Category Archives: Army

Death.

Air Force, Army,

Training with helicopters at the Mockup at Eglin AFB…

Thursday October 1st, 1970

…exactly 50 years ago this week

When we first started training using the helicopters, the plan called for Capt Dan to be the first man off and for me to be the second.

Now, I had watched enough war movies to know that the first men off any vehicle get killed. For a couple of weeks, we trained this way. I thought, Oh s**t, we aren’t even going to make it off the chopper. I can now admit that every time I stepped off the chopper, the thought went through my mind of getting zapped before my foot even hit the ground.

Then after a few rehearsals, the plan changed to where Capt Dan and I were the last two off the chopper. All of the sudden, I thought, Damn, now that I’m the last guy off, the bad guys will get their sights locked on. I will get nailed for sure!

Eventually I had to admit that, if the good Lord wants me, He doesn’t care if I am the first, last or in the middle. My Maker is going to bring me home when it’s my time.

Life Lesson 5: Be Prepared for Death. Don’t worry about it. You can’t completely control it. Make sure that the day you meet your Maker is not the first time you’ve been introduced. If you are prepared at all times, you’re free to live life fearless.

The “minigun” at the tail of the helicopters. You can read about this amazing weapon in Who Will Go.

Read Sgt Terry Buckler’s full story in Who Will Go.

Click Here:  The book.

Then, when the grenade exploded…

Army,

The Green Berets training on the Mockup at Eglin AFB…
Wednesday Sept 30th, 1970

…exactly 50 years ago this week

Here’s more about how we cleared a room. After the grenade exploded and the door blew off, Capt Dan would dive to the floor at the threshold firing into the room from top left to bottom right. At the same time, I would step over him firing top right to bottom left. By this, we created an X with bullets. Capt Dan would remain on the floor and I would back out and shine my flashlight in the room so Capt Dan could confirm that we had neutralized everyone.

I would then put in a new clip, depending on whether I had fired any tracer rounds. Capt Dan taught me that, in combat, you don’t have time to count how many bullets you fired. The technique is to first load five tracer rounds and then finish filling the magazine. When you’re in a firefight and you see the tracers smoking out the end of your barrel you know you need to change magazines.

(l-r) Sergeant 1st Class (SFC) Don Blackard, SFC Greg McGuire, and SFC Freddie Doss about October 20th, 1970.
Doss has an M-60 Machine Gun.
McGuire has a M-79 Grenade Launcher.
Blackard has an M-16.

Read about using this technique clearing rooms at Son Tay the night of the Raid in Who Will Go.

Click Here:  The book.

The Air Force MC-130s training at Eglin AFB…

Air Force, Army, Marines, Navy,

Tuesday Sept 29th, 1970

…exactly 50 years ago this week.

Story by USAF Major Irl Franklin, Cherry 1

After arriving at Eglin and getting our aircraft bedded down, we were ushered into the briefing room at Special Operations Forces (SOF) Headquarters. Much to my surprise, we walked into a group of 200 people. I noticed Special Forces, other Army personnel (UH-1 pilots), Air Force personnel including A-1 crews, HH-53 crews, HH-3 crews and LtCol Albert “Friday” Blosch’s MC-130 Combat Talon crew from Pope AFB. Then, focusing upon the front of the room, I noticed BGen Leroy Manor, Colonel Bull Simons, and some HQ USAF Staff.

We were told, “You are here to work on a joint exercise that could develop into a dangerous mission. If anyone in the room wishes to be excused, you may leave now, and no questions will be asked.”

A silence fell over those gathered.

People looked around the room and at the front of the room and did not move. A period went by with no one moving or speaking, then BGen Manor said, “Excellent. I am glad you are all with us because you have all been chosen for your unique experience and abilities which will make the mission a success.” Administrative details were covered and we were dismissed to go to our quarters to ponder the next actions.

The next day, Combat Talon (MC-130) aircraft commanders along with one navigator and one electronic warfare officer (EWO) from each crew met with the chiefs of the A-1 group, the helicopter group, and the Special Forces group in the SOF briefing room. This time we were briefed on the mission and the training that we would undergo. We were told of the mission objective, the deployment bases, and were asked to develop the routes and methods of getting to Son Tay.

Thus, began numerous days of flight planning! The remaining crew members and participants were to be kept in the dark as to the mission we were training for. (KITD-FOHS: Kept In The Dark—Fed Only Horse S**t)

We had aerial photos of the routes, the POW camp, and other items of interest (such as SAM sites). We had our own photo interpreter and intelligence people available.

Cherry 1 (Photo provided by Bill Guenon)
Standing (l-r): Sgt Robert Renner (support), TSgt William Kennedy, TSgt James Shepard, MSgt Leslie Tolman, TSgt Kenneth Lightle, SSgt Earl Parks.
Front: Major Thomas Mosley, Capt James McKenzie, Capt Thomas Stiles, Capt Thomas Eckart, Capt William Guenon, Capt Randall Custard, Major Irl Franklin

Read the rest of Irl Franklin’s story in Who Will Go.

Click Here:  The book.

Gen Manor and Bull brief the CIA and Joint Chiefs of Staff…

Air Force, Army, Marines, Navy, POW,

…exactly 50 years ago this past weekend.

Story by USAF 1st Lt Mickey Batsell, General’s Aide for Brig General Leroy Manor

As preparations for the Son Tay rescue mission began, the daily routine changed. It was important to continue as much as possible all appearances of “everything as usual.” Normal duty hours continued from 7:30am to 4:30pm. Head home for dinner as normal. But then it was back to the office around 8pm until the early hours of the morning.

Security was of utmost concern. We made several trips to Andrews AFB and the Pentagon. I was charged with carrying a briefcase containing a number of classified documents.

One night back at SOF HQ (USAF Special Operations Forces headquarters at Eglin AFB) around 2am, BGen Manor called me and asked me to round up Colonel Bull Simons to come to a meeting in his office. I promptly went to Colonel Simons quarters to extend the invitation.

When I arrived, one of Colonel Simons’ NCOs was sitting outside the front door. I explained to the NCO that BGen Manor would like Colonel Simons to come to a meeting. The sergeant told me that Colonel Simons was asleep. I asked the sergeant to wake him up. His reply: “With all due respect, lieutenant, you can wake him up.”

I was a bit stunned by that and started to take a step through the door. “You might want to think twice about that sir, because the Colonel sleeps with a loaded 45 under his pillow.”

I heeded the sergeant’s advice and paused to consider my options. After a few pensive moments, I said, “Sarge, when he wakes up, would you tell him that BGen Manor needs to see him?” The good sergeant replied, “Yes sir,” and I went on my way.

In the image from the Log, you see that Bull Simons (BGen Manor was there too) briefed the Director of the CIA, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the commander of Pacific Command (John McCain’s father).

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff: Admiral Thomas Moorer.
The Commander of Pacific Command:
Admiral McCain (father of Senator John McCain, who was a POW at the time).
The Director of the CIA : Richard Helms

Read the rest of Mickey Batsell’s story in Who Will Go.

Click Here:  The book.

Blowing the doors off at Eglin AFB…

Army,

Friday September 25th, 1970

…exactly 50 years ago this week

Here’s some of the technique we used for clearing a building. As a two-man team with Capt Dan Turner, we would first toss a concussion grenade into the building. Why use a concussion grenade and not a frag grenade? The answer is very simple–the buildings we were clearing of bad guys were not made of concrete, but of a material that a piece of frag would fly through.

Capt Dan would be on one side of the doorway and I would be on the other side of the door. As soon as the concussion grenade exploded it would generally blow the door open or in some cases completely off.

(l-r) MSgt Joe Lupyak, Sgt John Lippert, Sgt 1st Class Billy Martin, and Sgt 1st Class Tyrone Adderly about October 20th, 1970. Billy Martin’s machine gun is an M-60.
Lupyak, Lippert and Adderly have CAR-15s. Adderly also has an M-79 grenade launcher.

Read the rest of their technique for clearing a room and Sgt Terry Buckler’s full story in Who Will Go.

Click Here:  The book.