f50lrrp
07-06-2009, 11:49
B-36 (Third Mobile Strike Force) was doing prep work at Song Be in 1968. As a part of the work we had our Cambodes riding McGuire Rigs with the new “Slick” pilots. A bunch of gun ship pilots were kibitzing and one major remarked that you wouldn’t get him at the end of a string “like a Yo-yo”.
When you rode a McGuire rig, you always made sure that there were at least two persons riding so that you could each hold out your arms and stabilize both of the passengers. The other arms would be linked together.
A couple of days later, one of our teams was extracted because of being discovered by the NVA and the major and his crew flew cover with their gun ship. The team made it back to camp, but the gun ship didn’t.
The next morning the slick pilots went looking for the missing gun ship and about 9:00 a.m., one of the slicks called in that they had located wreckage on the side of Nui Ba Ra. They also reported that the crew seemed to be OK.
We quickly sent one of the McGuire rigged ships out to recover the crew, The 1st ship went in and the co-pilot and both crewmen rode the McGuire rig out as we had instructed. The major rode the next rig out by himself. He oscillated uncontrollably and threw up the entire six miles and when he was on the ground he kept dry heaving for almost a half hour. During his dry heaving the team sergeant remarked, “you won’t get me at the end of a string like a yoyo”.
When you rode a McGuire rig, you always made sure that there were at least two persons riding so that you could each hold out your arms and stabilize both of the passengers. The other arms would be linked together.
A couple of days later, one of our teams was extracted because of being discovered by the NVA and the major and his crew flew cover with their gun ship. The team made it back to camp, but the gun ship didn’t.
The next morning the slick pilots went looking for the missing gun ship and about 9:00 a.m., one of the slicks called in that they had located wreckage on the side of Nui Ba Ra. They also reported that the crew seemed to be OK.
We quickly sent one of the McGuire rigged ships out to recover the crew, The 1st ship went in and the co-pilot and both crewmen rode the McGuire rig out as we had instructed. The major rode the next rig out by himself. He oscillated uncontrollably and threw up the entire six miles and when he was on the ground he kept dry heaving for almost a half hour. During his dry heaving the team sergeant remarked, “you won’t get me at the end of a string like a yoyo”.