Monday October 12th, 1970

…exactly 50 years ago.

This past Friday, BGen Manor approved the concept of using an HH-53 as a gunship that Major Donohue proposed last week. Here’s the TOC Log. It states that the practicing to be done this coming week will be on Strafing Range 77 at Eglin AFB.

Here’s a story by USAF Major Ryland “Roy” Dreibelbis, Apple 4

The number of aircraft flying in our formation had grown to seven: One MC-130 with six helicopters.

Three helicopters flew behind the left wing. One of them was the HH-3 that was going to land inside the prison walls carrying Green Berets that were going release the POWs from their prison cells and two HH-53s. They would land in a safe area near the prison and stand by for potential rescue needs and pick up POWs as they were released at the prison.

Three HH-53s flew behind right wing on the MC-130. Two would carry the ground assault teams and the third was assigned the responsibility of suppressing ground fire (the Gunship, Apple 3).

I distinctly remember one refueling flight over the Gulf of Mexico at night. I was at the controls and always took pride in my refueling capability – trying to be smooth on the controls and make a connection with the refueling basket deployed from the C-130 always on the first try. This night tested my refueling skills. It was a totally dark night and we were far enough from shore that shoreline lights could not be seen. It seemed like the HC-130P tanker and my H-53 were suspended in space. I could not recognize movement except by looking at the flight instruments and the C-130 ahead of me. It seemed like we were in a dark hole, suspended in space.

Read the rest of Roy Dreibelbis’ story in Who Will Go.

Click Here:  The book.

Thursday October 8th , 1970

…exactly 50 years ago today.

Bull Simons, BGen Manor, and BGen Blackburn were in the White House today briefing Dr Henry Kissinger (National Security Advisor).

The photo below was taken after the mission, but it includes the decision makers that BGen Manor and Col Simons briefed at the White House exactly 50 years ago this morning.

Read the Raiders’ stories in Who Will Go.

Click Here:  The book.

Tuesday Oct 6th, 1970

…exactly 50 years ago tonight.

On October 6th, we flew a “Full Profile,” including a three-hour flight, launching at 8pm, flying around Lower Alabama, air refueling, followed by a full ground assault on the Mockup. Then we exfiltrated with a flight back to Aux Field #3 where we did a mission debriefing at 8am.

Story by Capt Jim McClam, Redwine

Memorable Moment #1:

I remember waking from a nap aboard our HH-53 while we were flying around Alabama late at night simulating the three-hour trip from Udorn RTAFB Thailand to Son Tay, at the end of which we would be landing and conducting our ground assault on the Mockup. I looked out the right front window where the minigun was and saw a C-130 next to us. I could not believe what I saw. It looked like our HH-53 was between the left wing and the tail of the C-130! I distinctly remember rubbing my eyes in disbelief that we were so close to the C-130. I could almost reach out and touch the C-130.

Later, I learned there was another HH-53 in the same position on the right side of the C-130! The Air Force Special Operations pilots were indeed practicing their TIGHT formation flying. This tight formation flying was used on the night of the Raid during our three hour flight from Udorn, Thailand, into North Vietnam as a tactic to reduce the radar signature so our aircraft would present less of a radar pattern to the North Vietnamese should it be detected.

Below are two photos of the exact same location.

Read Jim McClam’s full story in Who Will Go.

Click Here:  The book.