Sgt Michael Duffy
Charliehorse Gunner
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Capt. Derrill Burnside, Capt. Martin Gronberg and myself (SGT. Michael Duffy) were flying along the Ho Chi Min trail north and west
of Khe Son and found a huge Cache about the size of a football field.
We had to leave to rearm and refuel and call for air strikes, but we were requested to go back and pop smoke and mark the area.
My asshole was really tight after I heard that request.
And sure enough we went back and Capt. Burnside was flying left seat and Capt Gronberg was Pilot and I was the Door Gunner ( Sgt.Michael Duffy).
When we went down to work the area, we kept flying left and I got on the horn and said I can't cover the left side stay right.
And sure enough we got hit with a 51 & 23 Cal. and it ripped us apart.
I thought we were going to crash at that site but Capt. Gronberg pulled the aircraft up and we flew about 2 clicks east and
I was checking out the aircraft, which was full of holes and on fire,
I also checked Capt. Burnside out because he was slumped over and not attentive to what was happening, so I checked him and found he had been hit,
the round went through the chicken plate on the rear of the seat, his personal back chicken plate and his front chicken plate.
At that time I reached over and tried to feel for a pulse but couldn't feel one.
And about that time the engine the aircraft's engine just quit and we crashed on top of a hill and rolled down the side in a ravine.
We were on fire still. I jumped out and tried to set up a perimeter, but my 60's barrel was bent in a U shape, so I grabbed Capt. Burnside Car 15.
When I did that I also checked Capt. Burnside again and found him with no pulse and not breathing.
I unstrapped him and tried to get him out but being the aircraft was on fire when we went down,
my grenades and Willy Peat's started to cook off, so I couldn't get him the rest of the way out,
and I've always regretted that because he burned and I second guessed myself if he was truly dead.
He had a hole in his chest the size of my fist.
Billy, If you or your children ever read this I really tried to save him.
At this point I helped Capt. Gronberg and we set up a perimeter, again.
It took them a while before we got out and a couple of cobras were lost suppressing fire for us.
Capt. Derrill L. Burnside was my friend, Billy. He was a very brave man. May he rest in Peace!
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