This periodic ritual is carried out, not just to prepare
the soil for the next season's planting, but also, according to an old
superstition, to chase out the evil spirits that may lurk there.
As dusk stealthily seizes the sky, however, the
land-tillers settle into their villages. The smoke from the fires mingles
with the inbound fog from the ocean and, combined with the approaching
nightfall, makes visual navigation extremely difficult.
Following along the impressive main canal, the pilot
spots the distinctive bend to the northeast and bears his Command and
Control (C&C) ship on an exact setting slightly to the northwest. At
the same time, he automatically punches his time clock. In the back of
his C&C ship is the Special Forces (SF) advisor and his ARVN
counterpart.
As they near the primary landing zone (LZ), the
aircraft commander (AC) notes the time of flight from the bend of the
canal and the heading on his map. Three hours later he will have to
direct three slicks into a combat assault (CA) through a lingering,
murky smog, devoid of all but a pittance of illumination and these
settings will be the only navigational aids available.
Meanwhile, the men in the rear are making detailed
visual study of the area, for they will be directing the men in the
assault on the sinister countryside. Nearby areas are reconned on the
return trip to the staging area for potential sites to be used for
diversionary insertions.
This night's mission was an unusual type for most
units, but something to which the men of the 114th "Knights of the
Air" are becoming accustomed. "Night operations by aviation
units are still in the early stages," stated Major Bobby G. Briggs,
CO of the 114th. "But the first indications are that the elements
of surprise and greater mobility offered by aviation are going to emerge
as the most favorable attributes. Having adapted and overcome the
additional problems involved in nocturnal operations, we now welcome the
camouflage of the night."
Each night the Knights deploy a hunter-killer team
consisting of slicks, a flare ship, C&C ship and Cobra gunships.
These hunter-killer packages support the 7th, 9th, 21st ARVN Divisions
and the 5th Special Forces in IV Corps.
Commenting on the coordination of effort, Major
Briggs reflected, "The ARVN's have proven to be most cooperative
and highly efficient in our operations. The fellows in the Special
Forces Advisory Groups here have an excellent rapport with the
Vietnamese soldiers and make our job a lot easier."
Two hours after dusk, thirty men from the ARVN 7th
Division load on to the waiting choppers along with two SF advisors.
Fifteen minutes later they locate the bend in the canal, and the much
practiced operation in navigation begins. "If we can make the drop
within 100 meters of the planning LZ we have accomplished our
mission," commented Captain Donald J. Gutzwiller.
This particular night, the 114th team inserted the
men in an open field near a canal suspected to be an NVA infiltration
route. The choppers touched down in the LZ using their landing lights
for only seconds and without the aid of flares. As the three choppers
lifted off, clamoring for altitude, the 30 men in the LZ were invisible.
Already they had meshed with the ominous, pitch darkness. After the
initial mission had been accomplished, the three choppers hovered in two
secondary LZ's simulating insertions to confuse possible enemy forces in
the area.
Since January 1, the Knights have flown well over 50
percent of their hours at night with insertions of as many as 500 men on
a single mission. The area of operations for the company has been
concentrated in the three border provinces of Chau Koc, Kein Tuong and
Kien Phong. In addition, each day the 114th sends three slicks on
swing-ship missions throughout the IV Corps area.
The mission of the 114th, to augment, within the
"rules of engagement," the aviation capability of the Republic
of Vietnam forces in their area, is also a reflection of the continuing
progress in the Vietnamization of the war effort.
Commenting on the eventual takeover of the complete combative
operation in their area, to include the aviation operations, Major
Briggs remarked, "A lot of talk about the war today concerns
Vietnamization with the ultimate objective being the end of the U.S.
involvement. Well, our missions are aimed in this direction. The VNAF
(Vietnamese Air Force) will fill in the air support eventually."
The 114th, then the 114th Air Mobile Company, was
dispatched to Vietnam on February 20, 1963, and assigned to the U.S.
Army Support Group, Vietnam. Joining the 1st Aviation Brigade on July
22nd, 1966, and redesignated the 114th Assault Helicopter Company, the
Knights recently celebrated their seventh anniversary of operations in
the Republic of Vietnam.
The company, organized into two lift platoons of Huey
slicks, the "Red Knights" and "White Knights," also
has a gun platoon consisting exclusively of Cobra gunships.
Flying day and night in support of the 44th Special
Tactical Zone along the Cambodian border, the men of the 114th are
constantly on the offensive against VC and NVA infiltration in the area.
As stated by the Knight commander, "In the past seven years, we
have preformed just about every type of assault operation possible.
Right now, however, our main objective is to halt the infiltration along
the border of our area of operations. " This objective is being
accomplished more effectively today than ever before, because the men of
the 114th make the job a 24-hour operation." |
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