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Posted on 07/17/2004 12:13:46 AM PDT by snippy_about_it
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 are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
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 With little help available because of weather, two captains in an OV-10 took on an enemy regiment and won. The night of Sept. 16-17, 1972, was not the kind pilots dream about when sleeping peacefully. It was the monsoon season, and some of the aircraft at Da Nang, where the 20th Tactical Air Support Squadron was based, had been evacuated because of a typhoon warning. Only one flight of tactical fighters was scheduled for Vietnam that night. Weather or not, the ground war went on. An Army detachment of 120 men at Mo Duc, near the coast about 90 miles south of Da Nang, was under attack by some 2,000 enemy infantry. Early that evening, the 20th TASS FAC team of Capts. Richard Poling and Joseph Personnett was alerted for a Quick Reaction Force launch to support the Mo Duc garrison, which had declared a tactical emergency. Since the Army troops could provide their own illumination, Poling and Personnett had their normal OV-10 load of flares replaced with marking, high-explosive, and flechette rockets.  By 9:50 p.m., the weather had improved enough for launch. Personnett in the front seat was on his 45th combat mission, Poling on his 105th. But neither pilot had worked the recently assigned Mo Duc area. They were informed that there was no safe bailout area in the vicinity. The situation at Mo Duc turned out to be even worse than the two FACs had anticipated. Its defenders had been forced to abandon a 105-mm howitzer that had been taken over by the enemy, who was shelling the compound with it and with rockets and mortars. Poling and Personnett immediately silenced the 105 with flechettes, then continued to strafe and rocket other targets until the tac fighters they had requested arrived. Intense antiaircraft fire could not be silenced since most of it came from a refugee center where the enemy had sited his guns. The FACs remained on station until their ordnance was expended. At about 2 a.m., they were forced to return to Da Nang to refuel and rearm.  While on the ground, they requested Naval and ARVN artillery support, gunships, and whatever tac air could be rounded up. At 3 a.m., they launched again with Poling now in the front seat. Enemy troops had completely surrounded the compound. With no USAF fighters on hand, they requested A-7s from an aircraft carrier, but were told that the Navy planes could not be there until 6:30 a.m. An ARVN relief force had been ambushed and stopped by enemy forces, with little prospect of reaching Mo Duc in time. It was up to Poling and Personnett to save the 120 Army men with their own ordnance and whatever other fire arrived.  The situation became so desperate that the ground commander requested friendly artillery to fire on his position. Throughout the remainder of the night, Poling and Personnett strafed and rocketed muzzle flashes, directed Navy and ARVN artillery, and marked targets for the Navy A-7s that arrived on schedule at 6:30 a.m. The FACs' OV-10 was under heavy AA fire on each pass, with one of many hits passing through the canopy, showering both pilots with splinters. As dawn broke, Personnett in the back seat was directing Naval and ARVN artillery while Poling was working two sets of Navy A-7s, another OV-10 with cluster bombs, and a fast FAC. The hostiles were now attacking in waves. Shortly after 7 a.m., the ground commander called in desperation for immediate strikes on enemy troops who had broken through the perimeter fence and were within 25 feet of his bunker--too close for the faster aircraft to attack. Poling immediately rolled in with a volley of flechettes as all the ground fire focused on the OV-10. He and Personnett made eight passes, taking many hits, but they stopped the enemy assault.  On the final run, with the enemy withdrawing, the OV-10's rudders and right engine were shot out. Both pilots ejected from 2,000 feet as their aircraft rolled into an uncontrollable dive. Both were fired at as they parachuted into a rice paddy that was surrounded by enemy forces. After a tense 90 minutes, they were picked up by Army helicopters. The first chopper that reached Poling was shot down as it lifted off, but a second succeeded under heavy fire. The ground commander later counted 265 enemy bodies on the perimeter fences and credited Poling and Personnett with saving his troops from annihilation. In seven hours of sustained combat, two gallant captains flying a lightly armed recce plane were primarily responsible for defeating a reinforced enemy regiment. For that extraordinary feat, both men were awarded the Air Force Cross.  Thanks to Maj. Jeffrey B. Floyd, author of "For Extraordinary Heroism: The Air Force Cross" (privately published), for opening his files to this writer.--J.L.F. By John L. Frisbee, Contributing Editor      |
Very glad to see an account of actions by the extraordinary men who fought in Viet Nam, snippy. Thanks.
On This Day In History
Birthdates which occurred on July 17:
1487 Esma'il I shah who converted Iran from Sunni to Shi'ah
1674 Isaac Watts England, writer/preacher/hymnist (Horae Lyrican)
1744 Elbridge Gerry (DR) 5th VP (Mass-Gov), invented gerrymandering
1763 John Jacob Astor Germany, richest man in US, banker/fur trader
1859 Luis Mu¤oz Rivera Puerto Rico, journalist (founded Federalist Party)
1876 Rosa Jackson Lumpkin Georgia, lived to be 115 (died in 1991)
1889 Erle Stanley Gardner author (created Perry Mason)
1898 Berenice Abbott Springfield Oh, photographer (World of Atget)
1900 James Cagney actor, A yankee doodle dandy, hold that grapefruit
1909 Hardy Amies London England, royal dressmaker (Queen Elizabeth II)
1912 Art Linkletter Saskatchwan Canada, TV host (People are Funny)
1916 Eleanor Steber Wheeling WV, soprano (Metropolitan Opera-1940)
1920 Bill Monroe New Orleans La, newscaster (NBC-TV, Congressional Report)
1932 Vince Guaraldi, jazz pianist (Charlie Brown TV specials)
1934 Donald Sutherland Canada, actor (M*A*S*H, Body Snatchers)
1934 Pat McCormick comedian (Don Rickles Show, New Bill Cosby Show)
1935 Diahann Carroll Bronx, actress (Julia, Claudine, Dominique-Dynasty)
1935 P.D.Q. Bach [Peter Schickele], Iowa, composer (5th of Beethoven)
1939 Spencer Davis Wales, vocalist (Gimme Some Lovin)
1941 Daryle Lamonica Oakland Raider QB (AFL leading passer 1967)
1942 Connie Hawkins Harlem Globetrotter/NBA (Phoenix Suns, ABA MVP 1968)
1949 Terry "Geezer" Butler bassist (Black Sabbath)
1951 Lucie Arnaz LA Calif, actress (Kim-Here's Lucy, Jazz Singer)
1952 David Hasselhoff Balt Md, (Revenge of the Cheerleaders, Night Rider)
1952 Phoebe Snow singer (Poetry Man)
1963 Denise Miller Bkln NY, actress (Billie-Archie Bunker's Place)
Read: Romans 5:12-21
By one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous. —Romans 5:19
Bible In One Year: Psalms 18-19; Acts 20:17-38
Our new grandson Jackson had fine features, soft blemish-free skin, and ten tiny fingers and toes on two little hands and feet. How could any proud Grampa not see him as a“perfect”baby? He certainly was a miracle of divine formation (Psalm 139:13-14).
The apostle Paul gave us a broader view of such“perfect”little infants when he wrote,“Through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin . . . . Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam”(Romans 5:12-14). In other words, every child is born with a tendency to sin. But that’s not Paul’s final word. He also wrote about Jesus, the“last Adam,”who became a“life-giving spirit”(1 Corinthians 15:45).
Long after man’s first sin, a baby was born who was God incarnate (John 1:14). God made Christ,“ who knew no sin to be sin for us” (2 Corinthians 5:21). When we trust Jesus as our Savior, the Holy Spirit creates within us a new desire to do what is pleasing to God. The flesh still has its pull, but the pull of the Spirit is stronger.
In the“first Adam”we’re all sinners. But let’s concentrate on who we are in the“last Adam.”—Dennis De Haan
If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away. —2 Corinthians 5:17
Morning again Iris7.
I guess there was really no "good" bailout area over there, just degrees of bad to worse. God Bless the SAR teams for the excellent work they did under the worst conditions.
You left about a year before I got there. Arrived in April 69.
Calley was a scapegoat.
Hi Radu! Survive the latest round of storms?
A round engined Cessna? I get an image of Snoopy behind the stick. :-)
Morning E.G.C. Clear day again and supposed to continue with our hot streak.
Morning EOD.
Curious minds want to know.
Morning alfa6.
You're gonna ruin my waistline GailA. But what a way to go!!
Morning WaterDragon.
Oh nice feather, Thank You.
Do you get the impression that Tsar Nicholis and anyone close to him were unpopular?
Corps of Discovery calling
The National Colors that flew atop the mainmast of the keelboat and pirogues. It had a stylized eagle in the center of the blue field (which U.S. Coast Guard vessels still have today) which were normally flown by U.S. government vessels in that era. This may indicate that Lewis obtained the flags (and commanders pennant) from naval supply sources.
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