On 8/23/2015 9:20 PM, Savageduck wrote:
> On 2015-08-23 18:57:33 +0000, Ri ardo <here@glorious-somerset.uk> said:
>
>> On 8/23/2015 4:00 PM, clairbear wrote:
>>> "Byker" <byker@do~rag.net> wrote in news:qLGdnY3ycMKI-trInZ2dnUU7-
>>> VednZ2d@earthlink.com:
>>>> "Joseph Testagrose" <Joet5@optonline.net> wrote in message
>>>> news:mdleka5le1idmab2tlmg3196arqqmur12j@4ax.com...
>>>>
>>>> Eventually they got around to covering it with fabric
>>>
>>> What an ugly helocopter
>>
>> Well. it's one way of being remembered!
>
> The other way it is remembered is how it was involved in the January
> 1963 Battle of Ap Bac in Vietnam. Ten of the CH-21s were flown in
> support of ARVN troops and Republic of Vietnam Civil Guard, by US Army
> pilots commanded by US advisors, and because of a bad ARVN command
> structure and intelligence we got the first indication of the quagmire
> 'Nam would become.
>
> Five of the newly deployed UH-1, "Hueys" were armed and flew as escorts
> for the 10 transport CH-21s.
>
> A communications SNAFU ensued and the choppers flew directly into fire
> from Viet Cong positions and all took fire
> One of the CH-21s was so badly damaged it was unable to leave the LZ. So
> a second CH-21 attempted to rescue the survivors. It was also brought
> down. A Huey was sent in to rescue those crews and it was hit in the
> rotor and crashed. A third CH-21 was brought down in the fight and
> landed nearby.
> The ARVN commander refused to take orders from the US advisors and
> provide support, to mount any rescue for the air crews and surviving
> ARVN troops.
>
> A fourth CH-21 attempted a rescue and it took ground fire and was forced
> to land in a rice paddy. The Viet Cong had brought down five helicopters
> in a few hours, 4 CH-21s and the first UH-1 downed in Vietnam.
>
>
>
> It eventually took a column of M-113 APCs to effect a rescue. The Viet
> Cong had their first major victory and then just faded away without
> sustaining any measurable damage or loss.
>
> ...and we weren't even officially there yet.
>
> If you want to learn more, consider reading, "A Bright Shining Lie: John
> Paul Vann and America in Vietnam" by Neil Sheehan.
>
>
>
Thank you for that information.
Ri©ardo
--
Moving Things In Still Pictures
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