MEMORIES:
FLIGHT DETACHMENT INACTIVATION,
MARCH 1973:
Captain Mickey Evans:
17 April 2017:
While going through all my “stuff” recently I finally found the letters that Linda and I had exchanged during my second assignment with CAC during the period January — March 1973. Months ago I did find the envelopes for my letters to her, but they were empty. Hmmm! She could not recall why she separated the envelopes from the letters contained in them, but she looked and could not find them. I did find the few letters I wrote to my parents, but they were neither as newsy nor as frequent as those I sent to Linda.
Just yesterday as I was going through my “stuff” I came across a box of letters she had kept, filed by year, and inside I found my letters attached to hers. So, we both know why she took my letters out of the envelopes, to match them to each other. I was, however, surprised that I had actually kept all of her letters to me and brought them home with me allowing her to attach them together. I do not remember doing that but I obviously did. But, I did not have much to bring home with me since I knew I would probably not stay long in RVN given the peace treaty. I apparently didn’t take a camera with me and took no photos while I was there — at least that I’ve found yet.
My letters seem to provide a lot of details about those last few months in RVN with CAC in early 1973. I am going through them now and should be able to write a substantive, concise article about how CAC left RVN at the end of March 1973. I am working on it; so, please bear with me.
[Later that same day....:]
I have attached the last two envelopes I have to Linda along with what I think are the last two letters to her. The date of the second letter of the 25th doesn’t match the 24th postmark on the envelop, but either I made a mistake or the Navy post office made a mistake.
The two letters should give a bit of the flavor of uncertainty and confusion that was ongoing on almost an hourly basis in March 1973. I’m not sure exactly what date we did leave, but I do recall that all 6 aircraft, 12 aviators, and 6 enlisted flew from Tan Son Nhut, directly over Cambodia, to Bangkok. We were released about 1530 that same afternoon. It was very short notice, and I gave the order for all of us to leave as soon as I received our release.
Lynn may have some memories of our arrival on his end and what happened to the aircraft when they took control of them. I was the last Long Tripper and U–21A to depart Tan Son Nhut. The other five were not far ahead of me. I’m still looking for Dave Hogan who was part of the “dirty dozen” left behind after everyone else departed by Singapore, allegedly to drop the birds off for “rebuild” before they all returned to CONUS via commercial. You will need to find some of those guys to get that part of the story.
Dave was a Fort Sill the same time I was, and we both arrived back with CAC in early to mid–January 1973. I do wish I had a list of everyone that left with us on that final day, but I’m sure that I do not have such a list. They told me to go take the birds to Bangkok, and we did just that.
In addition the missions in support of the Joint International Control Commission and the Four–Power Party (including VC, NVA, US and RVN in the same aircraft), the real story is that having to do with comparing 1969–1970 with early 1973 regarding flight following, very reduced radio traffic, so few aircraft of any kind in the skies over South Vietnam, and seeing so many army aircraft and other equipment and facilities left with the RVN forces at places like Cam Rahn Bay, Danang, etc. I remember thinking what a difference a few years made.
Checking other stuff I have in my files and “unorganized boxes,” it appears that I served with CAC for about 3 months, starting in March 1969 as the Aircraft Maintenance Officer at Long Than North, until I found a Texas Major who wanted the job more than I did and then served at the Saigon Detachment until the following March of 1970. So, I guess that makes me a 1969–70 CAC man and then a 1973 CAC man.
Mickey S. Evans
Comments by Captain Charles A. Hardin, CAC, September 1970–September 1971:
[With regard to information regarding inactivation] I am no help as I was a U21 SIP with CAC. However I was Operations Officer for 352nd in Panama from 1971 to 1974, during that time I was PIC on two ferry flights from Singapore to Panama of two of the former CAC aircraft. Great trip.
We actually made front page for Army Times on first flight. Longest flight by a modern Army aircraft, R18037, 74 hours from Singapore to Albrook AAF, PCZ. I do not remember the second AC number but I think 04? We made that trip in 42 hours. Ended up with 16.5 good years active and reserve, Master Army Aviator.
I was with the CAC from September 1970 to September 1971 as a command pilot and U21 SIP. My history with the CAC started a couple of months before I got there. After finishing U21 SIP course at Rucker I had the opportunity to fly some 0–6 to the Destin, Florida, area. When we got back to Rucker he asked if I was deploying soon and I said yes. He then asked if I knew where I wanted to go and I replied CAC. He told me to call him when I got to Saigon and he would take care of it. Flabbergasted, I as who he was, Aviation Assignments Officer, Vietnam. He gave me his card with the Saigon number. When I arrived a month later, I called and he remembered me said he would call me back in a hour. Called me back and said no openings but that he would send me to Clark AFB for jungle school and when I finished head down to Subic for sea survival. All TDY from Vietnam, is life good? Later when I got back, I went directly from the flight to Saigon’s Long Trip ramp.
Spent a great year there, roomed with Gary Zenther, saw the O Club burn and will always remember the antics of Brooks LaGree. Bob Bayne was commander then.
When I left Vietnam was assigned to the 352nd AVN DET in Panama Canal Zone as Operations Officer. Had 2 U21s, 3 U8s all different models, and Otters. Plus we wore whites, I always swore that every day in the Army was like Sunday. While I was there I was notified that we would get several ex Vietnam U21 aircraft. Sounded great to me until they said go pick them up. I think most U21 aircraft ended up in Singapore for overhaul by Lockheed. The first aircraft that I picked up was 037, I believe that this was the first to be ferried. When we got to Singapore we noticed that the aircraft was fitted with 300 gal internal fuel which gave it 9–plus hours at 10,000 feet, also at least 1000 pounds over gross. I did try to explain that for our 18,000–plus mile trip we did not need the tankage. One of the requirements that was placed on us was for a 8 hour test flight before release. On the day of the test flight we filled the aircraft with 600–plus gallons. Off we went. We had noticed on preflight that all vents looked like they would pressurize the internal tanks and was told that this was correct. We departed Singapore for the test. After two hours we started to transfer, crew chief called and said tanks were making popping sounds and swelling a little. Just like the engineer said it would. A hour later screams from the back as both tanks ruptured at the same time. I immediately hit the gang bar with jet fuel at seat level in the aircraft. We headed back to Singapore with a military escort since I killed all power. We pumped the gear down, copilot asked for power to see the green lights. No green lights—just pumped til it would not pump anymore. Made a uneventful no flap landing, but did look impressive with the jet fuel cascading down the stairs. Our flight took us up to Bangkok, through Bangladesh, India, Pakistan. Iran, up through Europe, North Atlantic, down through Canada, US, Central America to the Canal Zone. Seventy–two flight hours, forty–two days. I think we learned, as the next trip I took took fourteen days and I thinkforty–six flight hours, NO INTERNAL TANKS.
I have a copy of the Army Times article someplace will try to dig it up.
Charles A. Hardin
Captain L. Kirk Lewis (Colonel, Retired), 1972–73, Operations Officer until inactivation on 28 March 1973:
25 November 2018: (Turn in of U–21A at Singapore Lockheed Rebuild Facility—on inactivation day)
Here I am at the Lockheed Aircraft Services Company rebuild facility the day after we evacuated all Long Trip U–21s to Singapore, 28 March 1973. All 36 aircraft were flown from Saigon direct to Singapore not down the Malaysia peninsula as planned. We had no over water survival gear (requirement waived?) and some of the aircraft carried many GRC 106 radios for use by our intelligence folks in other south Asia locations.
You will note some unusual paint schemes on the airplanes. When peace came on 28 January 1973 some of the aircraft had to be repainted in order to transport the peacekeeping force (Poland, Hungary, Malaysia and Canada) — the aircraft with the US flag painted black. The four powers ( US, Viet Nam, North Viet Nam and the Viet Cong) are the aircraft with the three orange stripes around the body. Both type of aircraft had white stripes on the wings of different width depending on the passengers to be transported.
On the second day after the peace keepers arrived they made the flag an issue and demanded that the US flags be painted over. Major “the bald eagle” Urick, Commander, Command Aircraft Company, said if that’s the case I want all to know that is still an US aircraft and rather than painting over the flag in white to blend in with the tail he directed it would be black. He took some flack over the decision but held his ground. As you can see, they remained as such until rebuild complete.
As operations officer I had the pleasure to schedule myself to fly the last U–21 out of Saigon. My co–pilot was Colonel Harvey Mayes, who was the USARV CAC passenger approval authority. Due to some unusual circumstances (another story for another time) both of our wives were crew members–pax for the flight. A Day to remember.
L Kirk Lewis
(contact and email information available)
Comments by Captain Joseph W. Lynn, CAC, January—December 1971:
Very interesting summery. Awesome information! It put me back in those old Nam days. Must make sure Lynn Hayes, my CAC long time friend in Sierra Vista, AZ, received this email
I was with CAC at Long Than North, from January to December 1971. Had an opportunity to know and fly with Captain Hardin. In fact, a Christmas [tour] drop after Nam, I hit Ft. Rucker for rotary wing transition enroute to Germany and assigned to the 25th Aviation Company at Stuttgart, Germany. They were a VII Corps aviation support asset.
As a U–21 Contact IP and Command Pilot for the VII Corps Commander, and used to mission flying throughout Europe in U-8Fs, I was directed to go to Singapore and ferry back U–21 18040. Wow! that assignment brought back many memories and reacquaint me with the U–21A. it was an awesome trip. But no AUX TANKS!!!!. Just a long milk run with no real problems, back to my home base, Stuttgart.
A lot of the information you provided filled in a many of the questions that remained blank about how the Command Aircraft Company mission concluded.
Thank you for what you do. I enjoyed this information very much.
Joseph W. Lynn
MAJ/USA/Enineer Corps/Ret.
Comment by Captain Donald M. Ricks, CAC, December 1969—September 1970:
Joe, what a small world we all sense when we know “the rest of the story.” I, too, attended rotary wing transition training, in 1979, and was sent to Germany, with duty at Echterdingen Army Airfield, Stuttgart, Germany, with assignment to the 25th Aviation Company (1980–1983). We had that same U–21 mentioned in your statement, a C–12, and a large compliment of Huey and Ranger helicopters. That unit was the largest aviation company in Germany at the time. I flew all their aircraft.
During my checkout with that former CAC aircraft, CW3 McDonald (our IP) and I were on a training mission for certification when he received a radio call and mission change from our flight operations, stating there was a command staff group unable to depart Schwäbisch Hall Army Air Field due to weather too low for the grounded helicopter crew. Our assumed mission was to land at that airfield and pick up the stranded group and take them to Stuttgart.
We set a course for the airport and attempted one approach but failed to identify the airport in time to land on our non precision approach. As we turned left to climb out, I told McDonald, who had made the approach from the right seat, that I had the field in sight out the left window below and could attempt a 360 overhead approach, if he approved. CW3 McDonald was a very good pilot and knew I had flow the aircraft in Vietnam, so he quickly asked me if I thought I could make the approach. I smiled and said yes, and he simply said, “Okay, let’s do it!”
I turned the aircraft and maintained contact with the ground and soon lined up with the runway, crossing low and began the 360 turn. The aircraft came around wing low to final as I set up the aircraft for approach and landing. We hit the runway just beyond the numbers and I reversed props to exit at the first taxiway. I recall looking at McDonald while turning onto the taxiway and saw his eyes and mouth wide open. He said, “I hope that group of people didn’t see that low turn to final.” It seemed to me that we both sported an adrenaline rush with that one!
As it turned out, the ranking passenger was our next higher commander and his staff. They had been standing outside the terminal watching as we demonstratively snuck in under that changing ceiling. We got them safely back to Stuttgart without further trouble, I passed my check ride that day, and I never heard another thing about the mission.
Joe, that U–21 you flew back from Singapore and the excellent experiences gained in CAC were the difference in mission accomplishment that day.
Don Ricks
CAPTAIN PETER R. BLOSSER, CAC, SEPTEMBER 1972–28 MARCH 1973:
I was one of the “Dirty Dozen,” [pilots who flew out the last airplanes] I was assigned by Major Urick [Longtrip 6] to support 2 Corps (Pleiku ) from Nha Trang, I flew with CW2 Craig Eichmeier, and we eventually shut down the support operation. I also supported the “Four Party Joint Military Commission,” effort [and received a Certificate of Appreciation] in the draw down. I have a memory of being in the Tan Son Nhat operations shed and watching President Nixon report that all US troops were out of Vietnam. We in fact were there to pick up and transport to BKK any deserters, etc., that wanted to leave Viet Nam. As to who was last to leave, I don't know. I was close though (lol). Memory being what it is, and a lifetime later, I think that Craig flew with me to BKK. I was also involved in taking aircraft to Singapore. It's nice to know that those "Veterans" [U–21s] came back to the states. I was reassigned to CONARC Flight Operations, later TRADOC Flight Operations for my last three years on active duty. I am retired from 32 years flying with Ozark Airlines, TWA, and finally American Airlines. I have a couple of slides of Long Trip aircraft and Saigon Operations, I’ll try to get to you!, I should have a bunch more but can’t find them now.
Dirty Dozen refers to a comment by Mickey Evans regarding aircraft and crews left in Saigon to collect any "stragglers" (my term!) that wanted to get out of Vietnam after the draw down. I sometimes laugh at the detail that some Vets remember about their Vietnam service, as I have not spent a lot of time remembering details and timelines. The stripes painted on the U21's signified aircraft dedicated to Four Party Joint Military Commission service.
Captain Peter R. Blosser
Photos from my tour:
Comments:
The faces are familiar, but I do not recall their names. I do know that the four orange rings on the aircraft represented those used to carry members of the Four Power Party [US, RVN, NVA, and VC] during February and March 1973. The International Commission of Control and Supervision [Canadians, Hungarians, Poles and Indonesians] planes were marked with White Crosses. I didn’t have a pic of either until now.
I remember getting the award, and I still have mine in the original box. Both were pretty flimsy. I did not get a certificate—that I can find. The medal/ribbon are almost impossible to find these days. I did not have the order you provided, however. Thanks for sharing it.
I do remember a few of the names. MAJ Bill Ponder was the commander when I was there in 1969, as I recall. I don’t remember seeing him in 1973. I assume he was at higher staff level as a COL at that point.
David L. Hogan is the guy I have been looking for but haven’t found yet. He and I were two reporting to CAC in January 1973 prior to the signing of the Peace Accord. We were both there when we flew the last 6 birds to Bangkok in late March 1973. We then attended the Rotary Wing Qualification Course and then as advisors with the Fort Sam Houston Readiness Group (Aviation Team) in San Antonio—flying out of Randolph AFB to OK, AR, LA, and TX. It was there that we both worked for LTC Chuck Kettles. He was outstanding!
Mickey Evans
CW2 DALE L. DILTS, DECEMBER 1972–28 MARCH 1973:
I am attaching some orders for awards that contain several names of individuals that were assigned to CAC in 1973. I arrived in July of 72 and sent to Nha Trang along with Harold Hintze. Captain Richard Wiggins was commanding the detachment. There were six of us assigned there with two aircraft. We were there for a few months then sent to Saigon. Harold (Pete) Hintze ended up at battalion as the safety officer. I lived at the end of the runway in Saigon for a while then moved to the Missouri BOQ.
As I mentioned on the phone, I left just before the aircraft were moved to Singapore. I stayed in the Army and retired in 1987 then went to work for Airborne Express where I retired in 2005 at 60 years old. I served with Stephen Gregory Miller, Brooks Lagree and William Roach at Ft. Belvoir, 1973–1976; they also were in CAC while I was there. William Roach was stationed at Da Nang.
I then went to Saudi Arabia, where I served with Leroy Saage flying for the Corps of Engineers. I was with Jack Stephen at the Presidio of San Francisco when I retired in 1987 I live in Florida now and a close friend and neighbor is Ray Sheely, who served in CAC before I arrived. The attached picture is of me from 1973 shortly after returning to the states.
Dale Dilts
CWO LEONARD R. “Len” ECKER, LATE 1972–27 MARCH 1973:
I arrived in Vietnam for my second tour in July of 1972 and was assigned to 1st Signal Brigade Aviation Detachment as a U–21 pilot, at that time stationed at Long Thanh North. Our primary mission was to fly U-21s equipped for radio relay missions. These aircraft had a bank of FM radios in the cabin, lots of extra antennas and a radio operator on board during flight. We also did our share of ash and trash missions. In late August or early September of 1972, the unit relocated to Long Binh and then in October of 1972 we moved again to Ton Son Nhut.
Immediately after moving our belongings into the BOQ we received an urgent relay mission to Pleiku. Once at Pleiku we stayed for several days flying missions. Upon returning to Saigon and calling in as Satellite (our unit call sign), we were advised by tower that we were no longer Satellite, but that our call sign was now Long Trip. We were also informed that our personal belongings had been moved to the Command Aircraft Company area.
We never unpacked or spend a night in the BOQ. Long Trip quarters were a step up for us as now we were living in a nice house trailer. Sometime in early 1973, personnel in the unit were required to go to the US Embassy in Saigon and get issued a temporary US Passport (which I still have).
The Paris Peace Accords were being negotiated at this time, and we were told the unit would soon stand down but not provided a specific date. At this time we were flying everyone: NVA, VC, Prisoner Repatriations Peacekeeping Teams and whoever showed up. Finally, when the Polish contingent of the peacekeeping team showed up, we had to leave our nice trailers and move to a hotel in downtown Saigon.
Flying continued as usual but the rumors started to fly. First we were standing down and flying the aircraft home to the USA, then some aircraft and crews would be reassigned to Bangkok and the other aircraft would be flown to Singapore. There were at least three or four alerts to leave that fell through, so we were sort of living out of our suitcase.
Finally, on 27 March 1973, Jim Davis and I departed Tan Son Nhut AB [Saigon – ICAO identifier VVVS] in R18017, bound for Singapore, never to return, thank God.
Actually, flying with Long Trip was one of the most enjoyable assignments I had in my 21 years of service. The best the Army had to offer were in Command Aircraft Company, officers and enlisted alike. I salute each and every one of them.
Staying well, living long makes for a “LONG TRIP”
Len Ecker
Comments by 1LT Paul A. Carter, CAC, January–March 29, 1973:
Don, just ran across the Longtrip website again after a number of years.
I was probably about the last person to join CAC Saigon. I arrived January 1973 and departed 29 Mar 1973. We flew out just before dark on the 29th carrying two lieutenant colonels, who were charged with making sure everyone got out. See the writeup attached. We flew to Bangkok and turned the AC in to the unit there.
I was a 1Lt, MI pilot.
Paul CarterGoing Home: 1973 [possibly the last two aviators assigned to CAC in Saigon]
By Paul A Carter, 1Lt, MI
Vietnamese were running through the corridors of the Missouri BOQ banging on doors and shouting for all Americans to go downstairs immediately. It was the wee hours of March 29, 1973. My first thoughts were that the VC had come a day early. My .38 was missing. It usually hung in the holster on my bed post. We had to turn in all our weapons a few days earlier. I rolled off the bed and laid on the floor next to the wall away from the door and listened. After awhile, things died down and all I could hear was a few doors opening and closing. No gunshots or other indications of conflict. I got dressed and cautiously went downstairs. The lobby was filled with Americans. A civilian lady was in charge and I asked her what was going on. She said they were rounding up everyone to make sure they made their flight out that day. I told her I didn’t need to stay with the group since I was flying my own aircraft out later in the day. She insisted that I stayed with the group. I went back to bed.
Out at the Command Aircraft Company on Tan Son Nhut, there was only one U–21 left. Two LTCs were there. Their responsibility was to make sure all American military personnel left that day. The day drug on slowly. The aircraft was inspected. Weather was checked. Everything was a go. I asked one of them if they had accounted for everyone. He said there were several people they couldn’t find. They must be holed up somewhere in Saigon. Late that afternoon, just before dark, we loaded up and taxied out. A Pan Am jet was also taxing out. In it was the last load of Americans. We were the next aircraft off after it departed. When well airborne, one of the LTCs (LTC Lamp, if my memory serves me), came forward with a message that he wanted me to pass to the US Embassy. It said that, as of our wheels up time, MACV was now closed. I had problems establishing good radio communications with the embassy. We were nearly to Phnom Penh by the time I got the message passed. We flew on to Bangkok.
At Bangkok, I gave the log book to the new crew chief and that completed the turnover. I had orders for Fort Carson, Colorado, since my family was in Denver. While at CAC, admin kept insisting that I volunteer for duty in Bangkok. I refused to sign a volunteer statement to that effect but was assured I was going anyway. At the Bangkok detachment [70th Aviation Detachment], the major gave me a verbal order that I was not to leave and that I would be assigned to his detachment. I spent the next week at the military hotel in Bangkok exploring the city. The other pilot and I would meet at the pool in the morning and decide which direction we would go that day. We would take a taxi to about as far as we thought we could walk back. Sometimes we didn’t get back until very late in the evening. The next day we repeated the process but in a different direction. Finally, I was told that although my orders for Bangkok hadn’t come through, I would start flying missions the next day. I was coming up to my reporting date for Fort Carson, per my orders, so I called Department of the Army and spoke to the MI assignments officer. He asked me to put the major on the phone. I left Bangkok two days later via commercial air.
The CAC pilot–in–command with whom I flew out of Saigon was CPT Hans Roland Young. Attached is a little blurb on my going home from Vietnam. Also attached is a photo of me a few years later flying a Mohawk. I don't have any pictures of me in Nam. I left the army in 1980.
[Items received in following emaiS:]
ONE:
Don, I saw the 18 Mar 1973 orders. I did some digging through my box in the basement labeled "Military Stuff" and came upon two documents. I'll continue to look at the papers and maybe I'll find more.
CPT Hans Young was the pilot that flew with me on 29 March. See attached flight order.
Also attached is a 12 March 1973 Special Order assigning CAC personnel to the Four Party Joint Military Commission (Provisional). Basically, we flew them around as they supervised the prisoner exchanges in the south.
in addition to flying the Four–Party personnel (US, S Vietnamese, N Vietnamese, and VC) we flew the ICCS — International Commission of Control and Supervision — (Indonesia, Canada, Poland, and Hungary).
CAC flew two aircraft to Loc Ninh, each carrying an Air Force two–man air traffic control team, to support the aircraft that were to ferry the American POWs to Saigon. Loc Ninh was controlled by the NVA. The weather was down and we had to go through a hole in the clouds to get to the airfield. We made a low pass down the runway checking bomb damage on the PSP surface and where it was patched sufficiently to land on. We climbed to 300 feet AGL for our traffic pattern. We poked through the clouds on down wind and came around for landing. Somewhere, I have a picture of a NVA officer taking a picture of our aircraft. It was memorable standing on the Saigon tarmac as the Hueys approached and then the American POWs getting of the aircraft and walking over to the AF Nightingales that took them to the Philippines.
Paul Carter
Second email, 26 October:
Don, I talked to Hans. He is quite sick with Agent Orange issues. He didn’t remember anything more about the last day. He did say that he got assigned to the 70th for about 4 months before he went home. He said they use to fly back into Vietnam while he was there. They flew wearing civilian clothes. I told him you would be interested in hearing the story. [Additional recalls follow:]
“ It was quite common on a Monday morning to have a flight from Saigon to Phnom Penh carrying Sir Robert Thompson, who was a British military officer and counter insurgency expert. He always wore a suit. He had an aide who always wore a pin striped suit with a bowler hat. We never brought him back home. We would take him on a Monday and then the next Monday we would take him again. If our trip was to drop him off and return without getting out of the aircraft, we wore our regular uniform. When we made trips to Phnom Penh where we got out of the aircraft, we wore civilian clothes. On one of the trips, I got to check out a MiG 15 that was in the weeds on the east side of the hangar. I was surprised how small it was.
When Vice President Spito Agnew arrived in Saigon on 31 Jan 1973, CAC was tasked with getting him out of country if things got dicey for him. There were helicopters on various buildings around where he was located with the idea that if he became a target they would rush in, pick him up and take him to Tan Son Nhat where CAC would take him to Bangkok. If he was under extreme attack, we could take off from the taxiway. We spent several days periodically preflighting the aircraft and checking the weather. Nothing came of it.
As the US drawdown continued, some of us were attached to the US Embassy so we had to get red passports. I think it was part of the effort to reduce the official number of people attached to MACV. I still have my passport. It sounds like much to do for so little gain. However, I ran into a similar situation in Korea a few years later when I had to depart early to help keep the number of troops below a specific level. There were all kinds of rumors going on during the last days. We were going to fly to Hanoi for the POW exchanges. We were going to move to Nakhon Phanom, (NKP) Thailand and help with the MIA issue. Lots of speculation. In the end, we just left.
While waiting to load a Four Party flight with a group of North Vienamese officers, I struck up a conversation with a young NVA officer who was the translator for the group. He was married, had a young son at home, the same as I had. It struck me as to how similar we were. Because our countries couldn't get along, it was his job under different circumstances to kill me and for me to kill him. Our conversation didn't last too long. He was getting the evil eye from the senior officer of his group. The ironies of war.
Attached is a blood chit that found its way home with me.
Paul”
TWO:
I don't remember Paul Carter, toward the end we did pick up a (some) pilot or {pilots} from the standing down of the Mohawk unit based at Marble Mountain near Da Nang, The one I remember was Reese Williams. Kirk Lewis, maybe would know, as I believe he was Operations Officer in Saigon. I was in the gaggle of aircraft that flew out of Tan San Nut, on the last day, but that was a hectic time. I had orders for the CONARC Flight Detachment at Langly AFB, and flew out of Thailand, within a couple of days after arrival. Nobody at “Nitnoy,” questioned or tried to stop me from proceeding to my next assignment. I can remember a couple of Warrant Officers that worked in flight operations in Saigon, but again, they worked with Captain Kirk! I’m nearly 75 years old now (November), and this is the best remembering I can do! I’ll kick it around in my head, and if I remember something else I’ll report.in! Regards, Pete Blosser
TWO ORDERS AND BLOODCHIT CITED BY PAUL CARTER IN HIS EMAIL:
HISTORICAL NOTE: LAST COMMANDER
Major Richard Eugene Urick, Infantry, O5307548, was the last commander of Command Aircraft Company, which inactivated on 28 March 1973. Major Urick died 12 February 2017 in California. Donald M. Ricks, Editor
Tab D to Appendix 2 to Annex B to USARV/MACV SUPCOM After Action Report (containing that part pertaining to the Command Aircraft Company):
EDITOR: Any history, accounts and documents anyone has in their possession would certainly add to this inactivation history page.
