Both Beckwith and Kyle they were not the Gen Staff planners and had to work with what the brass “under direction of jimah” cooked up. From recollection of the situation, it was poor planning to place helos and fixed wing so close together on a dark night desert LZ.
Then again that’s just my Monday Morning Q-back opinion.
Do we not agree that when dims are CIC a unusual level of irrational reaction in Mil situations occur?
Beckwith was eager to go but two Marine pilots backed out of the mission, that meant that although mechanically they had the minimum aircraft to proceed with one in reserve, the men flying them refused to pilot them, when they were pulling up stakes and leaving the debacle is when one of the helicopter pilots crashed into the C-130 killing Air Force and Marine personnel.