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Charlie Horse History Forward

I CORPS Area of Operations

The Troop’s mission in I Corps was Armed Visual Reconnaissance or simply Recon. CPT Bob Larkin, the Platoon Leader I was replacing, provided a single-ship UH-1H flight around the AO during my first week in the Troop.
The AO extended from where the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) met the surf of the South China Sea, then westerly along the DMZ. We passed the deserted village of Gio Linh with its fire base that replaced it, then over Con Thein where the Marines had fought epic battles, passing north of the "Rockpile" and the "Razor Back" and on to the Tri-Border area where the eastern border of Laos and the two Vietnams converge. The western edge of our AO then turned and extended southerly along the Laotian Border crossing the only road in the region (QL-9) as it crossed into Laos and the abandoned Special Forces Camp at Lang Vei. With an easterly turn with Khe Sanh in view to the north, we followed the Da Krong River and QL-9 past the deserted Fire Support Bases (FSB) Shepard and Vandergrift then back to the China Sea. All this historically dangerous AO belonged to a single, unsupported ACT (Air Cav Troop). In the eighteen months that the Troop would operate in this northern AO, 46 Charlie Horse Troopers would be KIA and many more WIA.
As we shut down the Huey in the revetment at Quang Tri, I quickly did the math....in country ten days to date, that leaves 355 to go. This was going to be a long year.
On a daily basis, BG Hill, or his Brigade Operations Office (S-3), would assign mission requirements in a predawn briefing, and receive the "after action" reports during the evening briefing at the 1/5th Tactical Operations Center (TOC). Typical missions included Armed Visual Recon in a specific area, intelligence gathering missions such as sensor alerts and occasional body or equipment snatches, P Company 75th Ranger Battalion (P/75) reconnaissance support, resupply of 3/5 Armored Cavalry operational elements, and anything BG Hill designated as special missions. Reference Appendix I for the 1/5th Mech’s order of battle.

Personal Recollections of CPT Larry G. Brown

Three missions I remember well!

#1 - Just after arriving we were sent on a Last Light mission to do a BDA (Bomb Damage Assessment) of a strike that was assigned to go in just south of the DMZ. As usual we had been on standby for a couple hours waiting for it to happen, on again off again. Late that afternoon the strike was set to go in and we were launched. At this point I was the only pilot in the Troop that had been in the Quang Tri AO. During my first tour (TET 68) I had been there with B/1/9 Cav, 1st Cav. We were flying a Heavy Team north and I told the guns to not let us cross the DMZ, saying to not cross the river. I was low and headed north when the strike went in. We could all see the smoke, so we headed for it. Again, I told the gun cover “do not cross the river,” but that whole area up by QL19 was full of bad guys and the area was a total wreck from bombings and artillery. As we got closer, the strike seemed to be further north than I was expecting. As we neared the DMZ, I and the guns started seeing people running in all directions plus heavy AA (20 and 37-mm) started to fire on us as well as small arms from everywhere. At that point I, we all, knew it was too hot to remain or do the BDA. My call to the Guns was “Head South” as that seemed to be the only direction we had not and were not receiving fire. As we cleared all the gun fire it was becoming very dark. On landing we were met by a Major with an MP team. He told us we were under investigation for a possible incursion into North Vietnam. We were escorted back off the flight line to a room they had cleared in our Troop area. Seems Red Devil 5, the XO of 1/5th, had been listening in on our push. He reported we must have gone into North Vietnam. This was only one of our early run-ins with Red Devil 5. During the questioning, the Major had us all together for some reason. When asked did we know where the DMZ was I answer, “Yes.” Then he asked, “How I knew?” I told him that I had been in this AO in TET 68. He asked, “How do you tell the DMZ?” My answer was “The river!” Next, he wanted to know, “Why did you say go south?” I explained that we had been flying north and not receiving fire; so, when we started receiving fire - south was the only direction no fire was coming from. He asked one of the Guns did they know what the border was? Being how I had told everyone before the flight and during the flight not to cross the river, he responded, “Yes, the river is the DMZ.” Then he asked, “Did you cross the river?” I said. “NO! The team was behind me and I did not cross the river.” He looked around the room and everyone was silent. With that he told us we could go but added that Red Devil 5 had heard the radio talk and had reported a crossing. That was the end of us using published frequencies when in the AO.
#2 - Again, early after joining the 1/5th, we were sent on a mission out west of the Khe Sanh to put a booby trap along a trail close to the Laos Border. We went with a team and one slick with our ARP’s. The ARP’s sent were some of the more senior (time in country) guys. About two months later for some reason HQ wanted the booby traps removed. By now none of the team on the ground were left in country. I again lead the team to the area where we had made the drop and guided the ARP’s to the trail. The trail was concealed under heavy overhanging vegetation. Now we have new guys going down a trail with me trying to see and follow them under the canopy. After about 45 min I called them out as I could not see them. They had not found any signs of the booby traps. We picked up the ARP’s and headed back to Quang Tri.

#3 - I was checking out a new Scout, CW2 Wayne Forbs, with his first day in the right, command, seat. We were again a Heavy Team, with WO1 Jim Moran as Lead gun and WO1 Russ Whipple as wingman. We were just into the mountains west of Quang Tri, when we spotted a heavily traveled trail leading south into another valley. Our original plan was to be going out onto the Kha Sanh plateau, so the two Guns were loaded with Nails. Going south into the Valley made the Cobra's rocket loads not a good setup. Into the second small valley we found a much more heavily used trail. As we followed it, all hell broke loose. There were 3 or 4, 51’s set up in the area. All above where we were flying the Scout. They were trying to shoot down but could not depress enough to hit us. All the fire was going over the top of us, but the Guns were starting to take heavy 51 fire also. I called “Taking Fire” but they had seen it all and were doing their own dodging as well as trying to be in position to cover us. WO1 Moran told us, "Get out of the area.” I told him, “We are trying JUST SHOOT!” He said, “You are in the reticle and we are loaded Nails!” I said, “Shoot any way or we are dead! Get their heads down!” Jim was dealing the 1/5th while Russ was talking to Barky Fac to get us an air strike. Red Devil 5 told Jim to “put the Scout back in NOW!” Jim refused, and said that we need Air first. Again Devil 5 said, “PUT THE SCOUT BACK IN!” By now I was climbing out of the valley and could hear the talk between Moran and Devil 5. At this point I was not ready to go back in and Jim told Devil 5 the only way the Scout was going back in was after an air strike or Devil 5 could ride in with the Scout . He added that we were returning to Quang Tri. Devil 5 told Moran to meet him on Devil Pad. On the way in, the radio broke again with “Red Devil 5 this is Devil 6” (Gen Hill). “Devil 6 this is Devil 5 over.” “Devil 5 this is 6 disregard Charlie Horse at Devil Pad, you meet me on Devil Pad.” The end of another Devil 5 run in.