This map shows an area west of Quang Ngai that was always a hotspot, nicknamed the Horseshoe. Charley wanted to control the area because if he could call it home, it was the last haven before they were under the artillery fans on the way to Quang Ngai, Mo Duc and points east.
This is a picture of the Horseshoe area. The high terrain always presented a problem.
One fine day a Dolphin aircraft from the 174th AHC was flying C in C for the 3/1 Inf Bn when they spotted a carrying party leaving the area headed for Hill 411. Dropping down to investigate, the entire village erupted in gunfire crippling the aircraft. The pilot did a textbook 180 rotation onto the sandbar in the middle of the river where they started taking ground fire from both sides of the river. Because of the high ground surrounding the area, the crew were unable to raise any one on the emergency radio. Finally they connected with a C-135 who alerted the company. Two light fire teams of Sharks (4 aircraft total) responded, two aircraft working each side of the river. When asked to pinpoint the location of the bad guys, the Shark pilots received all kinds of advice, none of it helpful. Finally, they just said, “I’ll bet it’s the guys shooting at us, right?” The fight wore down to just door guns at low level, kind of a high pucker factor sort of operation. When the main guns are not being used, a pilot has nothing to do - so they take pictures. The reason there is not more combat footage available is because it becomes a low priority when you are getting shot at. J.C. Pennington, the unoccupied pilot of one of the Sharks took these shots more to control his nerves then anything else.
This is an interesting picture. The smart people are in shallow holes dug in the sand because they are taking fire from both sides of the river and have twice driven back VC trying to approach from the ville. The "John Wayne" wannabe is actually trying to remove a radio from the nose of the aircraft. Aviation types usually arrive at a fight in a big green machine with all the stealth of the Macy Day Parade, so the concept of "cover" is somewhat foreign to us.
The fight degenerated into the doorgunners throwing WP grenades and then shooting anyone trying to get away.
A Shark cruising along the smoke looking for victims. This is not the safest thing for a gunship to do. The sandbar can be seen in the smoke on the left of the picture.
A Shark on the other side of the river.
The downed slick can just barely be seen on the sandbar just to left of center. Finally a platoon was airlifted out from Bronco to keep Charley quiet while the aircraft was recovered. One gunship took a hit in the hydraulics and limped away to Quang Ngai.
This is a picture of the Horseshoe area. The high terrain always presented a problem.
One fine day a Dolphin aircraft from the 174th AHC was flying C in C for the 3/1 Inf Bn when they spotted a carrying party leaving the area headed for Hill 411. Dropping down to investigate, the entire village erupted in gunfire crippling the aircraft. The pilot did a textbook 180 rotation onto the sandbar in the middle of the river where they started taking ground fire from both sides of the river. Because of the high ground surrounding the area, the crew were unable to raise any one on the emergency radio. Finally they connected with a C-135 who alerted the company. Two light fire teams of Sharks (4 aircraft total) responded, two aircraft working each side of the river. When asked to pinpoint the location of the bad guys, the Shark pilots received all kinds of advice, none of it helpful. Finally, they just said, “I’ll bet it’s the guys shooting at us, right?” The fight wore down to just door guns at low level, kind of a high pucker factor sort of operation. When the main guns are not being used, a pilot has nothing to do - so they take pictures. The reason there is not more combat footage available is because it becomes a low priority when you are getting shot at. J.C. Pennington, the unoccupied pilot of one of the Sharks took these shots more to control his nerves then anything else.
This is an interesting picture. The smart people are in shallow holes dug in the sand because they are taking fire from both sides of the river and have twice driven back VC trying to approach from the ville. The "John Wayne" wannabe is actually trying to remove a radio from the nose of the aircraft. Aviation types usually arrive at a fight in a big green machine with all the stealth of the Macy Day Parade, so the concept of "cover" is somewhat foreign to us.
The fight degenerated into the doorgunners throwing WP grenades and then shooting anyone trying to get away.
A Shark cruising along the smoke looking for victims. This is not the safest thing for a gunship to do. The sandbar can be seen in the smoke on the left of the picture.
A Shark on the other side of the river.
The downed slick can just barely be seen on the sandbar just to left of center. Finally a platoon was airlifted out from Bronco to keep Charley quiet while the aircraft was recovered. One gunship took a hit in the hydraulics and limped away to Quang Ngai.
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