Recon
 | Insertion 1/19/"68
The Marine facing me was later KIA with a wound in the upper left shoulder. The valiant effort to save him was in vain but not because we didn"t try.
I had to faciliate their egress from YT-6 from the side hatch as the grass in the Valley was to thick and the ramp would not lower. On extraction, I went in with ramp down but that is another story... It was a "three on a match" kind of deal. I have always wanted to talk to Tim Timmons about that day but so far I have not been able make the breakthrough... It was a sermon he gave the following Sunday that had a profound effect on my affect from that day forward...
Posted by Chuck Nowotny on 2010-07-03 |  | Scary! HUNDREDS of well armed, well rested NVA in the Prairie Fire Area just west of HUE
Most "SOG" missions into the Prairie Fire mission Area in Laos were scary, just scary! The NVA were everywhere in high numbers. The photos and information those very brave U.S. Army Special Forces and Marine Recon "SOG" teams returned with was SCARY! I served my second tour (69) as a Crew Chief with HML-367s "HOVER COVER SCARFACE" UH-1E Huey Gunships. HML-367 provided daily "SOG" support for the U.S. Army"s Special Forces (MLT) Mobile Launch Teams out of the FOB (Forward Operating Base) at Phu Bai. The information these teams returned with was disturbing at best. It was 1969, I fought in all of TET 68 with HMM-363 and I thought we were kicking the NVA"s butt. These missions would very often report thousands of well armed NVA just across the Laos border. This photo shows HUNDREDS of well armed, well rested NVA in the Prairie Fire Area just west of HUE & Phu Bai.
Posted by Admin on 2010-07-02 |  | HMM-164 RECON INSERT, JANUARY 19, 1968
My bird was YT-6 and my wing was YT-1. I was lead bird and the pilot was Maj Robert Nelson and co-pilot was Lt. Tim Timmons. MY GUNNER was Jerry Siudzinski. YT-1 was crewed by Doug Lanford and Jim Nylander. I don"t recall the pilots. We set this recon team in and later pulled them out after a deadly fight. There are more photos of course but these three were the most poignant to me. From 1968 to present, I have been haunted by something. The Marine looking at me snapping the picture was later wounded and presumably died of his wounds. We pulled this team out later in the afternoon after they were almost immediately involved in a fight and were caught in interlocking fields of fire from the NVA in the small valley. I have posted the photo's here to see if any one can Identify further the Marines in the Photos as I believe they were of the 1st Recon Battalion. Post insertion lift off.As the team departed via the side hatch due to the grass being too thick to lower the rear ramp, I grabbed my 35 mm color slide Nickorex camera and began snapping some shots, as the LZ was quiet. As we lifted off I snapped this last shot and didn't realize that over 20 years later a Friend of mine, Jim Tyler and an ex-Recon himself with two Silver Stars would spot the NVA in the grass above the teams position. Later in the afternoon, we had to go in the Valley three times, under heavy fire to retrieve the team that was pinned down only a few yards from original LZ. The covering HUEY'S were being fired on by the NVA and were driven out of the Valley. The THIRD time in, after being shot out twice before, Major Nelson did a 180-degree turn just before setting down. This went unnoticed by me as I was dumping my armor so as to run out and get the team myself. I wasn't in the mood to leave them there as had been threatened if they were unable to move. I lowered the rear ramp and went in with ramp down to crush the grass. Ergo, as I ran out the rear after disconnecting my com.cord I ran to my left to what I thought was the team's position when actually I was now going the wrong way into Indian Country. That too led to an adventure that cannot be adequately be described here. Needless to say, the team reluctantly came out and clamored aboard YT-6 followed by the NVA etc. Some how we got out and thanks to the 180 maneuver earlier by the Pilot, we flew directly out of the Valley and didn't have to bank sharply to avoid the hills (and the heavier weapons emplaced there). The Marine looking at me is Ronnie Williams according to Gunny Hagar later wounded and died the following day from shrapnel wounds in left shoulder and chest. (Worked on him all the way back to Alpha Med Phu Bai) Team is deploying in the bush just above the clearing. They didn't get any farther! Submitted by:Chuck Nowotny, CNOWOTNY@msn.com
UPDATE: In November of 2000 I met Retired Master Gunnery Sergeant Jim Hagar. Jim had been my Nephew, Nick Watson"s Drill Instructor at M.M.A. The Marine Military Academy at Harlingen Texas @ http://www.mma-tx.org/, My brother in Law, Gary thought he recognized the Gunny from one of the photos I had posted on Popasmoke"s Combat Photos link. I was able to contact Gunny Hagar and to my surprise he named most of the men in the photo and explained his version of what happened that day. That was the last mission YT-6 would ever fly. This was the first and last mission on that day with a lot of "Shinning Brass" in-between. But that is another chapter.
Gunny Hagar wrote: Chuck, Here we go:
#1. Mike Foster #2. Ray Garner #3. Chuck "Whistle Dick" Owens #4. Andy Finlayson #5. ME-- Jim Hager #6. Ronny Willams (Died Next day of Blood Loss and Cardiac Shock) 7, 8, & 9 Don"t remember, they were relatively new to the company. YOU"VE GOT DAMN GOOD RECOLLECTION, VERY ACCURATE. Couldn"t move to the birds too much interlocking fields of fire. Later we found out they were supposed to be NVA 482nd SAPPER BN. Semper Fi Jim Hager
Submitted by:Chuck Nowotny, CNOWOTNY@msn.com
Comment by: Wally Beddoe on Mar 5, 2006 03:34 PM
[more from Chuck Nowotny]
If you magnify the first photo below, a couple of times (2X) you can clearly see the Marines positions. I plut white X's under some of them. I recall there was a NVA in pith helmet on the left of the photo and a bunker somewhere in the middle upper where I put yellow X''s. They, the NVA were close, very close and later one of the little fellers and I had an exchange of sorts but memory plus time does add and at times subtract various points of actuality or clarity it seems.
View the first image below and try to identify Marines or NVA in the photo. Then view the marked photo here:
http://www.popasmoke.com/images/3087b.jpg
Comment by: Maggie Poinski on Mar 6, 2006 07:25 AM
Just one of many amazing storys from the war, Chuck. Only, this one has great pictures! God bless you and all who served bravely over there. Mags
Comment by: roger zinkhon on Jun 24, 2006 12:47 AM
Ist force from Jan 67 to sept 68, 1st Force was attached to Recon Bn, Remember Hager, Novotney, but we called him Nick was a Sgt, We had a bad ass patrol in elephant valley Corpsman was shot up real Bad, members included Ross Gainey, a guy named Chilton and Novtney was a Comm Man, radios blown, up, but Sgt Novotney rewired them, we was with out Comm for serveral Hours and they sent a OV looking for us, The bad guys surrrounded us, but the USMC choppers got our ass,es out of there after some very intense hours, can't remember the date, 3 or 4 were wounded was going to walk out because of no comm. Gainey climbed a tree and shot my penflare and a OV spotted it, and the USMC choopers came and got our asses out.
Comment by: WILLIAM A. SELL on Feb 10, 2007 02:57 AM
these are good flicks. I was with Cco.4th plt .teams.. Stonepit & Datepalm.....through-dec'68
Posted by Admin on 2010-06-15 |  | 1st Force Reconnaissance Team Hunt Club
1st Force Reconnaissance Team Hunt Club February 1969 at An Hoa Top Row left to right: L/CPL Ellerthorpe, PFC Wisener, 2ndLT Hellmann, PFC Crawford, HM3 Thorson Bottom Row left to right: CPL Solomon L/CPL Herrmann CPL Custer and L/CPL Donovan
Submitted by:Johnny Herrmann
Relocated from COMBAT PHOTOS by George T. Curtis / NOV 2002
Posted by Admin on 2010-05-31 |  | 1st Force Reconnaissance Team Hunt Club
Team "Hunt Club" Recon Insert. Photo taken in April 1969 in Vitenam. LCpl Herrmann on the rope with some steady hovering from the CH-46 Crew and my good buddy, LCpl Weber, behind the camera lens. OOOOH-RAH!! Submitted by:Johnny Herrmann
Comment by: Carl Herrmann on Apr 8, 2010 07:02 PM
That's my father hanging on that line below that Phrog in Vietnam. I'm 34 now, he is still enjoying life at the ripe ole age of 60 now. Love you dad!
-carl
Posted by Admin on 2010-04-09 |  | Tiger, Quang Tri Province, 1969
The Following Article was written by Sgt. Bob Morris and published in Northern Marine Magazine in 1968. --
"Growl No More.." A man-eating tiger was killed by members of a small recon patrol when the 400 pound cat attacked a 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion Marine in the northwestern corner of South Vietnam. The attacked Marine survived. The six man recon team was on an observation mission near Fire Support Base Alpine, about six miles east of the Laotian Border, when it encountered the tiger. The team had completed its assigned mission and was waiting to be heli-lifted from the area, when the incident occurred. Bad weather conditions had prevented their immediate extraction and the team had posted a two-man radion watch while the others settled down to sleep. The tiger struck swiftly and silently. "Suddenly I heard somebody scream",said PFC Thomas E. Shainline, "then somebody else was yelling, it"s a tiger, its a tiger!" PFC Roy Regan, who had been sleeping next to the victim recalled, "I jumped up and saw the tiger with his mouth around my partner. All I could think about was to get the tiger away from him. I jumped at the tiger and the cat jerked his head and jumped into a bomb crater 10 meters away, still holding his pray." The Marines quickly followed the tiger to the crater and opened fire on the attacking beast. They could not be sure which one of them actually killed the tiger, since they all fired at it. Once hit, the tiger released his pray and the man staggered out of the bomb crater. "He looked dazed and he asked what happened", recalled PFC Maurice M. Howell. The injured Marine was immediately given first aid treatment and a Marine CH-46 helicopter arrived to pick up the injured Marine, the rest of the team and the dead tiger. The injured Marine was rushed to the 3rd Medical Battalion Hospital at Quang Tri, suffering from lacerations and bites on the neck. The tiger, measuring at least nine feet from head to tail was transported to the 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion headquarters. After examining the huge beast, MajGen. Raymond G. Davis, Commanding General, 3rd Marine Division and Assistant Division Commander, BrigGen. Robert B. Carney, Jr., congratulated the reconnaissance team for killing the animal. It is believed to be the same animal that killed a Marine earlier in the vicinity of Fire Support Base Alpine. Also on hand to examine the beast, now very still and hanging from a ten foot scaffold was Phan Van Sang, a professional Vietnamese tiger hunter, who had participated in a tiger hunt, organized following the first tiger incident six weeks before. Sang told the Marines that he had killed five tigers in his 20 years of hunting, but that he had never seen one as large as the man-eating cat. He expressed the belief that the tiger might very well be the same cat that attacked the other Marine. He explained that large cats usually work only in pairs and tend to hunt in the same area. For the recon team, it was a memorable experience, marred only by the injury to one of its members. But as they looked at the strung-up 400 pound man eater, they knew that this tiger would never attack another Marine. note: The injured Marine was Richard P. Goolden who was medically retired as a result of the attack. / Comments from Steven Shircliff
Comment by: sterling white on Feb 28, 2006 06:48 PM
I saw this tiger jan. 1 '69
Comment by: christina howell coots on Apr 3, 2010 05:58 PM
My dad was a member of the team that dealt with the tiger, Maurice \"Max\" Howell. I have heard the story many times! My dad passed away in 2007 so I have thoroughly enjoyed reading more about that night.
Posted by Cpl. Beddoe on 2010-04-04 |  | Recon Ladder extraction 1969
CH-46 Extracts Recon Unit by Ladder 1969 Photo from MAG 16 files 1969
From: Joe X. Hernandez, Friday, December 02, 2005 3:55 PM
If this was in April 69 7 miles SW An Hoa Combat Base I was on this ladder. B Co. 1st Recon would love a pic of this be glad to pay for it......... Joe Hernandez, jhernandez3@kc.rr.com
Comment by: Gilbert Luke on Feb 28, 2006 01:46 PM
This picture brings back many memories of personal experiences, Thanks To All Of You. Semper Fi, Echo and Charlie Co 3rd Recon Bn 68-69
Comment by: John J. McNamara III on May 1, 2006 05:34 PM
If this photo was taken on April 22, 1969 around 4:00 PM in the afternoon, approximately 5 miles southwest of An Hoa and if the Recon Team was named Asparagus III, then I was the Aircraft Commander of Peachbush 3-2 and carried out the extract of the team who had come under fire by an overwhelming force of NVA.
Best regards,
John J. McNamara
Comment by: Jeffrey baker on Sep 20, 2006 05:59 PM
Nice to see a flick from above, words cannot express
how nice it was to see our angels remove us from hell ! ! I served with 1st Recon C.co sept.68-Nov68 transfered to Force Recon An-hoa Nov.68-oct69 All gave some, some gave all. Nothing tells it as well as this
Posted by Bob Milby on 2010-04-04 |  | CH-46 Ladder Extract
Mission Complete!
Posted by Admin on 2010-03-12 |  | CH-46 Ladder Extract
Recon returning from a ladder extract
An Hoa
Comment by: John J. McNamara III on May 2, 2006 11:15 PM
If this photo was taken on April 22, 1969 around 4:00pm and the Recon Team call sign was Asparagus III, I was the aircraft commander of Peachbush 3-2 and extracted the recon team from the mountanins approx. 5-7 miles southwest of An Hoa. The srecon team was surrounded by an overwhelming NVA force.
Best regards,
John J. McNamara III
HMM-263 (1968-69 Marble Mountain)
Posted by Admin on 2010-03-03 |  | Recon Unit needs extraction 1969
CH-46 prepares to extract Recon Unit 1969
Photo from MAG 16 files
Comment by: James Smith on Mar 29, 2007 10:45 PM
Don't need the picture. Just wanted to say thanks for saving my ass so many times. Team marblechamp 3C1 3rd recon ,Dong ha--Quang tri--67,68,69 With out you guys I would of been dead a long time ago. Semper Fi Smitty
Posted by Bob Milby on 2009-12-28 |  | RECON EXTRACT, 1969
These photos were sent by Capt. Perry Unruh, USMC, Retired, and taken in RVN in 1969 with HML-367, MAG-36, Scarface 45,
Posted by Cpl. Beddoe on 2009-12-28 |  | Another successful mission by 1st Recon
This picture was taken by Tim "Byrd" Burgess and goes with his picture of the Recon ladder extract. (See ladder rolled up) This NVA officer was captured and extracted by the Recon team. He looks to be having a bad day, note the ty-rap around his wrists! Does anyone know what the emblem on his collar is?
Posted by John Barber on 2009-12-13 |  | Recon Extract
Posted by Terry Basham on 2009-12-13 |  | CH-46A 7 Recon
This is a DOD photo of a Recon Marine ( one of a six man team) about to be inserted by CH-46A. This Recon Marine is armed with both the M-16 and M-79, he is Camoed up and ready to go.Above and to his right you see the extra canteens of water stored by the flight crews.
Posted by Admin on 2009-12-13 |  | Gene Massey and Tiger
"12-22-68 Prov Mag 39 Quang Tri Recon Medivac. We're the 46 crew that picked up the Marine and tiger mentioned in picture#1075. Terry Powell and I were on medivac standby when we received a call around midnight to pick up a wounded recon member north of Khe Sanh. The weather was terrible but we found them. Turns out the young Marine had been attacked by a tiger. Of course the Marines won. Ended up bringing the wounded Marine, recon team and tiger back to Quang Tri hospital. This is the picture taken the next morning. Tim Smith was A/C of the other 46. Can't remember all the other crew members names or the Col. in the picture. If this picture brings back any memories and names let us know. Gene Massey" // Gene Massey [gene_massey@hotmail.com]
I was one of the Corpsmen on duty at Quang Tri Hospital the night of this attack. The Hospital was designated a "M. U. S. T." unit (I cannot figure out the acronym) and was an experimental inflatable Hospital being tested while more fixed buildings were being assembled. If I remember correctly it was closest to the DMZ or the most northern anyway. That night a call came in for medical assistance in the triage unit and soon the word spead that the call was for a Tiger attack. I was assigned to the surgical ward and was just off duty or taking a break when I arrived there (mostly from curiosity as there were many Doctors/Corpsmen available). I entered the triage area and saw a young Marine, alone in the room, sitting on the edge of a gurney and I asked him where the victim of the Tiger atttack was, he replied that he was the victim. To look at him he just appeared tired, I asked how he was and he said "OK" I ask how he was injured as I could see no outward signs of injury. He reached up and pushed back his hairline above his left eye and I could see a 3/8" hole in his scalp. he had four of these spaced evenly across his head. He was not badly injured (as I recall) and went on to describe this frightening account: He was a member of a recon team waiting for extraction from a bomb crater, near dusk, when suddenly he felt himself moving involuntarily out of the crater, reaching over his head he could feel fur but could not figure out what was happening, then he repeated something I will never forget, as he was being dragged out of the crater he could feel the alternating "cold and hot" breath of whatever it was that had him, swirling in and out over his head and ears. His fellow recon team members did not quite know what do to, the Tiger was dragging him toward water and the team was afraid to fire for fear of both giving away their position and scaring the Tiger to the point that he would arine. They decided to fire and killed the Tiger, gave first aid to the Marine and were soon extracted. The photo appeared in "Stars & Stripes" and the Tiger attack entered the books of the Recon Battalion as a notable, very unusual event. I was rotated out of country the following Feb. after 13 mos, without orders, to Okinawa, eventually back here to the "World" It's been many years since my service, I think I remeber correctly but I know better, this is the best I can do. HM3 John "Doc" McCormick // John McCormick/Lucy Ann McLaughlin [lujomac@suscom.net]
M.U.S.T. // Mobile Unit Surgical Treatment // Semper Fidelis - MGySgt George T. Curtis USMC Ret
Comment by: arthur lochridge, vmo3 flight surgeon 1967 on Mar 19, 2006 12:04 PM
This is a great story.
Comment by: Joseph Dobosz on Oct 15, 2006 06:49 PM
I cut out a photo of my aircraft from the Sea Tiger in 1969 or 70 (don\'t remember the month). On the backside of the photo is a picture of 2 marines holding the dead tiger suspended from a pole. The tiger was killed on a recon mission 17 miles North of DaNang. They were members of 1st Recon Bn. 1st Mar Div. Am going to attempt to send an attachment of the picture. Sparrowhawk can contact me at below e-mail address and I will e-mail him the photo if I am not able to send it with this message jvdobosz@sbcglobal.net Joe Dobosz HMM 364 69-70 YK6
Comment by: BOB HOWARD on Jan 19, 2007 11:39 AM
There Is Another Part of this Story on Picture #1075 Which Gave the Name of the Marine Who Was Snatched out of the Hole by the Tiger. I Believe He Is the Same Richard Goolden Who Was in \\\"B\\\" Co., 2nd Recon at Lejeune During My Time There in \\\'66 & \\\'67 after I Came Back from Nam. He must Have Been on His 2nd Tour When this Happened ? I Read Somewhere, Maybe at the Same Picture Site, That He Was Given a Medical Discharge after His Initial Recovery. I Still Wonder to this Day Where Some of My Radio Operators, and a Few More of My Friends from Recon Are. I\\\'M Sure Most of Them Ended up in Nam, and Some for a 2nd Time. I Dont Know of a Website for 2531\\\'S, and I\\\'Ve Looked at a Lot of the Recon Sites for Familiar Names. The Names I Am Looking for Are,pfc. Jimmy Johnson (2531) from Jackson Miss., Cpl. Tim Powers from San Francisco (0311/8651),Pfc. Chel Kvilhaugh (2531), a Native of Norway, Sgt. Ronnie Knowles from Texas, and Sgt. Newman Glen (N.g.) Evans of W. Virginia.
For My Marine Corps Birthday I Was over Whelmed When I Got an E Mail from a Fellow Recruit, Allen Foreman, Who I Went Through Boot camp with in San Diego in Aug of \\\' 64. We Had Not Seen Each Other since Dec of That Year. God Bless the Internet, and \\\"The Wall\\\" Site Where He Found My Name, and Those Who Have Taken Time to Learn a Little about It, as I Have Tried to Do. Maybe Before Our Time Is up We Will Have Gotten in Touch with Marines We Otherwise Would Have Never Contacted Again. We Brothers of Blood Shall Never Forget Each Other. Semper Fi
Comment by: Richard R. Freeman on Nov 9, 2007 12:34 PM
I too was on Recon with Bravo, 1/506th, 101st Abn in 69 or early '70 working out of Mai Loc. My team was working that same area watching a road. We had set up for the night halfway up a mountain. It was twilight. I had the radio receiver in my hand and my M-16 touching my leg. As all of you know, you life depends on your senses and I thought that I was pretty tuned in to the jungle. I was startled by some type of rumble or growl or whatever the sound was. I looked in the direction of the sound and discovered the source to be a couple of arms lenghts away - a big tiger! This I guess is where it turns into a fish tale but he looked very big! To say the size of a Mack truck would be about right. Well, you get the idea. He was too close for me to grab my M-16 and fire. I slapped the radio receiver against my leg. I guess the tiger figured I must be joking. For some reason, he backed out of there and disappeared into the bamboo. He circled us most of the night. Of course, when we reported the tiger to higher, they suggested that we put salt on his tale and bring him in. We didn't find that funny at the time. Years later, I read that the area was an international tiger hunting area. I guess I was very lucky after reading the story about the marine.
Posted by Admin on 2009-10-26 |  | Tiger captured by RECON
There was more than just the Enemy to be aware of Stars and Stripes photo.
These 1st Recon Bn Marines are left to right: LCpl James Ortega, LCpl Thomas L Little, and Sgt James L. Griffith. There's another photo of these three Marines on pg 124 in "U.S. Marines in Vietnam, 1967, Fighting the North Vietnamese".
Thanks
Tom Denton
Thomdenton@aol.com
Comment by: Thomas R Lawton on Aug 3, 2006 05:19 PM
The Marine on the right...Sgt James Griffith...was in my platoon. He was a real big man and a heck of a nice guy. He saved my life on a patrol in which I was getting heat exhaustion while being chased by the VC. I got separated from the platoon while we were humping down this river. The gooks were right on our tail and Huey gunships were firing rockets at them holding the back. I started vomiting and everything was turning white when I got separated from the platoon, and up the river came Sgt Griffeth looking for me. He grabbed me and the two of us hobbled down the river to the LZ. Those chopper pilots were amazing that day. They flew at tree level right over our heads shooting at the VC and holding them back. Thanks to Sgt Griffeth and the chopers, I am alive today! It was great seeing him again in this picture.
Tom Lawton
USMC
A Co., 1st Recon
Vietnam 66-67
Posted by Admin on 2009-09-20 |  | Terry Powell, Major Simpson and Tiger
12-22-68 Prov Mag 39 Quang Tri Recon Medivac. Terry Powell and Major Simpson with the tiger. Gene Massey Semper Fi Gene Massey [gene_massey@hotmail.com]
This is a great shot Very clear and sharp. Send more // Bosphotoman1947@aol.com
Posted by Admin on 2009-07-21 |  | The NVA EVERYWHERE! TET 68
The NVA were "EVERYWHERE" at once during TET 68. This SOG photo gives you a good picture of what most SOG missions were like. "Dangerous, Dangerous, Dangerous!"
Posted by Admin on 2009-06-15 |  | Napalm "TOO CLOSE!" HMM-363 Khe Sanh 1968
When you are trying to get into the zone to get the Recon team out and the Napalm is this close that is "TOO CLOSE! On this mission in 1968 just outside of Khe Sanh HMM-363 was trying to pull off an Emergency Extract for a Recon team in deep trouble. The crew unanimously volunteered after hearing the frantic radio pleas for an Emergency Extract, Lt Col Frankie E. Allgood , 1stLT Francis Wickersham, LCPL George T. Curtis, and Cpl Ronnie Shaw made four attempts to get in and the team had to relocate every time, dragging their wounded along. They got them out on the fourth attempt. the A/C took 19 hits and the team suffered two more wounded while relocating. Many Popasmoke members have shared this experience on similiar missions. Once you experience this, you never forget the sound, smell or sight of these missions. LtCol Allgood was KIA March 25,1968, Lt wickersham retired a LtCOL. LCPL Curtis retired a MGYSGT, Cpl Shaw got out and returned to TN. LtCOL Wickersham, MGYSGT Curtis and Ron Shaw are Popasmoke members.
Posted by Admin on 2009-01-31 |  | "Requesting A Medevac Helicopter"
"Requesting A Medevac Helicopter" In contact with Zulu radio relay, requesting a medevac helicopter from the Marine helicopter base at Marble Mountain Air Facility. (Photo taken of me (sitting on a grave stone) by a fellow Marine) Eastern edge of the A Shau valley, March 1970, First Force Recon Co. Submitted by: Cpl. Gordon Boswell
Relocated from COMBAT PHOTOS by George T. Curtis / Jan 2003
Posted by Admin on 2008-12-21 |  | 1st Force Reconnaissance Team Hunt Club
Another patrol order for Team "Hunt Club" Heading for your choppers at the Camp Reasoner LZ, home of the 1st Force Reconnaissance Company, May 1969, Vietnam. Team Work for a bunch of combined professionals.
Submitted by:Johnny Herrmann
Relocated from COMBAT PHOTOS by George T. Curtis / NOV 2002
Posted by Admin on 2008-10-05 |  | CH-46 SPIE RIG
Another (SCARFACE) HML-367 aircrew sending in a CH-46 SPIE RIG photo taken in NAM in 69 also, to go along with Capt. Perry UNRAH"s photo.
Posted by Admin on 2008-05-06 |  | YES there were Tigers in Vietnam
Tigers were a real danger to Villagers, children and Water Buffalo. Killing this Tiger and bringing it back to the village was part of the " Win their Hearts and control their Minds " program. In this photo , Marine Recon did the honors in 1971
Grunt on the right is 1st Lt. Lou Doherty, 1st Recon
Believe Grunt on left is SSgt. Larkin, !st Recon
Bob Frazer
MBNA International Construction
Phone: 302 457 5759
Fax: 302 457 5873
Int'l Phone: 302 218 0664
Mailstop: 2003
Frazer, Robert A. Sr. (Facilities) [Robert.Frazer@mbna.com]
Posted by Admin on 2008-04-23 |  | CH-53 SPIE RIG VIETNAM
I witnessed one of these and the CH-53 put off such intense Rotor Wash that you would have thought the extraction was taking place durring a Tornado.
The Recon team was thrilled, they said that the NVA would never be able to hold a fighting position in close if the pickup was by 53 because the rotor wash was blowing stuff all over the place.
Posted by Admin on 2008-04-01 |  | 1st Force Reconnaissance Team Crazy Bone
1st Force Reconnaissance Team Crazy Bone February 1969 at An Hoa Top Row left to right: CPL KELLY, CPL Morris, LCpl Ames, L/CPL Ernest, L/CPL Weber, L/CPL Herrmann Bottom Row left to right: PFC Wilkins, L/CPL Ellerthorpe, PFC Sylvester Submitted by:Johnny Herrmann Relocated from COMBAT PHOTOS by George T. Curtis / NOV 2002
1st FORCE RECONNAISSANCE TEAM CRAZY,1969. I believe that this photo was actually taken in Khe SANH, and not AN HOA. Also, in the top row 4th from the left, is not L/cpl ERNEST, BUT is Sgt. THOMAS DALE NICHOLAS.PHOTO TAKEN in FEBRUARY, 1969. I would appreciate a response as well as any positive feedback. Sincerely MR. TROY KIEFFER. MY EMAIL IS troy_kieffer2003@yahoo.com.
Posted by Admin on 2008-01-17 |  | "SOG" HOT EXTRACT
All Popasmoke Aircrews did some "SOG" work. Many were hot extracts like this one. I crewed both UH-34Ds with HMM-363 (67-68) and UH-1E Huey Gunships with HML-367 (69-70) and it was the same scene over and over again. "SOG" could really get in Heavy Contact! Photo enhanced by John P. Dullighan.
Posted by Admin on 2007-12-27 |  | HML-367 Repel Chase
One of HML-367s AH-1G Huey Cobra Gunships provides chase for a Recon Team ladder extracted by Ch-53.
From: Con Silard , Monday, November 21, 2005 11:17 AM
Enjoyed the Pic. This was an extract of a CCN team from across the fence. I was the flight leader of the cobra escort. Semper Fi, Connie Silard, Scarface 5
From: John Witsell , Dec 26, 2005 9:47 PM
This looks a lot like some of the pics that I took.
I will try to find as many of my old pictures as possible and send in. John Witsell, MMAF June 1969 - June 1970, AH1G Cobras VMO-2 June 69 - Dec 69 Hostage Snake ; Hostage John, HML-367 Dec 69 - June 70 Scarface 31
Posted by Admin on 2007-12-06 |  | Marine Recon Khe Sanh 68
Two of HMM-363s "LUCKY RED LIONS" UH-34Ds are loading these USMC Recon Marines for insert west of Khe Sanh TET 68.
Posted by Admin on 2007-09-15 |  | Recon Extraction 1969
CH-46 extracts Recon Unit 1969
Photo from MAG 16 files 1969
Posted by Bob Milby on 2007-08-02 |  | HMM-161, Recon extration on this mountain near Loas
Taken during an emergency recon extraction near Laos with HMM-161, 1969. A Marine Recon Team was being chased by a large number of NVA on this mountain. They had to fight their way to the top of the mountain so we could land to pick them up. We were successful in extacting the team while taking heavy fire. It was my first flight with our Sqd. CO, Col. Mann. He was one cool dude under fire and one hell of a pilot.
Comment by: LEROY KELLEY on Jun 3, 2006 01:56 PM
I WAS A DOOR GUNNER ON THIS FLIGHT
Posted by Mike Madden on 2007-07-03 |  | Awaiting arrival of a helicopter resupply
During the fall of 1969 Cpl Gordon "Bos" Boswell, attached to Delta Co, 1st Bn, 1st Marines, awaits the arrival of a helicopter resupply. The location is Hill 65. One of the items that is being flown in is a much needed part for his Starlight scope.
Posted by Cpl. Beddoe on 2007-04-12 |  | Recon Team Forefather 8-68
Recon Team "Forefather" prepares for insertion with the Purple Foxes of HMM-364. George Greene was gunner and Jerry Mills was Crew Chief on this mission from Phu Bai August 1968. Posted for Joe Reed
jrcr@adelphia.net
Comment by: Rick Ryan on Feb 24, 2007 01:16 PM
I flew a couple of those insertions. Sometimes they became pretty hairy. Some brave souls those recon guys. Semper Fi.
Posted by Admin on 2007-03-26 |  | 2ndLt. Terrence C. Graves, Medal of Honor
On July 7, 2001, the Terrence C. Graves Memorial was dedicated in the small Fingerlakes village of Groton, NY. A wreath was placed in rememberance of the team "Box Score" and VMO-6 KIA by MajGen, Pete Osman, USMC, and Stanley Kozlowski, USMC Ret., President of the 3rd Recon Association. The VMO-6 crew of Capt. Bobby Galbreath, Lt. Paul Jensen, SSgt. Jimmy Tolliver and Cpl. Harry Schneider perished with Lt. Graves and Pfc. James Honeycutt, 3rd Force Recon, on the fatal rescue attempt of Februrary 16, 1968.
Posted by Cecil Smith on 2007-03-03 |  | PFC A.C. Councill KIA 06/05/69 1st RECON
COUNCILL , ARTHUR COBY III Hawthorne High Class of 1967 PFC - Marine Corps - 20 year old Single, Caucasian, Male Born on 03/05/49 From HAWTHORNE, CALIFORNIA His tour of duty began on 03/06/69 Casualty was on 06/21/69 in QUANG NAM, SOUTH VIETNAM HOSTILE, HELICOPTER - NONCREW AIR LOSS, CRASH ON LAND Body was recovered Religion PROTESTANT Panel 22W - - Line 103 Comments on Incident: This was a recon insert approximately 22 miles WNW of DaNang. If I remember the mission brief correctly it was the 3rd consecutive day to try for an insert at this position. Zone was prepped heavily prior to commencement of spiral approach. We came into a brief hover and started to receive resistance [fire] prior to anyone exiting the aircraft. During climb out a loud explosion occurred aft of the cockpit area as we cleared the tree tops. The aircraft pitched extreme nose up and rolled slowly right to a somewhat inverted position with no control input response. Lee Peters and I both grew up in Iowa about 150 miles apart and had several mutual friends. I visited his family one weekend when I was at Great Lakes Naval Hospital. One of the toughest things I've ever done. Submitted by Stan Jorgensen, Copilot on mission Comments on Incident: 21 June 1969 at 1130 Hours. 22 1/2 miles northwest of Danang, Quang Nam Province, RVN. Crew flying on CH-46D on recon extraction. A/C received small arms fire causing A/C to crash and burn. LCPL W.T. GIBSON, gunner, received contusion to right arm and laceration to right knee, CPL J.E. GAUVIN, gunner, received fractured right "manoible" and dislocation of right shoulder. 1stLT S.W. JORGENSEN, copilot, received laceration to nose. Submitted by John Lane. Comments on Incident: This is the report I wrote to my company about the shooting down on 21 June, 1969 of the airplane of HMM-165, flown by 1st Lt. William "Lee" Peters, who was killed. The Gunner [crew chief] LCpl Paul Petroline was also killed. “At approximately 1045 on 21June 1969, BuNo 154811 was attempting to insert a recon team at position ZC033864. The attempt was abandoned because of enemy opposition, and the aircraft was moving away when the gunner heard a loud explosion from the controls closet area. The co-pilot thinks that they lost boost presure. (the co-pilot is still in a state of shock from the accident and does not clearly remember what happened. It is suspected that the aircraft as hit in the controls closet area by a Rocket Propelled Grenade [RPG]. The aircraft then went out of control and crashed." "The pilot, crew chief, and six (6) members of the recon team were killed, and the co-pilot, the two (2) gunners, and the remaining two(2) members of the recon team were injured. The aircraft burned and is considered a strike." "The aircraft is in very unfriendly territory and examination of the wreckage has not been possible. It is unlikely the the risk of sending a team in to examine the wreckage will be taken so that definite confirmation of the suspected happenings is also unlikely.” Submitted by John Dullighan, Boeing Tech Rep, CH-46D, HMM-165. KIA Index | Mission Comments | USMC/Vietnam Helicopter Association http://www.popasmoke.com/kia/incidents.php?incident_id=218
Photo of Arthur from Hawthorne High yearbook Class of 1967
Posted by Admin on 2006-12-14 |  | Phosthumously Medal Of Honor L/CPL Richard A. Anderson
Medal Of Honor Phosthumously awarded to L/Cpl Richard A. anderson, 3rd Recon for actions on 24 Aug 69.
Posted by Admin on 2006-10-23 |  | 1st Force Reconnaissance Team Hunt Club
Recon extract in January 1969, Vienam, of Team Hunt Club This photo was published (in the mid to late 80"s or early 90"s) in a Time/Life Book entitled "CHOPPER!" I submitted this photo to your web site to memorialize LCpl Harold Earl Mussleman, who "PAID IN FULL" while on a recon patrol with Team Crazy Bone on 3 March 1969, in Vietnam. To his parents, brothers, and sisters-- we won"t ever forget him. Signed Members of Teams, "Hunt Club", "Crazybone" and "Steel Rim" Submitted by:Johnny Herrmann Relocated from COMBAT PHOTOS by George T. Curtis / NOV 2002
Comment by: Jeff baker on May 22, 2006 09:46 PM
I think thats me in photo#2783 !! I served with c co. 1st recon bn. sept 68-nov68 then was transferd to an-hoa 1st force recon Co. from nov.-68-aprox jun-69 when we moved back to danang. I remember Iput my raidio in a low pack youll see my antenna on my right back. I think we did a flip flop that day. I OWE MY LIFE TO THE CREW THAT TRYED FOR DAYS TO GET US OUT OF A FOGGED IN MT. AND BACKED THE CHOPPER DOWN IN A BOMB CRATER SO WE COULD GET OUT!! I hung on to the ramp piston and called out GO! but don't close the door!! The door gunner had a box of hearshey bars, Best food I ever tasted!! THANKS ALWAYS, JEFF P.s I was 2nd raido I POPPED SMOKE!!!!
Posted by Admin on 2006-10-17 |  | Recon Extract
Recon Extract
This photo was sent by Capt. Perry Unruh, USMC, Retired, and taken in RVN in 1969 with HML-367, MAG-36, Perry Unruh Scarface 45 Relocated from COMBAT PHOTOS by George T. Curtis / NOV 2002
Posted by Admin on 2006-03-05 |  | PFC Charles Dennis Chomel, Pass 3rdForceRecon "KIA" 670611
INCIDENT DATE 670611 HMM-265 CH-46A 150270+ EP-158http://www.popasmoke.com/kia/incidents.php?incident_id=84
Posted by Admin on 2004-02-21 |  | HMM362 Okie II Reunion
Ray Hildreth, co-Author of HILL 488. Discovered to live in the Tulsa area, Ray was invited by Archie Fleming, Willie Sproul, and Burt Palmer to attend the 362 reunion. Ray was able to attend the social gathering on Friday evening and did sign copies of his book for all those who wanted one. HILL 488 is the story of 1st plt; C-C0; 1st Recon blt; 1st Marine Div, and the Medal of Honor; four Navy Crosses; thirteen Silver Stars; and eighteen Purple Hearts.
Posted by Charles Thomas on 2003-11-16 |  | RECON loading on CH-46D TET 68
A recon team just completing a 5 day patrol along the DMZ around Con Thien, loads aboard a CH-46D from HMM-364s "PUPLE FOXES".
Posted by Admin on 2002-05-31 |  | "SOG" The Pickups were "HAIRY"
The "SOG" pickups were very "Hairy". Those guys just showed up out of nowhere. They had so much CAMO on them and were almost always rushing the helicopter as soon as you got close to touchdown or at low Hover. Those first few seconds were really scary. You could hear everyones heart beating! I flew a bunch of these missions with HML-367s (UH-1E) Huey Gunships, I liked it but I never got used to it. Photo enhanced by John P. Dullighan.
Posted by Admin on 2002-05-23 |  | Lift off after insertion
If you look real close, I mean very close, not just almost close or just about close you"ll see the Marines as they take up positions in the grass. In the grass are the NVA also. With a better photo you can see the NVA positions. Who knew??? Surely not I. Later, we were shot out of the zone twice before going in the third time. The team couldn"t move from the positions you see them in now and were in hand to hand with grenade exchanges immediately...They held that position until after noon. It was after noon when we finally were able to extract them with the help of Huey"s who were taking the S--t also. The NVA gave no one respect that day.
It was an aparent 180 degree turn that Major Nelson made on the third attempt that almost screw"d up my afternoon as I hadn"t noted the manuver as I dumped my tanker vest, disconnected my com cord and ran out of the back (the wrong way) to get the team going.
It was YT-6"s last combat mission and last flight as far as I know EVER! A very fine "A" she was...
Posted by Chuck Nowotny on 2002-04-02 |
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