John Hiemstra
Vietnam Diary
Web Page 6

THE BEST OF CHARLIE HORSE
VIETNAM

1 Nov 71 CE
Today was another day off.  I didn’t do anything really…boring!  The sun did shine though and the teams got in some blade time.

2 Nov 71 CE
I flew 2nd team today with Mr. Gary Richardson.  Nothing exciting to record.  Mr. Marvin Quinn got a monkey from one of the SERT instructors.  Her name is JoJo.  She is very friendly and oh so curious and mischievous.

3 Nov 71 CE
We did enough today, Ke Sanh, Da Krang (we did CS gas drops), 608, Cabbage Patch, and the Red Devil road.  Beady got shot at today north of A2.  We didn’t take any hits though.  I flew with Capt Dobbs (our new platoon commander) today.  I hope to make a favorable impression upon him.  JoJo nearly cut the tip of her left index finger off.  It sure looks bad.  The doc gave her some shots but said nature would just have to take its course.

4 Nov 71 CE
I was on standby today; I really didn’t do anything at all.  Both teams shot up some gooks near FSB Nancy.  The gooks even were sporting enough to shoot back at the guys!

5 Nov 71 CE
Today I did not fly.  The sun was out so a lot of flying was done.  A 2/17 has been getting shot up pretty badly out in the Ashau valley.

6 Nov 71 CE
I went up to the “Z” (DMZ) today.  I flew with Capt Becker today.  Deady was shot at but not hit.  The ceilings were low so we really didn’t do much.

7 Nov 71 CE
Again I flew with Capt Becker, 2nd team this time.  We worked out of A3 a little in the morning.  I didn’t fly in the afternoon because of a problem between Capt Becker and myself in the cockpit.  I was not feeling well nor was he.  He got curt about my flying and I told him off!  Not a good idea with a Capt.

8 Nov 71 CE
Today I flew with Capt Mills for the first time.  I really enjoyed flying with him.  We worked in the Da Krang valley.  It seems that the NVA are building up their assets in this area.  Deady was shot at three separate here.  The guns were shot at during the runs.  All the fire was AK-47.

9 Nov 71 CE
We spent the entire morning supporting ARVN insertions titi (a little) south of blue east of FSB Ann.  It was really cool watching arty and ARA work the LZ over.  Our job was to scout out good touchdown spots in the chosen LZ.  Everything was timed down to the second!  Avenger (General Hill) oversaw the operation while States 1 (name unknown) actually ran the operation.  I thought it was very well done.  I flew with Jim Weisend today.  Rain prevented any afternoon missions being accomplished.

10 Nov 71 CE
I had the day off.  Both teams went out west, shot up trucks and tracked vehicles.  AF (Air Force) and Vietnamese planes bombed the area too.  One ARA gun (Cobra) lost its tail rotor and spun in.  The crew got out with cuts and burns.  28 (Capt Carey) had an engine failure by Ca Lu where he successfully autorotated the aircraft in.  I guess we’ll get the Slick (Huey) out tomorrow.  The ARPs have it secured tonight.  Capt Mills was told today that he had killed an NVA trooper with nails (flechettes about the size of a nail) yesterday on one of his rocket passes into LZ 5.  This makes him very happy.  It was his 166th confirmed kill.  He flew scouts on his previous tour, personally killing 165 gooks.

11 Nov 71 CE
I was on standby today.  The two teams have been shooting up trucks and bulldozers out on 616.  I pulled officer of the guard this evening.

12 Nov 71 CE
I slept most of the day since I was up all night (with the guard duty).  The teams went back out the truck park again today.

13 Nov 71 CE
We didn’t do much today.  I did a GCA (ground controlled radar approach) with Capt Mills into Camp Evans which was fun.

14 Nov 71 CE
We didn’t do much today.  We flew around QT and sat down the rest of the day at Camp Evans.  I spent the evening getting ready for a CMI (military inspection)

15 Nov 71 CE
The CMI team arrived this morning…we sent all the aircraft we could get up to avoid the TI (technical inspection) teams.  We did work out on QL9 at the Laotian border. Deady took a hit in his main rotor spar making it necessary to set the helo down at Ke Sanh airstrip.  We hooked (airlifted by Chinook) the LOH without incident.  We received a “Satisfactory” on the CMI which is what we wanted.

16 Nov 71 CE
I was off today, really not much to tell.  The LOH was shot at again today on 616 but that’s normal!  An Australian floor show played at the club tonight.  They were good.

17 Nov 71 CE
I had standby with Capt Becker today.  I and Sp4 Banchblt flew 110 out to the beach for a test flight following maintenance.  Sure was fun!  Both teams took fire today on the Laotian salient.  Marv (Quinn) and Rickabaugh both claim three kills!  Poor Smith got his teeth busted up in a brawl at the Redskins club tonight.  Goes to say that clubbing can be unhealthy!

18 Nov 71 CE
I flew with Richardson today.  We did Ke Sanh, the Red Devil road, Raakasan (I saw where the Cobra went down, still in good shape aside the river!).  Not much happened today.  32 had his ship 624 catch fire at the POL (refueling point) at QT but were able to put the fire out.  Bob Ramsey made AC (aircraft commander) today.  His call sign is 41.  He certainly is happy!

19 Nov 71 CE
I flew with Cocherell and 41 (Ramsey) in 2nd team today, spending the entire day with ARA and AF bombing the place (we were working).  We found two trucks, 3 scout cars, a 37mm AA (anti-aircraft) gun, and large bunkers.  We received .51 cal fire in the area.

20 Nov 71 CE
There was nothing as exciting today as yesterday.  First team went back out to the truck park we found yesterday.  After all that bombing, rocketing, and strafing, only about half the vehicles there were damaged!  Ugh!  They found four gooks there and shot them up but don’t know if they got a kill out of it.  I was on standby so I didn’t fly.

21 Nov 71 to 30 Nov 71 CE no diary notes exist

25 Nov 71 CE (from my recollections)

What a day!  Thanksgiving!  Turkey!



Page 7 - December 1971