I was the Aeroscout Platoon leader flying OH-6A scout helicopters for F Troop, 9th Cavalry, from 7 Sep 72 until the Vietnam cease fire announcement by President Nixon on 23 Jan 73. While still learning the ropes from the veteran scout pilots, I was flying as co-pilot in the left seat with the pilot CW2 Tim Knight on 26 Sep 72.
We were on a mission in the eastern part of our area of operations when the Troop Commander gave a radio call for all of us to head west to Lai Khe for refueling and then fly to the Michelin rubber plantation to rescue a Marine A-4 pilot who ejected from his aircraft after it was hit by anti-aircraft fire.
An Air Force Forward Air Controller (FAC) saw the pilot parachute into the rubber trees and had a good idea of his location. Our plan was to fly to that location at tree top level in a V formation lead by the scout with two AH-1G Cobras slightly behind and on the scout’s left and right. Above us at 1500 feet was the Troop Commander (our Command & Control) in a UH-1H Huey and a Medevac Huey.
The OH-6A had no doors so I searched to the front and left, the pilot front and right plus flying the aircraft, and our enlisted man gunner on the floor in the back right side looking right and to the rear. I had a CAR-15 with three 30 round magazines taped together for easy loading. Our first pass over the area was incredible – there were NVA soldiers in blue uniforms looking and shooting at us, trucks, picnic tables, and 55-gallon drums all over the place. We could hear the A-4 pilot’s survival radio’s beeper, but he did not answer our calls for him to come up on voice. We did not return fire because of concerns about our A-4 pilot on the ground somewhere nearby. Our next pass from a different direction was even more difficult because the enemy gunfire was now intense, and the Cobras were now getting hit. We realized we needed to protect ourselves. The gunner in the back of the aircraft fired at the enemy with his M-60 machine gun and I fired all 90 rounds from my CAR-15. We still could only hear the beeper from the survival radio, but no voice and we could not locate him visually. Before initiating our next pass, the Troop Commander ordered us to come up to altitude and informed us that we needed to return to our home station. A Jolly Green USAF rescue helicopter was coming on station and would continue the search. All of us felt terrible because we failed in our mission. The Troop Commander, among the bravest of all, had to make a hard decision. Both Cobras had multiple bullet holes – things were starting to go completely downhill.
After the 23 Jan 73 cease fire announcement (the cease fire went into effect on 27 Jan 73), I was assigned to Saigon to the Four Party Joint Military Commission (JMC) flying UH-1Hs. Our mission was to fly US, ARVN, NVA, and Vietcong (VC) leaders to negotiate prisoner releases (usually VC releases). I experienced VC releases out of C-130s and lead one out of CH-47s. But the best was yet to come! On 15 Feb 73 our aviation group received the mission to fly to Loc Ninh the next morning and bring back 29 American POWs to Saigon!
However, out of the woodwork the morning of 16 Feb 73 appeared many senior officer aviators who took the mission instead. Since we had no mission, my co-pilot, 1LT Ray Dabney, (a great pilot even though he was a Texas A&M Aggie) and I went to the Tan Son Nuht Officer’s Club and started drinking beer. Around 1500, our boss burst into the bar and told us that the POW release had still not happened. Looking at us and our beers, he sheepishly asked ‘can you guys fly’? Of course, we answered ‘YES’!
We flew a US LTC and Sergeant interpreter, two senior VC officers, and an NVA liaison with the ‘real paperwork,’ so we were told, to Loc Ninh. Upon landing at Loc Ninh, my co-pilot, Ray, and I had to stay on the helicopter. Our passengers got out and met with their counterparts. I gave my camera to an Indonesian photographer (a member of the other post-cease fire organization – the UN International Commission for Control and Supervision (ICCS)) so he could take some pictures of the POWs for me. Within minutes, out came the US POWs in trucks from the woods nearby. I saw them get out of the trucks, greet the senior US officers, and walk by me, including a POW on a stretcher, to the helicopters that would fly them to Saigon.
At the club that night, one of my old Scout platoon pilots grabbed me and said we needed to meet a Marine COL, who was the wing commander of the A-4 pilot shot down in Sep 72. We sat with him at the bar and re-lived our failed rescue mission. He told us that he had good news – his A-4 pilot was in the group of 29 POWs just released! He must have been able to see him. The lists of to be released POWs were provided to the senior Four Party JMC officials prior to all POW releases in Vietnam. If I recall correctly, the COL told us (or someone else did later) that his pilot crashed through the rubber trees with his parachute and broke his leg. He hunched himself up, sat with his back against a tree, pulled out his .38 caliber pistol, and shot two NVA before they overpowered him and clubbed him unconscious. His leg was badly damaged, and he did not get much medical support in captivity.
That POW on the stretcher was the young man that we tried to rescue in Sep 72. Learning this brought tears of both joy and thanks to my eyes. Hooray!
After being contacted about my POW story, I decided to do some ‘Google research’ about the Vietnam cease fire agreement, the Four Party JMC, and the ICCS. The research was fascinating, especially the New York Times 25 Jan 73 article entitled ‘The Vietnam Agreement and Protocols’. I had never seen any of this information before. The article contained the 24 Jan 73 White House release of the texts of the Vietnam cease fire agreement initialed by Henry Kissinger and Le Duc Tho and the four accompanying protocols detailing the means of carrying it out.
It sure would have been helpful to have seen this information when it was released in 1973 instead of seeing it for the first time in 2020! The other exciting document was a book written by LTC Walter S. Dillard, USA, the chief historian for the US delegation to the Four Party JMC under the command of MG Gilbert Woodward, USA.
LTC Dillard’s book, ’60 Days to Peace’, contained an interesting section describing the subject of my POW story.
I learned from the book why there was such a long delay (at least seven hours) in the US POW release, which is what lead to my involvement. The author stated that there were differences of opinion or misunderstandings within the Vietcong and South Vietnam delegation leaders. The US POW release per the cease fire agreement was to be an independent action. The Vietcong believed that the US POW release at Loc Ninh was contingent upon their own VC POW release by the South Vietnamese at Bien Hoa. From there, the VC POW return was set to occur at Loch Ninh on the same day as the US POW release. So, at Loc Ninh the morning of 16 Feb 73, the VC refused to release the Americans until their own POWs were returned. The Vietcong blamed the South Vietnam leaders for delaying the VC POW release at Bien Hoa. However, it actually was delayed because the Vietcong POWs staged a sit-down strike. They did not believe that there were actual VC or NVA members in the Four Party JMC. This confusion led to messy and frustrating negotiations among all parties of the JMC to reach a final resolution. The US prevailed mostly because of the leadership of MG Woodward who took a tough stand with the Vietcong senior leaders, finally leading to an agreement. This long delay is what led to Ray and me getting the mission to fly the five liaisons from the Four Party JMC to Loc Ninh with the actual agreement to release the US POWs. Pretty amazing to learn the real story 53 years after the fact!
Doug, what a great story … and so glad it turned out well for the Marine POW!
Hi Eric
Thanks for your kind words. It was a great ending to a disappointing beginning.
I still remember you helping me carry the radio on the march back at Ranger School when my Achilles’ tendon was hurting real bad. You are one of the best of our great class.
Doug
Doug,
Thanks for the story. Glad to see the Marine got out of there.
Hi Steve
Thank you very much for your nice words. It was a great ending to a disappointing beginning.
Thank you Lord.
Take care.
Doug
Doug
Thank you for sharing this historical and engaging story. I was in B Troop 7/17, renamed H/17 Air Cav in Pleiku flying Cobras and then UH-1H Command and Control as Operations Officer from Jan 72-Jan 73. Our tactics were somewhat similar to yours, but not identical. We also did rescues of downed chopper pilots and of advisors on surrounded fire bases about to be overrun during the Easter offensive. Your rescue mission was dangerous and difficult, and I appreciated reading it today. I am glad you came back safe and eventually the A-4 pilot made it home too.
Ralph
Hi Ralph
My gosh – we have not seen each other since?
Thank you for your nice comments and for sharing a bit about your Air Cav experience. I was surprised when you decided to leave the Army. You were always one of the good guys.
The release of the Marine pilot was a wonderful conclusion to a story that started with such a disappointing beginning.
Hope to see at the 55th and we can compare our Troop tactics!
Doug
Thank you for sharing this great story with us Doug!
Happy 4th of July to you and Connie, come visit us in Florida.
BOTL, Bob and Marianne
Bob
Great to hear from you – I pray you are again at the Mr. Clean level of health when you were President Reagan’s Army football carrier😎
Connie and I, good Lord willing, will visit you in Jupiter but then you need to come to the Gulf side and see us in Matlacha.
Thanks for your good words and please tell Marianne thank you for hers.
Doug
It is so wonderful to read all these stories of the life experiences of the class of 1969. It is remarkable, but not surprising, how each of you have Played a significant part in the history of our country. Happy 4th of July! And may God bless the USA
Great story. Thanks.
Pete
Thank you for your comment. I have read many of your Class posts on-line. I appreciate your views and comments in the Class discussions.
Take care.
Doug
Hi Pete
Thank you for your comment.
I read and appreciate your Class on-line comments. You have good and interesting perspectives. Thanks for your efforts.
Doug
Thanks for a great story, Doug! Fascinating. Keep ’em coming.
Pete Grimm
Pete
Thank you for your comment. I have read many of your Class posts on-line. I appreciate your views and comments in the Class discussions.
Take care.
Doug
Doug, great story. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Bob
Thanks for your comment and interest in the story – the ending was perfect considering the disappointing beginning.
Big thanks for all of your support efforts as the H-1 chief Hawg for the Legacy Book, 45th and 50th Reunions, and all the fund raisers my friend!
Doug
Interesting story Doug. I left Vietnam 2 November 72 and was stateside when all the final negotiations were ongoing, and sometimes wondered if all POWs would be accounted for. Those of us who were advisors, especially at that point in the war, had far fewer American assets available for support. Consequently, those that were there, most notably helicopters were especially important to us. Got to work with a few stellar aviators from the 120th (The Deans) on occasion. Also had help from classmate Chris Sautter, when he & cohorts got tagged to move some of the RVN troops with whom I worked.
Hi Denny
Thank you for your nice comments and interest in the story.
An advisor – what a tough job that was. I do not think I could have done that – don’t like bugs, dirt and mud, rain, – just don’t like being wet! Let alone being in the boonies.
Chris, Jimmy Ford, Wayne McSwiggan, and Dennis Nishida were all in the same Cav Troop as me! Pretty cool – 5 BOTL guys together!
Take care and keep up the good DJ work😎
See you at the 55th.
Doug
Thanks for taking the time to write this article and share your first hand experience Doug. Frankly I didn’t realize all that occurred after the cease fire. Your personal description is particularly poignant.
Hi Larry
Thank you for your interest and the kind words. The post-cease environment was strange but also very interesting. A lot of people trying to do their parts working with men and women who were our ‘’former’ enemy.
The return of our POWs, including our A-4 pilot, was the best part.
Doug
Intense times..I was lucky to have witnessed some of the bullshit that happens in a ceasefire…think our friend with the broken leg may have had a different story to tell
Thanks for sharing that story Doug, my dear old friend. It’s been awhile since Armor Basic and Primary Helicopter Tng huh?…. You are always one of my heroes. Stay well. Fred
Hi Fred
I have so many good memories of you – cleaning each of your tanks’ M73 coax machine guns before Range 80 when you were a Company Commander; being fellow TACs; and when you were the Armor Branch chief calling me about my retirement package and letting me know the secret – that I was not recommended to be a Ranger School instructor – ha ha – good fun.
Thanks for your comments about the article.
Keep being you, my friend.
Doug
Doug, enjoyed your vivid recollections of that very interesting time. Great story with great ending for you and the POWs. Fond memories of our time together on 1st Regiment staff. Thanks for your service. Stay safe!
Mike Smith
BOTL
Thank you very much for your comments Mike. The ending was a real blessing.
I too have very good and fond memories being the Ops Officer for you and Nardots during our two details together. A great group of guys made up that staff.
God bless you.
– Doug
Hi Mike
Thank you so much for your comments. I too remember with fondness and pride being with you on the 1st Regiment staff. It was a pleasure working for you and Nardots during our 6 month two detail time together. We had a great bunch of guys on that staff.
God bless you Mike.
Doug
Great story Doug. Way to hang in there looking for a downed airman; way to follow up to see him brought back; and way to tell the story of what it was like to experience all that.
And a shout out to Suzanne and her team to stay the course in seeing that all these stories get told. There were 10 reasons from Sunday why ‘The Days Forward’ could have been stifled. She has made sure it won’t be.
Hi Jim
Thanks for your very nice comments – especially coming from the bulldog Legacy Book leader! I had a lot of fun working for you on that outstanding project.
Suzanne is amazing. She seems indefatigable (good word eh?) – I really enjoyed working with her.
Take care Jim.
Doug
Thanks, Doug, for sharing that and a great treat to read it on the 4th of July.
Thank you Bruce for your nice words. It was neat that the story was in the Independence Day posting.
Thank you for everything you have done for our soldiers and cadets in your distinguished medical career.
Doug
Great piece of history — especially your part of the story
Hi Doug
My gosh – Remember the days living in our trailers at Ft. Wolters. We and our wives had some very good times back in those days, especially when you told mine that she looked very wholesome😎
Thanks Doug for the kind words. It was a very unusual experience from start to finish.
I enjoyed seeing you at the 50th – but it was too brief. Maybe, good Lord willing, we can talk more at the 55th!
Doug
As everyone has said, that is a cool story, Doug. As a class we have experienced some very interesting times … isn’t there an old Chinese proverb about that? Anyway, thanks for telling it so well … and may the BOTL tell many more before our time time on earth is done.
Hi Ray
Thank you very much for your comments. We knew as cadets that we had a special class. Our Legacy Book demonstrated just that with the stories it told.
Ray, thank you very much for your ministry and for all of the things that you have done for our fallen classmates.
Doug
Doug (Sabre White),
Thanks for sharing this story with us .
I was one of the Cobra Pilots (Sabre Red) on that mission and later flew with the ICCS for the prisoner exchange. I can verify Doug’s accounts.
While those were two amazing missions – what stands out most in my memory is the emotion of both. Heartbreaking sadness and disappointment followed by the great joy of seeing the repatriation.
In the words of the USMC pilot – the team members were insane in the effort that day!
Regards, Wayne McSwiggan (Sabre Red – gun platoon leader, F-9 Cav)
Hi Wayne/Sabre Red
Amazing that we were both there – Perch told me that he was there too with the ICCS – I had no idea that either one of you flew for the ICCS! I also cannot believe that the three of us did not cross paths during those two months flying out of Saigon. I guess they were keeping us busy.
Remember our recent emails about getting together with the F-9 guys – this is a classic example of why.
Did you get to talk to the Marine? I do have us name and our F-9 buddy Bruce has tried to contact him but no joy.
We shall keep in touch my friend.
Doug
PS – you described our emotions perfectly.
Brother Doug-SABRE WHITE! Simply awesome story. I could feel the tensions and gut-wrenching emotions in the reading of your words. I have great respect and admiration for all you heroic pilots from Vietnam. You fearlessly presented large, high value visible targets and still braved the onslaught of green tracer fire whenever American lives were at stake. I salute you. BTW, I also carried a CAR-15 in the small confines of a Cessna Birddog when flying C & C for my Ranger unit.
Hi Gary, my fellow company mate
Thanks for your kind and enthusiastic words. You got me pumped up! I also appreciate your accolades for Army helicopter pilots. F Troop, 9th Cavalry was a darn good unit.
Your Ranger unit and all of your fellow Rangers performing the missions you did – well that is a different level of great courage and heroic actions. Great work!
The CAR-15 served me well. With the cease fire, the troop was standing down. Since it was not on the books, I gave it to an ARVN soldier.
Doug, It was fascinating to read . . . the rest of the story, as Paul Harvey would say. Thanks for sharing. I was TDY from Germany to Ft. Ben Harrison in 1973 with a fair amount of time on my hands and watched the news incessantly. We didn’t get much War news in Germany. I regarded the Cease Fire as a good thing, but like many I orignially thought this was a worthy war we would win. As time passed, I came to believe we backed the wrong horse and we paid dearly for so many mistakes made politically, diplomatically, operationally, and militarily. I still have the POW bracelet for Lt. Earl Lewis, Jr. I never found out what happened to him. Still, Thanks for sharing your story!
Doug
Thanks for sharing this fantastic story and for the significant role you played in getting back our guys!
ALL the BEST
Bob Martray
I was on JMC, My Tho and then sent to Phan Theit till Mar27. Remembered we started with White Arm Bands that changed to Orange when we found out the NVA, VC were telling LN’s we had surrendered. They dropped me and a NG PFC in a Rice Patty at Phan Theit to be Picked up. While waiting over an hour some ARVNs showed up on the bushes at the far edge of the Rice Paddy chasing and shooting at some VC. Now I had found a good Berm after drop off and sheltered us up but the PFC was a little nervous, lol.
Doug,
My best friend growing up was John Schillereff who’s obit reads that he was with ICCS-POW RELEASE in 73. Is this the same operation you are describing? If so did you know him? Also he was with F/1/9 CAV 1 CAV in 72-73. He also served in 1970 with call signs of SABER 13, LOBO 13, SABER 27