Talking Shadows
200720/CR
"Love Can Make You Happy", released in April 1969 by 'Mercy', reached over one million sales on July 15 of that year. For this accomplishment they were awarded a gold record by the R.I.A.A.. and there is a story attached to this song.
In July of 1969, I was assigned a spotter mission in support of the MACV (Military Assistance Command Viet Nam) and the 44th ARVN Regiment. We took off from LZ Betty (Landing Zone Betty) and headed North by North-East. The basic mission was to locate a group of Viet Cong. This reinforced platoon had hit 3 villages and taken between 20 to 30 young men as hostages, laborers and recruits. The village chiefs were killed but the number of friendly villagers KIA, WIA or MIA (killed, wounded or missing) was not known. We were over the area in 15 minutes, looking very closely for this group of "Little People". After scoping the area for about 10 minutes, the pilot flipped on the AFVN radio channel and "Love Can Make You Happy" was playing. Calmed by the music, my gaze was intense, we weren't seeing anything but shadows and darkness. We dropped down between tree-top and 200 feet doing a very serious "Where's Waldo". At this time of day and at the usual plus or minus 500 foot altitude, I could not see the surface very well. Even with binos (binoculars) there were dark spots and shadows in the suspect area. At the lower altitude I could see under and around things and, to a degree, into the dark and shadows but still could not really make anything out.
The pilot made a port slip, dropping down to 200 feet. He leveled out and we continued down over the area. As we flew across he pulled up and kicked right rudder making a semi-circle and we started back down. This right hook allowed me to keep the suspected area in view. The pilot and me had serious gut feelings that something was just not right down there. As we came around and started down for our second run over the area, we crossed the "T" of our first flight path...
It was then the evil in the shadows spoke!
The plane began to quake and jump with loud "BAM's". It didn't take two Rhodes Scholars to know we had been hit multiple times. We were hit in the starboard wing and elevator. Instead of pulling up, the pilot took a nose dive to clear the ground fire. We flew straight out gradually increasing our altitude. If the pilot had pulled up when we were hit, we would have climbed directly into their sights. Nosing over as much as possible, using the terrain and vegetation to block our position, the enemy lost sight of our plane and we made a long, safe gain in altitude. If he'd pulled up, this story would not have been written!
It was then the evil in the shadows spoke!
The plane began to quake and jump with loud "BAM's". It didn't take two Rhodes Scholars to know we had been hit multiple times. We were hit in the starboard wing and elevator. Instead of pulling up, the pilot took a nose dive to clear the ground fire. We flew straight out gradually increasing our altitude. If the pilot had pulled up when we were hit, we would have climbed directly into their sights. Nosing over as much as possible, using the terrain and vegetation to block our position, the enemy lost sight of our plane and we made a long, safe gain in altitude. If he'd pulled up, this story would not have been written!
Climbing out and to about 800 feet, we began to fly a horse shoe pattern over the target. I started my fire mission with the Navy DDG. The ship was on station at Fire Support Station 'Puller'. FSS Puller, was one of four FSS's we had set up in Fire Support Area, #1. This was the most northern of the 4 FSA's we has established. The reason for bringing this up is that on the following Operation, we would have to send the DDG to FSS 'Chapman', further down the coast but in the same FSA The position of the Viet Cong kidnappers was just short of the maximum range of the '5 inch 54' naval gun. Normally this would have been a big problem. This particular DDG, however, was equipped with special 5 inch rounds. They were carrying Rocket Assisted Projectiles, or "RAP" rounds. RAP increased the range from 25 Klicks (1 klick is 1000 meters) to 35 Klicks, plus or minus.
As our mission continued, the VC (Viet Cong) were steadily moving out of range for a 5 inch gun. It was easy to track them because they kept shooting at us. Realizing these VC would soon be out of range and that they had begun moving up onto an escarpment of about 500 to 1000 feet of elevation, I had to come up with something fast. Advising the ship of the situation, I was reminded that they possessed RAP rounds. Now things turned real serious. These rounds would not only hit the target on flat terrain but could, in this instance, hit the target if it were to be on the escarpment. Naval Gunfire is a flat trajectory, high velocity weapon and not a high angle firing Howitzer, such as the 105 mm and the 155 mm.
We continued to chase and observe. The pilot called for Cobra gunships and LOH Cayuse's. These aircraft were about 20 minutes out. It was up to us to stop or slow these VC down. The objective of our fire was not to hit the target, but to try and stop or turn their movement. We did not want to hurt any of the abducted Vietnamese. Once on top of the escarpment the "Little People" thought they were home free. As the ship was adjusting the magazine for RAP ammunition, "Charlie" got sloppy and we spotted them. There was no doubt, clearly they were hauling it and thought they were getting out of range and safe.
Based on my last plotted sighting, I called for the RAP and spotted it about 500 meters in front of their intended path. We kept the rounds dropping in front of the group. If they moved left, we fired about 500 meters from where I saw them. Right movement was done the same way.
RAP rounds were new to us. Its' use works this way: the ship fires the RAP round; when the round gets to its highest point, its' 'maximum ordinate' (the highest point during the flight of the projectile) the rocket is set to take over and push that round another number of meters in range. We didn't see the Little People again during the mission. By now the 'Snakes' and LOH's (nick name was pronounced 'loach') were working the area trying to get some info on where they were headed.
I terminated the fire support due to range and visibility. It was getting darker by the minute and we headed back to LZ Betty (Landing Zone) and a debriefing.
As I walked in the TOC (Tactical Operations Center) my Lieutenant gave me a bit of news. Tomorrow, at 0630, another member of our team and me would be going to the bush. We would join up with a MACV (Military Assistance Command Viet Nam) team and units of the 44 ARVN regiment. Our operational mission was to seek out, close with them; rescue their abductees and then destroy through fire and maneuver the Viet Cong kidnappers. Our permanent mission; First, rescue the kidnapped young men; Second; Do not hurt any friendlies. And Third; Insure we are successful.
