Rupert Fairfield

____ ___PLESS FLIGHT CREW _
Title: Captain Rupert E. Fairfield, USMC, Copilot, Navy Cross
___ Open edition sculpture honoring Captain_ Rupert E. Fairfield. This sculpture was created as a study for the Pless Memorial sculpture and is on loan to Rupert Fairfield.

Valor Remembered Foundation
1105 Gannon Drive, Plano, TX 75025___ -___ 972.283.0097
_
GyMack
USMC {Ret}_________________________
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Statement Of Captain Rupert E.FAIRFIELD, USMC
On 19 August 1967, I was assigned as co-pilot of an armed UH-1E helicopter which was acting as chase aircraft for the Medical Evacuation H-34._ Captain PLESS was the pilot of the gunship and Gunnery Sergeant POULSON and Lance Corporal PHELPS were serving as the gunner and crew chief.

At approximately 1600, we received an emergency Med-Evac Mission and, because the H-34 was experiencing mechanical difficulties, we decided to launch and proceed independently to the Medical-Evacuation site._ While enroute, we heard several transmissions on "Guard" channel to the effect that an aircraft had been badly shot up and was proceeding to Duc Pho following a landing on the beach south of Chu Lai, and that the Viet Cong had taken four Americans prisoner.

Captain PLESS transmitted on "Guard" that we were a Huey gunship with a full load of fuel and ordnance and asked if we could be of any assistance._ Although this transmission was not acknowledged, we had by this time deduced the location of the action and I had also ascertained that our original mission, the evacuation of one wounded Korean Marine, could be accomplished by the H-34 without our escort._ I advised the Medical Evacuation helicopter that the zone was secure and that we were proceeding to the area where the four Americans had been captured._

As we neared the mouth of the Song Tra Khuc, we observed a number of explosions on the beach approximately one mile north. The explosions stopped abruptly and thirty to fifty armed Viet Cong ran from a tree line onto the beach._ Captain PLESS asked "how we felt about going down", and I turned to give the thumbs-up signal to Gunnery Sergeant POULSON; he and Lance Corporal PHELPS quickly returned the signal, and we began preparing our ordnance while Captain PLESS dove the aircraft at the Viet Cong on the beach._ As we passed directly over the top of the Viet Cong at an altitude of less then fifty feet, we saw the four American prisoners lying on the sand._ One Viet Cong had a rifle and was smashing one of the prisoners in the head._ However, another prisoner managed to raise his hand and wave.

Captain PLESS ordered Gunnery Sergeant POULSON to open fire with his door gun._ As he did, the Viet Cong abandoned the four Americans and ran into the tree-line only thirty meters from the beach._ Captain PLESS immediately pulled the aircraft into a near wingover to the right and fired fourteen rockets into the mass of Viet Cong._ Our white phosphorus rockets scored direct hits on the Viet Cong, but the smoke obscured the trees and the enemy.

Our rockets expended, Captain PLESS repeatedly made machine gun runs, firing into the smoke and through the trees at an altitude so low that the windscreen quickly became covered with mud._ Although we were receiving intense fire from automatic weapons, the smoke and our low altitude must have prevented us from taking any hits._ Our ordnance was almost exhausted and Captain PLESS transmitted "I'm going to land"._ He flared the aircraft to a spot on the beach directly between the four Americans and the Viet Cong and continued firing from a hover._ Then he kicked the aircraft around, pointed the nose of the aircraft seaward, and landed, thus utilizing the aircraft itself as a shield for the four Americans.

Gunnery Sergeant POULSON jumped onto the beach and assisted the only American capable of walking back to the helicopter._ Lance Corporal PHELPS continued firing for a few seconds at several Viet Cong who attempted to close with us from our left rear, and then he, too, jumped from the aircraft to help carry the three remaining men._ I also unstrapped and exited the aircraft through the right rear door._ As I came out, I suddenly saw three Viet Cong with rifles less then ten feet from the rear of the helicopter._ I removed the right door machine-gun and killed them._ I then ran out to assist Gunnery Sergeant POULSON and Lance Corporal PHELPS._ As I reached the beach, I saw more Viet Cong trying to overrun us and ordered PHELPS back to his machine gun.
The soft, powdery sand made it impossible to carry the largest American, and Gunnery Sergeant POULSON and I literally dragged him to the aircraft._ Then gunnery Sergeant POULSON, Lance Corporal PHELPS, and I ran onto the beach and picked up the third American and carried him to the aircraft._ All the while, Lance Corporal PHELPS and I continued firing our pistols at Viet Cong who kept appearing on the small sand dunes overlooking the beach.

Then, I ran to the fourth man, but failing to detect heartbeat or pulse, I became certain he was dead._ He had been badly mutilated and his throat was slashed._ I looked for dog tags but found none._ I ran back to the helicopter and noticed that the small arms fire had intensified._ I jumped in and told Captain PLESS that the fourth man was dead._ Gunnery Sergeant POULSON affirmed that he, too, had checked the man and thought him dead.

Then Captain PLESS and I saw a Vietnamese H-34 approaching from the water, and an Army Huey began strafing runs on the Viet Cong positions._ I yelled at Captain PLESS that the Vietnamese helicopter would pick up the dead man and that we should try to save the three wounded we had with us.

Our aircraft was at least five hundred pounds heavier than maximum take-off weight, and our skids hit the water four times before we finally became airborne._ We jettisoned our empty rocket pods, and tossed out all our armor plating._ While Captain PLESS continued forcing the aircraft to fly, Gunnery Sergeant POULSON and Lance Corporal PHELPS rendered first aid to the three wounded men._ I contacted our controlling agencies, told them our position, and requested that they cancel all artillery between our position and First Hospital at Chu Lai._ We landed at First Hospital a few minutes later, where we discharged our passengers._ We then returned to Ky Ha.

R. E. FAIRFIELD

Rupert Fairfield

BILL, HOPE THIS HELPS, INFORMATION IS FROM ED KUFELDT, GLAD I COULD HELP LOCATE HIM.

GYMACK

E-mail message

From: edward@kufeldt.com(Edward_Kufeldt) Date: Mon, Aug 2, 2004, 6:52pm (PDT+3) To: GYMACK@webtv.net Cc: vze3bkyh@verizon.net Subject: FW: Rupert Fairfield
-----Original Message-----
From: Ronald Heald [mailto:vze3bkyh@verizon.net]
Sent: Sunday, August 01, 2004 6:04 PM
To: Edward Kufeldt; GY79MACK@yahoo.com
Cc: ron.heald@verizon.net
Subject: Re: Rupert Fairfield
Ed/GyMack,
Please pass to Bill Ogle the following: Skeets Fairfields phone is (850) 983-0754 and his last address I have is 2050 Bay Point Blvd Milton, Fl 32583-9520. FYI. I talked to Skeets maybe a month ago. He said he had, I believe, 5 brain surgeries. Also some internal problems but everything seems under control now. He said he is recovering OK and building up his strength with regular workouts. Seemed in very good spirits. By the way, Skeets and I were in the same F-4 Sqd (VMFA-513) at Cherry Pt after RVN. Semper Fi,
Ron
(ron.heald@verizon.net)
----- Original Message -----
From: "Edward Kufeldt"
To: ;
Sent: Sunday, August 01, 2004 5:01 PM
Subject: Rupert Fairfield
Ron -- On the Popasmoke NOTAM board is a request from Bill Ogle. He is trying to locate Skeets and wants his address/phone number. Bill's wife went to school with Fairfield. Please send to GY Mack and he will forward. By the way, there was discussion at the Reno reunion that Skeets was very sick. Do you know any particulars?
Ed