HAVE A STRONG LEADING EDGE \h\h\hOF STAINLESS STEEL.

\h\h\h\h\hTHE REST IS AN ALUMINUM HONEYCOMB

WRAPPED IN A LAYER \h\hOF THIN STEEL.

THIS BAMBOO IS TOUGH.

JUST ONE CHUNK RIPPED OUT OF A BLADE’S EDGE

\h\h\h\hCOULD UNBALANCE THE WHOLE ROTOR SYSTEM.

DAMAGE TO THE UNDERSIDE \h\h\h\h\h\hOF THE BLADE

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hWOULD RUIN THE AERODYNAMIC SURFACE

\h\h\hAND CAUSE THE HUEY TO FALL OUT OF THE SKY.

Tom: I DID SOME TEMPORARY DUTY \h\hAT THE BELL HELICOPTER PLANT

AS A PRODUCTION TEST PILOT,

AND I USED TO LOVE TO WALK \h\hTHROUGH THE FACTORIES.

[TAPPING]

I KNOW THAT ONE OF THE MOST \h\h\h\hIMPORTANT EMPLOYEES

OF BELL HELICOPTER

WAS A LITTLE GUY THAT WENT ALONG IN THE BLADE SHOP

AND TAPPED ON THE BLADES \h\h\h\h\h\hTO MAKE SURE

\h\hTHAT THERE WERE NO VOIDS IN THE HONEYCOMB STRUCTURE.

I KNEW THAT AS LONG \hAS I DIDN’T DAMAGE

THE STAINLESS STEEL LEADING EDGE

I’D BE IN GOOD SHAPE.

Narrator: YET TOM’S MAIN CONCERN

IS HIS MACHINE’S ACHILLES’ HEEL--

THE DELICATE TAIL ROTOR.

Tom: THERE WAS JUST NO ROOM.

\h\h\h\hYOU GOT TO UNDERSTAND THIS TRAIL WE WERE LANDING ON

WAS JUST ABOUT WIDE ENOUGH

FOR THE FUSELAGE OF THAT HUEY TO GO DOWN INTO.

\h\h\h\h\h\hMY MARGIN OF ERROR ON KNOCKING THAT TAIL ROTOR OFF

WAS MAYBE ABOUT A 20-DEGREE, \h\h\h\h15 OR 20-DEGREE TURN

IN EITHER DIRECTION.

IT WAS THAT NARROW.

Narrator: THE HUEY’S TAIL ROTOR IS ITS RUDDER--

VITAL TO MAINTAINING CONTROL.

Tom: HAD WE LOST THAT TAIL ROTOR,

WE’D HAVE LOST THE AIRCRAFT \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hFOR SURE.

\hNarrator: BOTH PILOTS KEEP THEIR HANDS ON THE CONTROLS

IN CASE ONE OF THEM IS SHOT.

\hLarry: THAT’S SOMETHING YOU LEARN, BUT I NEVER REALLY DID.

I MEAN, EVERY MISSION \h\h\h\h\hI EVER FLEW

OR EVERY COMBAT MISSION I EVER FLEW, I KIND OF STAYED CLOSE,

\h\hBUT I DON’T REMEMBER EVER STAYING THAT CLOSE,

’CAUSE THAT WAS REAL,

\h\h\hTHAT WAS LIKE REALLY, THAT WAS A LITTLE TOO CLOSE,

AND EITHER ONE OF US COULD HAVE GOTTEN IT, EITHER ONE OF US.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: \hAS SOON AS THEY TOUCH DOWN, THE FIRST WOUNDED ARE LOADED.

\h\h\h\hTOM, LARRY AND JIM FACE A SHOCKING SCENE.

[GUNFIRE]

\h\h\h\hJim: YOU SAW PEOPLE TAKING ROUNDS ON THE GROUND.

\h\h\hTHERE WERE PEOPLE THAT WERE TRYING TO MOVE

TOWARD THE HELICOPTER

THAT DIDN’T MAKE IT.

IT WAS PROBABLY THE MOST INTENSE COMBAT THAT I WAS EVER IN,

DIRECTLY EXPOSED \hTO SMALL ARMS.

I WAS SCARED.

Tom: THAT’S VERY REPRESENTATIVE OF WHAT WE WERE LOOKING AT.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: FOUR DECADES LATER, THE CREWS RETURN TO THE LANDING ZONE.

IT LOOKS AS CHALLENGING TODAY AS IT DID THEN.

Larry: THIS IS WHAT IT WAS, BUT THE WHOLE ROAD WAS LIKE THIS.

\hTom: THERE WAS A LOT OF BAMBOO WITH A DIAMETER ABOUT LIKE THIS.

AND SOME OF IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BIT THICKER.

\h\h\h\h\hLarry: IT COULD HAVE BEEN, THOUGH, LIKE THE EDGES UP THERE.

Tom: LIKE THE EDGES UP HERE.

Larry: IT WAS DEFINITELY LIKE THAT, HANGING OVER THE ROAD.

Tom: YOU COULD HEAR, YOU COULD HEAR THE ROTOR BLADES

\h\h\hCHOPPING THROUGH THAT, IT WAS JUST LIKE A BUZZ SAW.

\h\h\hLarry: SOUNDED LIKE A WEED WHACKER.

\h\h\h\hTom: YEAH, LIKE A WEED WHACKER, EXACTLY.

Larry: IT WAS AMAZING ’CAUSE \hTHE END OF THE PERIMETER,

THEY WERE LAYING HERE \h\h\hAND LAYING HERE.

\h\h\hAND THE ENEMY FORCES WERE NO MORE THAN 25 YARDS

AND YOU COULD SEE THEM \h\h\h\h\hSHRINKING...

SHRINKING THE PERIMETER.

SO IT WAS LIKE ON BOTH SIDES, IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE.

Narrator: THEY PICK UP \h\h\hSIX CASUALTIES.

OTHER WOUNDED ARE PINNED DOWN BY THE NORTH VIETNAMESE.

AFTER THREE MINUTES UNDER INTENSE FIRE,

\h\hTOM AND LARRY DECIDE THEY HAVE TO LIFT OFF.

TOM PULLS THE HELICOPTER \h\h\h\h\h\hSTRAIGHT UP

OVER 40 FEET OF VEGETATION.

\h\h\hHE NEEDS TO FOLLOW THE TRACK HE CAME IN ON,

\h\h\h\h\hSO HE SPINS THE HELICOPTER AROUND

AND HEADS BACK TO THE CAMP.

ON THE 15-MINUTE RIDE \hBACK TO CAU SONG BE,

TOM AND LARRY RECEIVE ANOTHER \h\h\h\hDESPERATE RADIO MESSAGE--

\h\h\h\hTHOSE LEFT BEHIND ARE COMPLETELY PINNED DOWN

\h\h\h\h\h\hBY AN EVER LARGER NORTH VIETNAMESE FORCE.

\hTHE ENTIRE COMPANY OF OVER 100 MEN NOW NEEDS RESCUING.

\hTO SAVE THEM ALL, THE PILOTS WILL HAVE TO MAKE SEVERAL TRIPS

BACK TO AN INCREASINGLY HOT \h\h\h\h\h\h\hLANDING ZONE.

Larry: SEE YOU DON’T HAVE \hA CHANCE TO PLAY IT OUT

ON THE FIRST TIME AROUND, ’CAUSE YOU DON’T KNOW HOW BAD IT IS.

\hTHE SECOND TIME AROUND YOU KNOW HOW BAD IT IS,

AND THEN YOU KNOW \hTHE POSSIBILITY

OF CONTINUOUS EXISTENCE

\h\h\h\hIS THE ODDS ARE SHRINKING DRAMATICALLY.

IT DOESN’T TAKE A GENIUS

TO FIGURE OUT THE PERIMETER \h\h\h\h\h\h\hHAS TO SHRINK,

AND ULTIMATELY YOU HAVE TO BE LEFT WITH NO PERIMETER

AND ULTIMATELY YOU HAVE TO BE LEFT WITH LITTLE OR NO ODDS.

Narrator: THE PILOTS FACE \h\h\h\hA BLEAK DECISION--

\h\hTO RETURN SEEMS VIRTUALLY SUICIDAL,

\hYET NOT TO RETURN MEANS ABANDONING THEIR COMRADES

TO ALMOST CERTAIN DEATH.

Tom: THIS IS VANGUARD ONE \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hON GUARD.

IS THERE ANYONE UP ON THIS FREQUENCY?

Narrator: TOM CALLS FOR BACKUP \h\h\h\h\h\hON THE EMERGENCY CHANNEL

FOR ANY AIRCRAFT IN THE AREA THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP.

SUDDENLY HE HEARS A FAMILIAR VOICE.

Man: THIS IS THUNDERBIRD 5-ALPHA TO VANGUARD ONE, I COPY.

Narrator: WARRANT OFFICER \hGRADE ONE JACK SWICKARD

IS FROM TOM’S FORMER UNIT, \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE 118th.

HE’S ALSO FROM TOM’S HOMETOWN, ALBUQUERQUE.

Tom: I KNEW JACK WAS \h\hA VERY GOOD PILOT,

SO I WAS VERY GLAD THAT HE WAS THERE.

Narrator: JACK TOUCHES DOWN ON THE DIRT STRIP AT CAU SONG BE.

TOM QUICKLY FILLS HIM IN

ON THE DIRE SITUATION \hAT THE LANDING ZONE.

THEY WORK OUT A PLAN TO GO BACK.

\hJack: AND I SAID, WELL, I’VE GOT TWO MACHINE GUNS,

I SAID WHY DON’T I LEAD IN?

AND HE SAID, WELL, THAT’S GREAT.

I OFTEN TELL PEOPLE

IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN MORE GUTS NOT TO GO THAN TO GO.

\hI JUST COULD NOT TURN DOWN PEOPLE WHO WERE IN TROUBLE,

WHO WE MIGHT HAVE A CHANCE \h\h\h\h\hOF PULLING OUT.

Narrator: FLYING THAT DAY \hWITH JACK IS AL CROTEAU,

AN AVIONICS ENGINEER OUT TO SEE VIETNAM FROM THE AIR

\h\h\hON HIS DAY OFF FROM GROUND DUTIES.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAl: I WAS EXPECTING TO BE SITTING BACK THERE WITH MY CAMERA

\h\h\h\h\hAND TAKING PICTURES AT EVERY SPOT THAT WE LANDED.

AND HAVING JUST A GREAT CALM, WONDERFUL SUNDAY.

Jack: I KNEW AL HAD NOT REALLY COME ON A MISSION

TO GET IN THE MIDDLE OF A FIGHT.

I SAID, "AL, YOU DON’T HAVE \h\h\h\h\h\hTO GO IN WITH US

IF YOU DON’T WANT TO,"

AND HE SAID, "NO, I’M \h\hGOING IN WITH YOU."

Al: I TRUSTED JACK.

\h\h\hI HAD ALL THE CONFIDENCE IN THE WORLD IN JACK’S ABILITY.

SO I WAS GOING FOR THE RIDE.

WHATEVER CAME UP, CAME UP.

I HAD, THAT WAS IT.

NO FEAR. LET’S GO.

Narrator: BUT AFTER \h\hTHE FIRST TIME IN

TOM HAS SOME SERIOUS CONCERNS

\hABOUT THE STATE OF HIS HELICOPTER.

Tom: I KIND OF LOOKED UP \h\h\h\h\hAT THE BLADES,

AND I KIND OF WENT, I WONDER IF I REALLY WANT TO LOOK AT THOSE.

\h\h\hI WONDER IF I NEED TO SHUT THIS THING DOWN

AND TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE.

BUT WE DIDN’T HAVE TIME.

Narrator: THEY TAKE OFF \hWITH JACK IN THE LEAD.

Pilot: OK, HERE WE GO. \h\hWE’RE FOLLOWING YOU.

Narrator: THEY HURTLE LOW THROUGH THE TREES,

ALONG THE NARROW TRAIL \h\hTO THE LANDING ZONE.

\h\hJack: WE WERE ABLE TO DROP THE FUSELAGE OF THE AIRCRAFT

OVER THE ROAD, A LITTLE BIT \h\h\h\hUNDER THE TREE LINE,

AND KEEP THE ROTORS ABOVE THE TREE LINE.

WE WENT AS FAST AS WE COULD.

\h\h\hTRYING TO MAINTAIN THE ELEMENT OF SURPRISE.

WE DIDN’T WANT THEM \hTO HEAR US COMING,

SO IF WE WERE LOW THEY WOULDN’T HEAR US TILL THE LAST MINUTE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: \hJACK HOPES THEIR ARRIVAL IS INTIMIDATING THE ENEMY.

Jack: YOU KNOW, A HUEY MAKES A LOT OF NOISE,

\hPARTICULARLY WHEN IT’S ABOUT 30 FEET ABOVE YOU,

IT’S SHUDDERING AND YOU’RE HEARING THE ENGINE NOISE,

\h\h\hYOU’RE HEARING THE BLADES WHACKING,

\h\h\h\h\hAND I WAS HOPING IT WOULD THROW OFF THE AIM

OF ANYBODY WHO MIGHT BE \hTEMPTED TO FIRE AT US.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: \h\h\hJUST AS TOM DID BEFORE, JACK HAS TO CHOP HIS OWN SPACE

\hTHROUGH THE BAMBOO FOR A LANDING ZONE.

HE CARVES HIS OWN \h48-FOOT CIRCLE.

Jack: I HAD NEVER \hDONE IT BEFORE.

I HAD NICKED A FEW LEAVES \h\hIN EARLIER OPERATIONS,

BUT I HAD NEVER CONSCIOUSLY \h\h\h\hLOWERED THE AIRCRAFT

\h\hDOWN THROUGH TREES CUTTING MY WAY DOWN.

WE KEPT IT VERY, VERY STILL.

\h\h\h\h\hDID NOT WANT TO HIT LARGER BRANCHES THAN WE HAD TO.

\h\h\h\h\h\hDIDN’T WANT TO HIT THE WIDER PART OF THE BAMBOO,

WHICH IS VERY, VERY STRONG.

\hI DIDN’T KNOW HOW MUCH THAT ROTOR BLADE WAS GOING TO TAKE.

Narrator: AS THE BLADES \h\h\h\hHIT THE BAMBOO,

TOM KNOWS THEY’RE TAKING DAMAGE

THAT COULD COMPROMISE THEIR ABILITY TO FLY.

\h\hTom: WE COULD HEAR THE BLADES WHISTLING

RIGHT AFTER WE LANDED.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: BOTH HELICOPTERS ARE DOWN.

BUT THERE’S NO TIME TO WORRY ABOUT DAMAGE TO THE BLADES.

THERE’S PANIC ON THE GROUND.

Man: FIRE!

[BULLETS WHIZZING]

Al: PEOPLE STARTED HANDING ME BODIES,

\h\hAND THESE WERE VIETNAMESE SOLDIERS WHO HAD BEEN SHOT,

AND WE STARTED LOADING THEM \h\h\h\hINTO THE HELICOPTER.

AND I LOOKED DOWN AND THERE WAS THIS ONE VIETNAMESE SOLDIER

WHO UNFORTUNATELY HAD LOST HIS HEAD.

AND I SAID TO MYSELF, WELL, I NEED A RIFLE OR SOMETHING

\h\h\h\h\hTO PROTECT MYSELF IF THE HELICOPTER GOES DOWN,

SO I GRABBED THE CARBINE,

\h\hWIPED HIS BRAINS OFF OF THE CARBINE,

\h\h\hAND I FELT A LITTLE BIT MORE SECURE THAT IF WE WENT DOWN

AT LEAST I HAD SOMETHING THAT I COULD USE TO DEFEND MYSELF.

Narrator: TOM AND JACK SIGNAL TO EACH OTHER TO LIFT OFF.

\h\hLarry: AT THE MOMENT I TURNED IT INTO A GAME,

WHICH IS I THINK HOW I HANDLED THE POSSIBILITY OF DYING.

I SAID TO MYSELF, OK, IF WE CAN GET IN AND OUT,

THEN THE SCORE IS 15-0, \h\h\h\h\h\h\hYOU KNOW,

WE PULL 15 PEOPLE OUT, \h\h\h\h\h\hTHEY GOT NOBODY.

\h\hTHEN WE CAME IN FOR THE SECOND PASS.

IF WE GET IN AND OUT, \h\hTHE SCORE IS 30-0,

\h\h\h\h\h\hWE’RE WINNING, AND I ALSO SAID TO MYSELF

\h\h\hIF I DIE NOW, SO THE SCORE’S 30-1.

\hNOT GOOD THAT I’M DEAD, BUT IT’S NOT A BAD COUNT,

SO I’M SMILING ABOUT IT NOW, BUT SOMEHOW IT PUT ME IN A GAME,

IT HAD ME BE MORE AGGRESSIVE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: TIME AND AGAIN THE PILOTS RETURN TO RESCUE THE TRAPPED SOLDIERS.

Tom: EACH TRIP IN, AS WE’RE GOING IN,

\h\hI’M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW MUCH DAMAGE I HAD TAKEN

ON THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES,

HOW MUCH FUEL I HAD \h\hON THE AIRCRAFT,

\hHOW MANY PEOPLE COULD I TAKE OUT.

Narrator: THE CONFINES \h\hOF THE APPROACH PATH

\hHAVE REPEATEDLY FORCED THE PILOTS

INTO THE SAME NARROW FUNNEL.

\h\hTHEY’VE MADE THEMSELVES EASY AND PREDICTABLE TARGETS

FOR THE NORTH VIETNAMESE.

Tom: I GOT TO TELL YOU WE WERE ALL STRESSED.

I MEAN, THIS WAS DIFFICULT.

EACH TIME WE TOOK PEOPLE OUT \h\hAND CAME BACK TO GET MORE,

THERE WERE LESS TROOPS \h\h\h\hON THE GROUND

TO DEFEND THE LANDING ZONE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: THE DEFENSE PERIMETER MADE \hBY THE AMBUSHED COMPANY

IS NOW SO CLOSE IT’S UNDERNEATH THE SWEEP OF THE ROTOR BLADES.

\h\h\hFOR THOSE SCRAMBLING TO GET ON THE HELICOPTERS,

THERE’S NO PLACE TO HIDE.

Jack: AT ONE POINT THE SOLDIERS WHO HAD BEEN ON BOARD

OR WHO WERE CLIMBING ABOARD, IF THEY CAME ACROSS A BODY,

I SAW THEM THROW IT \h\hOFF TO THE SIDE.

\h\h\h\h\h\hWE DIDN’T PUT ANY OF THE DEAD ON BOARD.

THAT WAS ROOM FOR THE LIVING.

WE NEEDED TO KEEP THEM ALIVE.

Tom: WE WERE JUST AMAZED.

THEY WERE SHOOTING PEOPLE \hGETTING ON THE AIRCRAFT,

BUT THEY WEREN’T SHOOTING US.

AND WE WERE JUST WAITING.

\h\h\h\h\h\hWE JUST THOUGHT, OH, THAT’S JUST ANY SECOND.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: AMID THE FLYING BULLETS, LARRY LEAVES TOM AT THE CONTROLS

AND JUMPS OUT.

Larry: PEOPLE WERE STRUGGLING TO GET ON,

AND WE WOULD HAVE HAD TO COME BACK AGAIN, AND I GOT OUT.

AND I SHOVED THREE OR FOUR PEOPLE ON,

AND JUST SAID TO MYSELF "I’M GONNA GET SHOT IN THE BACK."

YOU KNOW, AND THEN I SAID I’M \h\hGONNA GET SHOT IN THE BACK,

\h\hAND I’M GONNA LIVE AND I’M GONNA BE A PARAPLEGIC.

\h\h\h\h\h\hALL THIS STUFF WAS GOING THROUGH MY HEAD.

\h\hTom: I MEAN, HE’S GOT AN INFANTRY BACKGROUND,

SPECIAL FORCES BACKGROUND,

\h\h\h\hAND SO, YOU KNOW, HE WAS A HARD-CHARGING GUY

AND HE GOT OUT WITH HIS AR-15,

I THINK THAT’S WHAT \hYOU WERE CARRYING.

Larry: CAR 15.

Tom: CAR 15.

AND HE WAS OUT THERE FIGHTING.

AND I WAS JUST SITTING THERE,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hWAITING TO DIE AND HOLDING ON TO THE CONTROLS.

Al: YOU TOLD ME THERE WERE \h\h\hBULLETS FLYING BY ME

\h\h\h\h\h\hAND I DIDN’T KNOW UNTIL YOU TOLD ME THAT.

I SAID I DON’T REMEMBER \h\hBULLETS FLYING BY ME.

\h\h\h\h\h\hI JUST REMEMBER THROWING PEOPLE ON, PUSHING PEOPLE OFF.

I DON’T REMEMBER ANYTHING ELSE.

\h\hJack: WHEN YOU WERE PULLING PEOPLE OUT OF A HOT SITUATION

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND YOU WERE THE LAST AIRCRAFT TO GO IN,

\h\h\h\hMOST OF THE FOLKS ARE GOING TO JUMP ON BOARD YOUR AIRCRAFT.

Al: I HAD TO PUSH PEOPLE \h\h\hOFF THE HELICOPTER

BECAUSE WE WOULD HAVE BEEN \h\h\h\h\h\h\hOVERWEIGHT.

AND IF WE HAD ADDED PEOPLE \h\hWE WOULD HAVE CRASHED.

IT WAS SIMPLE MATHEMATICS.

Narrator: JACK’S HELICOPTER \h\h\h\hHAS THE EXTRA WEIGHT

OF MACHINE GUNS AND AMMUNITION.

LARRY AND TOM’S TOTALLY UNARMED HELICOPTER IS LIGHTER,

\h\h\h\hSO IT CAN TAKE MORE PEOPLE ON BOARD.

\hTom: ON THE LAST TRIP OUT, I THINK I HAD 22 ON THE AIRCRAFT.

\h\hTHERE WAS AT LEAST ONE ON THE LANDING GEAR SKID,

BECAUSE THAT’S THE ONLY PLACE HE COULD GET.

AND LARRY LISS WAS ACTUALLY \h\h\h\h\hHOLDING ON TO HIM

FOR PART OF THAT TRIP BACK.

Larry: I REACHED OUT AND HELD THESE GUYS BY LIKE THIS PART,

THESE SOUTH VIETNAMESE GUYS, \h\h\h\hI WAS HOLDING THEM,

AND YOU COULD SEE IN THEIR EYES

THAT THEY WERE ELATED \h\hTHAT THEY GOT OUT,

AND THEY WERE SCARED TO DEATH \h\h\h\hTHAT THEY WOULD FALL OFF.

BUT THEY HUNG ON.

\h\h\hTHEY HUNG ON, IT WAS LIKE REALLY, IT WAS GREAT.

\h\h\h\hTom: THAT’S THE MOST I EVER CARRIED ON A HUEY WAS 22 PEOPLE.

AN, I MEAN, THEY WOULDN’T ALL EVEN FIT INSIDE.

THAT’S WHY LARRY WAS HOLDING ON TO A FEW.

BUT THEN WE WERE WORRIED \hTHAT IF I GOT SHOT...

Larry: HOW COULD I GET \h\h\h\h\h\hON THE CONTROLS?

Tom: HE HAD TO BE \hON THE CONTROLS,

\h\h\h\hSO ONCE THE FELLOWS ON THE SKIDS WERE, YOU KNOW,

THEY WERE SITUATED WHERE THEY COULD HOLD ON TO STUFF,

\hLARRY GOT BACK ON THE CONTROLS,

WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, GOOD.

Narrator: BUT NOW THERE’S \h\h\h\h\hANOTHER PROBLEM.

A HUEY OVERLOADED WITH 22 MEN CANNOT GO STRAIGHT UP.

TO TAKE OFF IT NEEDS A RUNWAY JUST LIKE A REGULAR AIRPLANE.

\h\h\h\hTHIS IS KNOWN AS A RUNNING TAKEOFF.

\h\h\hTHIS DEMONSTRATION SHOWS HOW THE HELICOPTER SKIMS THE GROUND.

AS IT GAINS SPEED, MORE AIR MOVES THROUGH THE ROTOR DISK

AND THE BLADES BECOME \h\h\hMORE EFFICIENT,

HELPING LIFT THE AIRCRAFT \h\h\h\h\h\hINTO THE SKY.

\h\h\h\hTHE POINT AT WHICH THE AIRCRAFT STARTS TO FLY

IS KNOWN AS TRANSLATIONAL LIFT.

Tom: IT WOULD TAKE, OH, I WOULD HAVE TO SAY AT LEAST 50 YARDS.

\h\h\h\h\h\hWE COULD GET INTO TRANSLATIONAL LIFT

ABOUT OVER THERE.

\h\hMAYBE JUST ANOTHER 10 OR 15 FEET BEYOND.

YOU MIGHT BOUNCE THE SKIDS \h\h\h\h\h\h\hA FEW TIMES,

\h\h\h\hBUT ONCE WE HIT THERE, THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO COME UP.

\h\h\h\h\h\hIF YOU DIDN’T FLY THE AIRCRAFT CORRECTLY,

\h\h\h\h\hYOU COULD LOSE THAT TRANSLATIONAL LIFT

AND DROP BACK DOWN \hINTO THE TREES.

\h\h\h\h\hSO YOU HAD TO HAVE A REALLY GOOD CONTROL TOUCH.

YOU KNOW, I WAS REALLY SWEATING GETTING OUT OF IT THAT LAST TIME

BECAUSE I DIDN’T KNOW IF WE WERE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO IT.

IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN GOOD \h\h\hTO HAVE TO STAY BUT...

Jack: WELL, YEAH, BECAUSE WE WOULD HAVE HAD TO COME BACK

\h\h\h\h\hA SIXTH TIME TO PULL YOU GUYS OUT.

\hNarrator: LOW ON FUEL, WITH DAMAGED BLADES AND OVERLOADED,

\h\h\h\hTHE FIFTH TRIP HAS TO BE THEIR LAST.

JACK LIFTS OFF FIRST.

Al: AS WE’RE TAKING OFF, \h\h\h\h\h\hI LOOK DOWN,

AND IN ONE OF THESE \h\h\hCIRCULAR PITS

THERE WAS ONE VIETNAMESE SOLDIER HOLDING THE GROUND.

AND I SAID TO MYSELF,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOH, MY GOD, WE’VE LEFT SOMEONE BEHIND.

TO THIS DAY THAT’S ALL I CAN SEE IS THIS ONE INDIVIDUAL

\h\h\hSTANDING HIS GROUND AND PROTECTING OUR LIVES.

AND WE’RE LEAVING HIM THERE, \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND I’VE...

NEVER FORGOTTEN THAT.

Narrator: LATER INTELLIGENCE \hREVEALED THE MASSIVE SIZE

OF THE ENEMY FORCE \hTHEY HAD FACED.

\h\hJim: THIS WAS A WHOLE HELL OF A LOT MORE THAN A PLATOON

OR EVEN A COMPANY.

THEY LATER IDENTIFIED IT AS PROBABLY A BATTALION

OF THE 273rd REGIMENT...

A BATTALION OF 500-600 GUYS.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: THEY BRING THE SURVIVORS \h\hBACK TO CAU SONG BE.

NOW THE ADRENALIN RUSH \h\h\h\h\h\hWEARS OFF.

THEY HAVE HARDLY A MOMENT \h\h\h\h\h\hTO TAKE STOCK

OF WHAT HAS JUST HAPPENED.

\h\h\hLarry: WHEN I CHECKED MY WEAPONS, THEY WERE EMPTY.

AND TO THIS DAY I DON’T \h\hREMEMBER FIRING THEM.

I MEAN, I KNOW I DID, \h\hI MIGHT HAVE DONE,

\h\h\hI MIGHT HAVE FIRED THEM WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT,

BUT I DON’T REMEMBER \h\h\h\hFIRING THEM.

THEY WERE JUST EMPTY.

Narrator: DESPITE BEING PERILOUSLY LOW ON FUEL,

\hTHEY’RE ANXIOUS TO HEAD HOME TO BIEN HOA BEFORE NIGHTFALL,

UNAWARE OF THE FULL EXTENT \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF DAMAGE

THE BAMBOO HAS INFLICTED \hON THEIR ROTOR BLADES.

Tom: WHEN THOSE BLADES \h\h\h\h\hARE SPINNING

YOU CAN’T SEE THOSE BLADES,

YOU KNOW, YOU CAN’T SEE THE DAMAGE THAT’S DONE.

\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: WHEN THEIR COMMANDING OFFICER FINDS OUT,

\hTHEIR REPUTATIONS MAY BE AS DAMAGED AS THE BLADES.

\h\h\h\hTom: IT SEEMED LIKE IT TOOK FOREVER TO GET BACK

\h\hBECAUSE WE’RE WAITING FOR THE LOW FUEL LIGHT TO COME ON.

AND FORTUNATELY THAT BLADE \h\h\h\hJUST KEPT TURNING

AND IT KEPT LIFTING \h\hAND IT WAS NOISY

AND IT WAS WHISTLING, BUT IT WAS DOING ITS JOB.

WE GOT THE LOW FUEL LIGHT DURING THE SHUTDOWN.

Narrator: THEY JUST MAKE IT \h\h\h\h\h\h\hBACK TO BASE.

FIVE TRIPS TO THE FIREFIGHT.

OVER 100 MEN SAVED.

\h\h\h\h\hTom: THAT’S THE MISSION DAY THERE.

10.7 HOURS.

I DON’T REMEMBER FLYING \h\h\h\hTHAT MUCH THAT DAY,

BUT I GUESS WE DID, YOU KNOW.

Larry: ABSOLUTELY.

\h\h\h\hJack: I CAN REMEMBER THE TIME OF DAY WE GOT BACK,

\hBECAUSE WHEN I LANDED IT WAS JUST BEYOND DUSK.

IT WAS STARTING TO TURN DARK, AND I GOT OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT

AND I WENT TO INSPECT \h\h\h\h\hTHE ROTORS.

AND IT WAS TOO DARK TO SEE THEM WITHOUT A FLASHLIGHT.

Larry: OURS, IT LOOKED LIKE \h\hA GIANT CAT HAD TAKEN IT

AND SCRAPED THE COVER OFF AND UNDERNEATH WAS THE HONEYCOMB.

SO ALL ALONG THE ROTOR BLADES

IT LOOKED LIKE SOME BIG MONSTER HAD DONE THAT.

Jack: THAT AIRCRAFT WAS A MESS.

Narrator: THAT EVENING,

AS SENIOR RANKING OFFICER \h\h\h\h\hIN THE MISSION,

LARRY IS CALLED INTO THE SECOND FIELD FORCE HEADQUARTERS.

\hA MAJOR REMINDS HIM OF THE STANDING ORDERS

NOT TO FLY VIP AIRCRAFT INTO COMBAT SITUATIONS.

HE DEMANDS TO KNOW HOW LARRY \h\h\hBROKE HIS HELICOPTER.

Larry: HE JUST ABSOLUTELY \h\h\h\hFREAKED OUT ON ME.

RATHER THAN A COMMANDER \h\h\h\h\h\hSAYING WAY TO GO,

AND BY THE WAY, WE’LL GET \h\hYOUR HELICOPTER FIXED,

IT WAS, YOU KNOW, LARRY LISS, YOU’RE A DIRT BAG,

YOU DON’T FOLLOW ORDERS.

HE SAID TO ME YOU’RE NOT \h\hTHE KIND OF OFFICER

WE WANT IN THE ARMY.

\h\h\h\hHE’S JUST YELLING AND SCREAMING AT ME, AND I SMILED.

\hI DID SOMETHING AND HE PUSHED ME.

AND I WENT FLYING OVER A CHAIR.

AND IN THOSE DAYS I THINK IT WAS A BIG MISTAKE TO PUSH ME,

BECAUSE I BOUNCED BACK UP \h\h\h\h\hAND PUNCHED HIM.

AND THEN ALL THESE STAFF PEOPLE JUMPED IN AND PULLED US APART.

AND THEN THE GENERAL \h\hCAME ON THE SCENE.

AND THE GENERAL SAID,

"IT WAS A BAD THING THAT YOU DID DISOBEYING A DIRECT ORDER,

IT WAS A GREAT THING \h\h\h\hTHAT YOU DID

DISOBEYING A DIRECT ORDER."

General: VERY GOOD.

\h\hLarry: HE SAID, "LOOK, WHAT YOU GUYS DID WAS EXCEPTIONAL.

EXTRAORDINARY."

Narrator: IN ONE OF THE MOST \h\hHEROIC HELICOPTER MISSIONS

OF THE VIETNAM WAR.

TOM, LARRY, JACK AND AL RESCUED OVER 100 PEOPLE,

SURROUNDED BY 500 \hENEMY SOLDIERS.

THEY PUSHED THE HUEY \h\h\hTO ITS LIMIT.

THEY PUT THEIR OWN LIVES \h\h\h\h\h\hON THE LINE.

AND THEY SURVIVED.

FOR AL CROTEAU, MEETING TOM AND LARRY FOR THE FIRST TIME

\h\h\h\hSINCE THEY FLEW THAT LAST MISSION ON EASTER SUNDAY 1967

GIVES HIM THE CHANCE TO LAY \h\hONE LAST GHOST TO REST.

Al: I AM JUST SO HAPPY

THAT I GOT A CHANCE TO MEET \h\h\h\h\h\h\hLARRY AND TOM.

BUT I’M EVEN MORE THRILLED

AT THE FACT THAT YOU PICKED UP THAT ONE LAST SOLDIER.

I HAVE WORRIED ABOUT THAT ONE LAST SOLDIER FOR 40 YEARS.

\h\h\h\hAND FINALLY YOU HAVE PUT IT TO REST, THAT YOU DID SAVE HIM.

AND I WANT TO THANK YOU \h\h\h\h\h\hFOR THAT SO MUCH.

Larry: YOU’RE WELCOME. THERE WAS NOBODY ALIVE WHEN WE LEFT, OK?

Al: I KNOW. THANK YOU.

Tom: I DON’T REALLY \h\h\hBELIEVE I KNEW

WHAT A THING WE HAD PULLED OFF

UNTIL AFTER I GOT BACK,

\h\h\h\h\h\hAND PEOPLE WERE TALKING ABOUT IT AT THE BAR

BEFORE I EVEN GOT TO THE BAR.

\h\hAND I SAID, HMM, IT MUST HAVE BEEN GREAT, YOU KNOW.

IT MUST HAVE BEEN SOMETHING \h\hTHAT I CAN BE PROUD OF.

AND THEN I WENT HOME \h\hTWO WEEKS LATER

AND I WENT LOOKING FOR GIRLS.

Jack: DID YOU FIND ANY?

\h\h\h\hTom: YES, I FOUND ONE, AND I’M STILL MARRIED TO HER.

Narrator: FOR THEIR HEROISM,

TOM, JACK AND LARRY WERE AWARDED THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS,

AND AL, THE AIR MEDAL.

\h\h\hAS FOR THE HUEY, BETWEEN 1959 AND 1976

MORE THAN 9,000 WERE PRODUCED, \h\hMANY STILL IN SERVICE TODAY.

IT STILL HOLDS THE RECORD

AS THE MOST WIDELY USED HELICOPTER IN THE WORLD.