Sog...Jim Cohron recovery attempt

Led the recovery team in the next day. Elephant grass on top of the knoll was 10 or 12 feet high and thick. Landed by H-34 (USMC, probably HMM-263) about the middle of a 600 meter flat (relatively) plateau and couldn't see anything because of the grass. Worked our way south to a little hill top at the south end of the plateau and found the ambush site in medium thick bamboo. Some shredding from gunfire, but not as much as you would expect. Several places where grenades detonated, but not much evidence of fragmentation. We felt as though the ambush may have been a deliberate effort on the part of the NVA to take prisoners, because we thought the grenades were concussion type and there wasn't much evidence of gunfire. We followed drag marks for 100 meters or so and then they petered out. Did a cloverleaf search out about 100 meters in all directions and didn't find anything. Moved back into the grass and down the west side of the plateau looking for any sign.

Radioed the results back to our TOC at Khe Sanh and were told to sit tight. (We had two other teams over on Co Roc and I think there were 6 or 8 Marine H-34's to handle about 90 of us on the ground in various places. No gunships, 1 FAC on the ground, no A-1's...charming!!).

We moved back to the northwest part of the plateau where the grass was lower and we could see across the plateau. We were in an area of large saplings with logs from larger fallen trees. The logs gave us good cover and we had some concealment. I didn't want to move off the high ground where I had an LZ unless I had to.

I was worried that we had picked up trackers, so SFC Gilbert Hamilton, Sp5 Gary Spahn, and 4 to 6 indiginious troops checked our back trail. They got out about 50 meters and ran into heavy fire. Everyone was hit. Hamilton was hit in the abdomen, Spahn in the jaw, 2 indig KIA and 2 wounded. Hamilton was calling for help and began to pass out and Sphan couldn't talk because of his wounds. In the meantime we came under fire from an RPD and several AK's.

I was able to get Hamilton to pop a smoke and had the interpreter tell all the indig that on the count of three we were all going to stand up and walk toward the smoke firing semi-auto from the hip... and not to fire directly at the smoke because that's where our guys were. It worked and we reached our guys in about 5 minutes. Naturally, we were calling for support the whole time.

We got our guys and secured the area. There were two wounded NVA in our new perimeter with brand new equipment. (this was just prior to the seige of Khe Sanh). We had suppressed all enemy fire and a squad followed a blood trail out about 20 meters until I called them back. In the meantime one of the indig killed the two prisoners (I really wanted the prisoners and probably should have had one of my guys guard them, but we were all a little busy).

I learned later the the FAC had taken off from Khe Sanh and crashed on take off. I couldn't figure out why I wasn't getting any help. We hadn't received any fire since the initial ambush and I was hoping to get off the plateau before the NVA got more troops inthe area.

In about 20 minutes (it only seemed like next year) the Marine H-34's reappeared. we popped smoke and I think I cautioned them that the NVA had retreated down the westside tree line. The first H-34 got hosed, probably by the RPD and pulled off. I understand the door gunner was killed. There were no gunships and the resat of the H-34's adjusted and just kept coming, God bless'em.

Last bird landed and we still had 7 guys in the zone. We all got on and bounced a few times. I could see the crew chief talking and the next thing I knew he was pushing one of the indig off. I jumped off also, because I was worried that they might not come back for one little Cambodian out in Indian Country.

Unfortunately, I left my pack, with the radio, on the H-34. The H-34 got away and things got real quiet. We started crawling to the east side of the plateau and we could hear the NVA talking. They were lining up just like a big game hunt. Things were going well until we crawled up on 2 of them and had to fire. Pretty sure we killed them both. We ran back the way we came and did a lot of shooting at noises in the grass and were rewarded on several occasions with screams. We were back at the original starting point and getting ready to go down the side of the plateu because there was no place else to go when we heard an H-34 coming back. I think he was by himself, but may have had a wingman. I didn't want to take my eyes off him, so I didn't see much else. I started blazing away full auto into the grass and he roared in right on top of us. We dove through the door and we were gone.

I remember the Crew Chief lit a c-rat cigarette and handed it to me. I didn't smoke, but I took it and smoked the whole thing. Maybe that's what freedom tasyes like. I have never smoked another cigarette because I don't think any other cigarette could ever taste as good.

I don't remember getting back to Khe Sanh or what happened the next day, but I'll always remember those H-34's and always regret that several airmen and several SF guys died coming to our aid. SFC Hamilton later died of his wounds. Wish it had turned out better!

Thank you all!!

HMM 263

Lancer...bad day at the Ok Corral...glad you made it. Prayers to those who did not.

Anyway, it could not have been HMM 263 on 18 January 1968. HMM 263 colors were rotated back to the states in November 1967. All of our 34's were transfered to H&MS 36 at PhuBai. We did continue to fly the 34's with the 263 Blue Eagle logo on the clam shell doors and 263 markings though. Some were shipped to the VNAF. I do not remember such a mission only because there were only a few crew chiefs from 263 that went with the planes and flew...and I can assure you, I would have remembered such a bad day. I cannot say which 34 squadron flew the mission but, it should be easy to find out which 34 units were still operating at that time. I finally rotated out at the end of January when Tet was ramping up, so after that I have no idea what happened to the 263 34's there.

Semper Fi,

Gordo

Thanks

I appreciate the info. Greatly indebted to whoever it was. We'll find each other eventually. Thanks for all you did....you guys were OK for "Jarheads"...but seriously
Great bunch of guys in the Helo Units out of Phu Bai...they certainly flew into Hell and back for me on a few occassions.