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“I was wondering where you were headed,” the advisor captain said.
“No need to let any spotters on the ground know which way we’re going. Charlie probably heard you tell the team to pop red smoke. Someone was probably watching you get on the aircraft. Right now someone’s probably calling someone to tell them to be on the lookout for an aircraft flying north over Loc Ninh. Everyone across the border north of Loc Ninh will be itching to shoot at a helicopter. Hopefully once we hit the deck and make the turn northwest, no one in the area will be looking for a helicopter to shoot at,” Sinkey stated. He was tempted to add, If you hadn’t told them we were coming and which smoke to pop, ya dumbass…, but he didn’t.
As Cory passed over Loc Ninh and reached the deck, he turned to the new heading at and below treetop levels. Sinkey tuned in the radio frequency for the team on FM radio 2 and waited until he was across the border. He had been over the border into Cambodia several times since June, when all US forces had been pulled out. Congress was in the process of passing a binding resolution that no US ground forces would be allowed in Cambodia. However, the loophole was US advisors and aircraft could still operate there as the resolution had not yet passed. Sinkey knew that most of the pilots had crossed over recently in support of the ARVNs, but this was Cory’s first time since he had come out of Cambodia in June.
“Hector, O’Donnell, look sharp. We’re about to cross,” Sinkey warned them. He was closely following the flight path on his map, comparing streams, the few hills and occasional trail that they crossed as well as monitoring airspeed, flight time, distance and compass heading. Navigation by dead reckoning, as it was referred to by aviators—“I dead reckon this is the right way to go.”
“Panther Two-Three, Chicken-man One-Four inbound to your location. Po
p smoke.”
“Shicken-man One-Four, smoke route,” was the response with a Vietnamese accent. Everyone looked ahead, scanning for the smoke.
Hector spoke first. “Sir, I have red smoke at two o’clock. It’s on the edge of a small clearing.”
“Got it,” said Cory, and he made a slight adjustment in his heading.
“Hey, sir, I got red smoke at eight o’clock,” O’Donnell piped up.
Cory shook his head. “Dammit, I knew it. Charlie was listening and we’re screwed. This is what happens when you tell the ground guys which color to pop, Captain.” The captain did not respond.
“Panther Two-Three, pop smoke again and let me identify. Over,” Sinkey told them.
After a minute, which was probably caused by confusion on the ground over the request for another smoke, Panther Two-Three came back. “Roger, smoke out,” was the response with a Southern drawl.
In the meantime, Cory was flying at treetop level at ninety knots and making a wide orbit around both sites that had put out red smoke, but far enough away not to be engaged.
“Sir, I have a green smoke at five o’clock,” O’Donnell said as it drifted up from the first location.
“Panther Two-Three, I have green smoke.”
“Chicken-man One-Four, that’s affirmative. LZ secure as best I can tell.”
“That’s reassuring,” Cory said to Sinkey as he banked the aircraft in a hard deceleration towards the LZ and the smoke. As he slowed his approach over the trees, it became obvious that the LZ was covered in water that was a couple of feet deep and tall grass. Loading was going to be slow as Cory couldn’t set the aircraft down in the water for fear of landing on a stump or bending the skids on a log. Holding the aircraft at a hover, he must wait for the advisor and four ARVN soldiers to make their way through the water to the aircraft. Hector and O’Donnell were on the guns, scanning the tree line. This is not the optimal situation to be in right now, Sinkey thought. As each man tossed his rucksack on board and climbed onto the skids, Cory had to hold the aircraft steady, compensating for the additional weight and movement.
Finally Hector came on the intercom. “Last one is on the skids and getting in.”
“I have the controls,” said Sinkey as he laid his hands on the cyclic and collective with his feet on the pedals.
“You have the aircraft,” Cory responded, looking over to make sure Sinkey had everything. Immediately, the aircraft was gaining altitude to clear the trees and increasing airspeed. As they cleared the last tree and were at forty knots of airspeed, O’Donnell opened fire.
“We’re taking fire at eight o’clock.” Just as quickly as he began, he stopped.
“How much?” asked Cory.
“A couple of AKs, I think. Wasn’t much, and I don’t think we took any hits. Hey, Lieutenant Cory, is that the first time you took fire?” Both Cory and Sinkey knew what O’Donnell was driving at and started laughing.
Sinkey answered the question. “O’Donnell, Lieutenant Cory has more hours in-country flying than all three of us combined. This is his second tour after a previous eighteen-month tour that only ended four months ago. He left before you and Hector got here. This is not his first time, and he is not buying the beer tonight.”
“Just thought I would ask, sir. No need to be defensive,” O’Donnell said as he slouched back in his seat.
Returning to An Loc, the ARVNs gathered their stuff and deplaned. The captain advisor tapped Sinkey on the shoulder and told him it was end of mission. “You are released,” he said and jumped out. The NCO advisor who was with the ARVN team held back for a second and tapped Sinkey.
“Hey, sir, thanks for coming for us. I’ve told that captain not to discuss the smoke color on the radio, but some people just do not listen. He just doesn’t think Charlie is that sophisticated to be listening to our radio transmissions. Sorry again.”
“Not to worry. Maybe he learned something from this. You take care and call again if you need anything,” Sinkey said. Watching the NCO walk away, Sinkey switched to intercom. “Okay, guys, we’re free to head home. You want to take it, Cory?”
“Yeah, I have the aircraft,” Cory responded. “Mind if I slap on the hood and get some instrument time? It’s been a while.”
