On January 21, early morning launch. After attending a chapel service where Lt. Tim Timmons gave a sermon, we launched to Khe Sahn. I believe Col. Rick was the HAC and Lt. Jim Littler was the right seat. I was in YT-1 "Attaboy" which I'd just inherited from Doug Lanford who was in his new "D" as my wing. I was usually teamed up with Doug Lanford his first mech. Jim Nylander I inherited his "A" model Attaboy 1 when mine, YT-6 flew its last very particular mission on a Friday morning and afternoon on January 19 '68 on a series of recon inserts and emergency extractions with Major Nelson and Lt. Tim Timmons... [Shining brass!]

A couple of days after Yt-6 went down, I picked up old YT-1 while Doug got a brand new "D" model and our first flight together was to Khe Sahn the morning, (a Sunday Jan 21st as I recall) the ammo dump was hit and I suppose the siege officially kicked off. Jim Littler was the non-hack and Col Rick was the pilot. [Redundancy accrues] WE had the dubious honor of airlifting a very special NVA officer that morning, [1st Lt. La Thanh Tonc.] I flew him back to Phu Bai where a platoon of Marines took custody of him under tight security. Well, I don't know that that was his name but we were under fire at Charlè' Med when we picked this PAVN follow up on a stretcher in a loin cloth girdle along with a few walking wounded and a Colonel who needed a hop to the rear. It was cold and I wrapped my horse blanket around the almost naked POW and instantly drew some scowls from the "Grunts" bailing out of KCB with very minor boo boo's.

I advised the Colonel to control his troops or else they'd be walking to Phu Bai. There was a squad of Marines who were attending the POW at Charlè' Med and they were exposing themselves to arty and mortar fire to see to his security.

When we landed at Phu Bai, we taxied to where Air America usually parked their big silver C-46. We disgorged our passengers and found that we were already surrounded by what looked to be a platoon of MP’s all armed and with vehicles that were armed too. They took custody of the POW and the stretcher as well as my Horse blanket. I wondered at that time who he was. I hadn't seen that kind of security even in photos since Ann Margaret and Bob Hope hit DaNang for their USO show.

I believe in the absence of anything to the contrary that this poor sap was possibly 1st Lt. La Thanh Tonc of the PAVN or NVA. Now I wonder what became of him after the fellows at 3d MAR DIV finished interrogating him. Could he have some how come to the US of A. After all, I believe he became disgruntled and surrendered at the end of the KCB runway voluntarily with all of General Giaps secret plans to over run the KCB and the surrounding hills to make some political statement. Silly General Giap..

Any one has any after actions reports, flight records, or unit chronologies that can attest to this or debunk it would be appreciated.

Semper Fi