Hill 881 S.

Thank you Gary. At 3:53 into it My Squadron VMF(AW)235, an F-8 Crusader, 'A Death Angel' is to far away to see the Bird number, but I wonder if that was my Pilot, and my Bird, that did not come back. Those Helicopters that lay in ruin, and Crews, did not come back either. Good video. Semper Fi, and READY-APP.

Col Dabney ....

Having read all the accounts of 881 N & S numerous times, it was a treat
to see and hear Col Dabney relate it.

Even saw a wrecked 53 at 3:41 in the piece.

Col Dabney

I agree Mike, just wish he had been able to have given more Dates. It was an attack on the strip Khe Sanh, and not Hill 881 S, that as Plane Capt., my F-8 and Pilot did not come back. It was on Feb 23rd '68, and they don't even have that right. Seems there is a delay in crashes, deaths, and the reporting of them. That won't work. It may be said, 'well thats the way it works'. No, that shouldn't be the way. If something happens on the 3rd, don't say it happened on the 4th or 5th. There are other videos that show straffing on 881S, and Khe Sanh by the F-8s. Both the Phantom, and F-8 are designed that when it goes down, not able to pull out of a strafe at 300 plus mph, they burry up 20-30 ft in the ground. Doubt they will ever find the crash site now. That is a fact, The Col. did a Great job on the video. Semper Fi, and READY-APP.

"We're not in Kansas anymore,Toto."

Col. Dabney's vid & commentary was very interesting.,especially the remark about NFG replacements offloading in the LZ. True.,so true.
I arrived in RVN in mid Sept.,'66.,with a head full of ideals & an M-14.
My 1st frag to Khe Sahn involved transport of Recon replacements from Danang.,just as Oper.Hastings was winding down. Too many a/c on the runway.,so my hack sat down next to the fuel pits & shut down. The runway had a big ol' KC sitting at the west end.,shut down.,the remainder was gagged up with '34s & a couple of Huey gunships.
Behind the KC was a pile of body bags (ponchos) & with it's ramp down.,I could see bodies stacked like cord wood inside.,a long line of litter bearers & walking wounded waiting to board.
I'm standing there,topping off the tanks & yakkin' with one of the recon NCO's.,when a '34 began it's 360 into 881S. All of a sudden an absolute roar erupted from between the two hills.Red tracers.,green tracers.,mortar fire.,supportive fire from the 155's.,fire from the gunships.
I'm standing there.,all slack-jawed & agape.,running fuel on the ground.,when the recon dude jerked my hand off the fuel nozzle.He smiled & said,"We been tryin' to tell 'em for months that a regiment sized force of NVA are dug in up there."
On the return flight,we had several walking wounded & a couple of litters. During the course of the RTB.,I elected to send my 'IDEALS' to Graves & Registration..,& kept the M-14.
Glad I wasn't there for the 'Big Show'.,during TET. DAMN !!!
S/F CRAZE

were not in Kansas anymore,toto

Craze, I agree that they were still doing the same thing in '68-'69 when I was there. All those years, we didn't learn a thing. Even in '69 when Flying, we had inserts from DongHA, and couldn't get into it because of the AFVN with their 34's parked in the way. We had to hoover until they cranked up and left. The pax were still inserted. Semper Fi, and READY-APP.

Pilots name that was lost-23 Feb.'68

I have remembered my Pilots name that was lost on a 4 plane mission to Khe Sanh on 23 Feb. '68. His name is Capt. Lawrence W. Huebler from VMF(AW)235, MAG-11. Hope his name is spelled properly. His Bird was hit on a bombing, or strafing, 20mm gun run that day, and they have him listed as not a Combat loss. That is not what the Pilots reported when they came back. I waited, and waited at the north end of the runway, for a long time, but no Pilot, or DB-#16 came back. I went to the H&MS-11 engine shop then, as the Squadron had no more Birds for me to be Plane Capt. on, not even a hangar Queen. Any help to find out why he was not reported as a Combat loss would be appreciated. Semper Fi, and READY-APP.

John Ace Hunt;30371 wrote: I have remembered my Pilots name that was lost on a 4 plane mission to Khe Sanh on 23 Feb. '68. His name is Capt. Lawrence W. Huebler from VMF(AW)235, MAG-11. Hope his name is spelled properly. His Bird was hit on a bombing, or strafing, 20mm gun run that day, and they have him listed as not a Combat loss. That is not what the Pilots reported when they came back. I waited, and waited at the north end of the runway, for a long time, but no Pilot, or DB-#16 came back. I went to the H&MS-11 engine shop then, as the Squadron had no more Birds for me to be Plane Capt. on, not even a hangar Queen. Any help to find out why he was not reported as a Combat loss would be appreciated. Semper Fi, and READY-APP.

Ace,I'll see if I can dig up anything & email you later.
CRAZE

Pilots name

Mike I do appreciate it for sure. When it 1st came out on board, I found his Name, and all on the casuality report, but it showed it was non-combat related. It kind of set me back, because it is susposed to be a KIA. They had to come get me from the end of the runway, as I just would not accept my Friend and Pilot, not comming back that I had strapped in just a bit before. The Plane Capt. is the last, and 1st one the Pilot sees after they get back, if they get back. We all knew that though. The pucker factor would be in their face for sure. You'd know when to joke, and carry on, but the same time, you'd know when it was a bad mission, and when Its a good idea to keep quiet. Each Pilot was different. The help is appreciated. Thanks again. Semper Fi, and READY-APP.

I found the 235 Command Chronology for Feb 68 on the Vietnam Virtual Archive site. According to the flight schedule for 22 Feb, Capt Hubler was flying close air support between 0110 and 0130 and failed to return. It also says he was assigned to aircraft 00.

The MAG-11 Command Chronology for that month listed him as MIA on 25 Feb as a result of a mid-air collision with a A-6A from VMA(AW)-533. I think that's why it's listed as an operational loss instead of due to enemy action.

235 Cronology

hma1369, that was not the way it happened. I remember it was in the afternoon kind of late when the FRAG was sent to defend Khe Sanh, as the pilots of a landing C-130 was killed on landing, and crashed into parked Birds setting off large fires, the 23rd of Feb.'68. The gooks decided to attack at that time. Three Birds came back, and he did not. He was Flying my F-8 with the tail letters of DB, and my Bird was #16, NOT #00. That mid air at zero one ten, to one thirty did not happen to DB #16. I was there, as I launched him, and was waiting by the north end of the runway at our Squadron site before sundown, for him to return. 235 had the North end Hangar there. When he didn't return with the other 3, I then went on closer to the north end hoping to see his engine smoke coming back, but didn't. Where they got the mid-air after midnight I do not know. Something is wrong for sure. I'll try to find a Pilot that was in 235 then, and try to get the story from him, or them. The next day, I was sent to the engine shop. I know the cronology says that happened, but it is very vivid in my mind. Thank you, and you did get it from the record, but like I said, I find it hard to believe, he had a mid Air. That is total news to me. Semper Fi, and READY-APP.

According to Hobson's book "Vietnam Air Losses" there were no C-130 losses anywhere in Feb 23, 1968. The only February 1968 losses were a KC-130 loss (CWO Henry Wildfang's at Khe Sanh on the 10th) and a USAF C-130E at Song Be on the 28th.

Hobson shows the midair between A6A 152631 and F8E 150857 at sea fo Da Nang. The A-6 crew survived.

IGOR

F-8 loss on 23 Feb. '68

Igor, I stick by my saying it was on Feb. 23rd, '68,. I was told a c-130 crash landed, where it may have been a KC-130. It was an afternoon loss, and I also stick by that as well. Records are filled in to accomidate something, and this is a case of it. I do not believe we had F-8 E's. We did have a Squadron of F-8 U's. It had to be mixed up with Navy Birds, as it wasn't my Aircraft. Why would it be a cover up? Semper Fi, and READY-APP.

John Ace Hunt;30491 wrote: I do not believe we had F-8 E's. We did have a Squadron of F-8 U's. It had to be mixed up with Navy Birds, as it wasn't my Aircraft. Why would it be a cover up? Semper Fi, and READY-APP.

F-8U was the pre-1962 designation for the Crusader. 235 was equipped with F-8Es since Oct 1964. They got F-8Bs when they moved to Iwakuni in May 1968, then moved to Kaneohe Bay where they changed to F-4Js in Sept 68.

F-8 U's&C'c

hma-1369, That may be so, but there again we were told they were U's. When we had to give our aircraft to the navy on ships, we went to Iwakuni Japan, and de-mothballed 29- F-8C's, flew them to NAHA,Okinawa, and had 29 days to get them all combat ready, then gave them to the navy as well. I know they were F-8'C's because they told us so. Whatever is written down in record is not right, as I was there. We made it with 1 day to spare. There is so much just written down that is not true. They just expect us to believe it. My CO told us they were F-8U's, I believe him. My Co tells me they were F-8C's, I believe him. 40 plus years later they change it, I don't believe it period, with respect. Were you in 235? That is garbage about my DB#16 having a mid-air with number #00 on it, is absurde. I was there, were you? Semper Fi, and READY-APP.

Jeepers Ace !

Don't you know by now no body ever makes a mistake with any paper work !LOL 😀 That's how they make such good $#!t sandwiches ! Ace sf kc

jeepers Ace

Hey Lurch. Just can not believe what they ended up putting in the record. We had some squared away Marines in admin, thats for sure. There is so much mis- information out there its unbelievable. I'll leave it at that. Been working on the machine just about since I returned from my Doctor this evening. Had 11 downloads before it shut down, and would not come back on. Just got it 5 minutes ago. Have to work on McCavee now. Best get. Semper Fi, and READY-APP.