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Sappers Tet_69

Sappers_Tet Feb.26 69



photo by: San Parr 242d from Feb 69-Feb 70,
on his second tour. taken on 26 Feb 69 BR>

Jesse Torre
Hi Scott, I was real please to visit your web site again, I really liked what you are doing for us..I was a Muleskinner from Mar 1968 to I believe Dec of 1969.I spended a total of two years in vietnam my last six months with the 147th Hillclimbers in vung Tau and then in Can tho. My memory is slowly fading as time past by for me, but I still remember the night sappers penetrated our perimeter and destroyed the flyable hooks park in the revetments..I was sleeping in my assigned aircraft that night and approx 4 A.M. the sappers blew up our aircraft. I remember one of our gunners was killed that morning, his last name was Stringer,I remember him real well, he came to us from the 25th Infantry, he was getting short and decided to spend his last couple months in country as a door gunner with us. I could remember that morning vividly, the whole flight line was lit up with burning hooks, there was fire trucks trying to put out some of the fire on the burning "hooks" and people running all over the place, I remember a young mexican gunner killed one of the sappers with a forty five pistol as the sapper was trying to sneaks past him from one of the bunkers between the park aircraft.The day before the attack, the whole company was preparing for that attack which never happen and we practically spend all morning guarding our flight line, it was the next day that it happen. My platoon sgt was SSg Perez from Tx. I crewed "sky pilot II" after SP5 Counts deros, I still have a picture of this particular aircraft, I believe the aircraft I was sleeping in that night was 015. I later crewed 011, which disintegrated mid air over the lateral pit over the north 40 as it was making its approach to the refuel point. Scott, I am not sure if you remember the UH-B Huey,"Mini Skinner" I also crew that aircraft before I started on "hooks" I was in maint then and my Commander was Maj Wright with the 671st Avim. Anyway, it is a pleasure visiting your web site..
You take care and GOD BLESS you. Jesse Torre


Burned Chinook's Feb.69
(photo by: Andy Asberry a crewchief on Diamondhead 111,
UH1-C, Co B, 25th Avn. April 68-March 69
Andy Asberry - Prescription without diagnosis is malpractice .... in medicine and mechanics.

Thanks for visting my 242 page.......
yes I would be very interested in your pictures of the attack in Feb of 69
I will put them right up on the Muleskinner page.........
I also would be very interested in anything you can remember about that night ..... aim high,
G Scotty Doster

Some things other's remembered of that time

Starr Smeck
Hi, I just found your 242 web site,I think it is great. I was in the 242ash in Cu~Chi from Jan. 13, 1969 to Jan. 13, 1970. I worked on one of the maintenance crews 67u20. The night of Feb.26,1969 I was on motor pool guard it all started at 4:00 am. At first they just sounded the air attach.... so I headed for the bunker over by the EM club. I got about half way over and the rockets was getting pretty close by then I was down on the ground going as fast as I could. I was going right along side the EM club and one hit right on the other side. I could hear it hit the side and roof of the EM club, I made it to the bunker ok. I have some pictures of the burned Chinooks if I can find them.Take care and thanks for the 242 web site, Starr Smeck Camp Verde Az.

Bill Reid
Hello Muleskinner !!!!!
I was in the 116th. AHC(your sister co) on Cu~Chi the night (I believe 28 Feb.69) When the sappers got into the perimeter and blew up some 14? Chinooks of the 242nd. I also remember being shot down again that same night trying to evac the ships to pho`loi ??? Got as far as the soccer field and went down with the master caution panel screaming . Counted 57 holes in new(later sent back to rebuild) UH-1c. What a night. Great Home page.
Bill Reid~~~SAEP STINGERS 68-69 116th. Assault Helicopter Co. Association P.O. Box 952 Woodland Hills,CA. 91365

Ronald Skamanich
I didn't see anything about the sapper attact in Feb of 69? I think they got 11 hooks? I have some 8mm movies of the unit. I was with the 25th Aviation Co. B. I maintained the fixwing beavers close to your pads. I will try and convert the movies to VHS. ronald.skamanich"

Unknown?
Was with a civilian unit Lear Sigler, at Cu Chi Base Camp in '68 and first half of '69. Our unit was located next to the 242nd..
Remember in Feb.'69, when sappers penetraited our perimeter set charges in all but two of the Chinooks, ( maintenance was working through the night on one of the two). By dawn there was only a couple aircraft left.
The day before C-130's came and went all day long bring in cargo while the Muleskinners carried it out to the Hobo Woods where it was needed. All day we had three 130's on the ground unloading while others were in a holding pattern above the base. As soon as one left the ground another would land to unload it's cargo. By sunset the last Muleskinner Chinook carried off the last of the cargo brought in that day.
We heard that the 242'nd. had casualties on the perimeter that night where the sappers came through?

Movies of the 242nd

Frank Ford
Greetings from one Vietnam vet to another. I found your name and e-mail address on your homepage. Good work!
I was a soldier (fixed-wing aircraft mechanic) in VN from 68~71 (Cam Ranh,Long Thanh North [beside Bearcat] & Tan Son Nhut) then as a civilian 'Tech-Rep' until 73. Hung around VN & Asia til Saigon's fall in 75. I currently live in Bangkok, Thailand, where I work as an English teacher at a university. Now, for the reason I'm writing to you: I've been doing some research these past several months and found some films at the National Archives that may be of interest to you and members of your unit. The details are listed below. If you want to order a copy or get other info, you can reach the US National Archives (NARA) homepage at:
http://www.nara.gov/nara/nail.html
Regarding copying costs, I referred another vet to a film on his unit (720th MP, in Vung Tau). It was about 750 feet long and he got a digital video copy made for about $250. If you decide to get a copy, I highly recommend making a DIGITAL video copy, even if you don't have a digital player. With digital,you can make VHS or digital copies without loss of viewing/sound quality. The company that makes the digital copy can easily and cheaply make a VHS copy at the same time. (I recommend the company; "ColorLab.") If you or one of your members decide make a digital copy, I'd like to have one, too. My name and mailing address is as follows:
Frank Ford<
37/3 Sukhumvit 65
Bangkok THAILAND 10110
Phone: (66-2) 381-5949
Hope this has been of some interest to you.
Best regards,
Frank 'Henry' Ford

111-LC-55736 242D ASSAULT SUP COPTER CO 6/3/70 silent, unedited, color Summary: Air to air, Ch-47 copter in flight.
Slingload under copter.
Chinook on ground at air strip. Chinook with slingload takes off from airstrip.
Air to air, Chinook in flight. (Underexposed) MS, maintenance building. CO, sign. VS,
soldiers perform maintenance on Ch-47. Ground crew working on Chinook.
Crewman standing in front of Chinook giving directions to pilot before take off.
Int, copter in flight showing pilot at controls and instrument panel.
AVs, jungle terrain. Soldiers load supplies on trucks aboard copter.
Int, copter in flight, looking down at slingload of supplies From copter as it comes in for landing at strip.
Vietnamese civilians prepare to board Ch-47. Personal belongings are loaded aboard copter.
Chinook refueling. Int, rear door ramp of copter. Officer standing in front of soldiers in formation. Officer speaks to assembled troops. NOTE: Most of this footage is light and some is out of focus. Cu Chi, South Vietnam 1 motion picture title(s), 16mm, 635 feet 111-LC-55737 242D ASSAULT SUP COPTER CO 6/3/70 silent, unedited, color Summary: Black Lady mountain. CH-47 Chinook in flight with slingload of supplies in doorway of copter. Pilot in cockpit of Chinook. Copter comes in for landing Soldiers refuel CH-47. Copter takes off, raising a great deal of dust. Copter flies into distance with slingIoad. M-113 APC drives past. Smoke from grenade. Soldiers atop APC watch copter come in for landing. Chinook on ground. AVs, jungle terrain. Copter takes off. CH-47 with slingload comes in for landing on top of mountain smoke from grenade. Copter lands and releases slingIoad. Soldier on top of mountain next to wind sock. He has a radio. Copter takes off with slingload. CH-47 comes in for landing. Wind sock in fg. Radio operator. Copter lands. Door gunner in copter. NOTE: Film light. Cu Chi, South Vietnam 1 motion picture title(s), 16mm, 915 feet

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Email: gee_scott@lycos.com